Neonatal lamb mortality: major risk factors and the potential ameliorative role of melatonin

Autor: Tom Flinn, David O. Kleemann, Alyce M. Swinbourne, Jennifer M. Kelly, Alice C. Weaver, Simon K. Walker, Kathryn L. Gatford, Karen L. Kind, William H. E. J. van Wettere
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2020
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology, Vol 11, Iss 1, Pp 1-11 (2020)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2049-1891
DOI: 10.1186/s40104-020-00510-w
Popis: Abstract High incidences of pre-weaning mortality continue to limit global sheep production, constituting a major economic and welfare concern. Despite significant advances in genetics, nutrition, and management, the proportion of lamb deaths has remained stable at 15–20% over the past four decades. There is mounting evidence that melatonin can improve outcomes in compromised ovine pregnancies via enhanced uterine bloodflow and neonatal neuroprotection. This review provides an overview of the major risk factors and underlying mechanisms involved in perinatal lamb mortality and discusses the potential of melatonin treatment as a remedial strategy. Supplementing pregnant ewes with melatonin enhances uterine bloodflow and fetal oxygenation, and potentially birthweight and neonatal thermogenic capacity. Melatonin freely crosses the ovine placenta and blood-brain barrier and provides neuroprotection to the fetal lamb during periods of chronic and acute hypoxia throughout gestation, with improved behavioural outcomes in hypoxic neonates. The current literature provides strong evidence that maternal melatonin treatment improves outcomes for lambs which experience compromised in utero development or prolonged parturition, though to date this has not been investigated in livestock production systems. As such there is a clear basis for continued research into the effects of maternal melatonin supplementation during gestation on pre-weaning survival under extensive production conditions.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals
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