ABSTRACT
Twenty four pregnant ewes (1/2 Ossimi X 1/2 Chios) averaged 49.75 ± 2.65 kg were used to evaluate the combined effect of vitamin E and selenium (Se) injection on growth performance and some physiological reactions of these ewes and their lambs. The ewes were randomly divided into two equal groups (12 ewes each). The first group (G1) served as control and injected with 1.0 ml/head of saline solution (0.9 % NaCl), while the second group (G2) were injected intramuscularly with 1.0 ml/head viteselene. Each ml of viteselene contained 150 mg vitamin E acetate and 1.67 mg saodium selenite. The ewes were injected with viteselen biweekly starting at 4 weeks late gestation and during suckling period for 12 weeks. The results showed that lambs born from treated ewes (G2) recorded higher (P<0.05) body weight and daily gain than those born from control ewes (G1). Blood Hb concentrations significantly (P<0.05) increased for G2 compared with G1. Lambs born from treated ewes had significantly (P<0.05 to P<0.01) higher values of red blood cells, hemoglobin, packed cell volume and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration than those born from control ewes. The total count of leucocytes increased (P<0.05) for treated ewes, lymphocytes and eosinophils percentages increased (P<0.05) while neutrophils, basophils and monocytes were insignificantly changes compared with the control ewes. Lambs born from G2 showed insignificant increase in total count of leucocytes accompanied with an increase (P<0.05) in lymphocytes and a decrease (P<0.01) in neutrophils with no significant changes in eosinophils, basophils and monocytes percentages compared to lambs born from G1. In vitamin E plus Se-injected ewes and their lambs, there were significant (P<0.05 to P<0.01) increases in plasma total protein and globulin. Changes in plasma albumin, total lipids and glucose concentrations for treated ewes and their lambs were not significant, while plasma T3 and T4 levels were higher (P<0.05) in treated ewes compared with control ewes.Plasma level of T3 only was higher (P<0.05) in lambs born from treated ewes (G2) than those born from control ewes (G1). These results indicated that administration of vitamin E plus Se to ewes at 4 weeks late gestation and during suckling period improved growth performance, some immune responses and viability of their lambs as a result of favorable signs in their physiological reactions.