Effect of improved nutrition and improved shelter on serum proteins of Magra lambs in two lambing seasons under arid zone

Abstract

The present experiment was conducted in phased manner to observe the effect of improved nutrition and improved shelter either alone or in combination on serum proteins in Magra lambs. In phase-I, fifteen days old Magra lambs (n=40) born in autumn-winter season were used for present study in a randomized block design up to the six month of age during the period from September 2016 to Feb-March 2017 (up to 5th March) i.e. Autumn-Winter season (Season-1) at ARC-CSWRI and divided into four groups of 10 lambs in each group (T1-T4). In Phase-II, similar experiment was followed with the lambs born in spring-summer season (Season-II) during the period from early February 2017 (from 12th February) to early August 2017 (up to 12th August). Groups included T1-Sole grazing with traditional shelter (tree shade); T2-improved shelter (asbestos sheet-thatched roof/with curtains) with grazing; T3-improved nutrition and traditional shelter and T4- improved nutrition and improved shelter. In groups of (T3-T4) varying plane of nutrition was supplemented with creep mixture @ 1% of their body weight from 15 days of age to weaning while multinutrient mixture @ 1% of their body weight was provided from weaning up to six month of age in both seasons. There was wide variation in temperature and THI during the study period, which indicated that lambs were under thermal stress during various months of trial. Thermal stress caused alteration in mean values of serum proteins in control group (T1) which might be improved due to amelioration of the negative effects of thermal stress by provision of improved nutrition and shelter.