The effect of adding different levels of wheat germ oil with or without folic acid on sexual hormones of rabbits

Abstract EN

This study was undertaken at the breeding hall of the Department of Animal Production / College of Agriculture/ University of Basrah from 1/2/2018 to 1/7/2018, to investigate the effect of different levels of wheat germ oil (WGO) with or without Folic acid treatment on sex hormones such as Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), Luteinizing hormone (LH), estrogen and progesterone on female rabbits at different physiological stages.

Eight males and 56 female rabbits, with an average weight of (810, 650) grams for males and females, respectively, were randomly divided into four groups (14 females + 2 males/ group) and two replicates/ group.

The groups were dosed with WGO orally for a period of five months.

The first group was a control group (no WGO) and the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th groups were given WGO by 0.

25, 0.

50 and 0.

75 ml/ kg body weight/ day respectively.

After two months of giving WGO, treatments 2, 3 and 4 were divided into two secondary groups.

The first group gives the same levels of (WGO) which was given at the beginning of the experiment and the second group gives folic acid (1 mg/ kg of body weight/ animal) orally.

The results showed significant (P<0.

05) increase in concentrations of FSH and LH hormones in female rabbits treated with WGO at dosage 0.

75ml/ day/kg of body weight at 90 and 120 days old then the concentrations of hormones exceeded in the same treatment but with folic acid during sexual puberty and pregnancy stages in comparison with control groups.

There was a significant increase (P<0.

05) in estrogen concentration when female treated WGO at dosage 0.

75ml/ day/kg of body weight with folic acid at puberty and in the last period of pregnancy (after 30 days of pregnancy) in comparison with control groups.

Progesterone concentration was significant (P<0.

05) increase in female treated at dose WGO 0.

25 ml/day/ kg of body weight of at 90 and 120 days of age, Whereas, when female administrated WGO with folic acid doses 0.

75 caused significantly (P<0.

05) increase in the concentrations of progesterone in the last period of pregnancy in comparison with control groups