Influence of hormone-vitamin-mineral treatment of Württemberg ewes on reproductive efficiency in deep off-season.
The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of hormone-vitamin-mineral treatment on the repro-ductive efficiency of Wurttemberg ewes in deep off-season. The experimental group and the control one consisted of 35 ewes each. Housing conditions, diet, hormonal treatment and insemination were identical for both groups. The difference between the experimental group and the control group was in the use of vitamin-mineral treatment. Ewes were treated with progestagens (30 mg FGA), using intravaginal sponges for 12 days. On the day of sponge removal, all ewes were treated with 700 IU eCG. On the day of the first insemination ewes were treated with 250 IU hCG. In-semination was performed twice with freshly diluted sperm. The experimental group had fertility of 94.29%, fecun-dity of 137.14% and prolificacy of 145.45%. In the control group these values were 70.59%, 105.78% and 150.00%, respectively. Using the described hormonal treatment, estrus can be successfully induced and synchronized in deep off-season. By applying additional vitamin-mineral treatment reproductive efficiency can be improved, compared to the hormonal treatment only.