Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Feed supplementation improves estrus response and increases fertility of sheep induced to breed out of season

  • Regular Articles
  • Published:
Tropical Animal Health and Production Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

To test the efficacy on reproductive performance of nutritional supplementation in an out-of-season mating system, 66 adult prolific Barbarine ewes were selected and induced to breed using “ram effect”. The ewes were allocated to two homogeneous groups; each ewe received on a daily basis 700 g of hay and 500 g of barley grains starting 3 weeks before or 1 week after rams’ introduction in group 1 and group 2, respectively. Supplementation ended 1 month after rams’ introduction and mating lasted 60 days. Final live weight 30 days after introduction of rams was higher (P < 0.05) for ewes in group1 (39.45 vs. 36.72 kg). Seven days after introduction of rams, ewes in group 1 recorded higher plasma glucose levels than females in group 2 (4.12 and 3.9 S.E.M. 0.05 mmol l−1). Proportions of ewes which displayed estrus between days 16 and 26 were 48 and 38% in group 1 and group 2, respectively (P < 0.05), and those which had a normal induced cycle (16–17 days) were 25 and 11% in group 1 and group 2, respectively (P < 0.05). Fertilities were higher (P < 0.05) for ewes in group 1 than in group 2 (91.17 vs. 75.75% and 97.1 vs. 81.8% for fertility at induced estrus and total fertility, respectively). It is concluded that a timed supplementation starting 3 weeks before introduction of rams is effective in yielding high reproductive performance for the prolific strain of the Barbarine breed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • AOAC., 1990. Association of Official Analytical Chemists, Official Methods of Analysis, 15th ed. Association of Official Analytical Chemists, Arlington, VA, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Atti, N., 1992. Relations entre l’état corporel et les dépôts adipeux chez la brebis Barbarine. In : A. Purroy (ed). Etat corporel des brebis et chèvres. Zaragoza : CIHEAM. Options Méditerranéennes : Série A. Séminaires Méditerranéens, 13, 31-34.

  • Bedhiaf-Romdhani, S., Abidi, S., Atti, N., Ben salem, H., Ben salem, M., Lassoued, N. and Othmane, M.H., 2013. Article de synthèse Caractérisation et gestion des ruminants pour une meilleure productivité: Un demi-siècle de recherche scientifique à l’INRAT. Annales de l’INRAT, 86, 93--138.

  • Ben Salem, I ., Rekik, M ., Ben Hamouda, M ., Lassoued, N. and Blache, D., 2009. Live weight and metabolic changes and the associated reproductive performance in maiden ewes. Small Ruminant Research, 81(1), 70--74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ben Salem, H., Lassoued, N. and Rekik M., 2011. Merits of the fat-tailed Barbarine sheep raised in different production systems in Tunisia: digestive, productive and reproductive characteristics. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 43 (7), 1357--1370.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fabre-Nys, C., Chanvallon, A., Dupont, J., Lardic, L., Lomet, D., Martinet S, and Scaramuzzi, R.J., 2016. The “Ram Effect”: A “Non-Classical” Mechanism for Inducing LH Surges in Sheep. PLOS ONE, 11(7):e0158530.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Habibizad, J., Riasi, A., Kohram, H. and Rahmani, H.R., 2015. Effect of long-term or short-term supplementation of high energy or high energy-protein diets on ovarian follicles and blood metabolites and hormones in ewes. Small Ruminant Research, 132, 37-- 43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jarrige, R., 1989. Ruminant nutrition: recommended allowances and feed tables. INRA, Paris, 389 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kenyon, P.R., Maloney, S.K. and Blache, D., 2014. Review of sheep body condition score in relation to production characteristics. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 57(1), 38--64.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khaldi, G., 1984. Variations saisonnières de l’activité ovarienne du comportement de l’oestrus et de la durée de l’anoestrus post-partum des femelles de race Barbarine: influence du niveau alimentaire et de la présence du mâle. PhD Thesis, University of Languedoc, France.

