Finnish Landrace Lambs Research Articles

Performance of Finnish Landrace goat kids and lambs raised under stall-feeding conditions in Finland

Ten male Finnish Landrace goat kids and 10 male Finnish Landrace lambs raised under similar stall-feeding conditions were compared for feed intake, feed efficiency, growth rate and slaughter results. The animals were housed individually from 2 months old to slaughter in grated metal pens and offered timothy/meadow fescue hay ad libitum and a concentrate at ≤800 g/animal/day. In their daily ration lambs and kids received on average 14.98 and 9.55 MJ metabolizable energy (ME), 186 and 136 g crude protein (CP) and 125 and 81 g amino acids absorbed in the small intestine (AAT), respectively. Mean total dry matter (DM) intake (98 vs. 75 g/kgW 0.75) and mean growth rate (245 vs. 174 g animal/day) were higher for lambs than for kids. All these differences between the two species were significant ( p<0.001). On the other hand, dressing percentage (48.2 vs. 42.6%, p<0.001) and DM and AAT utilization (kg/kg meat, p<0.01) were higher in kids than in lambs. During rearing there were no health problems in lambs, but kids suffered from urinary tract problems. Kids needed 2 months more than lambs to produce an 18 kg carcass (202 vs. 143 days).

Out-of-season lambing of Finnish Landrace ewes

The aim of the study was to determine the effects of the all year-round breeding and lambing frequency on lamb production under farm conditions. The effects of lambing frequency and season on litter size, lamb growth and mortality were studied in 275 mature Finnish Landrace ewes over a 7-year period. The ewes were mated at different seasons without the use of hormone treatment. The ewes lambed at intervals of 9.0 months (the accelerated lambing flock) or 11.5 months (the annual lambing flock). Litter size was highest in the annual lambing flock (2.91 vs. 2.71 lambs per ewe, p<0.01). Seasonally, litter size varied being largest (3.07) in spring, at a ewe's natural lambing time. In the summer litter size was 2.66, in autumn 2.32 and in winter 2.76 lambs per ewe. Lambing frequency had no effect on the growth profile of lambs, including weight at birth and at the age of 6 weeks. Crossbred lambs born in the autumn were significantly ( p<0.05) heavier at birth and at the age of 6 weeks than those born in summer. They were also heavier than pure bred Finnish Landrace lambs born in any other season. Total mortality of lambs from birth to the age of 150 days was 1.3 percentage units higher in the annual than in the accelerated lambing flock. In the spring, lamb mortality before the age of 150 days was 17.7% and in the summer, autumn and winter 15.2%, 10.8% and 14.0%, respectively. Both the accelerated lambing flock and the annual lambing flock produced the same number of lambs per ewe per year (3.2 lambs per ewe). However, because of the lower mortality and higher growth rate, the 150-day liveweight production of lambs per ewe per year was a little higher in the accelerated flock than in the annual lambing flock (90.3 vs. 84.0 kg, p>0.05). The results suggest that it is unlikely that the all year-round lambing would be any more profitable than a well managed conventional flock lambing once a year.

Feeding value of grass ensiled with absorbents assessed in growing lambs

Four absorbent materials incorporated into grass at ensiling were compared in terms of their effects on silage quality, effluent production, diet digestibility, ad libitum intake and growth of lambs. The materials used (50 kg t-1 grass) to retain silage effluent flow were molassed and unmolassed sugar beet shreds (MSBS, SBS), a commercial product (CP) based on MSBS (75%) and wheat bran (20%), and rolled barley (RB). With the exception of MSBS and a control (C2), all silages were ensiled with formic acid solution. Unmolassed sugar beet shreds were also ensiled with a granulated formic acid product (grFA). The silages were fed to 56 Finnish Landrace lambs for 21 days. Silage effluent retention rates were similar (1.44-1.55 kg kg-1 absorbent) for the sugar beet shred-based absorbents but zero for RB. The organic matter digestibilities of the diets were not affected (p&gt;0.05) by the silage absorbent treatment. The digestibility of SBS silage was, however, improved by grFA as an additive. Silage intake was generally increased by absorbent inclusion, and was about 29% higher in lambs receiving silages treated with sugar beet shreds than in those receiving untreated silages. The daily growth rate of lambs was highest with the SBS treatment (124 g) followed by SBS ensiled with grFA (108 g) and MSBS (86 g); it was lowest with RB (36 g). With regard to effluent chemical oxygen demand, digestibility and silage intake, the use of SBS as an absorbent material is recommended by ensiling with either liquid or grFA.

