Abrupt weaning type combined to stress during late pregnancy in sheep present economic losses on carcass and low testicular development in lambs

Fábio Luís Henrique; Cristiane Gonçalves Titto; Evaldo Antonio Lencioni Titto; Henrique Barbosa Hooper; Lina Fernanda Pulido-Rodríguez; Ana Luísa Silva Longo; Thays Mayra da Cunha Leme-dos-Santos; Augusto Hauber Gameiro; Adroaldo José Zanella; Alfredo Manoel Franco Pereira

doi:10.31893/2318-1265jabb.v6n2p29-32

Keywords:

carcass yield

gross margin

testicles

Abstract

This study investigates the combined effect of the progressive or abrupt weaning after the stress during middle and late pregnancy on the performance and development of lambs. Twenty-four male lambs were used, born from 18 Santa Ines ewes that were divided into three experimental groups. Pregnant ewes were submitted to the application of Lipolysaccharides E. coli (LPS) during the 70^th day of pregnancy (Ig; n=12) or at the 120^th day (Fg; n=8). Animals were kept as control (Cg; n=14). Lambs born in a 6-day interval were subjected to two types of weaning (Pw: progressive weaning; Aw: abrupt weaning at 45 days of age). Lamb data, including testicular development, yield carcass and economic cost were analyzed. Means were compared by F test and Student's t-test (P<0.05). Fg lambs had the lowest average carcass weight compared with Cg and Fg groups (P<0.05) and lambs from progressive weaning had higher carcass weight in relation to the abrupt weaning process (P<0.05). On carcass yield, no difference was observed on gestation groups for any type of weaning (P>0.05). The highest yields in gross margin was observed for the Cg group and the lowest for Fg (P<0.05), and no difference to Ig group (P>0.05). On lambs’ testicular weight, Cg average value was higher than Fg (P<0.05), but no difference was observed on scrotal circumference (P>0.05). The combined effect of LPS challenge as a simulated disease process during late pregnancy and abrupt weaning change the testicular weight and the yield carcass, resulting in economic losses.
References
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2. Andrade AKG, Soares AT, Freitas FF, Silva SVC, Peña-Alfaro E, Batista AM, Guerra MMP (2014) Testicular and epididymal ultrasonography in Santa Ines lambs raised in Brazil. Animal Reproduction 11:110-118.
3. Chang Y, Lee-Chang JS, Pannerdoss S, MacLean JA, Rao M (2011) Isolation of Sertoli, Leydig, and spermatogenic cells from the mouse testis. BioTechniques 51:341-344.
4. Chrousos GP (1995) The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis and immune-mediated inflammation. New England Journal of Medicine 332:1351-1363.
5. Coulon M, Wellman CL, Marjara IS, Janczak AM, Zanella AJ (2012) Early adverse experience alters dendritic spine density and gene expression in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus in lambs. Psychoneuroendocrinology 8:1112-1121.
6. Elmquist JK, Scammell TE, Saper CB (1997) Mechanisms of CNS response to systemic immune challenge: the febrile response. Trends of Neuroscience 20:565-570.
7. Gallo SB, Merlin FA, Macedo CM, Reis VAA (2015) Two sources of protein in the diet of feedlot lambs. Revista Brasileira de Saúde e Produção Animal 16:317-324.
8. Gluckman PD (1986) The regulation of fetal growth. In: Buttery PJ, Haynes NB, Lindsay DB (eds) Control and Manipulation of Animal Growth. Buttenvorths, London, pp 85-104.
9. Henrique FL, Titto CG, Titto EAL, Hooper HB, Pulido-Rodriguez LF, Longo ALS, Leme-dos-Santos TMC, Gameiro AH, Pereira AMF, Zanella AJ (2017) Small Ruminant Research 155:39-44.
10. Hild S, Clark CAC, Dwyer CM, Murrell JC, Mendl M, Zanella AJ (2011) Ewes are more attentive to their offspring experiencing pain but not stress. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 132:114-120.
11. Kuhn CM, Pauk J, Schanberg SM (1990) Endocrine responses to mother-infant separation in developing rats. Developmental Psychobiology 23:395-410.
12. Mahgoubo O, Kadim IT, Weeb E (2012) Goat Meat Production and Quality. CABI, Cambridge.
13. Mairesse J, Lesage J, Breton C, Bréant B, Hahn T, Darnaudéry M, Dickson SL, Seckl J, Blondeau B, Vieau D, Maccari S, Viltart O (2007) Maternal stress alters endocrine function of the feto-placental unit in rats. American Journal of Physiology Endocrinology and Metabolism 292:e1526-e1533.
14. Mertens DR (1994) Regulation of Forage Intake. In: Fahey GC (ed) Forage Quality, Evaluation, and Utilization, ASA, CSSA, SSSA, Madison, pp 450-493. doi:10.2134/1994.foragequality.c11
15. Nagpal AK, Singh D, Prasad VSS, Jain PC (1994) Effect of weaning age and feeding system on growth performance and carcass traits of male kid in three breeds in India. Small Ruminant Research 17:45-50.
16. Napolitano F, Marino V, De Rosa G, Capparelli R, Bordi A (1995) Influence of artificial rearing on behavioural and immune response of lambs. Applied Animal Behavior Science 45:245-253.
17. Napolitano F, De Rosa G, Sevi A. (2008) Welfare implications of artificial rearing and early weaning in sheep. Applied Animal Behavior Science 110:58-72.
18. Orgeur P, Mavric N, Yvore P, Bernard S, Nowak R, Schaal B, Levya F (1998) Artificial weaning in sheep: consequences on behavioural, hormonal and immuno-pathological indicators of welfare. Applied Animal Behavior Science 58:87-103.
19. Orihuela A, Suárez E, Vázquez R (2004) Effect of restricting suckling on the social bond between ewes and their 10-week-old lambs. Livestock Production Science 87:259-264.
20. Owens FN, Dubeski P, Hanson CF (1993) Factors that alter the growth and development of ruminants. Journal of Animal Science 71:3138-3150.
21. Petit B, Boissya A, Zanella A, Chaillouc E, Andansona S, Bes S, Lévy F, Coulon M (2015) Stress during pregnancy alters dendritic spine density and gene expression in the brain of new-born lambs. Behavioral Brain Research 291:155-163.
22. Torres-Hernandez G, Hohenboken W (1979) An attempt to assess traits of emotionality in crossbred ewes. Applied Animal Ethology 5:71-83.
23. Urano FS, Pires AV, Susin I, Mendes CQ, Rodrigues GH, Araujo RC, Wilson RSM (2006) Performance and carcass characteristics of feedlot lambs fed raw soybean. Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira 41:1525-1530.
24. Wang H, Yang L, Hu Y, Wang B, Huang Y, Zhang C, Yuan-Hua C, Xu DX (2014) Maternal LPS exposure during pregnancy impairs testicular development, steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis in male offspring. Plos One 9:e.106786.
25. Widdowson EM (1980) Definitions of growth. In: Lawrence TLJ (ed) Growth in Animals. Buttenvorths, London, pp 1-9.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

