Reproductive efficiency of local ewes treated with Spirulina algae powder with or without Folic acid to the early pregnancy stage in the summer months

Abstract

This experiment was conducted in the sheep field of the Department of Animal Production - College of Agriculture - University of Kirkuk, from 15/6/2023 until 6/9/2023, for 83 days. The study targeted the role of dosing pregnant ewes with an aqueous solution of spirulina algae powder and folic acid combined and alone on reproductive efficiency during the first pregnancy phase (early pregnancy). The experiment used 16 local ewes, one and a half years old and an average weight of 40.67 ± 0.470 kg. It was randomly distributed among four treatments, with four ewes for each treatment. The ewes of the first treatment (T1) were dosed with deionized water free of additives and were considered as the control treatment. The second treatment (T2) was dosed with an aqueous solution of spirulina algae powder at a concentration of (2.5 grams dissolved in 50 ml of deionized water/ewe/day). The third treatment (T3) was dosed with folic acid at a dose of (20 mg/ewe) at two doses per week, and the fourth treatment (T4) was dosed with a mixture of the second and third treatments with an aqueous solution of spirulina algae powder at a concentration of (2.5 grams dissolved in 50 ml of deionized water/ewe/day) + Folic acid at a dose of (20 mg/ewe) at two doses per week. The results of the study showed that there was a significant difference (P≤0.05) in the Total weight gain, reproductive performance, Progesterone levels and Cortisone levels in the groups dosed with an aqueous solution of spirulina algae powder with and without folic acid compared to the control group. Spirulina algae achieved the study objectives and obtained good results compared to the control treatment

Keywords

• awassi ewe
• spirulina
• folic acid
• early pregnancy
• reproduction