000131778 001__ 131778
000131778 005__ 20240731103412.0
000131778 0247_ $$2doi$$a10.1016/j.jveb.2023.08.004
000131778 0248_ $$2sideral$$a137080
000131778 037__ $$aART-2023-137080
000131778 041__ $$aeng
000131778 100__ $$aViola, Irene
000131778 245__ $$aEffects of melatonin implants on locomotor activity, body temperature, and growth of lambs fed a concentrate-based diet
000131778 260__ $$c2023
000131778 5060_ $$aAccess copy available to the general public$$fUnrestricted
000131778 5203_ $$aMelatonin is involved in the regulation of circadian rhythms and is implicated in seasonal reproduction in sheep. In several physiological mechanisms, it acts as an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory molecule, regulating energy metabolism. This work investigated the effects of melatonin implants at 30 days of age on locomotor activity (LA), body temperature, and growth of fattening female and male lambs. Sixty lambs were divided into two groups: one of which received melatonin (MEL, 15 males, 16 females) and a control group (CTR, 16 males, 14 females). In the melatonin group, two 18 mg melatonin implants were placed at 30 days of age. Lambs were fattened for 6 weeks from weaning (45 days of age) to slaughter (85 days). The feed conversion rate (FCR) was calculated based on live weight and the amount of concentrate consumed. LA was measured weekly by actigraphy, and circadian rhythmicity was calculated. Rectal (Trec) and surface temperatures (Tsur) were recorded in the last week of fattening, and subcutaneous fat thickness (FT) over the longissimus dorsi muscle was measured by ultrasound scanning. Treatment did not affect FCR, although MEL female lambs consumed significantly (P < 0.001) less concentrate than CTR lambs. Treatment and sex had a significant (P < 0.05) interaction effect on FT; specifically, FT was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in female MEL lambs (3.22 ± 0.21 mm) than in female CTR lambs (2.57 ± 0.24 mm), but FT in males did not differ between MEL (2.77 ± 0.21) and CTR (2.94 ± 0.24 mm) lambs. Overall activity was significantly (P < 0.001) lower in the MEL lambs (72.22 ± 0.10 counts/min) than in the CTR lambs (78.89 ± 0.12 counts/min). MEL lambs had a significantly (P < 0.01) lower Trec (CTR: 39.00 ± 0.07; MEL: 38.68 ± 0.10) and Tsur for all body regions evaluated than the CTR lambs. In conclusion, treatment with exogenous melatonin at 30 days of age increased food efficiency in fattening female lambs, probably, because of the lower metabolism in treated lambs, which was reflected by the lower body temperature and LA exhibited by these animals. In addition, the study has demonstrated the effect of exogenous melatonin in the growth performances of post-weaning lambs, and that its effects depend on animal sex, which suggests that treatments that target females might be most appropriate in the fattening period.
000131778 536__ $$9info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/DGA/BIOFITER
000131778 540__ $$9info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess$$aby$$uhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es/
000131778 590__ $$a1.3$$b2023
000131778 592__ $$a0.471$$b2023
000131778 591__ $$aVETERINARY SCIENCES$$b78 / 167 = 0.467$$c2023$$dQ2$$eT2
000131778 593__ $$aVeterinary (miscellaneous)$$c2023$$dQ2
000131778 591__ $$aBEHAVIORAL SCIENCES$$b43 / 55 = 0.782$$c2023$$dQ4$$eT3
000131778 594__ $$a3.5$$b2023
000131778 655_4 $$ainfo:eu-repo/semantics/article$$vinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
000131778 700__ $$aCanto, Francisco
000131778 700__ $$0(orcid)0000-0003-2827-3054$$aAbecia, José A.$$uUniversidad de Zaragoza
000131778 7102_ $$12008$$2700$$aUniversidad de Zaragoza$$bDpto. Produc.Animal Cienc.Ali.$$cÁrea Producción Animal
000131778 773__ $$g68 (2023), 24-31$$pJournal of Veterinary Behavior-Clinical Applications and Research$$tJournal of Veterinary Behavior$$x1558-7878
000131778 8564_ $$s5462001$$uhttps://zaguan.unizar.es/record/131778/files/texto_completo.pdf$$yVersión publicada
000131778 8564_ $$s2808998$$uhttps://zaguan.unizar.es/record/131778/files/texto_completo.jpg?subformat=icon$$xicon$$yVersión publicada
000131778 909CO $$ooai:zaguan.unizar.es:131778$$particulos$$pdriver
000131778 951__ $$a2024-07-31-10:04:35
000131778 980__ $$aARTICLE