EFFECT OF CRYSTALLINE PROGESTERONE LEVELS ON OVARIAN CHANGES OF LOHMANN BROWN HENS

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Department of Animal Science, Bayero University, Kano to determine the effect of crystalline progesterone on ovarian changes of eighteen Lohmann Brown hens between March to July, 2017. A single factor completely randomized design was used with each treatment replicated three times. Six different doses (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 mg/bird) of crystalline progesterone were administered intramuscularly via the keel muscle twice a week for a total period of six weeks. Data obtained were analyzed using GraphPad InStat® statistical package. Results revealed that median ovulation rate (33.3%) in the 5 mg crystalline progesterone group decreased significantly by a magnitude of 66.7% when compared to its corresponding value (100%) in control birds.No significant changes were observed in median weights of ovarian stroma and oviduct across crystalline progesterone treatment groups.Significant decrease was recorded in median count of large yellow follicles across crystalline progesterone treatment groups.There were no significant differences in median counts of small yellow, large white and medium white follicles. In conclusion, crystalline progesterone has effect on the birds ovulation rate, large yellow follicle count, laying pause days, egg sequence length, egg shell weight and egg yolk and albumen volumes in Lohmann Brown hens. It is therefore commended that crysteline progesterone could administerd on laying birds up to 20 mg.