الفهرس 
Introduction
Arginine biochemistryOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
This study was carried out at Sakha Animal Production Research Station, belonging to the Animal Production Research Institute (APRI) in cooperation with Physiology and Biotechnology Lab., Animal Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Mansoura University, during the period from November 2016 to January, 2018 to investigate the effect of treatment of ewes with different levels of L-arginine (20 or 30 mg/weekly/ewe) during pregnancy on productive and reproductive performance of ewes during September 2016 up to May 2017 breeding seasons. Also, performance and puberty of their ram and ewe lambs were studied. Total of 45 Ossimi ewes (September breeding season 2016), 3-4 years of age and 39.59 kg LBW were divided into three groups. Ewes in the 1st group (G1) served as a control without treatment. 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 5 week of pregnancy up to next May breeding season (2017). After lambing, total of 10 ram lambs and 10 ewe lambs produced from each ewes group were taken and allotted in three groups similar to treatment of their dams. LBW of ewes, ram lambs and ewe lambs was recorded at birth and monthly up to 12 month of age. In blood serum of ram and ewe 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 AST and ALT was determined in blood serum of ewes at early, mid- and lat pregnancy, at lambing, before and after suckling, and during start, mid- and end of May breeding season, as well as at 2, 4, 6 and 8 month of age in blood serum of ram or ewe lambs. Age and serum testosterone concentration of each ram lamb as well P4 concentration in ewe lambs were determined at puberty. Also, semen of 1st ejaculates (at puberty) of ram lambs was evaluated. The obtained results could be summarized as the following: 1. Live body weight of ewes mated during September breeding season: Effect of AR on LBW of ewes was not significant up to the 1st half of pregnancy period. During the 2nd half of pregnancy period (13-14 week), LBW of ewes was higher (P<0.05) in G2 and G3 than G1. 2. Milk yield and composition of ewes mated during September breeding season: Average daily milk yield (ADMY) was higher (P<0.05) in G3 (790 g) than in G1 (615 g), while ADMY of G2 (728 g) did not differ significantly in G1 and G2. ADMY increased by 15.5 and 22.2% in G2 and G3 as compared to G1, respectively. 3. Physiological response of ewes during September and May breeding season: The present results revealed insignificant effect of AR treatment on upper and lower blood pressure, respiration rate and rectal temperature of ewes in different experimental groups at early and late pregnancy period, lambing, early and late suckling period, pre-breeding May season (April), and early and late May breeding season. 4. Blood parameters of ewes during September and May breeding season: AR treatment in G2 and G3 decreased (P<0.05) total proteins concentration as compared to G1 at mating season (September and end of May) and at early pregnancy of September season. AR treatment in G2 decreased (P<0.05) total proteins concentration as compared to G1 before suckling. AR treatment in G3 increased (P<0.05) of total proteins as compared to G1 during mid-pregnancy period. The differences in albumin concentration were not significant. 5. Reproductive performance of ewes mated during September breeding season: Placental and birth weight of lambs was higher (P<0.05) in G2 and G3 than in G1, being higher (P<0.05) in G3 than in G2. Similar trend was recorded for placental weight based on sex of lambs either male or female lambs, but placental weight of males were higher than that of females in all experimental groups. 6. Reproductive performance of ewes mated during May breeding season: Before May breeding season, the ovarian activity of ewes was higher in G2 and G3 than in G1. The ovarian activity was higher on the left than on the right ovaries in all groups, being the highest in G3, in term of the highest CL number on both left and right ovaries. 7. Progesterone profile during September and May seasons: During September breeding season, P4 concentration was higher (P<0.05) in G2 than in G1, but did not differ in G3 from that in G1 or G2. Concentration of P4 was higher (P<0.05) in G3 (=1.0 ng/ml) than in G1 and G2 (0.068 and 0.79 ng/ml, respectively) one month post-lambing. 8. Effect of treatment of ewes with arginine on their ram lambs (September breeding season): Ram lambs were heavier (P<0.05) in G3 than in G1 at birth and at 5 to 12 mo of age, but did not differ in G2 from that in G1 or G3. At 1 to 4 mo of age, the differences in LBW of lambs were not significant. Final LBW of lambs was higher in G2 and G3 by 10.2 and 15.9% than in G1, respectively. 9. Effect of treatment of ewes with arginine on their ewe lambs: Ewe lambs at lambing wear heavier (P<0.05) in G2 (0.376 and 3.30 kg) and G3 (0.352 and 3.36 kg) than in G1 (0.285 and 2.89 kg). Average of monthly live body weight of ewe lambs was higher in treatment groups than in the control one at each of the 1st five months of age, but the differences were significant (P<0.05) only at 3 months of age. During the interval from 6 to 8 months of age, body weight of ewe lambs was higher (P<0.05) in G3 than in G1, but did not differ in G2 from that in G1 and G3. During the interval from 9 to 12 months of age, ewe lambs was heavier (P<0.05) higher in G2 and G3 than in G1, being the highest in G3. Yearling body weight of ewe lambs was significantly higher in G2 and G3 by 14.5 and 18.3% of that of the control group, respectively. Based on the foregoing results of ewes during September and May breeding season, treatment of pregnant ewes of September breeding season with arginine at a level of 30 (G3) during pregnancy period and weekly up to the end of May breeding season had beneficial effects on LBW of born lambs, yield, composition and amino acid profile of milk produced, physiological response of ewes during pregnancy and suckling period, blood parameters, liver function of ewes, without pronounced effect on reproductive perform of ewes during September, but ovarian and estrous activities as well as reproductive performance of ewes before and during May breeding season were improved. In addition, this treatment of ewes with L-AR-HCL showed impact on their ram lambs regarding incidence of puberty at early age with appropriate live body weight, sexual desire, and semen characteristics, which may be beneficial for raising breeding rams for natural mating and artificial insemination in sheep farms. Furthermore, this treatment showed also impact on their ewe lambs, in term of shorter age at puberty with suitable live body weight at 1st mating and lambing.