Mating Season Influences Placental Characteristics, Plasma IGF Concentration, and mRNA Expression without Affecting Lamb Birth Weight in Akkaraman Ewes
Şen U. Şirin E. Önder H. Tirink C. Yaǧanoǧlu A.M. Bostanova S. Uskenov R. Tyasi T.L.
2024Hindawi Limited
Veterinary Medicine International
2024#2024
Seasonal variations significantly impact lambs birth weight and post-natal growth of lambs, yet the underlying physiological mechanisms remain insufficiently explored. Therefore, this study examined the effects of mating season on lamb birth weight, placental characteristics, maternal concentrations of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) in plasma, and placental mRNA expression levels of IGFs in Akkaraman ewes reared under extensive conditions. Ewes were mated in the breeding season (September; n = 35) and out-of-breeding season (April; n = 27). Blood samples were taken from the jugular vein of all ewes using a vacutainer in sterile heparin tubes every month from mating to parturition. Post-lambing, both dam and lamb weights were recorded, and placental characteristics were documented within 12 hours of parturition in both seasons. The number and weight of cotyledons were higher (P<0.05) in ewes mated during the breeding season than those mated during the out-of-breeding season. Also, ewes mated during the breeding season demonstrated thicker large cotyledons (P<0.05). Although placental and cotyledonal efficiencies were similar in both mating seasons, volumetric cotyledon efficiency was higher (P<0.05) in ewes mated during the out-of-breeding season than in those bred during the breeding season. Additionally, ewes mated in the breeding season exhibited higher plasma concentration of IGF-I at three months of gestation than ewes mated in the out-of-breeding season (123.8 ± 9.8 vs. 99.3 ± 11.4 ng/ml, respectively; P<0.05). Although the mating season did not affect the IGF-I genes placental mRNA expression levels, the IGF-II genes expression level was notably higher (P<0.05; fold change: 2.84) in ewes mated during the breeding season. The results suggest that mating season influences placental characteristics, maternal plasma IGF-I concentrations, and IGF-II gene expression levels of cotyledons due to alterations in cotyledon numbers and size on the surface of the placenta.
Text of the article Перейти на текст статьи
Ondokuz Mayis University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Samsun, 55139, Turkey
Kirşehir Ahi Evran University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Kirşehir, 40100, Turkey
Ondokuz Mayis University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Animal Science, Samsun, 55139, Turkey
Igdir University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Animal Science, Igdir, 76000, Turkey
Atatürk University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Animal Science, Erzurum, 25240, Turkey
S. Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical University, Agronomic Faculty, 62 Zhenis Av., Astana, Z10P6B8, Kazakhstan
University of Limpopo, School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Department of Agricultural Economics and Animal Production, Private Bag X1106, Limpopo, Sovenga, 0727, South Africa
Ondokuz Mayis University
Kirşehir Ahi Evran University
Ondokuz Mayis University
Igdir University
Atatürk University
S. Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical University
University of Limpopo
10 лет помогаем публиковать статьи Международный издатель
Книга Публикация научной статьи Волощук 2026 Book Publication of a scientific article 2026