Steroid hormones and energetic metabolites profiles in ewes raised under arid and semi-arid climates of Algeria

ABSTRACT

Serum progesterone, estradiol 17-β and energetic metabolites profiles were investigated during the spring breeding season in non-pregnant and pregnant “Ouled Djellal” ewes bearing singleton or twin fetuses in arid and semi-arid climates of Algeria. Twenty and thirty ewes aged 1 to 4 years from semi-arid and arid zones, respectively, were used. In semi-arid zone, 15 ewes were pregnant (eight carrying one fetus and seven carrying twins). In arid zone, from 24 pregnant ewes, 14 carried singleton and 10 carried twins. Blood sampling were collected before mating, in the first and the last month of pregnancy and after lambing. Significant effect (p < 0.05) of litter size was found during early gestation on progesteronemia in arid region and on estradiolemia (p < 0.05) in both regions. During late pregnancy significant effect of fetal number was observed in semi-arid (p < 0.05) and arid (p < 0.001) area for progesterone and only in arid zone (p < 0.05) for estradiol. In the present study, no significant effect of litter size was found on serum glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides in both regions. Reproductive hormones profiles and energetic metabolism in pregnant ewes raised in arid zone are more altered than those in semi-arid zone.

KEYWORDS:

• “Ouled Djellal” ewe
• Arid
• semi-arid
• steroid hormones
• energetic metabolites
• litter size

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Director and staff of the Technical Institute of Breeding “ITELV” Ain M’lila for their cooperation in carrying out the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.