Effect Of Chinese Herbal Medicines As Feed Additives On Reproductive Performance In Sheep

The experiment is based on the experience of the treatment in the report of inducing estrus in swine, cattle and sheep in veterinary clinics. Thirteen kind of Chinese herbal medicine are screened out and composed two group Chinese herbal medicines. Then each group of medicine was feed to sheep in order to study that effect of Chinese herbal medicines on reproductive performance in sheep.The test result indicates:1) There was extremely remarkable difference in sperm density between two groups after feeding Chinese herbal medicines. There were significant differences in the rate of living and sexual reaction time between two groups. The sperm abnormality rate has no significant discrepancy all the testing.2) The recovery rate of sperm motility and sperm acrosomal integrity in the test group was significantly higher than that of in the control. It was illustrated that Chinese herbal medicines can improve freezing endurance of sperm partly.3) The effect of Chinese herbal medicines on ram semen freezing is exhibited on the difference of Species, the effect of adding dose on semen freezing is not evident, but when the adding dose reached above 1.2mL, they did some damage to on semen quality of ram. Moreover, astragalus and codonopsis pilosul has good effect on the preservation of freezing and thawing for ram semen. The results show that the Chinese herbal medicines can remarkably improve semen quality of ram, they will help to develop breeding value of superior ram in production practice.4) Intake rate of ewes in the test group were remarkly higher than that of ewes in the control group. Compared with the control group, the speed of food intake clearly increased, and feeding and ruminan time is shortened,the chewable time of each food cluster also increased. the ewes had strong ability of food intake and chewing,feed conversion rate was improved at the same time.5) Mouse vagina epithelial cell had remarkable change after using Chinese herbal medicines, interstitial cells transformed to keratinoeyte, estrus and ovulation performance of ewes was improved, But the effects of ovulation were weak. 6) In the non-heat seasons of sheep, Chinese herbal medicines were effective in estrus induction of ewes, and remarkable change was observed in viginal cells.7) When the ewes of the non-heat seasons were induced to estrus, oestrus rate is up to 80%. Pregnancy rate is only 25%, the effect of Chinese herbal medicines supplemented with hormone is the best, oestrus rate is up to 87.5%, pregnancy rate is up to 85.5%.