THE EFFECT OF USING ANABASIS ARTICULATE EXTRACT AND MELATONIN HORMONE LOCALLY IN VAGINAL SPONGES ON THE REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF LOCAL IRAQI EWES

This study was conducted in the University of Anbar in the College of Agriculture/ Department of Animal Production Sheep Field, for the period from 10/15/2021 to 5/7/2022. The aim of this study was to use the melatonin hormone in two different doses and the Anabasis articulate extract in vaginal sponges locally, to understand their effectiveness on the reproductive performance in the local Iraqi ewes. The study was conducted on twenty local ewes within 4-2.5 years age range and 47 kg weight average. All ewes were treated with vaginal sponges for 14 days, and was randomly divided into four treatment groups: (T1) 20mg melatonin hormone, (T2) 30mg melatonin hormone, (T3) Anabasis articulate extract at a concentration (3g) and (T4) was left without any treatment and was considered a control treatment. The treatment was applied through a sponge with a hole made in it using a surgical scalpel; that hole position should be away from a pulling thread attached to the sponge to avoid cutting it accidentally and thus not being able to pull the sponge out. The treatment continued from day 0 of pushing the vaginal sponges until day 14 when they were withdrawn. All ewes were injected with eCG hormone at a dose of 500 IU intramuscularly after sponge withdrawal.Also, the experimental ewes were kept with 3 rams for 3 days. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein and the levels of estrogen and progesterone were estimated to know the effect of treatments on reproductive performance in ewes.The experiment treatments showed that there were no significant differences between the treatments and the control in the duration of pregnancy and the period from the sponge’s withdrawal to the time of estrous behavior. Moreover, it has a significant effect on the amount of vaginal fluids of the treatments compared with the control group, as it recorded a significant difference by (P<0.05). All the three experiment treatments were superior in the percentage of the estrus occurrence, scoring 100%, compared to 80% at the control group. The pregnancy rate has recorded 100% 80% 80% for the three treatment categories compared to 60% for the control. And the fertility rate recorded 100% 80% 80% 80%, respectively, compared to control group (75%) Also, percentage of twins, birt, and missed estrus, T1 and T3 increased significantly compared to T2 and control groups.In conclusion, the application of melatonin hormone at 20mg, 30mg concentration and Anabasis articulate extract with 3g in vaginal sponges topically did not affect the absorption of the hormone from the sponge in the three working groups, but rather improved the characteristics of the vaginal spongesThe third group results showed an improved uterine environment, with no fluid accumulation around the sponge and no infections occurrencing, as this substance contains effective compounds that prevent or limit the growth of microorganisms that cause vaginal infections such as phenols and saponins in Anabasis articulate extract. As for the Melatonin hormone, it raises the body immunity by increasing the immune system as well as improving the reproductive performance of local Iraqi ewes