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Sheep Nutrition: The Lasting Influence of Early High-Starch Diet* Cover

Sheep Nutrition: The Lasting Influence of Early High-Starch Diet*

Annals of Animal Science
Volume 26 (2026): Issue 1 (January 2026)
By: ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,   and    
Open Access
|Jan 2026
Figures & tables

Figures & Tables

Figure 1.

Experimental setup

Figure 2.

Details of feeding regimen in the first 11 weeks of the study

Table 1.

Chemical composition of experimental feeds

ItemStage 1Stage 3 and 4
meadow hayconcentrate mixture1meadow haybarleywheat bran
DM2 (%)90.5±1.491.2±1.390.6±0.789.2±0.189.1±0.1
Ash (%)7.9±0.44.9±0.46.9±1.23.4±0.25.0±0.5
CP3 (% DM)10.4±0.322.1±5.79.4±0.311.4±0.218.0±1.2
NDF4 (% DM)61.4±1.924.0±4.264.3±2.522.9±0.338.2±1.6
ADF5 (% DM)36.5±2.210.7±1.843.6±1.811.3±0.812.7±1.3
Starch (% DM)nd633.7±5.4nd40.1±2.424.3±0.9
ME7 (MJ/kg DM)8.1±0.212.7±0.27.7±0.112.1±0.110.5±1.4

1 Consisting of 77.5% of finely ground barley, 17.5% of soybean meal and 5% of chopped hay.

2 DM = dry matter.

3 CP = crude protein.

4 NDF = neutral detergent fiber.

5 ADF = acid detergent fiber.

6 nd = not determined.

7 ME = metabolizable energy (calculated from PrevAlim ver. 3.23, INRA).

Table 2.

Body weight and body weight gain of sheep over six months of the study

ItemGroup1SEP-value
CHSgrouptimegroup × time
Body weight (kg)
  initial6.156.370.3400.65––
  start of weaning transition11.812.60.720.45
  weaning15.516.00.910.69––
  end of weaning transition16.218.20.850.11––
  end of six months26.427.91.150.39––
  mean over six months17.819.50.840.16<0.01<0.01
Average daily gain (g/day)2
  before weaning transition20222125.80.61<0.010.33
  during weaning transition15619917.00.08<0.01<0.01
  after weaning transition97.492.313.00.78<0.010.13
  mean over six months1261337.780.48<0.01<0.01

1 C = sheep fed milk replacer and mostly hay in first weeks of life; HS = sheep fed milk replacer and mostly high-starch concentrate in first weeks of life.

2 Before weaning transition = weeks 1–4, during weaning transition = weeks 5–8, after weaning transition = from week 9 till end of 6 months of study.

Figure 3.

Body weight over 6 months of study (A) and time spent walking (B), eating solid feed (C), ruminating (D), abnormal behavior (E) and licking of salt lick (F). C = sheep fed milk replacer and mostly hay in first weeks of life; HS = sheep fed milk replacer and mostly mixture of high-starch concentrate in first weeks of life. *Means within the time period differ significantly (P≤0.05)

Table 3.

Milk replacer and concentrate intake in stage 1

ItemGroup1SEP-value
CHSgrouptimegroup × time
Milk replacer intake (L/day)
  week 2 (4× MR2 feeding)1.131.160.0090.01<0.010.79
  week 3 (4× MR feeding)1.311.26
  week 4 (3× MR feeding)1.371.36
  week 5 (2× MR feeding)1.331.26
  week 6 (1× MR feeding)0.910.81
Milk replacer intake (% BW)
  week 2 (4× MR feeding)13.914.60.5520.56<0.010.76
  week 3 (4× MR feeding)13.413.0
  week 4 (3× MR feeding)12.211.8
  week 5 (2× MR feeding)10.49.24
  week 6 (1× MR feeding)6.255.26
Concentrate intake3 (kg/day)
  week 3 (4× MR feeding)0.050.13*0.022<0.01<0.01<0.01
  week 4 (3× MR feeding)0.050.15*
  week 5 (2× MR feeding)0.090.17*
  week 6 (1× MR feeding)0.100.25*
  week 7 (weaning)0.100.33*
  week 80.100.43*
  week 90.140.49*
  week 100.150.26
Concentrate intake3 (% BW)
  week 3 (4× MR feeding)0.511.27*0.155<0.01<0.01<0.01
  week 4 (3× MR feeding)0.441.30*
  week 5 (2× MR feeding)0.761.20
  week 6 (1× MR feeding)0.681.64*
  week 7 (weaning)0.642.04*
  week 80.652.47*
  week 90.892.61*
  week 100.901.30

1 C = sheep fed milk replacer and mostly hay in first weeks of life; HS = sheep fed milk replacer and mostly high-starch concentrate in first weeks of life.

