PSIV-11 - Effects of Feeding a 50% Cranberry Vine Pellet on Milk Components During Lactation in Sheep

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of feeding cranberry vine (CV) on milk components during early lactation as part of a larger study on the antiparasitic efficacy of CV supplementation on ewes during the periparturient period. Ewes were fed a 50% CV pellet (CVP; n = 12) or a control pellet (CON; n = 13) beginning at 102±1 d of pregnancy until d 65±1 postpartum. The CV pellet fed was formulated to be equivalent in digestible dry matter to the control pellet. BW was determined weekly during the study and milk samples were collected weekly during lactation. Data were analyzed in SAS with repeated measures. Ewe BW were similar at the start of study (180.36lbs ± 4.70lbs; P = 0.43) however by wk 8 postpartum CVP ewes weighed less than CON ewes (CON: 212.31lbs±7.86lbs; CVP: 185.58lbs±8.00lbs; P = 0.04). There was a treatment*wk effect observed for milk fat, protein and MUN (P ≤ 0.05). Ewes fed CVP exhibited reduced milk fat at wks 2 (CON: 6.75%±0.63%; CVP: 6.06%±0.58%; P = 0.03) and 5 (CON: 6.66%±0.37%; CVP: 5.54%±0.26%; P = 0.05), milk protein was reduced in CVP ewes at wk 2 (CON: 4.92%±0.12%; CVP: 4.72%±0.19%; P = 0.05) and MUN was greater at weeks 4 (CON: 22.89±0.7mg/dL; CVP: 27.93±0.85mg/dL; P = 0.01) and 8 (CON: 24.80±0.51mg/dL; CVP: 26.64±0.86mg/dL; P ＜ 0.01) in CVP ewes. Somatic cell analysis is pending. In conclusion, CVP supplementation during lactation affects milk composition in sheep. Studies are underway to determine the effect of CV supplementation on additional metabolic parameters in pregnant and lactating ewes.