The Effect of Urea-Treated Barley Straw on the Reproductive Performance and Post-Partum Ovarian Activity of Libyan Barbary Sheep
الموضوعات :F. Akraim 1 , A.F. Magid 2 , M.S. Rahal 3 , A. Ahmad 4 , M. Aboshwarib 5
1 - Omar Al-Mukhtar University, Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Baida, Libya
2 - Tripoli University, Faculty of Agriculture, Tripoli, Libya
3 - Tripoli University, Faculty of Agriculture, Tripoli, Libya
4 - Tripoli University, Faculty of Agriculture, Tripoli, Libya
5 - Tripoli University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Tripoli, Libya
الکلمات المفتاحية: progesterone, Urea, conception rate, ovarian activity,
ملخص المقالة :
Forty ewes (3-6 years of age, average weight 41.2 kg)were randomly chosen from the flock of the sheep experiment station of Tripoli University. Ewes were divided into two groups, control group (C) received untreated barley straw and treatment group (T) received barley straw treated with 10% urea solution applied as 40% (V/W). Barley straw was sprayed with molasses when fed to animals. Both groups received commercial concentrate according to physiological state. Experiment started by introducing the rams in June. Average concentrations of progesterone did not significantly differ and were 2.96 ng/mL and 2.38 ng/mL during 9 weeks for T and C groups, respectively. In T group, 53.3% of ewes were fertilized during the early period (two weeks after the introduction of the rams) and maintained levels of 3.5 ng/mL of progesterone. However, no ewes of C group were fertilized in this period. Conception rate, prolificacy and viability were 83.3%, 1.07 lamb/ewe, 93.75% and 78.94%, 1.13 lamb/ewe, 88.23% for T and C groups, respectively. These differences were not significant. Progesterone concentrations were below of 0.07 ng/mL during 9 weeks post-partum in both groups. Cereal straws can be treated with urea without adverse effects on reproductive performance.
Abi Saab S., Jammal B., Aoun B.K. and Rahal Z. (2003). Effect of urea supplementation and urea treated straw on the reproduction performance of growing Awassi ram lambs. Leb. Sci. J. 4,22-27.
Akraim F., Majid A.F., Rahal M.S. and Ahmed A.A. (2009). The effect of urea-treated barley straw in ewe’s diet on pre-weaning growth parameters of lambs.Arch. Zootech. 12, 71-75.
Alves N.G., Torres C.A., Guimarães J.D., Moraes E.A., Rodrigues M.T., Cecon P.R., Bitencourt L.L. and Amorim L.S. (2011). Effect of urea in the diet on ovarian follicular dynamics and plasma progesterone concentration in Alpine goats. R. Bras. Zootech. 40, 1512-1518.
Assay protocol version 3.1. (1996). Progesterone RIA pre-coated tube method. Joint FAO/IAEA Programme. IAEA, Vienna.
Benhaj M.K., Madani M.O.K. and Rahal M.S. (1990). Observation on the ovarian activity of the Libyan fat-tailed ewes: I. Uterine involution and postpartum ovarian activity. Vet. Med. J. Giza. 38, 467-471.
Bond J. and Oltjen R.R. (1973). Growth and reproductive performance of beef females fed high urea containing diets. J. Anim. Sci. 37, 1040-1047.
Canfield R.W., Sniffen C.J. and Butler W.R. (1990). Effects of excess degradable protein on postpartum reproduction and energy balance in dairy cattle. J. Dairy Sci. 73, 2342-2349.
Chagas L.M., Bass J.J., Blache D., Burke C.R., Kay J.K., Lindsay D.R., Lucy M.C., Martin G.B., Meier S. and Rhodes F.M. (2007).New perspectives on the roles of nutrition and metabolic priorities in the subfertility of high-producing dairy cows. Invited Review. J. Dairy Sci. 90, 4022-4032.
Cloete S.W.P., De Villiers T.T. and Kritzinger N.M. (1983). The effect of ammoniation by urea on the nutritive value of wheat straw for sheep.South African J. Anim. Sci. 13, 143-146.
Dawuda P.M., Scaramuzzi R.J., Leese H.J., Hall C.J., Peters A.R., Drew S.B. and Wathes D.C. (2002).Effect of timing of urea feeding on the yield and quality of embryos in lactating dairy cows.Theriogenology. 58, 1443-1455.
Doan D.V., Cuong L.X., Dung C.A. and Hai P.H. (1999). Use of urea-molasses-multinutrient block and urea-treated rice straw for improving dairy cattle productivity in Vietnam. Prev. Vet. Med. 38, 187-193.
Dunn T.G. andMoss G.E. (1992). Effects of nutrient deficiencies and excesses on reproductive efficiency of livestock.J. Anim. Sci. 70, 1580-1593.
Ferguson J.D., Galligan D.T., Blanchard T. and Reeves M. (1993).Serum urea nitrogen and conception rate: The usefulness of test information. J. Dairy Sci. 76, 3742-3746.
Hadjipanayiotou M. (1982). The effect of ammoniation using urea on the intake and nutritive value of chopped barley straw. Grass Forage Sci. 37, 89-93.
Magid A.F., Zaied A.A. and Sheraha A.M. (1992). The Libyan Barbary sheep. I. Reproductive traits. Libyan J. Agric. 13, 5-11.
McEvoy T., Robinson J., Aitken R., Findlay P. and Robertson I. (1997). Dietary excesses of urea influence the viability and metabolism of pre-implantation sheep embryos and may affect fetal growth among survivors. Anim. Reprod. Sci. 47, 71-90.
Santos J.E.P. (2001). Dietary ingredients and nutritional management impact fertility in dairy cattle. Pp. 189-219 in Proc. 36th Pacific Northwest Animal Nutrition Conference. Boise, ID.
Schiere J.B. and Nell A.J. (1993). Feeding of urea treated straw in the tropics. I. A review of its technical principles and economics. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol. 43, 135-147.
Snedecor G.W. andCochran W.G. (1956). Statistical Methods Applied to Experiments in Agriculture and Biology. 5th Ed. Iowa State University Press. Ames, Iowa.
Stabenfeldt G.H., Drost M. and Franti C.E. (1971). Peripheral plasma progesterone levels in the ewe during pregnancy and parturition. Endocrinology. 90, 144-150.
Thompson L.H., Goode L., Harvey R.W., Myers R.M. and Linnerud A.C. (1973). Effects of dietary urea on reproduction in ruminants. J. Anim. Sci. 37, 399-405.
