Volume 5
Issue 2
Animal Husbandry
JOURNAL OF
POLISH
AGRICULTURAL
UNIVERSITIES
Available Online: http://www.ejpau.media.pl/volume5/issue2/animal/abs-05.html
INFLUENCE OF SELENIUM WITH VITAMIN E AND COBALT HEAVY PELLETS ON REPRODUCTION AND METABOLIC PROFILES OF EWES
Jan Małecki, Eugeniusz Malinowski, Kazimierz Supera, Aleksandra Balicka-Ramisz
ABSTRACT
The aim of the study was to investigate whether synergism of selenium and cobalt preparations occur if jointly administered to three-year-old ewes of the Suffolk breed. Four groups were formed: Se, Co, Se+Co and control, each of 15 ewes. Blood samples were taken one month before mating and 2 weeks after the second selenium injection (the 3rd month of pregnancy). The results indicate that the fertility, prolificacy and the number of twins in the Se group was the highest (87, 131 and 62 %). However, a higher number of stillborn lambs (18 and 26 %) and lower weaned rate (100 and 92%) were observed in the Se and control groups respectively. Wherefore, the best production results were achieved by the ewes of the Se+Co group (prolificacy 127% and weaned rate 118%). Additionally, the conception rate after the 1st service of the ewes treated with selenium and vitamin E (Evetsel) or cobalt (heavy pellets) preparations was (non-significantly) lower than the results obtained for the Se+Co and control
Key words: ewes, selenium and cobalt, reproduction, weaned rate, blood serum, metabolic profiles.