Failure of mineral supplementation to avert apparent sodium deficiency in lambs with abomasal parasitism

AbstractTwo groups of 28 Finnish Landrace (FL) lambs were given (group Mg) or denied (group O) access to a magnesium (Mg)-rich mineral mixture to establish its role in the hitherto frequent development of diarrhoea in the flock. Diarrhoea developed in most lambs but became marginally worse in group Mg (P &lt; 0·05) by weaning. At weaning, 28% of the lambs had salivary sodium: potassium (Na: K) ratios &lt; 4 indicating Na deficiency but pasture was not low in Na (60·9 mmol/kg dry matter (DM)) and providing the mineral mixture (which also contained Na) did not alleviate the deficiency. Raised plasma pepsinogen (PP) concentrations were indicative ofabomasal parasitism and all lambs were drenched with levamisole. Groups were subdivided at weaning, either continuing on their previous treatments (groups Mg/Mg and O/O) or being offered pure salt (NaCl) (groups Mg/Na and O/Na). Mineral consumption was measured from weaning and varied widely between groups and with time for the first 2 weeks. Early consumption was maximal at 19·6 g per head per day in group Mg/Mg and zero in group Mg/Na and faecal DM was significantly lower in the former group (165 v. 223 (s.d. 16·9) g/kg DM). All groups showed an improvement in Na status after weaning followed by a decline and NaCl consumption showed opposite changes about a mean of 6·3 g per head per day: faecal DM became uniformly low (ca. 200 g/kg fresh weight) in all groups. A further rise in PP prompted a second treatment with levamisole 6 weeks after weaning. When salivary Na: K was low (1 and 7 weeks after weaning), a significant relationship (P = 0·002) was found between salivary K (mmol/l), faecal DM (g/kg) and plasma pepsinogen (PP U per l;):K = 22·9 + 4·5 PP – 0·047 DM (d.f. 82: r = 0·34).Nematodiasis may have caused an ion imbalance and an associated diarrhoea, inducing a craving for NaCl which was ill-met by a mixture rich in laxative Mg.

A putative role for larval nematode infection in diarrhoeas of lambs which did not respond to anthelmintic drenches.

Attempts to control a summer diarrhoea in grazing Finnish landrace lambs which had been unresponsive to anthelmintics and coccidiostats were made by supplementing them with cupric oxide particles and withdrawing a magnesium-rich mineral, while maintaining parasite control measures. The diarrhoea persisted from July to September and plasma pepsinogen activities were raised, suggesting that the anthelmintic did not prevent abomasal damage; the jejunum of an affected lamb showed lesions of parasitic gastroenteritis. Small responses to cupric oxide particles and larger responses to the withdrawal of magnesium were deceptive, possibly being confounded by differences in parasite challenge. In another experiment Finnish landrace lambs were more susceptible to diarrhoea than Suffolk cross lambs in autumn. The susceptibility was then linked to a strong inhibition of worm egg output and may have been caused by a hypersensitive mucosal response to the larval challenge. Plasma pepsinogen concentrations were again raised in the Finnish landrace lambs and did not decline after treatment with anthelmintic, whereas the concentrations increased later in the Suffolk cross lambs, and were apparently responsive to anthelmintic. The cases of diarrhoea were similar to 'July disease' and may have been caused by continuous nematode infections which were only briefly controlled by drenches. Anthelmintic-unresponsive diarrhoea is the term proposed for the disorder, which may be controllable by devices releasing anthelmintic continuously or by a move to less infected pasture. Faecal egg counts remained low in the condition and were diagnostically misleading.

Effects of cimaterol on Finnish-Landrace wether lambs. 2. Growth and nucleic acid concentrations in selected skeletal muscles

