POST-WEANING REPRODUCTIVE ACTIVITY OF BARKI EWES LAMBING IN SPRING FED NIGELLA SATIVA OIL SEED MEAL

To investigate the effect of feeding diets containing two levels of Nigella sativa oil seed meal on reproductive performance after weaning in Barki ewes lambing in spring, fifteen adult Barki ewes were used. After weaning (3 weeks post partum & one month before ram introduction) ewes were divided according to their body weight and body condition score (BCS) into three equal groups (n=5). Control group (Maintenance) was fed a maintenance ration. Supplement 1 (High Maintenance) and supplement 2 (Super Maintenance) groups were fed the maintenance ration supplemented with about 150 and 250 g Nigella sativa oil seed meal, respectively. One month post feeding, ewes of the three groups were exposed to fertile rams for an average of 45 days. Blood samples were taken from all ewes for progesterone and biochemical profiles. For progesterone assay, jugular blood samples were collected from the three tested groups, at biweekly interval, starting from 2 weeks after lambing (to detect first estrus), through mating period until 25d after ram removal (to determine conception rate). The results revealed that, there was a marked increase in net LW and BCS gain in both supplements groups (1 & 2) compared with control one. The differences between Supplement 2 and Control group was highly significant (P<0.01-0.03). Oil seed meal supplementation (1&2) caused significant increase (P<0.017-0.04) in the percentage of ewes exhibiting estrous cycles (fertility %) during 45 days postweaning. The recorded % were 80, 100 and 100 for Control, Supplement 1 and Supplement 2 groups, respectively. Moreover, the data revealed that ewes given supplements had an early and more compact distribution of onset of the
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ovarian activity than that of control. The ovarian cyclicity (%) was 0, 80 and 80, in control, supp. 1 and supp. 2, respectively during the 1st period (10-25d postweaning, p < 0.005). While during the 2nd period (20-30d), the % was 60, 80 and 100, respectively (the difference between Control and Suppl. 2 was significant; p < 0.05). During the 3rd period (30-45d) the % became 80, 100 and 100, respectively. The % of ewes lambed/ exhibit cyclic was significantly increased (p < 0.17-0.04) in treated ewes (80 and 100% for supplement 1&2, respectively) than Control group (50%). Meanwhile, conception rate was markedly enhanced (p < 0.09 0.02) by supplementation (80 and 100%, in 1&2, respectively) compared with Control group (40%). However, both prolificacy % and lamb birth weight were not affected by feeding regimens. The results also cleared that ewes fed on Super Maintenance diet had the highest concentrations of blood glucose (54.76 mg%), Urea (49.02 mg%), Total Lipids (220.96 mg%) Triglycerides (59.96 mg%), Cholesterol (82.29 mg%), HDL (57.82 mg%) and Zinc (0.581 ppm) followed by those fed on High Maintenance diet (43.32 mg%, 46.96 mg%, 180.88 mg%, 51.03 mg%, 70.64 mg%, 47.98 mg% and 0.283 ppm, respectively) compared with those in Maintenance group (35.43 mg%, 37.96 mg%, 170.16 mg%, 41.26 mg%, 65.44 mg%, 45.80 mg% and 0.189 ppm, respectively). The differences between Super Maintenance and Control groups were significant (p < 0.1-0.01). Serum Ca, Mg, Cu, Total proteins and Albumins concentrations did not significantly affected by feed supplementation. However, feeding the Nigella sativa oil seed meal led to an increase in both total globulins and 8 globulins.