Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/19
Outputs
Target Audience: Advisory Committee Sheep farmers Feed dealers Veterinarians Cooperative Extension Educators Undergraduate students Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?• 29 undergraduate students have gained practical animal experience by helping to milk and manage the sheep on thisproject. • 110 undergraduate students in Animal Science 3800 - Sheep in 2017 and 2019 each helped to milk and manage ewes andlambs in this project at 4 milking times during the semester. • 4 students from other US undergraduate institutions who participated in the Department of Animal Science summers of 2017 and 2018 Sustainable Animal Agriculture Internship Program chose to do their 8-week internships helping to milk and manage the sheep in this project. • 1 undergraduate student from Puerto Rico, 1 undergraduate student from Columbia, and 1 graduate student from Mexico each have done internships varying from 5 weeks to 4 months helping to milk and manage the sheep in this project. 2 of these interns learned how to analyze feed and fecal samples for neutral detergent fiber and acid insoluble ash. • 1 volunteer gained practical animal experience by helping to milk and manage the sheep on this project. • 2 high school students gained practical animal experience by helping to milk and manage the sheep on this project. • 2 graduate students gained practical animal experience by helping to milk and manage the sheep on this project. • 1 veterinary student gained practical animal experience by helping to milk and manage the sheep on this project. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Preliminary results have been presented at the following meetings: 2017 and 2018 Cornell Nutrition Conference (about 400 participants at each conference) 2018 North Central Education, Research, and Academic 214 Coordinating Committee 2018 Cornell Sheep & Goat Symposium (~129 attendees) 2019North Central Education, Research, and Academic 214 Coordinating Committee Preliminary results have been posted on the Cornell Sheep Program web site. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Impacts This project was tested whether non-dairy ewes can fill the fall and winter gap in fresh sheep milk production by milking them in several short lactations per year and to optimize the fermentable fiber levels in diets for lactating ewes. The results included 17,749 recorded am and pm milk yields and recorded amounts of feed offered and refused for pens from 665 days of milking. Compared with ewes fed diets that contained 30 or 40% potentially-fermentable fiber (pfNDF), ewes fed the 35% pfNDF diet had higher peak yields (2.2 kg at 11 days in milk) and average daily milk (1.6 kg/d). Culling the bottom half of the ewes could have increased milk production to 2 kg/day, a level consistent with many dairy ewes. This yield could be maintained for 365 days per year compared with tradition sheep dairy lactations of 180 days with higher daily yields. This represents higher production with the opportunity for a marketing advantage by supplying sheep milk products year-round. Reproductive efficiency was high, with conception rates varying from 94% for August breeding to 76% for March breeding. Lambs were successfully reared artificially with lambs raised per ewe lambing averaging 2.1 for the 9 lactation groups. These results provide guidance about the proportion of the dry diet that should be potentially-fermentable fiber (35%) and demonstrated that ewes can be milked in short and frequent lactations with high milk and lamb productivity. Objective 1: Optimize dietary levels of fermentable fiber for maximum milk production, ewe body condition, fertility, and health. Verify previous anecdotal observations about the positive effect of fermentable fiber on feed intake and milk production. 1)Major activities / experiments conducted. Ewes were managed on a system that allows them to complete 5 lactations in 3 years. Pelleted diets containing 30, 35, or 40% potentially-fermentable fiber were fed to determine the optimum level. Pellets were offered ad libitum along with medium quality hay at 150 g per ewe twice daily. 2) Data collected. Ewes were milked at 7 am and 5 pm daily for the 665-day experiment. Milk weight was recorded from each ewe along with pen pelleted diet weights and hay weights left from the feed offered at the previous milking time. 3) Summary statistics and discussion of results. Compared with ewes fed the 35% pfNDF diet had higher peak yields (2.2 kg at 11 days in milk) and produced the most milk (1.6 kg/d) over the whole lactation. Ewes fed the 35% pfNDF diet matched daily dry matter intake of ewes fed the 40% pfNDF diet at 2.7 kg/day or 3.5% of body weight. Ewes fed the 30% pfNDF diet consumed of 2.5 kg/day. 4) Key outcomes and accomplishments realized. These results provide guidance about the proportion of the dry diet that should be potentially-fermentable fiber (35%) and provide the basis for optimizing diets balanced for lactating dairy ewes. Objective 2. Optimize management of ewes milked for frequent, short lactations in the STAR management system. Record and report milking behavior. Record health incidences and responses to treatments. 