How to cite

Henrique, F. L., Titto, C. G., Titto, E. A. L., Hooper, H. B., Pulido-Rodríguez, L. F., Longo, A. L. S., Leme-dos-Santos, T. M. da C., Gameiro, A. H., Zanella, A. J., & Pereira, A. M. F. (2018). Abrupt weaning type combined to stress during late pregnancy in sheep present economic losses on carcass and low testicular development in lambs. Journal of Animal Behaviour and Biometeorology, 6(2), 29–32. https://doi.org/10.31893/2318-1265jabb.v6n2p29-32

[1] Alexander G (1977) Role of auditory cues in mutual recognition between ewes and lambs in Merino sheep. Applied Animal Ethology 3:65-81.

[2] Andrade AKG, Soares AT, Freitas FF, Silva SVC, Peña-Alfaro E, Batista AM, Guerra MMP (2014) Testicular and epididymal ultrasonography in Santa Ines lambs raised in Brazil. Animal Reproduction 11:110-118.

[3] Chang Y, Lee-Chang JS, Pannerdoss S, MacLean JA, Rao M (2011) Isolation of Sertoli, Leydig, and spermatogenic cells from the mouse testis. BioTechniques 51:341-344.

[4] Chrousos GP (1995) The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis and immune-mediated inflammation. New England Journal of Medicine 332:1351-1363.

[5] Coulon M, Wellman CL, Marjara IS, Janczak AM, Zanella AJ (2012) Early adverse experience alters dendritic spine density and gene expression in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus in lambs. Psychoneuroendocrinology 8:1112-1121.

