ROLE OF FOLIC ACID IN THE PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF PREGNANT AWASSI EWES AND THEIR LAMBS

M.K.K.Al-mahdawi,

	ROLE OF FOLIC ACID IN THE PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF PREGNANT AWASSI EWES AND THEIR LAMBS
The Iraqi Journal of Agricultural Science
Article 1, Volume 41, Issue 2, 2010, Pages 25-41
Author

Abstract
Two experiments were carried out at the animal farm, Department of Animal Resources ,College of Agriculture and Forestry,Mosul University. Sixty mature Awassi ewes in experiment 1 of 2.5 years old and about 39-40 kg body weight were randomly divided into 4 equal groups (15 ewes/group). Ewes were supplemented with four different levels of folic acid (0,4,8 and 12 mg/kg diet respectively) from mating to lambing.In experiment 2, sixty lambs were also randomly divided into 4 equal groups (15 lambs/group).Lambs were orally administrated with four different levels of folic acid (0,0.25,0.50 and 0.75 mg/kg live body weight respectively) for their born to weaning (90 days old).Results of experiment 1 did revealed an obvious improvement in fertility percentage,prolificacy,lactose and milk pH in accompanied with reduction in heart beats of group 4 (12 mg folic acid/kg diet) as compared with the other groups.Daily gain, milk yield and some blood parameters were also enhanced in ewes pertaining to group 4 in comparison with the other groups.Lambs of group 4 (0.75 mg folic acid/kg live body weight) achieved the better performance, growth rate and physiological characters as compared with the other groups.These lambs were superior in their birth and weaning weights, blood parameters and viability percentage.In conclusion,folic acid play an important role in improvement of reproductive and productive performance of Awassi ewes and growth rate and physiological characters of lambs pertaining to these ewes .

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