Production and oxidative stress responses in a cage designed for creep-feeding lambs

Abstract

This research aims to assess the production and oxidative stress reactions of lambs fed in a specially designed cage for creep feeding. For this purpose, the Akkaraman lambs (n = 60) were separated into four groups (15 individuals by two sexes and two groups), and all were fed the same ration. On the days that all the data was collected, the lambs were precisely 20, 34, 48, and 62 days old. The study included collecting data on body weights, body measures, and saliva samples from lambs. When the change in body weight was investigated, the results indicated that the differences between caged creep and control feeding groups (P = 0.343) and among the groupings concerning gender (P = 0.735) were insignificant. The importance levels of change differences in body measurements based on feeding methods and gender are withers height: P = 0.003, P = 0.198; body length: P < 0.001, P = 0.394; pectoral chest width: P = 0.030, P = 0.906; chest depth: P < 0.001, P = 0.741; chest circumference: P = 0.093, P = 0.529; back length: P = 0.221, P = 0.935; head length: P = 0.004, P = 0.072 and head width: P = 0.112, P = 0.617 calculated. The study's saliva samples, the effects were examined, and significant differences in Malondialdehyde (P = 0.014), superoxide dismutase (P = 0.029), catalase (P < 0.001), and glutathione s-transferase (P = 0.001) were discovered between control feeding and caged creep feeding methods. In ischemia-modified albumin (P > 0.05), the difference between the groups was insignificant. According to these findings, caged creep feeding systems are preferable for achieving faster growth rates in Akkaraman lambs; however, caged creep feeding techniques in bigger areas with longer periods are considered better for welfare conditions.