Effects of Chinese medicine Pulsatilla formula on reproductive performance of ewes and growth performance of lambs
ZHANG Linji
REN Chunzhi
ZHANG Chenfei
CHEN Lan
WANG Tao
QIU Liangwei
REN Shifei
Abstract：The experiment aimed to investigate the effects of Chinese medicine Pulsatilla formula on the reproductive performance,serum biochemical,and immune indicators of pregnant ewes,and growth performance of lambs.A total of 80 ewes in late pregnancy were randomly divided into four groups,with 10 replicates per group and two ewes per replicate.The diets of each experimental group were supplemented with 0(control group),0.25％,0.50％and 1.00％Pulsatilla formula,respectively.The pre-test period was seven days,and the formal test period was 30 days before to 30 days after delivery.The results showed that adding 0.50％and 1.00％of Pulsatilla formula in the diet,the premature birth and miscarriage rates in ewes were zero.Compared with the control group,the weak lambing rate in the 0.50％and 1.00％groups was significantly reduced(P＜0.05),and the birth survival rate was significantly increased(P＜0.05).The total protein and globulin concentrations in the serum of ewes were significantly increased(P＜0.05).The thyroid hormone content in the 0.50％group was significantly increased(P＜0.05),while the activity of aspartate aminotransferase was significantly decreased(P＜0.05).Compared with the control group,the content of immunoglobulin G in the serum of ewes in the 0.50％and 1.00％groups was significantly increased(P＜0.05),and the content of interleukin-2 in the 0.25％and 0.50％groups was significantly increased(P＜0.05).After adding Pulsatilla formula to the diet,the content of interleukin-6 in the serum of ewes was significantly decreased(P＜0.05).Compared with the control group,the final weight,average daily weight gain,and body height of lambs in the 0.50％and 1.00％groups were significantly increased(P＜0.05).Adding the Pulsatilla formula could significantly reduce the diarrhea rate of lambs(P＜0.05).The study indicates that adding Pulsatilla formula to the ewe diet can improve the reproductive performance and serum biochemical indicators,enhance immunity of ewes,improve growth performance and reduce the diarrhea rate of lambs.When the addition amount is 0.50％,the effect is optimal.
Keywords：Pulsatilla formulaewesreproductive performancelambsgrowth performance
Publication Date：2025-07-16
Online Publishing Date：2025-09-09(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：5( 7-11 )