The effect of using safflower seed and flax seed during transition period on performance and blood metabolites of Afshari ewes

The effect of using whole safflower seed and flaxseed in the during transition period on performance, digestibility, production and composition of colostrum and blood parameters of Afshari ewes using three treatments and 27 pregnant ewes with average age of three years, weight of 85 ± 1.28 kg and range 6 weeks before expected lambing in a completely randomized design was investigated. Experimental treatments included; 1- control diet (base), 2- diet containing 8% safflower seed, 3- diet containing 8% flaxseed. The effect of treatments was not significant on functional traits of ewes pre-lambing but their dry matter intake and weight change post lambing were affected bysafflower seed and flaxseed treatment (P < 0.05). The experimental treatments were not significant on pre-lambing digestibility coefficients, composition and amount of colostrum and milk as well as lamb performance. The triglyceride, cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein levels in blood plasma of flaxseed-fed ewes were higher than safflower and control treatments in pre-lambing. The results demonstrated that using safflower seed and flaxseed in the period close to lambing did not have negative effects on the performance of gestation ewes but increasedtheir dry matter and improved the health of lactating ewes and lambs by preventing severe weight loss in post lambing.