The effects of cimaterol on the growth and nucleic acid concentrations in selected skeletal muscles in purebred Finnish-Landrace lambs were examined. Lambs (initial bodyweight (BW) = 26.3 kg; n = 12/treatment) were individually offered a pelleted concentrate diet ad libitum which contained either 0 or 10 ppm cimaterol. An additional group (n = 6) were slaughtered at the beginning of the study. Half of each treatment group was slaughtered after 36 days of treatment and the remainder after 64 days. Selected muscles were dissected from the right side of each carcass. Muscle type was a significant source of variation for muscle weight and nitrogen content. Cimaterol increased (P < 0.05) the weight of the pool of skeletal muscles examined after 36 and 64 days of treatment and the mean nitrogen content after 64 days of treatment. After 64 days, the weights of the semimembranosus, quadriceps femoris and longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscles were increased (P < 0.05) but the weight of the semitendinosus, adductor, psoas minor, psoas major, infraspinatus and supraspinatus muscles were not affected by cimaterol treatment. Within the pool of muscles examined, cimaterol did not affect muscle distribution at either slaughter day. The allometric coefficient for growth of the psoas major was increased (P < 0.1) and that of quadriceps femoris and supraspinatus decreased (P < 0.01) by cimaterol treatment. The allometric coefficient of nitrogen deposition in the quadriceps femoris muscle was increased (P < 0.1) by cimaterol treatment. After 64 days of treatment, cimaterol decreased (P < 0.05) the RNA concentration in the semimembranosus, psoas major, supraspinatus and longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscles and the DNA concentration in the semimembranosus and quadriceps femoris muscles. It is concluded that the effects of cimaterol on skeletal muscle growth were largely muscle independent but that the mechanism of growth differed among muscles.

Nephropathy in young lambs.

Renal disorders in lambs may be congenital, infectious, toxic, immunologically mediated or secondary to urethral obstruction. Congenital abnormalities are uncommon. Kidney infections often are only one aspect of more widespread diseases, for example, tick pyaemia or salmonellosis. Toxic diseases, which affect mainly the renal tubules, may be caused by bacterial, chemical or plant toxins, although in lamb nephrosis the cause is unknown. Immunecomplex glomerulonephritis is uncommon, and one form, mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis of Finnish landrace lambs, is under genetic control. Urolithiasis may have secondary effects on the kidneys.

Onset of puberty and duration of the breeding season in Suffolk, Rambouillet, Finnish Landrace, Dorset and Finn-Dorset ewe lambs.

Sixty ewe lambs, 12 each of Suffolk, Dorset, Finnish Landrace, Finn-Dorset and Rambouillet born in January and February were used in a study of puberty and duration of the first breeding season. Ovulation was monitored via progesterone assay of weekly blood samples beginning in July, and estrus via daily checking with vasectomized rams. All 60 ewes ovulated but three, one Dorset and two Rambouillet failed to show estrus although each had five to seven ovulatory cycles. Several ewes showed small progesterone rises, 300 to 500 pg/ml, before first ovulation and six (10%) failed to initiate regular cyclicity following the first ovulation as defined by progesterone greater than 500 pg/ml. Mean number of ovulatory events before the first behavioral estrus ranged from 1.25 for Finnish Landrace to 2.20 for Rambouillet ewe lambs (P less than .1). Rambouillets were older (277 d; P less than .05) at first estrus than Finns (258 d) and Finn-Dorsets (260 d), but differences in age at first ovulation were not significant: Finn-Dorset, 233 d; Dorset, 234 d; Finn, 235 d; Rambouillet, 240 d; Suffolk, 245 d. Most cycles were of normal length, with 91.4% between 14 and 20 d. Repeatability of cycle length within breed group was .38. Suffolks had significantly shorter cycles (16.1 d) than the other four groups (17.0 to 17.4 d). Finnish Landrace and Finn-Dorset ewes continued to cycle much longer than the other groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Some breed effects on the melting point and fatty acid composition of carcass fat in lambs

SummaryTwo breed comparisons were made: (a) between Galway and Galway x Finnish Landrace (Fingalway) lambs, and (6) between Galway x Fingalway and Galway x (Finn x Texel) lambs, for the melting point and fatty acid composition of subcutaneous tail, subcutaneous 13th rib and perinephric fat. The lambs were slaughtered at market weight from September to January, being finished off on grass except for a small number finished indoors on concentrates and hay.Slaughter age and carcass weight, both of which had significant effects on some of the measurements, were included as covariates in the breed comparisons. Overall breed effects were small. The melting point of the fat from Fingalway lambs was lower than that of the Galway breed in each location, the difference being significant for subcutaneous rib fat. This was associated with a lower concentration of stearic acid and a higher concentration of oleic acid in each fat depot of the Fingalway breed, the difference being significant for oleic in subcutaneous tail and for stearic in subcutaneous rib fat. No significant breed differences or trends were observed for the other fatty acids measured. Results for a small number of pure Finn lambs supported the Finn ancestry influence indicated by comparison (a). In the second breed comparison, no significant breed differences were observed, the values being close to those obtained for the pure Galway lambs.

Mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis in lambs: the ultrastructure and immunopathology of diffuse glomerulonephritis in newly born Finnish Landrace lambs.

Renal biopsies were obtained by laparotomy from eight newborn C3 deficient Finnish Landrace lambs, and examined by light, electron and immunofluorescence microscopy. The capillaries of all glomeruli contained numerous neutrophils and peripheral capillary walls were thickened and refractile at high magnifications. Almost continuous subendothelial electron-dense deposits were seen in peripheral capillary walls. Large amounts of C'3, and small amounts of IgM and IgA were also seen in these sits. No IgG was seen in these glomeruli. Four lambs died within 96 hr of birth. The remaining four lambs all had severe clinical mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis (MCGN) by 21 to 42 days after birth. Amounts of C'3, IgM and IgA in glomeruli had increased by comparison with amounts at birth, and IgG was present in the deposits. It was concluded that the processes ultimately expressed as MCGN in these lambs were initiated before birth.

PERFORMANCE OF PROGENY OF FINNISH LANDRACE AND DORSET HORN RAMS MATED TO EWES OF VARIOUS BREEDS AND CROSSES

Over a 3-yr period, 1,556 lambs were produced from matings of Dorset Horn and Finnish Landrace rams to ewes of the Romnelet, Columbia, Suffolk, and North Country Cheviot breeds and their 2-, 3-, and 4-breed crosses. Also, 142 purebred lambs of the four dam breeds were produced as a basis for contemporary comparisons. The average weaning weight of the purebred lambs was 23.7 ± 0.4 kg; of the 2-breed cross lambs, ½-Dorset lambs averaged 25.1 ± 0.5 kg and ½-Finnish Landrace 25.6 ± 0.5 kg. The 3-breed cross ½-Dorset lambs averaged 27.1 ± 0.4 kg and ½-Finnish Landrace lambs 26.1 ± 0.4 kg; and 4-breed cross ½-Dorset lambs 27.1 ± 0.4 kg and ½-Finnish Landrace lambs 26.8 ± 0.4 kg. The 5-breed cross ½-Dorset and ½-Finnish Landrace lambs both averaged about 27.5 ± 0.5 kg. Weight-per-day-of-age to market weight showed the same trend as weaning weight among the purebred and crossbred lambs. Purebred lambs were exceeded by 2-breed cross lambs in weaning weight (7%) and weight-per-day-of-age to market weight (6%) and by 3-breed cross lambs (13% and 8%, respectively). No practical additional improvement for either trait was evident in 4-breed and 5-breed crosses. Two-breed cross ewes (Romnelet × Suffolk and Columbia × Suffolk) raised lambs of about the same weaning weight (27.7 and 27.3 kg) as the 3-breed and 4-breed cross ewes (24.9–27.4 kg). Dorset Horn and Finnish Landrace rams contributed about equally to weaning weights (26.6 and 26.5 kg) and weight-per-day-of-age to market weight (0.241 and 0.236 kg). The average score of the ½-Finnish Landrace carcasses was slightly, but significantly, better than that of the ½-Dorset Horn carcasses. Both Dorset Horn and Finnish Landrace rams produced crossbred lambs with satisfactory growth and carcass merit.

Genetic and non-genetic effects on plasma LH concentrations in lambs at 4 and 8 weeks of age.

Plasma LH was measured at 4 and 8 weeks of age in purebred lambs born to Finnish Landrace, Galway, Fingalway and High Fertility ewes. The average litter sizes for these breeds vary from 1.4 to 2.5. Lambs born after the transfer of fertilized eggs (all Fingalway) to Finnish Landrace, Galway and Fingalway ewes were also studied. There was evidence for a significant positive effect of selection for litter size within the Galway breed on plasma LH at 8 weeks of age. Finnish Landrace lambs had significantly higher levels of plasma LH at 8 weeks of age than did Galway Control lambs. These two groups did not differ with respect to plasma LH at 4 weeks of age. Non-additive genetic effects were significant at 4 weeks of age. The ranking of genetic groups on plasma LH was not consistent with their ranking for litter size. There was no evidence for a maternal effect associated with breed of dam on plasma LH and the effects of litter size were generally insignificant. Female lambs had significantly higher levels of LH at 4 weeks of age but there was no sex difference at 8 weeks because LH levels in males had increased. The correlation between the level of plasma LH at 4 and 8 weeks of age was -0.04. It is concluded that plasma LH is unlikely to prove a practical aid to selection for increased fecundity in sheep.