  • Lassoued, N., 1998. Induction de l’ovulation par “effet bélier” chez les brebis de race Barbarine en anoestrus saisonnier : mécanismes impliqués dans l’existence du cycle ovulatoire de courte durée. PhD Thesis, University of Tunis II, Tunisia.

  • Lassoued, N., 2011. Méthodes de maîtrise de la reproduction ovine selon le système d’élevage. In : E. Khlij , M. Ben Hamouda and D. Gabiña (eds). Mutations des systèmes d’Elevage des ovins et persectives de leur durabilité. Zaragoza : CIHEAM / IRESA / OEP, 2011. Options Méditerranéennes : Série A. Séminaires Méditerranéens, 97, 103--110.

  • Lassoued, N., Khaldi, G., Chemineau, P., Cognié, Y., Thimonier, J., 1997. Role of the uterus in early regression of corpora lutea induced by the ram effect in seasonality anoestrousBarbarine ewes. Reproduction Nutrition Development, 37, 559-571.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lassoued, N., Rekik, M., Mahouachi, M. and Ben Hamouda, M., 2004. The effect of nutrition prior to and during mating on ovulation rate, reproductive wastage and lambing rate in three sheep, Small Ruminant Research, 52 (1-2), 117-125.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maatoug-Ouzini, S., Khaldi, G., Francois, D. and Bodin, L., 2013. Female response to ram effect in the Barbarinebreed: Phenotypic and genetic parameter estimation. Small Ruminant Research, 113 (2-3), 376--382.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martin, G.B., 2014. An Australasian perspective on the role of reproductive technologies in world food production. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, 752, 181--197.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Oldham, C.M. and Lindsay, D.R., 1980. Laparoscopy in the ewe: a photographic record of the ovarian activity of ewes experiencing normal or abnormal oestrous cycles Animal.Reproduction Science, 3, 119--124.

  • Rekik, M., Aloulou, R. and Ben Hamouda, M., 2005. Small ruminant breeds of Tunisia. In: L. Iniguez (ed), Characterization of small ruminant breeds in West Asia and North Africa, Vol. 2: North Africa. International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Aleppo, Syria, 91--140.

  • Russel, A.J.F., Doney, J.M. and Gunn, R.G., 1969. Subjective assessment of body fat in live sheep. Journal of Agricultural Science, 72, 451--454.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • SAS., 2004. SAS/STAT 9.1 User’s Guide. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA

    Google Scholar 

  • Somchit-Assavacheep, A., 2011. Influence of Nutritional Management on Folliculogenesis in Ewes. The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine, supplement, 41, 25--29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Viñoles, C., Glover, K. M. M., Paganoni, B. L., Milton, J. T. B. and Martin, G. B., 2012. Embryo losses in sheep during short-term nutritional supplementation. Reproduction, Fertility and Development, 24(8), 1040--1047.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Carthage University, Zarzouna, 7021, Bizerte, Tunisia

    Z. Ben Khlil

  2. Laboratory of Animal and Forage production, National Institute of Agricultural Research of Tunisia, Carthage University, Rue Hédi Karray, 2049, Ariana, Tunisia

    Z. Ben Khlil, S. Khnissi & N. Lassoued

  3. International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), P.O. Box, 950764, Amman, 11195, Jordan

    M. Rekik

  4. Laboratoire de Production Animale et Fourragères, INRAT, 2049, Ariana, Tunisia

    N. Lassoued

Authors
  1. Z. Ben Khlil
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. Khnissi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M. Rekik
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. N. Lassoued
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to N. Lassoued.

Ethics declarations

Ethical concerns were taken into account by adhering to local animal welfare regulations and practices and conformed to ethical guidelines for animal usage in research of the National Institute of Agricultural Research in Tunisia (INRAT, Tunisia) and the Association Tunisienne des Sciences des Animaux de Laboratoire (ATSAL, Tunisia).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Khlil, Z.B., Khnissi, S., Rekik, M. et al. Feed supplementation improves estrus response and increases fertility of sheep induced to breed out of season. Trop Anim Health Prod 49, 607–612 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-017-1236-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-017-1236-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation