EFFECT OF MINERALS SUPPLEMENTATION DURING PRENATAL ON GROWTH, BLOOD PARAMETERS AND WOOL CHARACTERISTICS IN LAMBS

ABESTRACT
The present work was conducted on Finnish Landrace-Rahmani crossbred
(1/2F.1/2R) pregnant ewes and their produced lambs. The experimental work started
in April 1996 (starting at the 4th month of pregnancy) and lasted for 11 months (by the
1st wool cut of lambs, at 9 months of age).
Ewes were divided into almost similar two groups according to their age and body
weight. The group I was used as a control group and was fed according to the
requirements recommended by the AOAC (1984) and received 1.0 kg concentrate
feed mixture (CFM) + 0.5 kg clover hay/head/day. Group II, Treatment group in
addition to the same feeding and managerial procedures followed for control group
and free choice minerals mixture blocks (Bichema, Egypt) were allowed for ewes up
to weaning their lambs.
The means values of plasma calcium (Ca), phosphorous (P), Magnesium (Mg),
copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and cobalt (Co) and in treated ewes in relation to the control
group were evaluated and statically differences between them were estimated. The
means of Ca, P, Mg, and Co were higher significantly [(9.48, 4.79, 2.92 mg/100 ml)
and 0.10 g/100 ml] in treated group vs. [(8.65, 3.91 and 2.08 mg/100 ml) and 0.03
g/100 ml] in control group, respectively in ewes. In lambs, the means of Ca, P, Mg,
Zn and Co were higher significantly [(11.31, 6.71, 4.64 mg/100 ml) and 84.42 and
0.14 g/100 ml] in treated group vs. [(9.23, 4.56, 2.79 mg/100ml)] and 70.57 and 0.09
g/100 ml] in control group, respectively.
In lambs, the mineral supplementation effects on hemoglobin (12.72 vs. 10.28
g/100 ml,), live body weight (22.17 kg) vs. 20.96 kg in control and daily body weight
were 135.95 vs. 132.97 kg in mineral supplementation group vs. control group,
respectively were significant.
The importance of minerals supplied to ewes and lambs were reflected from the
present experimental results.