Abstract

High prolificacy (twins and triplets) is a desirable trait in sheep under intensive management systems. However, multiple-born lambs have lower birth weights resulting from placental insufficiency (McCoard, 1997), and carryover detrimental effects on lean deposition, feed efficiency, and lifelong performance compared to singletons (Greenwood et al., 1998; De Blasio et al.,2007), suggesting differential nutritional programming in utero.

Q, Sciascia, D Pacheco, J Bracegirdle, C Berry, PR Kenyon, HT Blair, M Senna Salerno, G Nicholas, and SA McCoard

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 70, Palmerston North, 180-182, 2010