TITLE:
L-Arginine Modulates Maternal Hormonal Profiles and Neonatal Traits during Two Stages of Pregnancy in Sheep
AUTHORS:
Moustafa Zeitoun, Ahmed Al-Ghoneim, Khaled Al-Sobayil, Suliman Al-Dobaib
KEYWORDS:
L-Arginine, Najdi Ewes, Gestation, Hormones, Neonate
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Animal Sciences,
Vol.6 No.2,
February
29,
2016
ABSTRACT: A 2 × 2 factorial arrangement was designed to test effects of supplementation of a low (L, 75 mg/kg BW) vs. high (H, 150 mg/kg BW) L-arginine given at early (first 56 days) vs. late (last 56 days) pregnancy on maternal hormones and neonatal traits. Thirty Najdi pregnant ewes were randomly allocated into 6 groups. Ewes in G1 and G2 served as controls (C), given 50 ml saline at either early (CE) or late (CL) pregnancy, respectively. G3 and G4 ewes in early pregnancy received low (LE) and high L-arginine (HE), respectively. G5 and G6 ewes in late pregnancy received low (LL) and high (HL) L-arginine, respectively. A weekly blood sample was collected from initiation of the treatment till parturition. Serum growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), insulin, progesterone (P4) and estradiol 17 β (E2) profiles were determined. Neonatal traits were also determined. Insulin was higher (P 0.05). Lamb survival rates at birth in LE ewes were highest (100%) compared to other treatments. In conclusion, supplementing pregnant ewes with low dosage of L-arginine at early stage of gestation increased lamb birth weight and survival, and improved maternal health.