Rene Corner

Citation

Thesis Title
Exposure of ewes to stressors in mid-and late-pregnancy: Postnatal effects on the ewe and lamb

Read article at Massey Research Online:

Ms Corner investigated the effects of stressors during mid- and late-pregnancy on lamb birth weight and survival. The effect of ewe nutrition and shearing during mid- and late-pregnancy on ewe live weight and behaviour was also examined. Findings showed that mid-pregnancy shearing consistently increased lamb birth weights, and altered ewe and lamb behaviour 12 to 24 hours after birth. Mild undernutrition in mid- and late-pregnancy resulted in lower birth weight lambs exhibiting a greater need to maintain contact with their mother than lambs born to well-fed ewes. If ewe-undernutrition could be limited to mid-pregnancy, and ewes were given additional feed in late-pregnancy, the effect on lamb birth weight could be minimised. Mid-pregnancy shearing altered lamb stress responses, but mild undernutrition in mid-pregnancy had no effect. There remains a need to identify an alternative means of increasing lamb birth weight, which impacts less on the ewe.

Supervisors
Professor Paul Kenyon
Professor David West
Professor Kevin Stafford