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Ewe Milk Replacer Diets for Young Lambs. III. Effect of Age of Lambs and Dietary Protein and Fat Levels on the Body Composition of Young Lambs¹

University of Minnesota, St. Paul 55101

Abstract

FOLLOWING slaughter, body composition data were obtained on three lambs at birth, two lambs that had suckled their dams for 4 weeks and 12 lambs fed milk replacer diets for 4 weeks. This included two lambs fed each of six experimental milk replacer diets.

Water content of neonatal lambs was significantly (P<.005) greater than that of month-old lambs. However, differences were much less and not statistically significant on a fat-free basis. Lambs that suckled their dams contained less water (fat free basis) than those fed a milk replacer diet (MRD). Lambs fed a MRD containing 15% protein had a higher water content (fat free basis) than those fed MRD which contained 23 or 30% protein.

The fat content of lambs was significantly higher in month-old lambs than neonatal lambs. Protein content of neonatal and monthold lambs did not differ significantly. However, body protein content was affected by dietary levels of protein. Lambs fed a low protein diet (15%) contained less body protein than lambs fed 23 or 30% protein diets.

Protein content of MRD did not affect significantly the fatty acid composition of the lambs. Lambs that suckled their dams contained several fatty acids not present in lambs fed MRD. Fatty acid content of lambs fed MRD were significantly higher in oleic and linoleic acid than in lambs that suckled their dams.

Neither dietary protein, and fat, or age of lamb significantly affected the mineral content of young lambs with the exception of sodium. Neonatal lambs contained more sodium than month-old lambs.

¹ Paper No. 7989, Scientific Journal Series, Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station, St. Paul. This paper is a portion of a Ph.D. dissertation submitted by the senior author to the Graduate School, University of Minnesota.

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