The combination of melatonin implants and prostaglandin F2 alpha improves lamb production in a late-autumn mating season

Barbanoj, J. ; Abecia, J. A. (Universidad de Zaragoza)

Resumen: To determine the effect of the combination of melatonin implants and prostaglandin (PG) F2 alpha on reproductive performance in the late breeding season (Dec at the northern hemisphere), 500 Lacaune ewes were divided into four groups. On day 0 (7 Nov), 150 ewes were treated with a melatonin (M) implant. From that group, 64 ewes (M + 1PGF group) were injected with 10-mg prostaglandin (PG) F2 alpha 34 d after melatonin implantation (11 Dec). The remaining 86 ewes (M group) were treated with melatonin, only. Another group of 75 ewes (2PGF group) was treated with double injection of PGF2 alpha (9 days between the first and second application) (2 and 11 Dec), and 75 non-treated ewes (C group) were the control group. The remaining 200 ewes of the flock were not considered in the study. Rams (n = 23) were introduced on 11 Dec. The percentage of prolificacy, lambing and fecundity rates were calculated. Lambing rate did not differ among groups (M: 79%; M + 1PGF: 78%; 2PGF: 69%; C: 71%). The M + 1PGF group had a higher % of prolificacy than the 2PGF group (P < 0.10) and the C group (P = 0.06) (M: 1.65 +/- 0.07; M + 1PGF: 1.74 +/- 0.09; 2PGF: 1.54 +/- 0.08; C: 1.54 +/- 0.07 lambs/lambing) (P < 0.05), and a higher fecundity than the 2PGF group (P < 0.05) and the C group (P < 0.10) (M: 1.30 +/- 0.09; M + 1PGF: 1.36 +/- 0.11; 2PGF: 1.07 +/- 0.10; C: 1.08 +/- 0.09 lambs/ewe). Ewes implanted with melatonin had significantly higher prolificacy (1.69 +/- 0.06 lambs/lambing) (P < 0.05) and fecundity (1.33 +/- 0.07 lambs/ewe) (P = 0.01) than did ewes that did not receive melatonin (1.54 +/- 0.04 and 1.08 +/- 0.04, resp.). In conclusion, melatonin implants increased the number of lambs born per ewe in a late-autumn mating season, and the effect was greatest if it was given in combination with PGF2 alpha administration at ram introduction.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.1007/s11259-022-09990-9

Año: 2022

Publicado en: Veterinary Research Communications 46 (2022), 1339–1342
ISSN: 0165-7380

Factor impacto JCR: 2.2 (2022)

Categ. JCR: VETERINARY SCIENCES rank: 38 / 144 = 0.264 (2022) - Q2 - T1

Factor impacto CITESCORE: 2.7 - Veterinary (Q2) - Medicine (Q3)

Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 0.526 - Veterinary (miscellaneous) (Q1) - Medicine (miscellaneous) (Q2)

Tipo y forma: Article (Published version)

Área (Departamento): Área Producción Animal (Dpto. Produc.Animal Cienc.Ali.)