The effect of plant and animal-derived dietary oil supplementation on the reproduction performance of Dohne Merino ewes and the growth performance of their offspring

Abstract The effect of different dietary oils on ewe reproductive performance and lamb growth was investigated. Fifty-second parity Dohne Merino ewes (body condition score 3.5±0.4) were randomly divided into five groups of ten each. Ewes received 30 ml of sunflower- or olive- or fish- or palm oil. The control group received no oil. Ewes received oils before and after laparoscopic artificial insemination (LAI). Two weeks after LAI, follow-up rams were introduced. Mean conception and lambing rates were 88%. Ewes that received olive oil had the highest conception rate and lambing rate of 100% but did not differ (P>0.05) from other groups (sunflower- 90%, fish- 90%, palm- 70% and control group 90%). The control group had the shortest gestation length (150 days). The gestation lengths of sunflower-, olive-, fish- and palm oil were 153, 156, 155, and 156 days. Birth weights of female lambs from control, sunflower-, olive-, fish- and palm oil were 5.41 ± 0.87, 5.70 ± 0.61, 5.8 ± 0.70, 5.8 ± 0.74 and 4.9 ± 0.50 kg (no difference between groups). The birth weights of male lambs from control, sunflower-, olive-, fish- and palm oil were 5.6 ± 1.19, 4.85 ± 0.70, 5.6 ± 0.84, 5.5 ± 0.49 and 5.4 ± 0.33 (no difference between groups). Weaning weights for male lambs were (28.8 ± 4.93, 25.5 ± 8.13, 29.0 ± 4.88, 30.2 ± 4.59, 28.8 ± 5.03) and female lambs were (28.5 ± 4.58, 28.3 ± 3.81, 25.8 ± 6.93, 28.9 ± 4.51, 27.6 ± 2.46), no difference between groups.