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Feeding for different lifestages 5: Feeding for pregnancy and lactation…
Feeding for different lifestages 5: Feeding for pregnancy and lactation
A suitable diet during pregnancy and lactation must supply all the energy and nutrient requirements needed to meet the maintenance requirements of the female
It must supply all the energy and nutrients required to support the growth and development of the foetuses
It must supply the energy and nutrients required for milk production during lactation. This will maximise growth rates of the offspring and ensure a healthy immune system development in the early stage
DOGS
Well fed bitches will gain about 15-20% additional body weight between whelping and parturition
During the early stages (first 40 days) of pregnancy the energy requirements do not increase above that of the maintenance requirement
Avoid overfeeding during the early pregnancy stages which could cause obesity which can result in dystocia
From week 6 of pregnancy, extra nutrients are required in order to supply the growing and developing young with energy. This can be achieved by increasing the daily ration of food - it is this stage of gestation that foetuses are rapidly growing and developing
Energy levels reach about 30% above adult maintenance for bitches with small litters and up to 60% if the litter size is large
Giant breeds may sometimes need a high energy food throughout pregnancy and not just in the last trimester
During lactation the nutritional requirements are directly related to the amount of milk produced by the bitch which in turn is affected by the number of the litter
Bitch's milk is very rich, containing more than twice the fat and protein of cow's milk. This very nutrient dense milk is essential to support rapid growth rates of the puppies
CATS
Tend to gain weight steadily throughout the pregnancy and so pregnant queens may start to eat more and gain weight within a week of a successful mating
Cats have a different method of utilising the energy content of the food digested (different metabolism) and therefore will require an increased nutrient requirement from mating if pregnant
Food for the pregnant queen needs to be available throughout the pregnancy and feeding slightly more than the maintenance ration. Ad lib feeding will meet the necessary requirements during this period
With the pregnant bitch and queen, the young are growing and developing within the uterus in the abdominal cavity. The young take up room, thus resulting in limited room for the stomach in the abdomen. It is important to feed little and often during the day so not to have a large volume of food in the stomach. This may be offset by feeding a diet which is concentrated with respect to energy and nutrient density, palatable to encourage feeding, highly digestible to reduce bulk
Milk production requires a great deal of energy. During lactation, the mother's energy needs will drastically increase. Puppies and kittens are usually taking the most milk from their mother at 4 weeks of age, peak lactation. After this they will be slowly introduced to solid foods
Lactating animals need to keep on their special diet until the young are weaned. Early supplementary feeding of the young may become necessary if the mother is unable to eat enough food to prevent weight loss and feed her young or she is unable to produce enough milk for her litter
Milk production is affected by protein quality and quantity in the diet and it is important that the extra food supplied to meet the demands of lactation is of good quality. The content and balance of nutrients are critical and should be carefully monitored during lactation along with body weight and condition.
Vitamin and mineral supplementation is not required and could be harmful resulting in an imbalance in the diet