Lactobacillus fermented plant extracts provided to yearling ewes improves their lambs’ antioxidant status at weaning

The objective of this experiment was to determine if supplementation with Lactobacillus fermented plant extracts will affect the livestock performance (BW change and reproduction) and antioxidant status of ewe lambs managed to lamb as yearlings (EWES). A further objective of this experiment was to determine how providing the Lactobacillus fermented plant extracts may influence their lambs’ (LAMBS) performance, rumen fermentation patterns, and antioxidant status following weaning. The EWES [n = 60; initial body weight (BW) = 29.6 ± 2.4] were provided a concentrate supplement (100 g/ewe/d) with either no extract (CON), a seaweed based extract (SWO; 10 mL/ewe/d), or a seaweed plus terrestrial plant extract (SWP; 10 mL/ewe/d), from their weaning through to the weaning of their lambs. Treatment did not influence EWES plasma total antioxidant status (TAS), whole blood glutathione peroxidase activity (GPx), or EWES or LAMBS body weight change. However, one day after weaning, the LAMBS born to SWO and SWP EWES had 13–14% greater (P = 0.02) TAS and had lower (P = 0.03) GPx activity than LAMBS born to CON EWES indicating greater antioxidant transmission to their offspring in SWO and SWP EWES. Overall, it was concluded BW changes did not appear to be great enough to elicit oxidative stress in EWES. Supplying SWO and SWP to sheep increased the maternal transmission of antioxidants to their offspring.