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Growth and Biochemical Changes in Mammary Glands of Ewes from 1 to 18 Months of Age

Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt

ABSTRACT

Growth and development of the mammary gland of ewe lambs was characterized by changes of various biochemical constituents. Mammary glands were removed from 49 ewe lambs ranging between 1 and 18 mo of age, weighed before and after trimming, and samples of the trimmed glands were fat extracted and dried. The dried fat-free tissues were weighed, ground, and analyzed for nucleic acids, nitrogen, sodium, potassium, and chloride contents. Fresh samples were used for glycogen determination. Trimmed weight of mammary glands increased rapidly after the 9th mo of age. The pattern was similar for nucleic acid content of mammary glands. Dry matter and fat contents of mammary glands increased up to the 9th mo, fat decreased thereafter, and dry matter remained constant. Protein content was low up to the 9th mo and increased there-after. Sodium and glycogen content in mammary glands increased, but potassium decreased linearly from 1 to 18 mo of age. Allometric growth of mammary tissue started at about 3 mo of age, before onset of puberty at 8 mo of age, but intense mammary metabolic activity started only after the ewe attained puberty.