Betaine increases the synthesis of
creatine, an energy-rich
amino acid that increases
adenosine triphosphate (
ATP) and has neuroprotective properties which may improve post-natal lamb survival. This study determined whether maternal
betaine supplementation during gestation would improve
body weight, thermoregulation, time to stand and suck, colostrum intake and survival to weaning of twin lambs. Twin-bearing Merino ewes received dietary
betaine at either 0 g/day (Control, CTL), 2 g/day from ram introduction to parturition (Early
betaine, EB) or 4 g/day from Day 80 of gestation to parturition (Late
betaine, LB). Ewes were housed individually during parturition and measures were collected at 4, 24 and 72 h and Day 7 post-partum, and at marking (53.2 ± 0.2 days of age) and weaning (99.3 ± 0.2 days of age). The EB treatment resulted in heavier lambs at weaning compared with CTL and LB lambs (p < 0.05). Time to stand and suck from birth was longer in EB lambs (p < 0.05), whereas, the interval from birth to first suck was shorter for LB lambs (p < 0.05). Lamb survival rate was the highest for LB lambs at 72 h and Day 7 (p < 0.05), and lowest for EB lambs on Day 7 (p < 0.05). These data indicated that
betaine supplementation at 4 g/day during the second half of pregnancy improved twin lamb survival to Day 7 and shortened the interval from birth to first suck; whereas feeding ewes 2 g/day of
betaine for the duration of pregnancy increased twin lamb
body weight at weaning, but increased both the time to attain behavioural milestones and mortalities before Day 7.