{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,25]],"date-time":"2026-07-25T14:25:56Z","timestamp":1784989556185,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"Oxford University Press (OUP)","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,10,22]],"date-time":"2020-10-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1603324800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/journals\/pages\/open_access\/funder_policies\/chorus\/standard_publication_model"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001054","name":"Meat and Livestock Australia","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["L.LSM.0015"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["L.LSM.0015"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001054","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2020,11,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title><jats:p>High preweaning mortality rates cost the Australian sheep industry an estimated $540 million annually in lost production, with losses significantly greater in twin (\u226530%) compared with singleton lambs (\u226510%). Previous intensive studies demonstrated that supplementing pregnant ewes with melatonin reduces adverse effects of fetal growth restriction and perinatal hypoxia on the neonatal brain via increased umbilical blood flow, placental efficiency, and antioxidant actions. The current study examined the effects of supplementing ewes with melatonin on the survival of twin Merino lambs under extensive grazing conditions. Pregnant mixed age ewes were implanted with 1 (M1, n = 50) or 2 (M2, n = 53) slow-release melatonin implants (18 mg, Regulin) at gestational days 70 to 90. Control ewes received no supplementation (CTL, n = 54). Ewes were monitored twice daily throughout the lambing period. Lamb survival, weight, and rectal temperature were recorded on the day of birth. Lamb blood samples were taken the following day for serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) analysis. Lamb survival and weight were recorded again at marking (30.6 \u00b1 0.6 d postpartum) and weaning (70.7 \u00b1 0.6 d postpartum). Lamb survival was increased in both melatonin treatments to 3 d postpartum (M1 = 98.0%; M2 = 95.3%; CTL = 83.3%; each P &amp;lt; 0.01), and this improvement was maintained to weaning (M1 = 94.0%; M2 = 92.5%; CTL = 79.6%; each P &amp;lt; 0.01). Melatonin did not affect lamb birthweight, rectal temperature, or growth rate. However, the rates of parturition-related death (dystocia, stillbirth, and birth injury) were greater in CTL lambs than M1 (P = 0.009) and M2 (P = 0.035). This suggests that improved survival is primarily due to melatonin-induced neuroprotection, although further studies are required to clarify the underlying mechanisms. These data provide evidence that supplementing pregnant twin-bearing Merino ewes with melatonin may be a practical strategy to reduce neonatal mortality and improve weaning rates in extensively managed sheep flocks. Although the present data are promising, this study is limited by small sample size and requires further replication.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1093\/jas\/skaa344","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,10,22]],"date-time":"2020-10-22T17:26:05Z","timestamp":1603387565000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":19,"title":["Maternal melatonin implants improve twin Merino lamb survival"],"prefix":"10.1093","volume":"98","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7287-8248","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tom","family":"Flinn","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Davies Livestock Research Centre, School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Roseworthy, South Australia, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jessica R","family":"Gunn","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Minnipa Agricultural Centre, South Australian Research and Development Institute, Minnipa, South Australia, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Karen L","family":"Kind","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Davies Livestock Research Centre, School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Roseworthy, South Australia, Australia"},{"name":"Robinson Research Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6267-6562","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alyce M","family":"Swinbourne","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Davies Livestock Research Centre, School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Roseworthy, South Australia, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alice C","family":"Weaver","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Turretfield Research Centre, South Australian Research and Development Institute, Rosedale, South Australia, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jennifer M","family":"Kelly","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Turretfield Research Centre, South Australian Research and Development Institute, Rosedale, South Australia, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Simon K","family":"Walker","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Turretfield Research Centre, South Australian Research and Development Institute, Rosedale, South Australia, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kathryn L","family":"Gatford","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Robinson Research Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia"},{"name":"Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"William H E J","family":"van Wettere","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Davies Livestock Research Centre, School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Roseworthy, South Australia, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"David O","family":"Kleemann","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Turretfield Research Centre, South Australian Research and Development Institute, Rosedale, South Australia, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"286","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,10,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"2020120620520836300_CIT0001","volume-title":"The nutrient requirements of ruminant livestock","author":"ARC","year":"1980"},{"key":"2020120620520836300_CIT0002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e12479","DOI":"10.1111\/jpi.12479","article-title":"Systemic and transdermal melatonin administration prevents neuropathology in response to perinatal asphyxia in newborn lambs","volume":"64","author":"Aridas","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. 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