Effect of Different Levels of B Complex Vitamins Injection Before Mating on Reproductive Performance of Afshari Ewes

Document Type : Research Articles

Authors

Shahla Khdayary ¹

Mohammad Shamsollahi ¹

Farshid Fatahnia ¹

Jabar Jamali ¹

Shahnaz Yousefizadeh ²

¹ Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ilam University, Ilam, Iran

² Department of Laboratory and Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Ilam University, Ilam, Iran

10.22067/ijasr.2026.92188.1237

Abstract

Introduction: Nutritional manipulation of reproduction is a practical management strategy to increase lambing rates in extensive sheep production systems, especially in semi-arid regions such as Iran. Nutrition influences reproductive performance by providing essential nutrients required for oocyte development, ovulation, fertilization, and embryo survival. Follicular development in ewes is highly sensitive to nutritional status, and folliculogenesis and ovulation rate can be enhanced through nutritional manipulation. Improved nutrient supply can affect the pituitary-hypothalamic axis and consequently alter the secretion of gonadotropins, progesterone, estrogen, insulin and growth hormone secretion leading to increased ovulation rate and oocyte quality. The most important nutritional factors affecting reproduction in ruminants include energy, protein, minerals and vitamins. Deficiencies of minerals and vitamins in the diet impair health status and reduce ovulation rate. B‑complex vitamins are water‑soluble compounds that include thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6), biotin (B7), folic acid (B9), and cobalamin (B12). B vitamins, as biochemical cofactors, are essential for various biological processes including maintaining cellular homeostasis, e.g., genomic stability, mitochondrial function, energy metabolism (e.g., in the Krebs cycle in mitochondria and the folate, glutathione, and methionine cycles in the cytosol), and redox homeostasis. All B vitamins required for growth are also required for reproduction and fetal development. Deficiencies of folic acid, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, choline, and cobalamin (vitamin B₁₂) can impair reproductive performance. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of injecting different levels of B‑complex vitamins (BCV) before mating on body condition score (BCS), plasma metabolite concentrations, and reproductive performance in Afshari ewes.
Materials and Methods: A total of 75 mature Afshari ewes were divided into three equal groups based on age (2-3 years) and body condition score (BCS; average = 3.25) and randomly allocated to experimental treatments (n = 25 ewes per group). Experimental treatments consisted of (1) control group (C; no BCV injection), (2) ewes received subcutaneous 5 mL injection of BCV (BCV-5) and (3) ewes received subcutaneous 10 mL injection of BCV (BCV-10). The BCV solution was injected subcutaneously at the beginning of estrous synchronization, 7 days later and at the day of sponge removal. Estrous of all ewes were synchronized by 12-day intravaginal sponge and intramuscular injection of 2.5 mL of vetaroline at the day of sponge removal. Animals also received an intramuscular injection of 5 mL of a solution contained vitamin A (50000 IU/mL), vitamin D₃ (10000 IU/mL) and vitamin E (20 mg/mL; 3VitADE, Nasr Fariman Co, Fariman, Iran) and 5 mL of a solution contained vitamin E (50 mg/mL) and Se (0.5 mg/mL; SelojectE, Razak Co, Tehran, Iran) at the day of sponge insertion and removal, respectively. All ewes were mated with Afshari rams for 3 consecutive days (1 ram per 5 ewes). Pregnancy diagnosis was performed for 30 days post-mating using plasma progesterone assay by an ELISA reader (STAT-FAX 3200, USA) and a commercial kit (Monobind Inc. USA, ELISA kit). Blood samples were collected at the beginning of experiment, on the day of sponge withdrawal and at the day of estrous.
Results and Discussion: Results showed that plasma glucose concentration on the day of sponge removal tended to be higher in BCV-10 group than other groups (P=0.09). However, plasma glucose concentration of glucose on the day of estrous did not influence by level of BCV injection before mating. Injection of different levels of BCV before mating had no effect on plasma concentrations of total cholesterol and total protein at the day of sponge removal and at the day of estrous (P>0.05). Ewes received BCV solution had lower plasma urea nitrogen concentrations at the day of sponge removal (P<0.05). However, experimental treatments had no effect on plasma concentration of urea nitrogen at the day of estrus (P>0.05). The body condition score (BCS) of ewes was similar among all groups (P>0.05). The highest plasma vitamin B₁₂ concentration at the day of estrous and at the day of sponge removal was observed in BCV-10 group compared to other groups (P<0.05). Higher lambing rate and fertility rate were observed in BCV-10 group than other groups (P<0.05. Whereas twining rate was not influenced by experimental treatments (P>0.05).
Conclusion: The results of this experiment showed that injection of a solution containing BCV (especially 10 ml) before mating by increasing plasma glucose and vitamin B₁₂ concentrations and decreasing urea nitrogen concentration improved fertility and lambing rates in Afshari ewes. Therefore, it can be used as a strategy to improve the reproductive performance of ewes. However, this effect should be confirmed in future studies.

Keywords

Afshari ewe

B complex vitamin

Estrus

Fertility rate

Plasma metabolites

Subjects

• Animal Physiology and biotechnology

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Authors retain the copyright. This is an open access article distributed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0)

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