Induction of multiple births in Akkaraman cross-bred sheep synchronized with short duration and different doses of progesterone treatment combined with PMSG outside the breeding season

Determination of the optimal PMSG dose for inducing increased the prolificacy in Akkaraman cross-brcd ewes synchronized with the different doses of fluorogestone acetate (FGA) outside the breeding season was the aim of this study. A total of 90 non-lactating ewes were randomly divided into two groups. Vaginal sponges containing 30 mg (group FGA1) and 40 mg (group FGA2) of fluorogestone acetate were inserted into the vagina of the ewes. The sponges were withdrawn on day 7 and 300 IU of PMSG (FGA1A, FGA2A), 500 IU of PMSG (FGA1B, FGA2B) and 700 IU of PMSG (FGA1C, FGA2C) were injected intramuscularly in the named above subgroups of FGA1 and FGA2. Oestrus response, pregnancy, lambing, and multiple birth rates were 100%, 93.3%,78.6% and 18.8% in the group FGA1A, 93.3%, 92.8%, 76.9% and 40% in the group FGA1B, 100%, 100%, 86.7% and 69.2% in the group FGA1C, 93.3%, 92.8%, 76.9% and 20% in the FGA2A, 92.8%, 100%, 84.6% and 36.4% in the group FGA2B, 100% 93.3%, 85.7%, 66.7% in the group FGA2C, respectively. Multiple birth rates in the groups FGA1C and FGA2C were significantly higher than in the other groups. In conclusion, the application of 700 IU PMSG was rather more effective than injections of 300 IU and 500 IU in ewes being outside the breeding season