The effect of high- and low-plane feeding on the serum protein levels of pregnant ewes, foetuses and young lambs

Abstract

Blood sera of pregnant ewes on a high plane of nutrition, obtained approx. 10 days before term, had a higher total protein content than that of ewes on a low plane of nutrition. The same was true of the respective fetal blood sera obtained at the same time. There was no significant difference between the albumin/total protein ratios of the 2 sets of sera. The same findings hold good for the blood sera of newborn lambs up to 10 days of age from the ewes fed at high- and low-plane levels, respectively. The detailed results of the electrophoretic analysis of some of these sera, as well as those of other ewes, fetuses and lambs, are presented. There was evidence of a fall in protein in the sera from the ewes in the latter stage of pregnancy, possibly associated with colostrum formation.