Effect of fish oil supplementation during gestation on maternal and offspring performance in awassi sheep

A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of feeding Omega-3 during pregnancy on maternal performance, lamb birth weight, colostrums production and quality, milk production and composition, postpartum lambs performance and milk fatty acid profile of Awassi ewes. Fat sources used in this study were palm oil (PO) and fish oil (FO). One hundred Awassi ewes (BW=57±1.5 kg, age=3.5±1.2 years), were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments. Treatments were 1) diet containing PO from 0-150 days of pregnancy (PO; n = 25), 2) diet containing PO from 0-65 days of pregnancy, then diet containing FO 66-150 days of pregnancy (POFO; n = 25), 3) diet containing FO from 0-65 days of pregnancy, then diet containing PO from 66-150 days of pregnancy (FOPO; n = 25) and 4) diet containing FO from 0-150 days of pregnancy (FO; n = 25). Animals were housed with three replicates per treatment. The including FO into diet during pregnancy especially in the late gestation period increased birth weight, gestation length and colostrums IgG content, but decreased colostrums production, and lowered percentage of milk fat and milk protein. Also, it decreased saturated fatty acids and increased polyunsaturated fatty acids especially omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, of docosahexaenoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid and conjugated linoleic acid.