Hostname: page-component-6766d58669-fx4k7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-05-20T06:31:57.663Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Identification of factors affecting colostrum quality of dairy Lacaune ewes assessed with the Brix refractometer

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2017

Laura Torres-Rovira ,
Jose-Luis Pesantez-Pacheco ,
Fernando Hernandez ,
Laura Elvira-Partida ,
Maria-Luz Perez-Solana ,
Juan-Vicente Gonzalez-Martin ,
Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes  and
Susana Astiz
Laura Torres-Rovira
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Reproduction, INIA, Avda Pta. de Hierro s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Jose-Luis Pesantez-Pacheco
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Reproduction, INIA, Avda Pta. de Hierro s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, University of Cuenca, Avda. Doce de Octubre, Cuenca, Ecuador
Fernando Hernandez
Affiliation:
Granja Cerromonte SL, 05358 San Juan de la Encinilla, Ávila, Spain
Laura Elvira-Partida
Affiliation:
MSD Animal Health, Pol. El Montalvo I, 37008 Carbajosa de La Sagrada, Salamanca, Spain
Maria-Luz Perez-Solana
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Reproduction, INIA, Avda Pta. de Hierro s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Juan-Vicente Gonzalez-Martin
Affiliation:
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Surgery and Medicine Department, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), Avda. Pta. de Hierro s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Reproduction, INIA, Avda Pta. de Hierro s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Susana Astiz*
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Reproduction, INIA, Avda Pta. de Hierro s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
*
*For correspondence; e-mail: astiz.susana@inia.es
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

In this Research Communication we assessed factors affecting colostrum quality of dairy Lacaune ewes using the Brix-refractometer. Colostrum from 536 lambings from one commercial intensive dairy Lacaune farm were analysed for the following factors with potential influence in colostrum quality: (1) ewe parity (n = 84–132), (2) length of previous dry period (PDP) (n = 23–214), (3) age at first lambing (AFL) of primiparous ewes (n = 9–88), (4) lambing season (n = 192 or 344), and (5) year (2011–2013, n = 142–203). Parity significantly affected colostrum quality, with primiparous ewes showing the highest Brix refractometer values (22·6 ± 5·6%, P < 0·0001), though values were similar among multiparous ewes. PDP length also significantly affected colostrum quality: ewes with the shortest PDP showed the worst quality (16·8 ± 4·2%, P < 0·0001), with quality gradually rising with PDP length. Colostrum quality was significantly higher in 2011 (21·0 ± 5·2%) than in 2012 or 2013 (P < 0·0001); this likely reflects the several-fold greater proportion of animals with long PDP in 2011. In contrast, neither AFL nor lambing season significantly affected colostrum quality. These results suggest that parity and PDP length can substantially affect ovine colostrum quality of dairy ewes under intensive management conditions and they further show the usefulness of the Brix refractometer for providing a rough estimation of colostrum quality on-farm. However, further studies are needed to determine a validated cut-off Brix value for identifying good-quality colostra in ovine species.

Keywords

Dry periodparityagelambingseasonBrix percentage

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Dairy Research , Volume 84 , Issue 4 , November 2017 , pp. 440 - 443
Copyright
Copyright © Hannah Research Foundation 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

al-Sabbagh, TA, Swanson, LV & Thompson, JM 1995 The effect of ewe body condition at lambing on colostral immunoglobulin G concentration and lamb performance. Journal of Animal Science 73 2860–2864 Google Scholar
Alves, AC, Alves, NG, Ascari, IJ, Junqueira, FB, Coutinho, AS, Lima, RR, Pérez, JRO, De Paula, SO, Furusho-Garcia, IF & Abreu, LR 2015 Colostrum composition of Santa Inês sheep and passive transfer of immunity to lambs. Journal of Dairy Science 98 3706–3716 Google Scholar
Banchero, GE, Quintans, G, Lindsay, DR & Milton, JTB 2009 A pre-partum lift in ewe nutrition from a high-energy lick or maize or by grazing Lotus uliginosus pasture, increases colostrum production and lamb survival. Animal 3 1183–1188 Google Scholar
Bartier, L, Windeyer, MC & Doepel, L 2015 Evaluation of on-farm tools for colostrum quality measurement. Journal of Dairy Science 98 1878–1884 Google Scholar
Caja, G, Salama, AAK & Such, X 2006 Omitting the dry-off period negatively affects colostrum and milk yield in dairy goats. Journal of Dairy Science 89 4220–4228 Google Scholar
Castro, N, Capote, J, Bruckmaier, RM & Argüello, A 2011 Management effects on colostrogenesis in small ruminants: a review. Journal of Applied Animal Research 39 85–93 Google Scholar
Cermakova, J, Kudrna, V, Simeckova, M, Vyborna, A, Dolezal, P & Illek, J 2014 Comparison of shortened and conventional dry period management strategies. Journal of Dairy Science 97 5623–5636 Google Scholar
Chniter, M, Salhi, I, Harrabi, H, Khorchani, T, Lainé, A-L, Nowak, R & Hammadi, M 2016 Physiological changes in the peri-partum period and colostral IgG transfer in prolific D'man sheep: effects of parity and litter size. Tropical Animal Health and Production 48 387–394 Google Scholar
Gilbert, RP, Gaskins, CT, Hillers, JK & Parker, CF 1988 Genetic and environmental factors affecting immunoglobulin G 1 concentrations in ewe colostrum and lamb serum. Journal of Animal Science 66 855–863 Google Scholar
Guy, MA, McFadden, TB, Cockrell, DC & Besser, TE 1994 Regulation of colostrum formation in beef and dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 77 3002–3007 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hernandez, F, Elvira, L, Gonzalez-Martin, J-V, Gonzalez-Bulnes, A & Astiz, S 2011 Influence of age at first lambing on reproductive and productive performance of Lacaune dairy sheep under an intensive management system. Journal of Dairy Research 78 160–167 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hernandez, F, Elvira, L, Gonzalez-Martin, J-V & Astiz, S 2012 Influence of dry period length on reproductive performance and productivity of Lacaune dairy sheep under an intensive management system. Journal of Dairy Research 79 352–360 Google Scholar
Higaki, S, Nagano, M, Katagiri, S & Takahashi, Y 2013 Effects of parity and litter size on the energy contents and immunoglobulin G concentrations of awassi ewe colostrum. Turkish Journal of Veterinary Animal Science 37 109–112 Google Scholar
Mayasari, N, de Vries, RG, Nieuwland, MGB, Remmelink, GJ, Parmentier, HK, Kemp, B & van Knegsel, TM 2015 Effect of maternal dry period length on colostrum immunoglobulin content and natural and specific antibody titers in calves. Journal of Dairy Science 98 3969–3979 Google ScholarPubMed
Shoshani, E, Rozen, S & Doekes, JJ 2014 Effect of a short dry period on milk yield and content, colostrum quality, fertility, and metabolic status of Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science 97 2909–2922 Google Scholar
Tabatabaei, S, Nikbakht, G, Vatankhah, M, Sharifi, H & Alidadi, N 2013 Variation in colostral immunoglobulin G concentration in fat tailed sheep and evaluation of methods for estimation of colostral immunoglobulin content. Acta Veterinaria Brno 82 271–275 CrossRefGoogle Scholar