1) Major activities / experiments conducted. Ewes were milked immediately after lamb removal. Oxytocin was used to stimulate milk letdown for about the first 3 milkings. All sick animals were treated on the advice of a Cornell professor of veterinary medicine. 2) Data collected. Milking behaviors and health issues were recorded. Ewes were weighed weekly during lactation. 3) Summary statistics and discussion of results. There was wide variation in milk production among ewes, indicating that selection among non-dairy ewes for milk production would dramatically increase flock milk production. Most ewes had milk somatic cell counts below 100,000/mL but a few were very high without signs of clinical mastitis. Most ewes transitioned from pregnancy to lactation with no health issues. Ewes gained weight throughout lactation. 4) Key outcomes and accomplishments realized. These results indicate that ewes milked in short and frequent lactations in the STAR management system (5 lambings every 3 years) can be managed to be fertile and prolific with few health issues. Objective 3. Measure yield and components of Finnsheep x Dorset ewes milked in 73- to 103-day lactations and compare with published values for 190-day, yearly lactations of traditionally-milked dairy ewes. Record prolificacy and lamb survival under STAR accelerated system in a dairy environment. 1) Major activities / experiments conducted. Milk components and somatic cell counts were measured one day each week for both morning and evening milkings. Lambs were weighed after they were removed from their dams 6 to 12 hours after birth. 2) Data collected. Milk components were measured by mid-infrared spectroscopy (MIR). Component concentrations of 80 milk samples were measured by chemical methods to compare with concentrations predicted by the cow MIR equations. Lamb weights were recorded weekly until weaned at 4 weeks of age. 3) Summary statistics and discussion of results. The major milk components of ewe milk were well-predicted from MIR spectra by the cow equations. Adjustments were made to predicted fatty acid concentrations based upon chemically determined concentrations. Conception rates varied from 94% to 76%. Stillborn losses ranged from 0 for to 10% of delivered lambs. Lambs raised per ewe lambing varied from 2.0 to 2.43. Lamb growth rates average 292 g/ From 75 to Most ewes lambed within 17 days of the start of each lambing season. Of 308 lambs delivered, 7.5% were stillborn, and live lambs 8 died for a very low loss of 2.8% of lambs born alive. 4) Key outcomes and accomplishments realized. Results so far indicate that mid-infrared spectroscopy can be used to predict ewe milk components, but that ewe-specific equations are needed for some components. With an average of 1.45 lambings per year and 2.1 lambs weaned per lambing, there were 3 lambs/ewe per year to market or to be kept for replacements. Breeding could be shortened to 17 days for fewer labor-intensive lambing days per year. Lambs reared artificially on the cold-milk lambar system had excellent health, survival and growth rates. Objective 4. Test the sustainability of a flock of frequently milked sheep. 1) Major activities / experiments conducted. Ewes were milked to complete three 73-day lactations while managed to potentially lamb and lactate 5 times in 3 years on the Cornell STAR management system. 2) Data collected. Based upon lactation curves calculated for each of the 127 lactations in the experiment, however, persistency of milk production was much lower than previously reported for ewes with dairy breed genetics. 3) Summary statistics and discussion of results. Ewes thrived on the management system, gaining weight throughout lactation and rebreeding successfully. Thus, these meat breed sheep could continue to start new 73-day lactations every 219 days. Some farmers, however, were concerned about the effort required to manage 5 annual lambings and the poor persistency of the lactations. 4) Key outcomes and accomplishments realized. Meat breed ewes on the STAR system could be milked successfully. A reproductive schedule to allow three 120-day lactations of ewes with some dairy breed genetics to increase persistency should be investigated. Objective 5. Enhance the SheepFlock business tool with updated feed requirements, labor costs, and milk production values from the experiment. 1) Major activities / experiments conducted. Once all data from this experiment have been compiled and analyzed, SheepFlock will be updated with experimentally-measured feed intake, milk production, and lamb production for sheep dairies. 2) Data collected. Too much work was required to complete Objectives 1 to 4 to complete this objective in the time allotted. 3) Summary statistics and discussion of results. No information to report. 4) Key outcomes and accomplishments realized. No information to report.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Kochendoerfer, N. and M. L. Thonney. 2019. Effect of Forage Inclusion in Diets on Milk Yield and Milk Components of Dairy Crossbreed Ewes Managed on an Accelerated Lambing System. Proc. Cornell Nutr. Conf. 81:118-124 https://hdl.handle.net/1813/67039
