Effect of Vitamin E Supplementation on the Productive Performance of Rahmani Sheep

Abstract

he present study was conducted during the period from (September 2012 to April 2013) at the experimental farm station, belongs to Anim. Prod. Dept., Fac. of Agric., Al-Azhar Univ. Thirty pregnant Rahmani ewes with an avg. 33.7 kg LBW and 3 years old age were used to investigate the effect of vitamin E daily supplementation to pregnant ewes at late gestation and early lactation on the productive performance of treated ewes and their offsprings. Experimental animals were randomly assigned (28 days prepartum) to three nutritional groups; the 1 st one served as a control (nil vitamin E supplement). The 2nd and 3rd groups were daily and individually administrated 400 IU of α-tocopherol acetate (vitamin E), 28 days prepartum (T1) and for 28 days pre and 28 days postpartum (T2). Experimental animals were offered their daily requirements during pregnancy and early lactation according to NRC recommendations (1985). Results obtained showed that; supplementing pregnant ewes with vitamin E didn't lead to any positive influences on improving their daily milk yield or milk chemical composition, although there were significant differences among different experimental groups in daily milk yield. Ewes of T2 recorded higher (p<0.05) daily milk yield (417 g /h/d) in compare with (348 g /h/d) for the control ewes group and (292 g /h/d) for T1 ewes, respectively. Vitamin E supplementation to pregnant and lactating ewes didn't lead to significant differences in most of daily milk yield and chemical composition traits. Although, there were significant differences among different ewes groups in fat and SNF percentages in favor of the two supplemented ewes groups. Vitamin E supplementation to pregnant and lactating ewes didn't improve productive performance of both the two supplemented ewes groups and their progenies. Ewes of T1 group weaned more (p<0.05) kg of lambs, but without significant difference with those of the control group. Ewes of T2 weaned lower (p<0.05) kg lambs. Ewes of T2 and the control group one indicated more efficient feed utilization in compare with T1 group. Vitamin E supplementation didn't improve (p<0.05) lambs productive performance. Although, there were significant differences among different lambs groups in lambs avg. weaning weight, daily gain and lambs feed conversion ratio. Lambs born to T2 ewes consumed (p<0.05) higher milk intake (417 g/h/d), but lower feed conversion ratio (3.06 kg MI/kg gain), while lambs born to T1 ewes consumed lower milk (292 g/h/d), but with an improved FC ratio (1.75 kg MI /kg gain). Lambs born to the control ewes group consumed (348 g/h/d), but with more efficient FC ratio (2.20 kg milk intake / kg gain) in comparison with the corresponding lambs born to T2 ewes groups. Lambs born to T1 supplemented ewes recorded higher (p<0.05) avg. weaning weight (13.73 kg/h) and faster daily weight gain (179 g/h/d), without significant difference with lambs born to the control ewes group (165 g/h/d), while lambs born to T2 supplemented ewes indicated lower weaning weight (11.40 kg /h) and slower...

Effect of Selenium and Vitamin E Injection on Digestibility Coefficients and Nutritive Value of Baladi Doe Goats in Southern Sinai.

“…After reviewing vitamin E studies, in human and animals, Kelleher (1991) concluded that vitamin E requirements were based on lymphocyte proliferation or, more generally, on immune function than the indicators to muscle degeneration. The biological effects of vitamin E are predominantly seen in the prevention of resumption of fetuses, testicular degeneration, muscle dystrophy, anemia and encephalomalacia, the classical signs of vitamin E deficiency in animals (Salama et al, 2015). A major contributor to non-enzymatic protection against lipid peroxidation is vitamin E, a known free radical scavenger (Rikans et al, 1991).…”

Impact of Siberian larch dihydroquercetin or dry distilled rose petals as feed supplements on lamb's growth performance, carcass characteristics and blood count parameters.

“…A number of approaches have been explored to increase the lamb growth performance and meat quality (Bessa et al 2005; De Brito et al 2017; Chikwanha et al 2019). To achieve these objectives various feed supplements have been discussed such as: replacement of cereal grains by orange pulp and carob pulp in faba bean-based diets (Lanza et al 2001), fungal enzyme cocktail treatment (Cruywagen and van Zylb 2008), varying levels of Zizyphus (Zizyphus mauritiana) leaf meal inclusion in concentrate diet (Abdu et al 2012), vitamin E (Salama et al 2015), vegetable oils (El-Sabaawy et al 2015), sugar beet pulp and roasted canola seed in a concentrate diet (Asadollahi et al 2017). Oh et al (2016) are of the opinion that due to their phenolic nature some phytonutrients are less susceptible to degradation in the rumen by microorganisms and may also be active post-ruminally.…”

Impact of Siberian larch dihydroquercetin or dry distilled rose petals as feed supplements on 8 lamb's growth performance, carcass characteristics and blood count parameters.

“…A number of approaches have been explored to increase the lamb growth performance and meat quality (Bessa et al, 2005;De Brito et al, 2017;Chikwanha et al, 2019). To achieve these objectives various feed supplements have been discussed such as: replacement of cereal grains by orange pulp and carob pulp in faba beanbased diets (Lanza et al, 2001), fungal enzyme cocktail treatment (Cruywagen and van Zylb, 2008), varying levels of Zizyphus (Zizyphus mauritiana) leaf meal inclusion in concentrate diet (Abdu et al, 2012), vitamin E (Salama et al, 2015), vegetable oils (El-Sabaawy et al, 2015), sugar beet pulp and roasted canola seed in a concentrate diet (Asadollahi et al, 2017). Oh et al (2016) are of the opinion that due to their phenolic nature some phytonutrients are less susceptible to degradation in the rumen by microorganisms and may also be active postruminally.…”