2 MR = milk replacer.

3 Wheat bran or mixture of concentrates, depending on the treatment and week of the study.

* Means within the time period differ between treatments (P≤0.05).

Table 4.

Plasma glucose, cholesterol and urea and serum β-hydroxybutyric acid and free fatty acids concentrations in sheep in selected time points over 6 months of the study

ItemGroup1SEP-value
CHSgrouptimegroup × time
1234567
Glucose (mg/dL)
  month2 1 (MR3 feeding period)113.8129.9*2.210.03<0.01<0.01
  month 2 (weaning)489.5105.9*
  month 485.279.8
  month 669.065.3*
Cholesterol (mg/dL)
  month 1 (MR feeding period)67.262.31.66<0.01<0.01<0.01
  month 2 (weaning)57.332.7*
  month 455.256.0
  month 649.743.1*
Urea (mg/dL)
  month 1 (MR feeding period)26.927.82.300.90<0.010.15
  month 2 (weaning)27.431.4
  month 433.633.6
  month 639.735.6
BHBA5 (mmol/L)
  month 1 (MR feeding period)0.220.150.0160.60<0.010.23
  month 2 (weaning)0.390.37
  month 40.240.27
  month 60.240.25
NEFA6 (mmol/L)
  month 1 (MR feeding period)0.210.10*0.030.97<0.01<0.01
  month 2 (weaning)0.210.08*
  month 40.280.67*
  month 60.580.43*

1 C = sheep fed milk replacer and hay in first weeks of life; HS = sheep fed milk replacer and mostly high-starch concentrate in first weeks of life.

2 Month = month of the study.

3 MR = milk replacer.

4 Two weeks after weaning when respective treatments were still continued, i.e. C sheep were fed mostly roughages whereas HS sheep were fed mostly concentrates.

5 BHBA = beta-hydroxybutyric acid. 6NEFA = non-esterified fatty acids.

* Means within the time period differ between treatments (P≤0.05).

Table 5.

Duration of standing, standing with rumination, lying, lying with rumination and sleeping by sheep in stage 1

ItemGroup1SEP-value
CHSgrouptimegroup × time
Standing (min/day)
  week2 3 (4× MR3 feeding)23.8111*27.00<0.01<0.01<0.01
  week 4 (3× MR feeding)68.567.2
  week 5 (2× MR feeding)43.471.9*
  week 6 (1× MR feeding)60.8137*
  week 7 (weaning)28.1175*
Standing with rumination (min/day)
  week 3 (4× MR feeding)0.330.002.5710.10<0.01<0.01
  week 4 (3× MR feeding)8.831.27
  week 5 (2× MR feeding)0.673.45
  week 6 (1× MR feeding)16.11.36*
  week 7 (weaning)11.81.82*
Lying (min/day)
  week 3 (4× MR feeding)56663992.60.78<0.010.01
  week 4 (3× MR feeding)583533
  week 5 (2× MR feeding)731635
  week 6 (1× MR feeding)448557
  week 7 (weaning)703756
Lying with rumination (min/day)
  week 3 (4× MR feeding)99.867.020.70<0.01<0.01<0.01
  week 4 (3× MR feeding)12082.6
  week 5 (2× MR feeding)20957.6*
  week 6 (1× MR feeding)28977.4*
  week 7 (weaning)464123*
Sleeping (min/day)
  week 3 (4× MR feeding)32821679.790.52<0.01<0.01
  week 4 (3× MR feeding)253265
  week 5 (2× MR feeding)170217
  week 6 (1× MR feeding)341277
  week 7 (weaning)13757.3

1 C = sheep fed milk replacer and mostly hay in first weeks of life; HS = sheep fed milk replacer and mostly high-starch concentrate in first weeks of life.

2 Week = week of the study.

3 MR = milk replacer.

* Means within the time period differ between treatments (P≤0.05).

