Effect of vitamin A supplementation on performance and blood constituents of Saidi ewes and their offspring.

Abstract

Forty pregnant ewes of more than two successive lambing seasons, at the second half of gestation period, were used to evaluate the effects of supplemented vitamin A on growth performance, blood constituents, levels of vitamin A and β carotene of Saidi ewes and their offspring. Pregnant ewes (48.48 ± 0.09 kg B. W.) were assigned to 4 treatment groups of 10 ewes each in the Farm of Animal Production Department, the Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.. Vitamin A was drenched in the form of pale yellow to brown granular powder as vitamin A acetate content ≥ 1,000,000 IU/g which had been certified by china council for the promotion of international trade. In group I both ewes and lambs were not treated. In group II ewes were not treated while lambs were given 10,000 I.U. In group III ewes were given 150,000 I.U. of vitamin A /head fortnightly while lambs were not treated. In group IV ewes were given 150,000 I.U. of vitamin A /head while lambs were given 10,000 I.U fortnightly. Feeds were offered once daily and fresh tap water was free available allover the day. Ewes were housed in semi open pens under the normal environmental conditions. Before feeding and drinking, ewes were weighed fortnightly throughout the experimental period. Lambs were weighed at birth and then weighed fortnightly throughout the experiment. Blood was obtained every 14 days to evaluate blood constituents in blood serum of ewes and offspring. In general, body weight and daily weight gain in ewes and offspring improved (p>0.05) by supplemented vitamin A. However, blood profiles were not affected by vitamin A supplementation, except mean of platelets volume (MPV) levels were higher (P<0.05) in treated ewes (group IV), while number neutrophils was lower (p<0.05) in untreated lambs (group I) compared with other ones. Concentrations of total protein and globulin were higher (p<0.05) in blood serum of untreated ewes (group I) , while albumin / globulin ratio were higher (p<0.05) in group IV , but levels of albumin reduced (P<0.05) in blood serum of group III compared with other groups. Concentration of total cholesterol increased (p<0.05) in blood serum of group IV compared with other ones. Concentrations of glucose, triglycerides and urea in blood serum were not different (P>0.05) among treatments. Vitamin A and β carotene levels in blood serum of ewes were not different significantly among treatments, while Vitamin A concentration was higher (P<0.05) for lambs in group II and IV of ages 30 and 60 days than other groups. In conclusion, addition vitamin A improved body performance of ewes and their offspring without any harmful effecton blood constituents.