Reducing the potential copper toxicity of concentrates to sheep by the use of molybdenum and sulphur supplements

A high copper (Cu) diet (45.3 μg Cu/g DM) was given to three groups of animals, ♂ or ♀ Scottish Blackface and ♂ Finnish Landrace lambs, without added molybdenum (Mo), or with 2, 4, 8 or 16 mg Mo/kg DM added in a 3 × 5 factorial experiment lasting 18–27 weeks. Sodium sulphate, providing 2 g S/kg, was added with each Mo supplement. Six of the nine lambs not given supplementary Mo + S died of Cu poisoning but those given Mo + S survived. Histological evidence of subclinical hepato-toxicity was found in Mo + S supplemented lambs but it decreased in severity as the level of added Mo increased. Plasma aspartate amino-transferase (PAAT) concentrations were elevated in unsupplemented lambs from week 9 and in lambs given 2 mg Mo/kg from week 12 but they remained normal in lambs given 4–16 mg Mo/kg DM. Successive increments in dietary Mo reduced the increase in liver Cu after 18–20 weeks from 1450 to 735, 483, 445 and 131 μg/g DM. The proportion of ingested Cu (y%) retained in the liver was related to dietary Mo ( x, mg/kg DM) by the equation y = 2.6 − 1.66 log x ± 0.21 ( r = 0.98; 2 d.f.). Finnish Landrace lambs retained 50% less Cu in their livers, had lower PAAT levels and showed less histological evidence of liver damage than ♂ Scottish Blackface lambs. The latter had higher PAAT levels and a higher mortality from Cu poisoning than ♀ Scottish Blackface lambs although the two sexes retained similar proportions of ingested Cu in their livers. The results are discussed in relation to the practical use of Mo + S to prevent Cu poisoning in sheep.

The effect of temperature and method of feeding on the diestibility of two milk substitutes and on the performance of lambs

SUMMARYThe effects of temperature and method of feeding on the intake characteristics and digestibilities of two milk substitutes were examined.Forty Finnish Landrace x Dorset Horn lambs (20 males and 20 females) were fed one of two milk substitutes from 3 to 25 days of age when they were slaughtered and chemical composition of the empty body was measured.The two milk substitutes contained 30% fat in the dry matter as butter fat (diet B), or tallow and coconut oil (diet TC).The diets were offered at either 34°C (W) or 5 °C (C) and three methods of feeding were used. The diets were given: ad libitumcold (AL1), four feeds to appetite per day either warm or cold (AL2W and AL2C) and four feeds restricted to an intake of 62 g D.M./kg live weight0·5 either warm or cold (RW or RC).Digestibilities of the milk substitutes were not affected by the temperature at which they were offered or the feeding regime used. Diet B had an apparent dry-matter digestibility of 97·6% and diet TC 92·5%. The fat digestibility of diet TC was 13·6 units lower than diet B and this affected the digestibility of all the other dietary components.Lambs tended to consume more of diet B and grow faster.Lambs on treatment AL1 consumed 21% more milk substitute than those on treatment AL2.The composition of the body-weight gain was found to alter with rate of gain.The temperature at which the milk substitutes were offered had only a minor effect on the performance of the lambs. The type of milk substitute and feeding regime used had a greater influence on both lamb intake and growth.

A choroid plexus lesion in lambs with mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis

An encephalopathy in Finnish Landrace lambs associated with the occurrence of mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis has been further investigated. The choroid plexuses of nine lambs with diffuse, and six with focal glomerulonephritis were examined by light, electron and immunofluorescence microscopy. The most consistent change was oedema of the choroidal interstitium. In areas of minimal distension accumulations of clear, electro-lucent fluid occurred between the basement membranes of the choroidal epithelium and the blood vessels, while in more severely affected areas the choroidal epithelium was attenuated, apparently due to a greater degree of interstitial distension. Deposits of IgG were demonstrated by immunofluorescence in the choroid plexus of the lateral ventricles. This material was largely confined to the interstitium, but was also interposed between choroidal epithelial cells. The choroidal blood vessels were usually unaffected, but in one instance there was endothelial separation with formation of sub-endothelial electron-lucent spaces. A cellular infiltrate was found in four choroid plexuses. Unaffected lambs used as controls had no renal or brain lesions, and IgG was not detected in their choroid plexuses.

