Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Animal Production Research Institute, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.
2
Animal and Poultry Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Beni-Suef University, Egypt .
3
Animal and Poultry Production Division, Desert Research Center, Mataria, Cairo, Egypt.
4
Animal Health Research Institute – Chemistry Department, Dokki , Giza , Egypt.
Abstract
Abstract
This study aimed to determine the influence of breed and physiological status on productive and reproductive performance, blood metabolic profile, and concentration of some hormones in blood of Barki and Ossimi ewes. Investigations were carried out on 40 healthy ewes belonging to the Bedouin flocks in pastoral areas of Burj Al Arab region, animals aged 3-5 years and weighed 35.0-40.0 kg. Animals were assigned in two equal groups (20 ewes/each) according to their breed (Barki and Ossimi ewes). Ewes were grazed on the natural pasture (Acacia saligna and Atriplex halimus plants) and supplemented with concentrate feed mixture. Results showed a significant (P<0.05) difference in live body weight between the two breeds (38.83 and 37.35 kg for Ossimi and Barki ewes, respectively). Milk yield, fat, lactose, ash and total solid were not significantly affected by type of breeds.
The effect of breed was significant on RBCs, MCV and MCH, while, physiological status had highly significant effect on RBCs, Ht % and MCH. No significant differences were found between the two breeds in biochemical blood parameters except total lipids. Effect of physiological status was highly significant on albumin/globulin ratio and alkaline phosphatase. For the hormonal pattern, Ossimi ewes had higher level (p<0.05) of insulin concentration than Barki ewes especially during post-partum period. The breed type and physiological status had significant (P<0.05) effects on thyroid hormones, especially thyroxin, as Ossimi ewes showed higher concentration of T3 and T4 (1.76 and 40.14 ug/dl) than Barki ewes (1.67 and 38.20 ug/dl), respectively.
Ossimi ewes showed higher (P<0.05) plasma leptin concentration than Barki ewes during different physiological status. Also, in the same trend, Ossimi ewes showed higher leptin concentration in milk than that found in Barki ewes during postpartum days and the differences were significant (P<0.05).
Ossimi ewes showed improve of reproductive performance than Barki ewes, represented in estrus duration, estrus rate, onset of estrous, day of estrous, non-return rate, dominant follicle diameter, CL diameter, conception rate, fecundity, kidding rate, reproductive ability, kids born per ewes joined, ewes aborted/ewes conceived, twining frequency and kids weaned/kids kidded compared to Barki ewes. While, the type of breed insignificantly affected fertility. Analysis of variance showed significant variations (P<0.05) in pregnancy duration due to the type of breed. The differences in P4 concentration between breeds after mating were significant (P<0.05).
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