| Thirty pregnant western white-faced ewes were used to evaluate the effects of a mild protein deficiency and a mild surplus of dietary protein on hematology values, production, and hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells of pregnant ewes and their newborn lambs. The low protein (LP) treatment ewes and lambs had significantly higher WBC counts than controls. The immunopotentiation experienced by LP treatment ewes was marked by elevated lymphocyte and basophil numbers, while their lambs had elevated neutrophil numbers. Production values remained similar between LP treatment lambs and controls. However, LP treatment ewes had significantly longer wool than control ewes. Significant changes in hematology values were not observed in high protein (HP) treatment ewes or lambs. However, HP lambs had significantly heavier birth weights than controls. Weaning weight and wool production remained unaffected in the HP treatment group. Hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell (CFU-G,M) comparisons did not reveal significant differences between any of the treatment groups. |
