increase font size
Professor Pablo Gregorini
New research from Lincoln University’s Pastoral Livestock Production Lab claims that feeding lambs a diverse diet during the lambing process leads to reduced oxidative stress and healthier lambs.
The research explored whether offering dietary diversity to ewes in the final trimester of pregnancy would reduce oxidative stress for both the mother and offspring.
The research indicated a reduction in stress, with ewes who ate functionally diverse diets also birthed heavier lambs that had lower cortisol levels.
The project is reportedly the first to detect maternal and foetal stress by examining the cortisol concentration and antioxidant levels of lamb’s wool in utero.
These findings suggest moving away from a typical monotonous ryegrass menu for lambing ewes and instead peppering their diet with foods like chicory, plantain, red clover and lucerne, as well as other plants.
According to Livestock Production Professor Pablo Gregorini, whose former PhD student Konagh Garrett conducted the study, the hormonal and metabolic changes of pregnancy can increase nutritional demands and strain. Certain diets then exacerbate the issue, especially as animals transition from non-lactating to lactating.
“Maternal nutrition in late gestation also influences lamb birth weight and the stress experienced by lambs in utero,” Gregorini says.
“Our findings have significant implications, as farmers can enhance animal wellbeing using simple dietary measures and adding further value to New Zealand pasture-based animal products, because animals would be ‘happy’ from the get-go.
“It’s clear that feeding lambing ewes a wider variety of foods will enhance both animal welfare and production.”
The future of New Zealand’s agricultural sector grew a little brighter, with the South Island Agricultural Field Days (SIAFD) now accepting applications for its scholarships through Lincoln University, offering $10,500 to up to six exceptional students who are poised to become the next leaders in the primary industries.
Milton dairy farmer Chris Wills says he began using probiotics in spring 2023 to address somatic cell count (SCC) grades when cows transitioned from their winter barn to lush spring pasture.
Treat your farm boundary like a border. This was one of the messages delivered to farmers at a recent Beef + Lamb New Zealand Protect Your Patch workshop in Lincoln.
Feeding infected milk is high risk for spreading diseases such as M. bovis.
To ensure optimal growth, health, and wellbeing of calves, feeding strategies should be considered carefully.
Two Waikato dairy farmers and Federated Farmers leaders have thrown their hats in the ring for this year's Waikato Regional Council elections.
Buying a farm is challenging but still achievable according to research recently carried out by Smaller Milk and Supply Herds (SMASH).
A world-first public-private joint venture helping farmers cut emissions is set to have the first product from its investment portfolio - a methane-reducing bolus - available for beef farmers early next year.
Donald Trump's uncompromising tariff policy is set to put New Zealand dairy exports to the US under huge pressure.
Two large milk processing plants in New Zealand are changing hands.
Sheep and beef farmers are urging the Government to do more to stop productive farmland overrun by pine trees.
