Periparturient changes in the relevant blood constituents and mammary gland function in multiparous rahmani X finn ewes crossbreds

ABSTRACT

A total of seventeen [17] late pregnant multiparous Finn x Rahmani ewes crossbreds [8 ewes 1/2 Finn x 1/2 Rahmani [GI] and 9 ewes 1/4 Finn x 3/4 Rahmani [GII]] were used to study the changes in some constituents of blood and mammary gland secretions around parturition [7 days prepartum to 7 days postpartum]. Morning mammary gland secretion samples [50 ml] were collected from the experimental ewes at -7, -4, at parturition, + 1, +2, +3, +4 and +7 days relative to parturition. Morning blood samples [5 ml] were collected from the experimental ewes -7, -4, at parturition, +4 and +7 days relative to parturition. Total lipids, progesterone and Insulin like growth factor-I [IGF-1] were quantified in the blood serum of the experimental ewes. Fat, protein, lactose, total solids, solids not fat and somatic cell counts were quantified in the mammary gland secretions. The results indicated that the overall blood serum total lipids concentration [g/l] ranged between 0.65 and 3.46 for GI, the corresponding values for GII were 0.80 and 3.74[g/l]. Serum IGF-1 levels increased sharply at parturition being 410.72 ng/ml for UI and 438.98 ng/ml for Gil. Progesterone concentration in serum of GI and Gil showed sharp decline during the late prepartum period until parturition being 7.85ng/ml at - 7 days prepartum and 0.43ng/ml at parturition for GI and 8.74ng/ml at day - 7 prepartum, 0.28ng/ml at parturition for GIl. The overall blood serum progesterone concentration [ng/ml] ranged between 0.01 and 17.41 for GI. the corresponding values for GIL were 0.04 and 31.74 ng/ml. Concerning the mammary secretions, the concentrations of total proteins, total solids, solids not fat and lactose at 7 days prepartum, at parturition and 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7 days postpartum were higher in GII than that in GI. Values of mammary secretions somatic cell counts [SCC] were lower for Gil than GI. It could be concluded that there were massive changes in serum IGF-l, total lipids and progesterone around parturition in the crossbred ewes under investigation. Massive changes in mammary function were also noticed around parturition. No significant differences between the two studied crossbred ewes in the relevant blood and mammary constituents' parameters investigated around parturition were noticed declaring that both groups adapted the same to parturition