The Effect of Creep Mixture Diet on the Pattern of Hair Follicle Development in Suckling Lambs

A total of 20 suckling Sanjabi Lambs, comprised of 10 males and 10 females with respective liveweights of 13.40±1.34 and 11.62±0.85 kg were employed in a 2x2 factorial experimental arrangement. The lambs within their sexes were grouped according to their liveweights and then randomly allocated to either one of the two treatments namely: ad libitum good quality alfalfa hay plus free suckling (control); ad libitum creep mixture having 18% CP in addition to free suckling, and free choice good quality alfalfa hay (creep mixture). Daily feed intake along with liveweight changes in all the lambs were recorded throughout the study. Skin biopsies and fiber samples were taken every 15 and 28 days respectively. Average daily milk intake by the male lambs in creep mixture group was significantly (P<0.05) higher than that by the other groups. Average daily gain by lambs in creep mixture group, was significantly (P<0.05) higher than that by the lambs in control group. The factors sex and dietary treatment exerted no significant effects on either primary or secondary follicle densities, on the S/P ratio in the skin and either on the mean values of either primary or secondary follicular indexes.