The genetic control of red cell glutathione deficiencies in Finnish Landrace and Tasmanian Merino sheep and in crosses between these breeds

SummaryFinnish Landrace sheep with low red cell GSH concentrations resulting from a defective transport system for certain arnino acids were crossed with Tasmanian Merino sheep with a red cell GSH deficiency due to impaired activity of the enzyme γ-glutamyl cysteine synthetase. Inheritance data showed that the two types of GSH deficiency were under independent genetic control. In the Finnish Landrace breed, the gene coding for the transport defect (Trn) was inherited as an autosomal recessive and sheep homozygous for this gene had high red cell concentrations of lysine and ornithine (Ly ×) as well as low levels of GSH. In the Tasmanian Merino breed the GSH deficiency behaved as if controlled by an autosomal dominant gene (GSHL). Backcross breeding experiments resulted in lambs which had inherited both types of GSH deficiency. Evidence suggested that such ‘double low’ GSH lambs had an impaired viability. In Tasmanian Merinos the GSH deficiency was established prior to birth. Newborn Finnish Landrace lambs were clearly separable into two types on the basis of their red cell lysine and ornithine content but not on their GSH concentrations.

Mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis in lambs. III. Quantitative and qualitative aspects of immunopathology

Newborn Finnish Landrace lambs subsequently affected with mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis (MCGN) were deficient in the third component of complement (C'3), serum levels being approximately 5 per cent. of those in unaffected lambs. Hypocomplementaemia persisted until symptoms of renal failure occurred at around 6-8 wk of age. Immunofluorescence examinations of renal cortex with antisera specific for IgG, IgM, IgA, C'3 and fibrin supported previous morphological evidence of a strong similarity between this disease and MCGN in man. Similar examinations of choroid plexus suggested that immune complexes containing IgG, IgM and C'3 were present in the interstitium.

The role of colostrum in glomerulonephritis of Finnish Landrace lambs: effect of cross-fostering newly born Finnish Landrace and Cheviot lambs

Newly-born Finnish Landrace and Cheviot lambs were cross-fostered to determine the role of colostrum in the development of mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis of the Finnish Landrace breed. Severe glomerulonephritis occurred in four Finnish Landrace lambs reared by their own dams. One of six siblings of affected lambs, all reared by Cheviot foster mothers, developed a milder focal form of the disease. No glomerulonephritis occurred in three Cheviot lambs reared by Finnish Landrace foster mothers whose own naturally reared lambs died of the disease. An artificially reared colostrum-free Finnish Landrace lamb became severely affected, though its naturally reared sibling had no renal disease in sequential biopsies. It is concluded that colostrum has no primary role in the development of the disease.

Mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis in lambs: I. Clinical and biochemical findings in a Finnish Landrace flock

Deaths in young Finnish Landrace lambs with acute mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis were often preceded by a brief clinical illness in which palpable renal enlargement and tenderness, and a variety of signs suggesting central nervous system dysfunction, consistently occurred. In addition to the renal changes found in all affected lambs, severe brain lesions were present at autopsy in 4 lambs which showed prior clinical symptoms. Progressive alterations in plasma urea, albumin, calcium and inorganic phosphate levels were recorded in diseased lambs, albumin and globulins being present in urine in two instances.

Effect of egg transfer on the skin follicles and birthcoats of Finnish Landrace and Soay lambs

SummaryThe birthcoats of Finnish Landrace lambs showed a wide range of halo-hair grades but all had strongly checked fibre type arrays, which were either Plain or Valley. Transfer to Welsh Mountain dams reduced the effect of prenatal check, giving fewer sickle fibres and increased halo-hair and/or super sickle A percentage. Transfer to Border Leicester tended to have the opposite effect. Fibre diameter measurements made on skin samples indicated an increase in primary fibre diameter in transfers into Welsh dams, but no difference in transfers into the Border Leicester.All Soay samples had Grade VII halo-hair density and Plateau or Saddle arrays. Transfer of Soay eggs to Finnish Landrace ewes increased the percentage of sickle fibres mainly at the expense of hairy-tip curly-tips. Skin samples from the transferred Soays indicated reduced primary fibre medullation, and evidence of retarded secondary follicle development.Thus in both breeds the birthcoat changed slightly in the direction of that of the foster-dam. There was, however, no indication that increased prenatal check was associated with increased foetal size. It is therefore concluded that changes in birthcoat as a result of egg transfer are more probably due to direct effects of the maternal environment than to the effect of foetal size as previously postulated.