Research Efforts on Improving Neonatal Survival

1. Research Efforts on Improving Neonatal Survival • Background: • SERP 6-12% Born Dead • 5-15% Death Loss B-W • NSIP National Flock Management Summary • 6000 Ewes - 92 flocks • LB LW % Survival • Mature Ewes 1.81 1.44 79% • Ewe Lambs 1.46 1.02 69% • Iowa NSIP • Mature Ewes 1.78 1.44 80% • Ewe Lambs 1.35 .92 61%

2. In Summary • We are losing 15-30% of our • production potential. • .2 - .3 lambs per ewe after lambing • .2 - .3 fetus per ewe in early gestation • ISWPB

3. Evaluation of Common Shepherd Practices • Vitamin ADE • Vitamin B Complex • Strong Lamb • Lamb & Kid Kare • Probiotics

4. Youngs & Hummel • ISU Teaching Farm • 1990 & 1991 • Twin Lambs - one treated 1/2 cc Injacom • one control • Injacom 50,000 IU A • 5,000 IU D • 10 IU E • Survival averaged 90% • Preweaning gain not affected • No response on Survival

5. Vitamin B Complex • Morrical & McClain • 1991 • 128 Crossbred Lambs • Treated Lambs Received -3 cc B-Complex at birth • and 3 weeks of age

6. B-Complex Results • Birth Wt. 21 day Wt WW Survival • C 10.9 23.7 40.1 92% • T 10.9 24.1 39.7 87% • 4 Actually died • 10 were pulled for AR

7. Influence of Subclinical Mastitis • Ahmad, Timms and Morrical • 1988-1990 • McNay Research Farm • 4-Corner Polypay and ISU Teaching Farm • 1988 - 196 Ewes and 392 Halves • Sampled at Birth and Weaning • Lambing Weaning • No. Infected 25% 22% • No. Halves Infected 17% 14%

8. McNay only • Lambing Weaning • No. Infected 25% 15% • No. Halves 17% 8% • No. Infected 13% 16% • Halves 9% 9% 1989 1990 Coagulase Negative Staph-90% of infections

9. Impact of Infection on Lamb Performance • 1988 1989 1990 • Uninfected .71 .69a .68 • Infected .67 .62b .65 • 1989 • Uninfected .71 • Infected at W .66 • Infected at L .58 • Infected at L & W .54

10. Control of Subclinical Mastitis • Treated at Weaning and • Resampled 60 days postweaning • Treatments - Dry Cow Infusion • Cefa-Dri 1/2 tube per half • - 5 ml Benzathine Penicillin • Results • 1989 1990 • Trt. Cont. Trt. Cont. • Infected 9 15 20 15 • Cured 6 (67%) 5 (33%) 18 (90%) 7 (47%) • Did not prevent new infections at next lambing

11. Summary Subclinical Mastitis • 50% of infections occur postweaning • 50% of infections occur prelambing • Dry cow and injectable are equally effective

12. Birth Weight from Ewes Fed Varying Levels of Energy • TDN Single Twin Triplet • 2.35 11.2 10.6 • Singles • 2.85 13.3 11.4 • 2.8 13.2 11.2 9.4 • Twins • 3.6 13.2 10.6 9.4 • 3.2 10.5 7.7 • Triplets 3.8 11.7 8.5 • 4.4 11.7 9.4 • Note these are raw means

13. 1992 Lamb Survival Work McNay Sheep Flock Dan Morrical and Arnold McClain • Winter Lambing Ewes and Offspring • Randomly allocated within • 24 hrs of age • Treatments • Lamb and Kid Kare • Fastrack Probiotic Paste

14. Results Trial 1 - Naturally Reared Lambs • Control LKK FT • N 33 33 33 • ADG B-W .63 .59 .61 • Deaths 1 1 1 • Orphaned 1 0 1 • No effect on Performance or Survival

15. Trial 2 - Orphan Reared • Control LKK FT • N 6 6 6 • ADG 0-21 .42 .39 .36 • ADG 21-42 .41 .38 .34 • Deaths 0 0 0

16. Conclusion to All Previous Work • Post Lambing Treatments • were not successful in increasing lamb survival • Current work - • Youngs et al. - ISU Teaching • Evaluation of Vitamin A & E on OR, Embryo and Fetal Survival • Morrical et al.

17. Vitamin A & E Teaching • Important observations • a single injection of E maintains serum E levels for 6 days • younger ewes have higher embryo losses • Vitamin A may increase OR

18. Vitamin E injections and lamb survival • Protocol 2 X 2 factorial 1994 & 1995 • Ewes during late gestation • 900 IU or 0 E per week • 90 or 10 PPM Se mineral • Ewes were fed by fetal number

19. Results of Vitamin E & Se • No effect of mineral source • on ADG or survival • Vitamin E • improved pre-weaning ADG 5-10% • improved livability one year • more important in multiples • more important for young and old ewes

20. Current work • Evaluating feeding Vitamin E in both late gestation and lactation • Regional project with Indiana, Kentucky and Iowa