|
Progress 10/01/17 to 09/30/18
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience includes farmers milking sheep or thinking about transitioning to dairy sheep farming. Additional target audiences include feed dealers, equipment suppliers, Cooperative Extension Educators, and others supporting farmers. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? 24 undergraduate students have gained practical animal experience by helping to milk and manage the sheep on this project. 59 undergradute student in Animal Science 3800 - Sheep in spring 2017 each helped to milk and manage ewes and lambs inthis project at 4 milking times during the semester. 4 students from other US undergraduate institutions who participated in the Deparment of Animal Science summers of 2017 and 2018Sustainable Animal Agriculture Internship Program chose to do their 8-week internships helping to milk and manage the sheepin this project. 1 undergraduate student from Puerto Rico, 1 undergraduate student from Columbia, and 1 graduate student from Mexicoeach have done internships varying from 5 weeks to 4 months helping to milk and manage the sheep in this project. 2 ofthese interns learned how to analyze feed and fecal samples for neutral detergent fiber and acid insoluble ash. 1 volunteergained practical animal experience by helping to milk and manage the sheep on this project. 2 high school studentsgained practical animal experience by helping to milk and manage the sheep on this project. 2 graduate studentsgained practical animal experience by helping to milk and manage the sheep on this project. 1 veterinary studentgained practical animal experience by helping to milk and manage the sheep on this project. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Preliminary results have been presented at the following meetings: 2017 and 2018 Cornell Nutrition Conference (about 400 participants at each conference) 2018 North Central Education, Research, and Academic 214 Coordinating Committee 2018 Cornell Sheep & Goat Symposium (~129 attendees) Preliminary results have been posted on the Cornell Sheep Program web site. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Summary and Impacts This project is designed to test whether highly productive sheep from non-dairy breeds can fill the fall and winter gap in freshsheep milk production by milking them in several short lactations per year (compared with one longer lactation for dairysheep) and to optimize the fermentable fiber levels for diets for lactating ewes. During the current reporting period, the milking part of the project was completed for a total of 9 lactations of 10 to 18 ewes each for 73 days. This included 17,749 recorded am and pm milk yields and recorded feed amounts of daily feed offered and feed refusals from 665 days of milking. A preliminary analysis of the data showed that, compared with ewes fed diets that contained 30 or 40% potentially-fermentable fiber (pfNDF), ewes fed the 35% pfNDF diet had higher peak yields (1.9 kg at 11 days in milk) and produced the most milk (1.5 kg/d) over the whole lactation. These ewes matched daily dry matter intake of ewes fed the 40% pfNDF diet at 2.7 kg/day or 3.5% of body weight but,peak intake was at 46 and 35 days, respectively.Ewes fed the 30% pfNDF diet had lower feed intakes had lower average intakes of 2.5 kg/day with peak intake at 36 days. Reproductive efficiency improved through the three lactations with conception rates of 84, 86, and 91%, respectively. Lambs were reared artificially on a combination of ewe milk and milk replacer with lambs raised per ewe lambing of 2.1, 2.1, and 2.6 for the three lactations. These preliminary results provide guidance about the proportion of the dry diet that should be potentially-fermentable fiber (35%) and demonstrated that ewes can be milked productively in short and frequent lactations. Specific goal accomplishments 1. Optimize dietary levels of fermentable fiber for maximum milk production, ewe body condition, fertility, and health.Verify previous anecdotal observations about the positive effect of fermentable fiber on feed intake and milkproduction. Major activites and collected data Feed intake and refusal weights for each of the three pens of ewes fed diets with 30, 35, or 40% potentially-fermentable fiber werecollected along with milk production of each ewe at 7 am and 5 pm milking times for lactations 1, 2, and 3 for each of the three groups of ewes (9 lactations total). Fecal samples were collectedfromeach ewe one to three times during the third lactation. Feed and fecal samples are being analyzed for acid insoluble ash andneutral detergent fiber so that digestibility of feed dry matter and fiber can be estimated. During the third lactation, blood samples were collected prior to the start of lactation and at days 1, 7, and ~40 days in milk. Serum from these samples will be analyzed for NEFA and BHB values during the third year of the project. Preliminary statistics and discussion of results and key outcomes are presented above. 