Predicting some traits of the reproductive performance for al-Awassi ewes through studying sex chromatin shapes in the blood

Abstract EN

The research was conducted in the field of the Department of Animal Production, College of Agriculture, Al-Qasim Al-Green University in order to study the sex chromatin in white blood cells (neutrophils) and its relationship to the reproductive performance for a sample consist of 16 ewes.

Blood samples were drawn, prepared, and examined to determine the presence, shapes, and measurements of the sex chromatin and its relationship to reproductive traits.

The results showed that the percentage of existing sex chromatin in Al-Awassi ewes varied significantly (P <0.

01) which amounted to (21.

25, 30.

75, 16.

00 and 32.

00%) for the drum stick, Sessile nodule, Teardrop, and Small club, respectively.

As for the horizontal and vertical axes for the nucleus and chromatin, it was found that there was a significant effect at the significant level (P <0.

05) of the sex chromatin shapes on the vertical axis and the nucleus area.

While the results showed that there was no effect for the shape of chromatin on the number of lobes for the nucleus and the horizontal axis for the nucleus.

As for the traits of chromatin, the study showed a significant effect at the significant level (P <0.

01) for the shapes of sex chromatin, its axes, and its area.

The study also found that there is a significant variation (P <0.

05) in the fertility rate according to the shape of the sex chromatin, where the ewes whose chromatin with Teardrop shape in their blood achieved the highest fertility rate amounted to (2.

77 ± 0.

08 born/abdomen) followed by the chromatin with Small club shape (2.

71 ± 0.

06 born/abdomen).

As for females who were distinguished by sex chromate of the type of Sessile nodule or drum stick, it achieved fertility of (2.

61 ± 0.

05 and 2.

52 ± 0.

06 born/abdomen), respectively.