Suplementação de ovelhas Merino Branco com dois níveis de Tremoço Branco (Lupinus albus) no período de pré-cobrição: efeito sobre o estado nutricional e a performance reprodutiva

Mestrado em Engenharia Zootécnica - Instituto Superior de Agronomia / Faculdade de Medicina VeterináriaIt was studied the effect of Lupinus albus supplementation on metabolic (serum urea, albumin, glucose, insulin, and NEFA) and reproductive parameters (fertility, prolificacy) of Merino Branco ewes (stabilized body condition). Three groups of 15 oestrus synchronized ewes (D0-D6) were supplemented (D1-D6) with a diet without lupin (GC), a diet with 0,4 kg (GT400), and a diet with 0,6 kg of lupin (GT600). Diets of GC and GT600 were isoproteic and isoenergetic. Live weight, but nor BC, increased after supplementation on the three groups. Concentration of metabolic parameters showed that nutritional status was balanced in all animals. Urea concentration increased between D1 and D6 on GC, but not on GT600, suggesting that lupin protein might have a lower degradability, or a better balance between protein and energy content. Lupin diet groups had a different secretion pattern of insulin suggesting that lupin might induce a higher insulin production, probably due to a slower glucose production. Reproductive parameters were not different between groups. These results suggest that the increase in ovulation rate after lupin supplementation, observed by others, is due to the increment in energy and/or protein given and not to any particular component of lupin