Abstract
The metabolic profile represents an important tool in the diagnostic of metabolic diseases and in the nutritional monitoring of production animals. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the body scores and metabolic profile of sheep of the Santa Inês breed in a system of semi- confinement, during the peri-parturient. The body scores and metabolic profile were analysed between animals with single and multiple pregnancies. Fifty-five sheep were recruited for this study, of those, 43 with single pregnancy and 12 with twin pregnancies. The animals were submitted to blood collection and analyses of body score (BS) weekly, from the end of third month of pregnancy until one month postpartum, and those were analysed 10 times during this research. About the analyses throughout weeks, the study found different values to the variables Glucoses, BHB, NEFA, Triglycerides, Calcium, Phosphorus, Urea, and Creatinine for the Single Pregnancy (SP) and Twin Pregnancies (TP) groups (p<0,005). Moreover, distinct rates of Magnesium was noticed in the Single Pregnancy group (p<0,005). The week of birth and subsequent weeks, showed statistically different values of those from the weeks leading up to the birth in most of the variables studied. There was no significant difference in the comparison between the SP and TP groups for the parameters evaluated. In both groups, there were a decrease in the female body score, with a reduction in the proportion of animal with BS3 and 4 associated, and concomitant increase of animals with BS2 proportion.
Keywords:
Sheep; Metabolism; Diet; Parturition; Pregnancy Toxaemia