MILK-COMPOSITION, POSTPARTUM REPRODUCTIVE ACTIVITY AND GROWTH OF LAMBS IN PELIBUEY EWES FED CALCIUM SOAPS OF LONG-CHAIN FATTY-ACIDS

Seventeen 3-year-old multiparous Pelibuey ewes were used to determine the effects of including calcium soaps of fatty acids (CSFA; 50 g ewe( -1) day(-1)) in diets with 14 or 16% crude protein (CP) on milk compos ition, bodyweight of ewes and their lambs, fat metabolites, and reprod uctive performance. Ewes (40 kg) were fed, from 8 days before lambing to 75 days after lambing, one of the following diets: 14% CP, no CSFA; 14% CP with CSFA; 16% CP, no CSFA and or 16% CP with CSFA. Diets were isoenergetic (ME = 5.2 Mcal day(-1)). Feeding CSFA increased milk fat percentage from 3.3 to 5% (P < 0.05) in ewes receiving the 16% CP die t, but not those receiving the 14% CP diet (P > 0.05). Body weight of ewes fed diets with 16% vs. 14% CP was greater at 60 days (43.9 +/- 0. 9 vs. 48.6 +/- 0.8 kg; P < 0.05) and at 75 days postlambing (44.0 +/- 0.9 vs. 48.5 +/- 0.8 kg; P < 0.05). Feeding CSFA increased (P < 0.05) serum concentration of total cholesterol (CHOL), high density lipoprot ein-cholesterol (HDL), very low density Lipoprotein-cholesterol (VLDL) and triglycerides (TG). Days to conception in ewes fed CSFA were lowe r (P < 0.05) than in those not fed CSFA (41.5 +/- 3.8 vs. 53.8 +/- 4.0 days). Feeding CSFA to Pelibuey ewes increased serum fat metabolites and reduced days to conception without effects on serum concentrations of P-4. The CSFA treatment did not have an effect on milk protein per centage, body weight of lambs at birth and weaning, days from lambing to first increase in serum P-4, serum concentrations of low density li poprotein-cholesterol (LDL) and days to first detected estrus. Diets w ith 16% CP improved postpartum body weight in Pelibuey ewes after the peak of milk production than those with 14% CP. (C) 1998 Elsevier Scie nce B.V.