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Effect on the Ewe and Lamb of Low Zinc Intake throughout Pregnancy¹

US Department of Agriculture^,4, Ithaca, NY 14853

Abstract

Throughout pregnancy, 30 primiparous Finn cross ewes were given a low Zn (<1 ppm) semi-purified diet. A 100-g hay supplement was fed three to seven times/week. Supplemental Zn (20 ppm) was provided in the drinking water of 14 ewes. At parturition, lambs were removed from ewes before suckling. Viable lambs not taken for tissue analysis were given 200 ml cow colostrum and raised on an artificial feeder. Throughout gestation, unsupplemented (–Zn) ewes gained less weight and had lower plasma Zn levels than Zn-supplemented (+Zn) ewes. One –Zn ewe was not pregnant, three aborted, one resorbed, one delivered mummified twins at term and two delivered malformed lambs. Average weight of lambs born to –Zn ewes d 136 or later (excluding mummified twins and one weighing less than 20% as much as its twin) was 1.8 ± .6 (SE) kg. Only three lambs born to –Zn ewes were vigorous enough to put on the artificial feeder; none survived. One +Zn ewe was not pregnant. Of 23 lambs born to the remaining +Zn ewes, five were used for tissue analysis, two lambs of triplets were born dead, twins born d 138 died at birth. One twin died 6 d after birth. The 14 remaining lambs were weaned in good health. Average birth weight of +Zn lambs was 3.3 ± 1.0 kg. Increased salivation was seen in –Zn ewes after 6 wk of low Zn intake. Signs of deficiency other than salivation and reduced body weight gain were not apparent until ewes had received a low Zn intake for over 20 wk. After 22 wk, 8 of 10 –Zn ewes had cracked, bleeding skin above the hooves and rough scaly skin in other areas. Low Zn intake throughout pregnancy has severe effects on reproduction in the ewe. Because signs of Zn deficiency are nonspecific, poor Zn status should be considered in cases of unexplained reproductive problems.

¹ Supported in part by a grant from USDA Competitive Research Grants Office, Human Nutrition Program, under Agreement No. 82-CRCR-1-1104.

² The authors thank B. Curthoys, B. Hayes, W. Gardner, E. Ledger and J. Miller for technical assistance.

³ Present address: U.S. Sheep Exp. Sta. Dubois, ID 83423.

⁴ U.S. Plant, Soil and Nutrition Laboratory and Northeast Sheep Research Laboratory.