Growth, intakes and metabolic responses of artificially reared lambs weaned at 14 d of age.

In two experiments, a total of 46 Finn Cross and Dorset lambs were artificially group-reared. Thirty eight were weaned abruptly at 14 d of age from a commercial milk replacer (MR) to a dry starter diet (SD). Lambs were self-fed cool (10 to 15 C) MR reconstituted to 25% dry matter (DM). The ground (2-mm screen) SD averaged 26.2% crude protein and 7.4% fat (DM basis). For both experiments, birth and weaning weights averaged 3.8 and 8.0 kg, respectively. Experiment 1 tested a strategy for encouraging postweaning DM intake. Fifteen lambs received MR reconstituted to 33% DM from d 11 to 14, and 15 lambs received standard 25% DM MR. Between d 14 and 15, intakes of DM, gross energy, crude protein and water dropped 86, 89, 85 and 64%, respectively. Lambs doubled their birth weights during the milk-feeding period and consumed 1.41 kg SD between d 14 and 25. The MR reconstitution rate did not affect weaning weight, postweaning SD or water intake, or growth check (GC, P greater than .10). Postweaning GC averaged 12.2 d and was not influenced (P greater than .10) by birth weight, sex or weaning weight. Mortality and disease rates under these conditions were negligible. Experiment 2 was designed to differentiate between the dual effects at weaning of altering the type of diet and of reducing the level of nutrient intake. Eight lambs were weaned to SD at 14 d, and eight lambs were bottle-fed isocaloric levels of MR from d 12 to 30. At weaning, plasma glucose concentration declined 1.4 mM from 6.7 mM due to fasting and an additional 1.0 mM due to the change of the type of diet (P less than .01). Plasma acetate and urea N concentrations rose steadily after d 16 in the SD-weaned lambs, but not in the MR-fed lambs (P less than .01), suggesting that the SD-weaned lambs absorbed ruminal fermentation products. These results indicate that artificially reared lambs may be routinely weaned to a dry diet at 14 d of age. The major alterations in plasma metabolites that occur within 6 to 8 d after abrupt weaning may define the period when these lambs become functional ruminants.