Table 6.

Duration of milk replacer intake, hay intake, concentrate intake and drinking of water by sheep in stage 1

ItemGroup1SEP-value
CHSgrouptimegroup × time
Milk replacer intake (min/day)
  week2 3 (4× MR3 feeding)10.311.90.360.18<0.010.04
  week 4 (3× MR feeding)9.507.05*
  week 5 (2× MR feeding)7.256.81
  week 6 (1× MR feeding)4.672.55*
Hay intake (min/day)
  week 3 (4× MR feeding)211–8.66–<0.01–
  week 4 (3× MR feeding)249–
  week 5 (2× MR feeding)266–
  week 6 (1× MR feeding)371–
  week 7 (weaning)476–
Concentrate intake4 (min/day)
  week 3 (4× MR feeding)48.768.311.07<0.01<0.01<0.01
  week 4 (3× MR feeding)37.879.9
  week 5 (2× MR feeding)19.8162*
  week 6 (1× MR feeding)35.6179*
  week 7 (weaning)18.2211*
Drinking of water (min/day)
  week 3 (4× MR feeding)3.224.850.480.550.320.35
  week 4 (3× MR feeding)3.454.32
  week 5 (2× MR feeding)3.092.27
  week 6 (1× MR feeding)4.303.09
  week 7 (weaning)5.943.61

1 C = sheep fed milk replacer and mostly hay in first weeks of life; HS = sheep fed milk replacer and mostly high-starch concentrate in first weeks of life.

2 Week = week of the study.

3 MR = milk replacer.

4 Intake of concentrate mixtures for HS group and limited amount of wheat bran in week 3 of the study and concentrate mixture in weeks 4 to 7 of the study for C group.

* Means within the time period differ between treatments (P≤0.05).

Table 7.

Duration of standing, standing with rumination, lying, lying with rumination, sleeping, hay intake, concentrate intake and drinking of water by sheep in stage 21

ItemGroup2SEP-value
CHS
Standing (min/day)30.810.85.690.01
Standing with rumination (min/day)8.628.792.6560.96
Lying (min/day)35335717.70.86
Lying with rumination (min/day)11119828.10.04
Rumination (total time; min/day)12320929.40.03
Walking (min/day)43.275.57.15<0.01
Abnormal behavior (min/day)2.071.000.5020.19
Hay intake (min/day)40137513.80.20
Concentrate intake (min/day)31.927.72.350.23
Drinking of water (min/day)4.244.940.5120.35
Licking of salt lick (min/day)0.915.360.755<0.01

1 Results for 16 h of recording/day during day hours (mean from two consecutive days and activity between 6:00 and 22:00) in week 18 of the study; due to limited number of sleeping events those were included into lying events.

2 C = sheep fed milk replacer and mostly hay in first weeks of life; HS = sheep fed milk replacer and mostly high-starch concentrate in first weeks of life.

Table 8.

Body weight, dry matter intake, dry matter digestibility and digesta retention in stage 3 – rams

ItemGroup1SEP-value
CHS
Body weight (kg)27.529.91.320.25
DM intake (kg/day)0.991.070.0570.35
DM intake (% BW)3.603.570.0980.81
DM digestibility (%)50.650.01.1710.74
Digesta retention
  MRT2solute-CoGIT3 (h)27.827.80.940.99
  MRTparticle-CrGIT (h)41.341.02.130.92
  MRTparticle-CeGIT (h)44.943.31.470.47
  SF4 GITCr/Co61.491.470.0370.81
  SF5 GITCe/Cr61.091.060.0210.34
  MRTsolute-CoRR7 (h)18.918.31.810.82
  MRTparticle-CrRR (h)32.431.63.000.85
  MRTparticle-CeRR (h)36.033.92.340.54
  SF RRCr/Co61.711.710.0540.99
  SF RRCe/Cr61.121.080.0280.42
GIT fill (kg DM)1.331.400.0850.58
GIT fill (% BW)4.834.630.1900.50

1 C = sheep fed milk replacer and mostly hay in first weeks of life; HS = sheep fed milk replacer and mostly high-starch concentrate in first weeks of life.

2 Mean retention time.

3 Gastrointestinal tract.

4 Selectivity factor calculated as MRTparticle(Cr)/MRTsolute(Co).

5 Selectivity factor calculated as MRTparticle(Ce)/MRTparticle(Cr).

6 Statistical analysis performed on log transformed data.

7 Reticulorumen. Co = cobalt, Cr = chromium, Ce = cerium.

Table 9.

