Abdel-Khalek, A., Ashmawy, T., Abdel-Rafaa, L. (2013). REPRODUCTIVE INDEXES AND MILK PERFORMANCE OF EWES TREATED WITH DIFFERENT ANTIOXIDANT DURING TRANSIT PERIOD PRIOR TO BREEDING SEASON.. Journal of Animal and Poultry Production, 4(9), 513-531. doi: 10.21608/jappmu.2013.71532
A. E. Abdel-Khalek; T. M. Ashmawy; Liza A. Abdel-Rafaa. "REPRODUCTIVE INDEXES AND MILK PERFORMANCE OF EWES TREATED WITH DIFFERENT ANTIOXIDANT DURING TRANSIT PERIOD PRIOR TO BREEDING SEASON.". Journal of Animal and Poultry Production, 4, 9, 2013, 513-531. doi: 10.21608/jappmu.2013.71532
Abdel-Khalek, A., Ashmawy, T., Abdel-Rafaa, L. (2013). 'REPRODUCTIVE INDEXES AND MILK PERFORMANCE OF EWES TREATED WITH DIFFERENT ANTIOXIDANT DURING TRANSIT PERIOD PRIOR TO BREEDING SEASON.', Journal of Animal and Poultry Production, 4(9), pp. 513-531. doi: 10.21608/jappmu.2013.71532
Abdel-Khalek, A., Ashmawy, T., Abdel-Rafaa, L. REPRODUCTIVE INDEXES AND MILK PERFORMANCE OF EWES TREATED WITH DIFFERENT ANTIOXIDANT DURING TRANSIT PERIOD PRIOR TO BREEDING SEASON.. Journal of Animal and Poultry Production, 2013; 4(9): 513-531. doi: 10.21608/jappmu.2013.71532
REPRODUCTIVE INDEXES AND MILK PERFORMANCE OF EWES TREATED WITH DIFFERENT ANTIOXIDANT DURING TRANSIT PERIOD PRIOR TO BREEDING SEASON.
2Anim. Prod. Res. Instit., Agric, Res. Center, Egypt.
Abstract
Aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of treatment with vitamins A (VA), C (VC) and AD3E, selenium (Se) or their combination before September mating season, on productive and reproductive performances of crossbred ewes and their offsprings. Total of 72 crossbred ewes (3-4 y of age and 44.19 kg live body weight, LBW) were used in this study. Ewes in the 1st group (G1) served as a control without treatmant, while those in treatment groups were treated orally with VA (5000 IU/ewe, G2) or injected with 1 ml of AD3E (G3), Se (G4) or VC (G5), or with the same treatments of their combination (G6). LBW of ewes and lambs as well as placental weight (PW) were recorded. Milk yield was individually recorded and milk samples were taken for chemical analysis during 45 d of the suckling period. Blood samples were collected for determination of progesterone (P4) concentration during 50 post-mating in ewe serum, and of concentration of total proteins (TP), albumin (AL), globulin (GL) and cholesterol in lamb serum at weaning. Reproductive indexes including estrus rate (ER), fertility rate (FR), fecundity rate (FCR) and prolificacy rate (PR) were also calculated. Mortality rate (MR) of lambs was recorded at weaning. Results show that the effect of treatment on LBW of ewes, PW of ewes or LBW of lambs at birth or weaning based on sex of lambs and type of birth, milk yield, milk contents, except fat percent, P4 concentration, and average LBW of lambs at lambing or weaning based on sex and type of birth was not significant. Average PW of all lambs was lower (P<0.05) in G3 and G2 than in G1, G4, G5 and G6. Milk fat percent increased (P<0.05) in G2 and G3 (5.04 and 5.43%), while it did not differ in G4, G5 and G6 (4.28, 4.62 and 4.29%) compared with G1 (4.47%). ER was 0.0, 25, 33.3, 16.7, 25 and 16.7% (P<0.05) during the transit period and 100, 83.4, 91.6, 100, 100 and 100% (P<0.05) at the end of breeding season in the treatment groups, respectively. FR was 83.3, 91.7, 75.0, 75.0, 91.7 and 91.7% (P<0.05), FCR was 125, 133, 100, 92, 108 and 108%, and PR was 150, 145, 133, 122, 118 and 118% in the six groups, respectively. Ewes in G2 showed the highest (P<0.05) twin births and the lowest single type (62.5:37.5%, P<0.05) versus an opposite trend in other treatment groups (G3-G6). MR of lambs at weaning was 0% in G1, G2 and G6 versus 8.33, 9.10 and 7.69% in G3, G4 and G5, respectively. Lambs of G6 showed the highest (P<0.05) concentration of TP, AL, GL and cholesterol.
In conclusion, The treatment with vitamins A (VA), C (VC) and AD3E, selenium (Se) or their combination before September mating season improvement the productive and reproductive performances of crossbred ewes and their offsprings.