Research Efforts on Improving Neonatal Survival

Background:SERP 6-12% Born Dead

5-15% Death Loss B-W

NSIP National Flock Management Summary

6000 Ewes - 92 flocks

LB LW % Survival

Mature Ewes 1.81 1.44 79%

Ewe Lambs 1.46 1.02 69%

Iowa NSIP

Mature Ewes 1.78 1.44 80%

Ewe Lambs 1.35 .92 61%

In Summary

We are losing 15-30% of our production potential.

.2 - .3 lambs per ewe after lambing .2 - .3 fetus per ewe in early gestation

ISWPB

Evaluation of Common Shepherd Practices

Vitamin ADE

Vitamin B Complex

Strong Lamb

Lamb & Kid Kare

Probiotics

Youngs & Hummel ISU Teaching Farm

1990 & 1991

Twin Lambs - one treated 1/2 cc Injacom one control

Injacom 50,000 IU A 5,000 IU D 10 IU E

Survival averaged 90%Preweaning gain not affectedNo response on Survival

Vitamin B Complex

Morrical & McClain 1991

128 Crossbred LambsTreated Lambs Received -3 cc B-Complex at birth

and 3 weeks of age

B-Complex Results

Birth Wt. 21 day Wt WW Survival

C 10.9 23.7 40.1 92%T 10.9 24.1 39.7 87%

4 Actually died10 were pulled for AR

Influence of Subclinical Mastitis

Ahmad, Timms and Morrical1988-1990McNay Research Farm4-Corner Polypay and ISU Teaching Farm

1988 - 196 Ewes and 392 Halves Sampled at Birth and Weaning

LambingWeaningNo. Infected 25% 22%No. Halves Infected 17% 14%

McNay only

LambingWeaningNo. Infected 25% 15%No. Halves 17% 8%

No. Infected 13% 16%Halves 9% 9%

1989

1990

Coagulase Negative Staph-90% of infections

Impact of Infection on Lamb Performance

1988 1989 1990

Uninfected .71 .69a .68

Infected .67 .62b .65

1989Uninfected .71Infected at W .66Infected at L .58Infected at L & W .54

Control of Subclinical Mastitis

Treated at Weaning andResampled 60 days postweaningTreatments - Dry Cow Infusion

Cefa-Dri 1/2 tube per half

- 5 ml Benzathine Penicillin

Results 1989 1990

Trt. Cont. Trt. Cont.Infected 9 15 20 15Cured 6 (67%) 5 (33%) 18 (90%)7 (47%)

Did not prevent new infections at next lambing

Summary Subclinical Mastitis

50% of infections occur postweaning

50% of infections occur prelambing

Dry cow and injectable are equally effective

Late Gestation Nutrition

Ewes fed by fetal number

Diets ranged from

3.5 hay and 1 lb. corn

to

4.0 hay and 3 lb. corn

Birth Weight from Ewes Fed Varying Levels of Energy

TDN Single Twin Triplet

2.35 11.2 10.6Singles 2.85 13.3 11.4

2.8 13.2 11.2 9.4Twins 3.6 13.2 10.6 9.4

3.2 10.5 7.7Triplets 3.8 11.7 8.5

4.4 11.7 9.4

Note these are raw means

1992 Lamb Survival Work

Winter Lambing Ewes and Offspring

Randomly allocated within 24 hrs of age

TreatmentsLamb and Kid KareFastrack Probiotic Paste

McNay Sheep FlockDan Morrical and Arnold McClain

Results Trial 1 - Naturally Reared Lambs

Control LKK FTN 33 33 33ADG B-W .63 .59 .61Deaths 1 1 1Orphaned 1 0 1

No effect on Performance or Survival

Trial 2 - Orphan Reared

Control LKK FTN 6 6 6ADG 0-21 .42 .39 .36ADG 21-42 .41 .38 .34Deaths 0 0 0

Conclusion to All Previous Work

Post Lambing Treatments were not successful in

increasing lamb survival

Current work -Youngs et al. - ISU Teaching

Evaluation of Vitamin A & E on OR, Embryo and Fetal Survival

Morrical et al.

Vitamin A & E Teaching

Important observationsa single injection of E maintains serum E levels for 6 days

younger ewes have higher embryo losses

Vitamin A may increase OR

Vitamin E injections and lamb survival

Protocol 2 X 2 factorial 1994 & 1995Ewes during late gestation

900 IU or 0 E per week90 or 10 PPM Se mineral

Ewes were fed by fetal number

Results of Vitamin E & Se

No effect of mineral sourceon ADG or survival

Vitamin Eimproved pre-weaning ADG 5-10%

improved livability one year

more important in multiples

more important for young and old ewes

Current work

Evaluating feeding Vitamin E in both late gestation and lactation

Regional project with Indiana, Kentucky and Iowa

National Symposium on pre and post natal mortality

Ames, IAlate June 1997Details later

Sponsored by :ISWPB

ISUNC 111 and CSRS