EFFECT OF MELATONIN AND PROGESTERONE ON THE REPRODUCTIVE AND PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF AWASSI YEARLINGS

Abstract

The study was conducted at the Ruminant research Station of the Livestock Research Department-Agricultural Research department-Ministry of Agriculture. Using 24 Yearlings Turkish Awassi, divided into four groups T1, T2, T3 and T4 equal number by 6 Yearlings, Three Turkish Awassi rams were selected for natural breeding, Each ram was implant with three melatonin implants Subcutaneous the ear in a day 28th October-2017, After 8 days of implant rams, Yearlings of the T1 and T2 groups were implant with one melatonin implant Subcutaneous the ear, After 1 month of female implant melatonin, the T2 and T3 groups were treated with vaginal progesterone sponge for 14 days. The groups were then injected with eCG 300 IU and T4 was the control group. Blood samples were taken jugular to estimate the serum progesterone level for days 0, 14 and 28 after the removal of sponges. The rams were release on 0 of removing the sponges to mate all the yearlings of the study and left with it for 51 days. The results showed that there were significant differences in the studied characteristics of the treatments, where the highest T2 and T3 at time, the number and percentage of estrus and the period from the enter of rams to birth exceeded the rest of the treatments, While T2 was the highest in female births, fertility rate and number of births. No infection or adhesion was observed in treatment T2 other than T3. Treatment with melatonin improved the level of progesterone. No significant difference was observed in the weight of females, sex and weight of births between the experimental factors. In conclusion, treatment with melatonin only or with progesterone was a good way to improve the reproductive and productive performance of sheep.

Keywords

• melatonin
• progesterone
• reproductive performance
• awassi yearlings