Body weight, dry matter intake, dry matter digestibility and digesta retention in stage 3 – ewes

ItemGroup1SEP-value
CHS
Body weight (kg)30.430.23.790.97
DM intake (kg/day)1.161.170.1210.95
DM intake (% BW)3.843.920.260.81
DM digestibility (%)50.149.62.040.88
Digesta retention
  MRT2 solute-CoGIT3 (h)28.926.71.780.36
  MRTparticle-CrGIT (h)40.538.31.240.24
  MRTparticle-CeGIT (h)46.640.63.360.09
  SF4 GITCr/Co61.411.440.0630.78
  SF5 GITCe/Cr61.141.070.0630.30
  MRTsolute-CoRR7 (h)20.617.41.560.10
  MRTparticle-CrRR (h)32.429.31.010.07
  MRTparticle-CeRR (h)38.331.53.190.04
  SF RRCr/Co61.581.660.0960.58
  SF RRCe/Cr61.181.090.0770.34
GIT fill (kg DM)1.621.470.2080.62
GIT fill (% BW)5.334.810.1720.07

1 C = sheep fed milk replacer and mostly hay in first weeks of life; HS = sheep fed milk replacer and mostly high-starch concentrate in first weeks of life.

2 Mean retention time.

3 Gastrointestinal tract.

4 Selectivity factor calculated as MRTparticle(Cr)/MRTsolute(Co).

5 Selectivity factor calculated as MRTparticle(Ce)/MRTparticle(cr).

6 Statistical analysis performed on log transformed data.

7 Reticulorumen. Co = cobalt, Cr = chromium, Ce = cerium.

Table 10.

Rumen fermentation parameters on the last day of stage 4 – rams

ItemGroup1SEP-value
CHS
Reticuloruminal pH5.985.800.033<0.01
Reticuloruminal SCFA2 (mmol/L)1391435.40.65
  acetate (%)61.461.41.000.97
  propionate (%)24.925.21.440.90
  butyrate (%)11.411.50.770.93
  valerate (%)1.291.140.0610.04
  isobutyrate (%)0.470.380.0290.02
  isovalerate (%)0.530.380.0310.01
Reticuloruminal NH3-N (mg %)22.421.11.500.39

1 C = sheep fed milk replacer and mostly hay in first weeks of life; HS = sheep fed milk replacer and mostly high-starch concentrate in first weeks of life.

2 Short-chain fatty acids.

Table 11.

Rumen fermentation parameters on the last day of stage 4 – ewes

ItemGroup1SEP-value
CHS
Reticuloruminal pH5.605.730.2250.52
Reticuloruminal SCFA2 (mmol/L)1231254.50.83
  acetate (%)61.861.31.730.78
  propionate (%)25.024.41.330.74
  butyrate (%)11.412.21.110.60
  valerate (%)1.261.170.9310.75
  isobutyrate (%)0.410.350.0580.27
  isovalerate (%)0.350.370.1050.78
Reticuloruminal NH3-N (mg %)15.119.74.230.29

1 C = sheep fed milk replacer and mostly hay in first weeks of life; HS = sheep fed milk replacer and mostly high-starch concentrate in first weeks of life.

2 Short-chain fatty acids.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/aoas-2025-0059 | Journal eISSN: 2300-8733 (formerly 1642-3402) | Journal ISSN: 1642-3402
Journal RSS Feed
Language: English
Page range: 327 - 345
Submitted on: Oct 3, 2024
Accepted on: May 13, 2025
Published on: Jan 30, 2026
Published by: National Research Institute of Animal Production
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 4 issues per year
Keywords:
ruminants,
concentrate,
forage,
negative effect
Related subjects:
Medicine,
Veterinary medicine

© 2026 Michał Jamrogiewicz, Marcin Przybyło, Michał Baran, Sławomir Ziarko, Daria Gabryś, Edyta Molik, Zuzanna Flis, Samanta Świerk, Jarosław Kański, Renata Miltko, Sylvia Ortmann, Marcus Clauss, Paweł Górka, published by National Research Institute of Animal Production
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Volume 26 (2026): Issue 1 (January 2026)
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