Effects of intravenous butaphosphan and cyanocobalamin to late pregnant ewes on the metabolic indices around parturition and weight gain of their lambs after birth

BACKGROUND: Management and control of metabolic disorders in sheep around parturition is important. and various researchers have suggested different managerial solutions. Butaphosphan and cyanocobalamin are widely used for curing metabolic disorders resulting from poor nutrition, inadequate management or diseases. OBJECTIVES: It was hypothesised that butaphosphan and cyanocobalamin could improve the metabolism of ewes around parturition. METHODS: Twenty‐eight clinically healthy 3‐year‐old pregnant Afshari ewes from 21 days before parturition were enrolled into four equal groups: control (Ctrl), B+C1, B+C2 and B+C3. The Ctrl group only received intravenous normal saline and B+C1, B+C2 and B+C3 ewes, respectively, received an intravenous combination of 10% butaphosphan and 0.005% cyanocobalamin at 2, 4 and 6 ml/ewe, on Days 19–21, 10–12 and 1–3 before parturition. Blood samples were taken from all the ewes on Days 21, 12 and 3 before lambing at parturition day and on days 3, 12 and 21 after parturition. A body condition score of all the ewes was assessed at blood sampling days, and lambs born from the ewes were weighed at birth and every 2 weeks up to 3 months. Serum concentrations of glucose, cortisol, non‐esterified fatty acids, beta‐hydroxy butyric acid, triglyceride, cholesterol, high‐, low‐ and very‐low‐density lipoproteins, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase were measured. RESULTS: This drug combination decreased circulating glucose, cortisol, lipid profile and hepatic enzymes via dose‐dependent manner, 6 ml of this drug compound/ewe was more potent than 4 and 2 ml/ewe. The lambs’ weight from mothers receiving 6 ml of this combination was significantly higher than those of the others. CONCLUSIONS: It may be suggested that the intravenous administration of 6 ml/ewe of this combination for 3 consecutive days in three states before parturition had prophylactic effects on metabolic disorders of ewes and enhanced the lambs weight gain after birth.