Abstract
Gestation in sheep necessitates the support of nutrients to avoid early embryonic mortalities. Therefore, this study investigates the effects of supplementing either L-arginine or Spirulina alga in the first trimester on the pregnancy rate, litter size, inhibin, insulin, IGF-I, CO Q10, and bone morphogenetic peptide 15 (BMP15) in maternal circulation. Animals were offered barley (500 g/head/day, 14% CP), alfalfa hay (1 kg/head/day, 12% CP), clean water, and balanced salt block licks as free choices. Forty Noemi and Najdi ewes were randomly allotted into three groups: control (C, n = 8), L-arginine (ARG, n = 16), and Spirulina (SP, n = 16). All females were implanted with CIDR for ten days. On days 8, 9, and 10, treated ewes were given a protocol comprised of human recombinant FSH at descending doses (50, 50, 40, 40, and 30, 30 IU, A.M, and P.M, respectively). At the fifth dose, animals were given an equivalent dose of hCG (240 IU). After CIDR withdrawal, ewes were exposed to fertile rams for mating. SP-ewes were orally given 50 ml (2%) Spirulina, and ARG-ewes were given 50 ml (35 mg/kg BW) L-arginine daily for 50 days postbreeding. Blood inhibin, insulin, IGF-I, CO Q10, and BMP15 were determined throughout gestation until parturition. The findings indicated that the conception rates were 25, 75, and 87.5% in C, ARG, and SP, respectively (P < 0.05). The percent of ewes giving birth to twins was 0, 25, and 50% in C, ARG, and SP, respectively (P < 0.05). The survival rates were 100, 81.8, and 83.3%, respectively. Birth weight was 5.6, 3.2, and 3.4 kg in C, ARG, and SP, respectively. Weaning weights were 28.3, 25.6, and 27.2 kg in C, ARG, and SP, respectively. BMP-15 was reduced (P < 0.05) in ARG than in C and SP. However, SP decreased (P < 0.05) inhibin more than in C and ARG. ARG and SP increased (P < 0.05) insulin than in C, whereas SP decreased (P < 0.05) IGF-I. SP increased CO Q10 compared with ARG. Ewes bearing twins revealed higher (P < 0.05) IGF-I (8.57 ng/ml) than those bearing singles (4.63 ng/ml); however, BMP-15 was higher in single (796.6 pg/ml) than in twin-bearing (387.5 pg/ml) ewes. In conclusion, providing early-gestating ewes with Spirulina enhances maternal health, productivity, and reproductive outcomes.