Abstract Adult Damascus does (n=18) were used in this experiment to investigate the relationship of Damascus’s does estrous activity (EA) to body weight (BW), body measurements (BM) and progesterone profile (P4) across seasons. Results indicated that season had significant effects on estrous activity, P4 level, BW and BM. Estrous percentage, estrous duration (ED), normal estrous cycle (EC), and P4 concentration decreased significantly with decreasing BW and some BM. ED increased with increasing normal EC. Short and long EC increased respectively in autumn and summer. P4 levels varied significantly among the three EC types and was influenced significantly by season during pro-estrus and di-estrus phases. Positive correlations occurred between (P4 level, ED and EC) and (BW and some BM). Conclusion, BW and some BM may be used as good criteria in raising the reproductive performance of farm animals, further, Damascus does displayed their maximal hormonal and estrus activity in autumn and winter.

Abstract: Goats are seasonally polyestrous having estrous activity during late summer, fall, and winter and showing no activity during summer and spring. The objective of the present study was to improve reproductive performance of Damascus doe goats in early summer including: estrous activity (EA), ovarian follicular (OF) growth, corpus luteum (CL) development, and progesterone (P4) profile by injection of glucose (Glu). A total of twelve apparently healthy Damascus doe goats were used in this experiment and were classified randomly into two equal groups. Animals in group A were injected by Glu via j.v.; each animal of the treated group received 94.584 g Glu daily for nine days before the expected day of ovulation. The second group (B) was injected with saline solution and used as control. All animals in both groups were synchronized by PGF2α (cloprostenol) three times (10 days between each interval and other) with notice that Glu was injected in the second interval. Blood samples were collected from each animal; the blood was then centrifuged and the serum was analyzed for P4 determination. All does were subjected to ultrasonographic examination on days 5, 9, and 19 after the third injection of PGF2α and post-treatment by Glu. The results revealed that Glu injection achieved estrous activity higher than in the control (100% vs. 50 %, p>0.05). All animals showed the estrous activity through 24-72 hours after each dose of PGF2α and post-treatment by glucose. The number of follicles (≤5mm) in the treated group was higher than in the control group (111 vs. 94 follicle, p>0.05), while the follicular diameter did not differ between the two groups. Left ovary was more active than in right ovary (107 vs. 98 follicle, p>0.05) and the ovulation rate detected from the number of corpora lutea and progesterone level was higher (p>0.05) in the treated group than in the control. Moreover, the ovulation was significantly higher in the right ovary than in the left ovary (19 vs. 9 follicles). Corpus luteum diameter in the treated group was significantly larger than in the control group (1.2±0.11 cm vs. 0.97±0.13 cm, p>0.05). The average progesterone concentration increased significantly (2.36±0.84 ng/ml) in the treated animals than in the control (0.96±0.23 ng/ml). It could be concluded that Glu treatment led to improvement of number of estruses, ovarian follicles, corpora lutea and progesterone concentration in Damascus doe goats during early summer. Therefore, treatment by energy-yielding nutrient (glucose injection) on the estrous and ovarian activity may be recommended in periods of reproductive activity impairment in goats. [Anas A. Salem, Hassan A. H, Nasrat Abd El-Ati, and Gamal B. M.. Improving Reproductive Performance by Glucose Injection in Damascus Does Goat during Early Summer. Journal of American Science 2011;7(6):884-892].(ISSN: 1545-1003). http://www.americanscience.org.