EFFECT OF DIFFERENT REPRODUCTIVE PROTOCOLS OF ESTRUS SYNCHRONIZATION ON ESTROUS SIGNS APPEARANCE RATE FOR AWASSI AND NAIMI SHEEP BREEDS.

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at the Khairat Al-Ittihad station located in the Al-Shumali district of Babil Governorate from January 1, 2024, to June 20, 2024, to assess the impact of certain hormonal treatments on the reproductive efficiency parameters of Awassi and Naimi ewes Including local production and required 2-3 lambs per year from the ewe to load. Twenty-four Awassi sheep and twenty-four Naimi sheep were selected and divided into eight groups, with six sheep in each group (four groups of Awassi sheep and four groups of Naimi sheep). Results showed a significant effect of time (period) of protocols or sponges for 9 days and after removal, 125 micrograms of Prostaglandin (PGF2α) hormone and 330 international units of Equine chorionic gonadotrophin (eCG) hormone were injected on estrous signs appearance in Awassi ewes (P≤ 0.05), the best signs were recorded after 48 hours from treatment (50%) and about 33.33% of estrus signs were noticed after 72 hours and no estrus signs were seen after 96 hours after treatment. The sponges for 9 days and after removal, 125 micrograms of PGF2α hormone and 1 ml of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH) were injected (treatment 2) effected significantly (P ≤ 0.01) on estrous signs appearance. A significant difference among the ewes that treated with 4^th treatment which including Controlled Internal Drug Releasing Device (CIDR) for 12 days and after removal, 125 micrograms of PGF2α hormone and 1 ml of GnRH hormone were injected, the best estrus signs rate was recorded after 48 hours from treatment while the rates were 16.67, 16.67 and 0.00% after 24, 72 and 96 hours of treatment respectively. Results showed a significant differences in the appearance  rate of estrus signs of Naimi sheep breed that treated with different reproductive treatments in different times ,the ewes that treated with sponges for 9 days and after removal, 125 micrograms of PGF2α hormone and 1 ml of GnRH hormone were injected differed significantly (P≤0.05) in the time of estrous signs appearance, the highest rate was noticed at 48 hours after treatment (50.0%) while the lowest rate of signs was recorded at 96 hours after treatment (0.0%). strus signs appearance rate differed significantly (P≤ 0.05) among ewes that treated with different protocols after 48 hours of treatment, the highest rate was noticed in ewes with 2^nd treatment namely, 50.00% while the rates was 33.33, 33.33 and 0.00 % in ewes that treated with 1^st, 3^rd and 4^th treatments respectively. the pregnancy rate in Awassi and Naimiya ewes was 100% and 91% respectively.