39793

Performance and Puberty of Ram Lambs Produced From Ewes Treated with Arginine

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Last updated: 04 Jan 2025

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Abstract

  Aim of this study was to investigate performance and puberty of ram lambs produced from pregnant ewes treated with different levels of arginine. This study was carried out at Sakha Animal Production Research Station, belonging to the Animal Production Research Institute in a cooperation with Animal Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Mansoura University. During November 2016, total of 45 Ossimi ewes (September mating season), 3-4 years of age and 39.59±0.15 kg live body weight (LBW ) were divided into three groups (15 head/each). Ewes in the 1st group (G1) served as a control, ewes in the 2nd (G2) and 3rd (G3) groups were weekly treated with oral dose of 20 and 30 mg arginine (AR), respectively, for the duration of the treatment from the second month of pregnancy up to lambing. After lambing, total of 8 ram lambs produced from each group were taken and allotted in three groups similar to treatment of their dams. LBW of ram lambs was recorded at birth and monthly up to 12 month of age. In blood plasma of ram lambs, concentration of IgG and IgM at 2 days and 1, 3 and 4 wk of age, while concentration of total proteins, albumin,creatinine and glucose, and activity of aspartate (AST) and alanine (ALT) aminotransferase at 2, 4, 6 and 8 month of age were determined. Age and plasma testosterone concentration (PTC) of each ram lambs were determined at three pubertal stages, while semen of 1st ejaculates (at puberty) was evaluated. Results showed that ram lamb LBW was higher (P<0.05) only in G3 than G1 at birth and at 5 to 12 month of age. Final ram lamb LBW at 12 month of age was higher by 10.2 and 15.9% in G2 and G3 than in G1, respectively. Plasma concentration of Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and Immunoglobulin M (IgM) after 2 days, 1, 3, and 4 wk of lambing was highest (P<0.05) in G3, followed by G2, while, G1 showed the lowest values. Plasma concentration of total proteins at 4 month of age and of albumin at 4 and 6 month of age increased (P<0.05), while glucose decreased (P<0.05) at 2 and 8 month of age in G2 and G3 as compared to those of G1. Creatinine increased (P<0.05) only in G3 as compared to G2 and G1 at 6 and 8 month of age, while activity of AST and ALT was not affected at all ages. At puberty, age of ram lambs was earlier (P<0.05) by 51.4 and 33.0 days and PTC was higher (P<0.05) by 22.5 and 18.8% in G2 and G3 than in G1. Ram lambs in G3 showed the best (P<0.05) semen characteristics of the 1st ejaculation (volume, sperm motility and live sperm output / ejaculate), followed by G2. PTC was higher (P<0.05) in G2 and G3 than in G1 at 6 and 8 month of age, showing significantly (P<0.05) an opposite trend at 7 month of age, while insignificantly different at 5, 9 and 10 month of age. In conclusion, ram lambs of ewes treated with weekly oral dose of L-arginine-HCL (30 mg / ewe) from the second month of pregnancy up to lambing achieved early age and higher weight at puberty.

DOI

10.21608/jappmu.2018.39793

Keywords

Ram lambs, Arginine, puberty, Semen, testosterone

Authors

First Name

A.

Last Name

Abdel-Khalek

MiddleName

E.

Affiliation

Animal Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Mansoura University, Egypt.

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First Name

W.

Last Name

Khalil

MiddleName

A.

Affiliation

Animal Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Mansoura University, Egypt.

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Orcid

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First Name

T.

Last Name

Ashmawy

MiddleName

M.

Affiliation

Animal Production Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Egypt.

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City

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Orcid

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First Name

Liza

Last Name

Abd El-Rafaa

MiddleName

A.

Affiliation

Animal Production Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Egypt.

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Volume

9

Article Issue

3

Related Issue

6082

Issue Date

2018-03-01

Receive Date

2019-07-08

Publish Date

2018-03-01

Page Start

183

Page End

190

Print ISSN

2090-3642

Online ISSN

2090-3723

Link

https://jappmu.journals.ekb.eg/article_39793.html

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https://jappmu.journals.ekb.eg/service?article_code=39793

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6

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Original Article

Type Code

876

Publication Type

Journal

Publication Title

Journal of Animal and Poultry Production

Publication Link

https://jappmu.journals.ekb.eg/

MainTitle

Performance and Puberty of Ram Lambs Produced From Ewes Treated with Arginine

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Article

Created At

22 Jan 2023