RUMEN PROTECTED CHOLINE AND ITS EFFECT ON THE PREVENTION OF PREGNANCY TOXEMIA IN DAIRY EWES

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the supplementation of choline protected from ruminal
degradation in dairy sheep and its role in the prevention of pregnancy toxemia. Twenty
Lacaune ewes were used and divided into two groups, control group (GC, n =10) received
only the diet pre-partum and treated group (GCP, n=10), which in addition to the pre-partumdiet received 25g of rumen protected choline from the 110th day of pregnancy until the last
week prior to the expected date of delivery. Blood samples for measurement the blood
ketones performed in 110th of gestation (day zero), 117th days of gestation (day seven), 124th
day of gestation (day 14), 131th days of gestation (day 21) and 138th day gestation (day 28)
and serum cholesterol level was assessed at 124th days of gestation (day 14), 131th days of
gestation (day 21) and 138 days of gestation (day 28). The occurrence of disease clinical
ketosis (Pregnancy Toxemia) was also monitored during the experiment in both groups. The
amounts of ketones in the blood were lower GCP from day14 of the experiment, while
cholesterol values were higher in the same group on day 28. For the occurrence of pregnancy
toxemia, no animal showed signs of this disease in the GCP, but in the control group, one
animal showed clinical and two animals presents sub clinical ketosis. Concludes that the
25g/day choline supplementation protected from ruminal degradation for dairy sheep from the
110th day of pregnancy until the last week prior to the expected date of delivery reduced the
effects of negative energy balance and the incidence of ketosis in the final third of gestation in
sheep.