Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » Clay Center, Nebraska » U.S. Meat Animal Research Center » Livestock Bio-Systems » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #403477
Research Project: Discovery of Novel Traits to Improve Efficiency and Sustainability of Different Sheep Production Systems

Location: Livestock Bio-Systems

Title: Serum mineral and vitamin concentrations in central performance tested Rambouillet rams with and without angular limb deformities

Author
item LAVERELL, DYLAN - University Of Wyoming
item Murphy, Thomas - Tom
item SMYLIE, JACOB - University Of Wyoming
item KERSH, AARON - University Of Wyoming
item ENGLE, TERRY - Colorado State University
item STEWART, WHITNEY - University Of Wyoming

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science Supplement
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/30/2023
Publication Date: 11/6/2023
Citation: Laverell, D.M., Murphy, T.W., Smylie, J.M., Kersh, A., Engle, T.E., Stewart, W.C. 2023. Serum mineral and vitamin concentrations in central performance tested Rambouillet rams with and without angular limb deformities [abstract]. Journal of Animal Science Supplement. 101(Supplement 3):660-661. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skad281.768.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skad281.768

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Angular limb deformities (ALD) have historically affected 3-18% of Rambouillet ram lambs enrolled in central performance tests in the Northern great plains. Osteochondrosis, the underlying pathology of ALD, results in varying degrees of abnormal ossification in long bones and limits ram welfare and performance under extensive rangeland conditions. The objective of this research was to quantify serum mineral and 25-hydroxyvitamin D differences in rams with and without (non-affected) ALD. A total of 25 ram lambs (age = 189 ± 19 d; n = 13 ALD, n = 12 non-affected) were evaluated. Serum and body weight (BW) were collected on d 0, 28, 56, 83, and 112 of the test. Serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, macrominerals (Ca, Cl, K, Mg, Na, P, and S), and microminerals (Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Se, and Zn) were quantified. Traits were analyzed as repeated measures with fixed effects of ALD status, sampling timepoint, and their interaction. An autoregressive type-I covariance structure with heterogenous variance was used to model the random ram effect. The ALD status x sampling timepoint interaction was significant (P