2. Optimize management of ewes milked for frequent, short lactations in the STAR management system. Record and report milking behavior. Record health incidences and responses to treatments. Major activites and collected data Milking production was optimized by leaving newborn lambs with their mothers for a minimum of 6 hours or until the next milking time. Ewes were milked immediately after lamb removal. Oxytocin was used to stimulate milk letdown for about the first 3 milkings. Milking behaviors were recorded, with a few ewes resisting being milked. Peak milk production varied with diet (see summary and impacts section). There was wide variation in milk production among ewes, indicating that selection among non-dairy ewes for milk production would dramatically increase flock milk production. For example the top half of the ewes fed the diet with 35% potentially-fermentable fiber averaged 2 kg/d compared with the average of 1.5 kg per day. Most ewes had somatic cell counts below 100, but a few were very high. Milk tested in these ewes negative for mastitis pathogens. Summary statistics, discussion, and key outcomes are not yet available. 3. Measure yield and components of Finnsheep x Dorset ewes milked in 73- to 103-day lactations and compare with published values for 190-day, yearly lactations of traditionally-milked dairy ewes. Record prolificacy and lamb survival under STAR accelerated system in a dairy environment. Major activites and collected data Milk components and somatic cell counts were measured one day eachweek for both morning and evening milkings. No comparisons with published values for dairy sheep have been done yet. Preliminary statistics, discussion, and key outcomes With an average of 1.45 lambings per year (including replacements) and 2.05 lambs weaned per lambing, fertility and lambsurvival have been better than expected with 3 lambs/ewe per year to market or keptfor replacements. Fertility ranged from 75% to 100%, depending somewhat upon the season of breeding, and resulted in more ewes beingmilked than expected. 75 to 100% of ewes within each breeding season lambed by 17 days of the expected start of eachlambing season, suggesting that breeding could be shortened to one estrous cycle (from 30 days) for fewer labor-intensive lambingdays per year. of the 308 lambs delivered, 23 (7.5%) were stillborn, and 8 died prior to being marketed or kept for replacement for a very low loss of 2.8% of lambs born alive. Lambs gained281 g/d to an average age of 59 days with average weights of 21 kg when we stopped weighing them. Key outcomes and accomplishments These results indicate that ewes milked in short and frequent lactations in the STAR management system (5 lambings every 3 years) can be managed to be fertile and prolific with excellent lamb survival. 4. Test the sustainability of a flock of frequently milked sheep. A this point, it appears that a flock of ewes milked in short, frequent lactations could be sustainable. 5. Enhance the SheepFlock business tool with updated feed requirements, labor costs, and milk production values fromthe experiment. Work on this objective will be completed in the third year of the project.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Kochendoerfer, N. and M. L. Thonney. 2018. Fermentable fiber for year-round ewe milk production. Proc. Cornell Nutr. Conf. 80:81-87.
|
Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/17
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience includes farmers milking sheep or thinking about transitioning to dairy sheep farming. Additional target audiences include feed dealers, equipment suppliers, Cooperative Extension Educators, and others supporting farmers. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?15 undergraduate students have gained practical animal experience by helpingto milk and manage the sheep on this project. 59 undergraduate student in Animal Science 3800 - Sheep in spring 2017 each helped to milk and manage ewes and lambs in this project at 4 milking times during the semester. 2 students from other US undergraduate institutions who participated in the Department of Animal Science summer 2017 Sustainable Animal Agriculture Internship Program chose to do their 8-week internship helping to milk and manage the sheep in this project. 1 undergraduate student from Puerto Rico, 1 undergraduate student from Columbia, and 1 graduate student from Mexico each have done internships varying from 5 weeks to 4 monthshelping to milk and manage the sheep in this project. 2 of these interns learned how to analyze feed and fecal samples for neutral detergent fiber and acid insoluble ash. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Preliminary results were reported to more than 500 participants in the 2017 Cornell Nutrition Conference. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will complete the 2nd half of the milking part of the experiment, with a total of 9 lactations through September 2018.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
