Follicle growth, ovulation rate, body weight change, and antioxidant and metabolic status in three fat-tailed sheep breeds fed a half-maintenance diet

Figures & data

Table 1 Feed and nutrients intake/head of both experimental diets

Item	Control	Restricted
Feed intake, kg/head/day
Clover	4.00	2.50
CFM	0.25	0.00
Ration composition (DM basis)
TDN, %	50.6	22.5
DCP, %	10.7	5.00
Nutrients intake
DM, kg/head/day	1.03	0.50
DM, % LBW	2.56	1.25
TDN, kg/head/day	0.52	0.23
DcP, g/head/day	107	50
ME, MJ	1.88	0.84

Abbreviations: CFM, concentrated feed matter; DM, dry matter; TDN, total digestible nutrients; DCP, digestible crude protein; LBW, live body weight; ME, metabolizable energy; MJ, megajoules.

Table 2 Chemical composition and nutritive value of offered feeds used in ration formulation

Item	Clover	CFM
Chemical composition, % DM basis
DM	20.00	89.20
Organic matter	86.42	96.16
Crude protein	18.22	14.11
Crude fiber	6.9	8.51
Ether extract	4.17	4.20
Nitrogen-free extract	41.57	69.34
Ash	13.58	3.84
Tabulated nutritive value/kg DM
TDN, %	45	65
DCP, %	10	12
ME/MJ^a	1.67	2.41

Note:

a Data from National Academy of Sciences.¹⁵

Abbreviations: CFM, concentrated feed matter; DM, dry matter; TDN, total digestible nutrients; DCP, digestible crude protein; ME, metabolizable energy; MJ, megajoules.

Figure 1 Mean number of small, medium, large follicles and corpora lutae in control and restricted ewes.

Notes: Values represented are the mean ± standard error of the mean (error bars) of animals within each treatment of small, medium, large, and total follicles and corpora lutea (CL) (number, ovulation rate). Number of small follicles with different letters (a,b), number of medium follicles with different letters (x,y), and number of CL with different letters (M,N) are significantly different at P<0.05. Small follicles were ≤3 mm; medium >3 to <5 mm; and large ≥5 mm in diameter.

Table 3 Ovarian DF and CL diameters in diet-restricted and control ewes

Breed	Rahmani		Barki		Ossimi
Treatment	Control	Restricted	Control	Restricted	Control	Restricted
N	10	10	10	10	9	8
Age	3.3±0.13	3.2±0.14	3.7±0.12	3.7±0.09	3.3±0.18	2.4±0.19
DF diameter, cm	0.65±0.02	0.61 ±0.03	0.61 ±0.03	0.67±0.03	0.63±0.02	0.61 ±0.02
CL diameter, cm	0.81±0.05^a	0.78±0.03^a	0.83±0.04^a,b	0.83±0.05^a,b	0.93±0.04^b	0.80±0.04^a

Notes: Means with different superscripts

(^a–b) within breed are significantly different at P<0.05. Data is presented as mean ± standard error of the mean.

Abbreviations: DF, dominant follicle; CL, corpus luteum.

Table 4 General linear model of effects of breed, treatment, and treatment * breed on ovarian follicles, antioxidants, body weight change, and glucose levels in fat-tailed ewes

Parameters	Corrected model	Intercept	Treatment	Breed	Treatment * breed	R^2
Small follicles	0.126	0.0001	0.915	0.050	0.273	0.075
Medium follicles	0.094	0.0001	0.067	0.434	0.105	0.062
Large follicles	0.338	0.0001	0.095	0.163	0.927	0.053
Dominant follicle diameter	0.291	0.0001	0.585	0.606	0.088	0.059
Number of CL	0.0001	0.0001	0.0001	0.046	0.080	0.122
TAC	0.157	0.0001	0.006	0.772	0.967	0.155
SOD	0.073	0.0001	0.121	0.042	0.885	0.405
Glucose	0.176	0.0001	0.016	0.539	0.499	0.172
BWC	0.0001	0.0001	0.268	0.002	0.001	0.396
BWC%	0.0001	0.0001	0.160	0.007	0.002	0362

Notes: Treatments were control or restricted diet. Breeds were Rahmani, Barki, and Ossimi. Treatment * breed = two treatments × three breeds. Small follicles were ≤3 mm; medium >3 to <5 mm; and large ≥5 mm in diameter.

Abbreviations: CL, corpora lutea; TAC, total antioxidant capacity; SOD, superoxide dismutase; BWC, body weight change.

Figure 2 Initial BW, final BW, BWC/kg (final BW – initial BW), and BWC% (BWC/initial BW × 100) in control and diet-restricted Barki, Rahmani, and Ossimi ewes.

Note: Means with different letters (a,b of BWC/kg and x,y,z of BWC%) are significantly different at P<0.05.
Abbreviations: BW, body weight; BWC, body weight change.

Figure 3 Insulin levels (μIU/mL) in control and diet-restricted Barki, Rahmani, and Ossimi ewes.

Note: Means with different letters (a,b) are significantly different at P<0.05.

Figure 4 Glucose levels in control and diet-restricted Barki, Rahmani, and Ossimi ewes.

Note: Means with different letters (a,b) are significantly different at P<0.05.

Figure 5 Total cholesterol levels in control and diet-restricted Barki, Rahmani, and Ossimi ewes.

Figure 6 Total antioxidant capacity in control and diet-restricted Barki, Rahmani, and Ossimi ewes.

Figure 7 Superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels in control and diet-restricted Barki, Rahmani, and Ossimi ewes.

Figure 8 Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels in control and diet-restricted Barki, Rahmani, and Ossimi ewes.

Figure 9 Alkaline phosphatase levels in control and diet-restricted Barki, Rahmani, and Ossimi ewes.