[6] Elmquist JK, Scammell TE, Saper CB (1997) Mechanisms of CNS response to systemic immune challenge: the febrile response. Trends of Neuroscience 20:565-570.

[7] Gallo SB, Merlin FA, Macedo CM, Reis VAA (2015) Two sources of protein in the diet of feedlot lambs. Revista Brasileira de Saúde e Produção Animal 16:317-324.

[8] Gluckman PD (1986) The regulation of fetal growth. In: Buttery PJ, Haynes NB, Lindsay DB (eds) Control and Manipulation of Animal Growth. Buttenvorths, London, pp 85-104.

[9] Henrique FL, Titto CG, Titto EAL, Hooper HB, Pulido-Rodriguez LF, Longo ALS, Leme-dos-Santos TMC, Gameiro AH, Pereira AMF, Zanella AJ (2017) Small Ruminant Research 155:39-44.

[10] Hild S, Clark CAC, Dwyer CM, Murrell JC, Mendl M, Zanella AJ (2011) Ewes are more attentive to their offspring experiencing pain but not stress. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 132:114-120.

[11] Kuhn CM, Pauk J, Schanberg SM (1990) Endocrine responses to mother-infant separation in developing rats. Developmental Psychobiology 23:395-410.

[12] Mahgoubo O, Kadim IT, Weeb E (2012) Goat Meat Production and Quality. CABI, Cambridge.

[13] Mairesse J, Lesage J, Breton C, Bréant B, Hahn T, Darnaudéry M, Dickson SL, Seckl J, Blondeau B, Vieau D, Maccari S, Viltart O (2007) Maternal stress alters endocrine function of the feto-placental unit in rats. American Journal of Physiology Endocrinology and Metabolism 292:e1526-e1533.

[14] Mertens DR (1994) Regulation of Forage Intake. In: Fahey GC (ed) Forage Quality, Evaluation, and Utilization, ASA, CSSA, SSSA, Madison, pp 450-493. doi:10.2134/1994.foragequality.c11

[15] Nagpal AK, Singh D, Prasad VSS, Jain PC (1994) Effect of weaning age and feeding system on growth performance and carcass traits of male kid in three breeds in India. Small Ruminant Research 17:45-50.

[16] Napolitano F, Marino V, De Rosa G, Capparelli R, Bordi A (1995) Influence of artificial rearing on behavioural and immune response of lambs. Applied Animal Behavior Science 45:245-253.

[17] Napolitano F, De Rosa G, Sevi A. (2008) Welfare implications of artificial rearing and early weaning in sheep. Applied Animal Behavior Science 110:58-72.

[18] Orgeur P, Mavric N, Yvore P, Bernard S, Nowak R, Schaal B, Levya F (1998) Artificial weaning in sheep: consequences on behavioural, hormonal and immuno-pathological indicators of welfare. Applied Animal Behavior Science 58:87-103.

[19] Orihuela A, Suárez E, Vázquez R (2004) Effect of restricting suckling on the social bond between ewes and their 10-week-old lambs. Livestock Production Science 87:259-264.

[20] Owens FN, Dubeski P, Hanson CF (1993) Factors that alter the growth and development of ruminants. Journal of Animal Science 71:3138-3150.

[21] Petit B, Boissya A, Zanella A, Chaillouc E, Andansona S, Bes S, Lévy F, Coulon M (2015) Stress during pregnancy alters dendritic spine density and gene expression in the brain of new-born lambs. Behavioral Brain Research 291:155-163.

[22] Torres-Hernandez G, Hohenboken W (1979) An attempt to assess traits of emotionality in crossbred ewes. Applied Animal Ethology 5:71-83.

[23] Urano FS, Pires AV, Susin I, Mendes CQ, Rodrigues GH, Araujo RC, Wilson RSM (2006) Performance and carcass characteristics of feedlot lambs fed raw soybean. Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira 41:1525-1530.

[24] Wang H, Yang L, Hu Y, Wang B, Huang Y, Zhang C, Yuan-Hua C, Xu DX (2014) Maternal LPS exposure during pregnancy impairs testicular development, steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis in male offspring. Plos One 9:e.106786.

[25] Widdowson EM (1980) Definitions of growth. In: Lawrence TLJ (ed) Growth in Animals. Buttenvorths, London, pp 1-9.

Abstract

References

How to cite