Effect of feed flushing during summer season on growth, reproductive performance and blood metabolites in Malpura ewes under semi-arid tropical environment

Abstract

Feed scarcity during hot summer months is one ofthe major predisposing factors for low reproductive efficien-cy of livestock reared in hot semiarid environment. A studywas conducted to assess the effect of concentrate supple-mentation during summer months on growth, reproductiveperformance, and blood metabolites in Malpura ewes.Twenty adult Malpura ewes were used in the present study.The ewes were divided into two groups viz, group 1 (n010;control) and group 2 (n010; concentrate supplementation).The study was conducted for a period of 35 days coveringtwo estrus cycles. In the first cycle, only PGF2αwas given toall ewes, while in second cycle, all ewes were synchronizedfor estrus using progesterone-impregnated intravaginalsponges and pregnant mare serum gonadotropin. The ani-mals were allowed for grazing for 8–10 h per day. Apartfrom grazing, group 2 ewes were supplemented with con-centrate mixture at 1.5 % of body weight. Concentratesupplementation had significant influence on body weight,ADG, estrus percentage, estrus duration, onset of estrus,ovulation response, plasma glucose, total protein, and urea.The present study reveals that ewes supplemented withconcentrate mixture at 1.5 % of body weights during sum-mer season significantly influenced the growth and repro-ductive performance of Malpura ewes. Further, the studysignifies the importance of providing additional feed sup-plementation to ewes kept grazing under the conditions of ahot, semiarid environment to improve their reproductiveefficiency.