Serum Enzymes in Pregnant Ewes and Their Newborn Lambs on a Vitamin E-Deficient Ration

A two-years experiment has been performed to investigate the effect of a vitamin E-deficient diet to pregnant adult ewes and their newborn lambs. 18 ewes and 28 lambs have been tested with serum enzyme determinations, and the conclusions drawn are based upon the serum enzyme values. Adult pregnant ewes do not develop increased serum enzyme values on a vitamin E-deficient winter diet, unless a supplement of cod liver oil is given. The lambs from ewes given a vitamin E-deficient ration, show a heavy increase of the serum enzyme values after 2 to 4 weeks of age. This seems to be more pronounced in twins than in single lambs. Even with very high serum enzyme values in lambs, clinical symptoms of muscular dystrophy may be scarce, and the enzyme levels may decline without treatment. Turning out to pasture causes a rise in serum enzyme values in lambs during the first 5 days. Within 12 days at pasture the values become almost normal. Histological examination of skeletal muscle tissue from lambs very high in serum enzymes, may show only small pathological changes.