This project is designed to test whether highly productive sheep from non-dairy breeds can fill the falland winter gap in fresh sheep milk production by milking them in several short lactations per year (compared with one longer lactation for dairy sheep) and to optimize the fermentable fiber levels for diets for lactating ewes. During the current reporting period, the project was about half completed, at 4.5 of 9 lactations of about 73 days. Although the effects of the diets with three fermentable fiber levels are not yet clear, the Dorset and Finnsheep x Dorset ewes in this experiment have been able to lamb and milk on schedule with remarkable milk production for about half the ewes and very high lamb survival of lambs raised on the cold-milk, lambar system. Peak milk production for the best pen of ewes approached 2 kg per day during the first experimental lactation with higher amounts during second experimental lactations for the same sheep 219 days later. Daily feed dry matter intake increased from about 2.5 kg/ewe per day at the beginning of lactation to a peak of 3.3 kg/ewe per day at day 40 of lactation. Ewes gained weight continuously from the start of lactation. With 1.56 lambings/ewe per year and a 97.3% lamb survival rate, there were 3.06 lambs/ewe per year to market or keep for replacements. These preliminary results indicate that this innovative system of milking non-dairy ewes in short, frequent lactations will be a successful approach for farmers to increase income from milk and lambs while satisfying a year-round market for fresh products from sheep milk. Specific goal accomplishments 1. Optimize dietary levels of fermentable fiber for maximum milk production, ewe body condition, fertility, and health. Verify previous anecdotal observations about the positive effect of fermentable fiber on feed intake and milk production. Major activities and collected data: Feed intake and refusal weights for each of the three pens of ewes fed diets with 30, 35, or 40% fermentable fiber have been collected along with milk production of each ewe at 7 am and 5 pm milking times. We started collecting fecal samples from each ewe one to three times during each lactation. Feed and fecal samples are being analyzed for acid insoluble ash and neutral detergent fiber so that digestibility of feed dry matter and fiber can be estimated. No summary statistics and discussion of results or key outcomes are available yet. 2. Optimize management of ewes milked for frequent, short lactations in the STAR management system. Record and report milking behavior. Record health incidences and responses to treatments. Major activites and collected data: Milking production was optimized by leaving newborn lambs with their mothers for a minimum of 6 hours or until the next milking time. Ewes were milked immediately after lamb removal. Oxytocin was used to stimulate milk letdown for about the first 3 milkings. Milking behaviors were recorded, with a few ewes resisting being milked. Peak milk production varied with diet, but was no later than about 14 days in milk. There was wide variation in milk production among ewes, indicating that selection among non-dairy ewes for milk production would dramatically increase flock milk production. Most ewes had somatic cell counts below 100, but a few were very high. Milk tested in these ewes negative for mastitis pathogens. Two early cases of mastitis were treated successfully. Summary statistics, discussion, and key outcomes are not yet available. 3. Measure yield and components of Finnsheep x Dorset ewes milked in 73- to 103-day lactations and compare with published values for 190-day, yearly lactations of traditionally-milked dairy ewes. Record prolificacy and lamb survival under STAR accelerated system in a dairy environment. Milk yields have been collected twice daily. Milk components and somatic cell countshave been measured one day each week for both morning and evening milkings. No comparisons with published values for dairy sheep have been done yet. Fertility and lambs survival have been better than expected with3.06 lambs/ewe per year to market or keep for replacements. Fertility ranged from 75% to 100%, depending somewhat upon the season of breeding,and resulted in more ewes being milked than expected. 70 to 93% of ewes within each breeding season lambed by 14 days of the expected start of each lambing season, suggesting that breeding could be shortened to two weeks from 30 days for fewer labor-intensive lambing days per year. 4. Test the sustainability of a flock of frequently milked sheep. A this point, it appears that a flock of ewes milked in short, frequentlactations could be sustainable.Until the experiment is complete, it will not be possible to provide an accurate assessment. 5. Enhance theSheepFlockbusiness tool with updated feed requirements, labor costs, and milk production values from the experiment. Work on this objective will be done after the 9 lactations in the experiment are completed in September 2018.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Kochendoerfer, N. 2016. Fermentable fiber for milking sheep on the STAR system. Proceedings of the 22nd Dairy Sheep Symposium of North America pp. 51-56
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Kochendoerfer, N. and Thonney, M. 2017. Management and Nutrition for Milking Sheep in Short and Frequent Lactations. Proceedings of the 79th Cornell Nutrition Conference, pp. 175-185.
|
|