Abstract

This study was conducted at the field of Animal Resources Department, College of Agriculture and Forestry -Mosul University on sixty Awassi ewes and their sixty Lambs. The ewes were divided in to four equal groups (15ewes in each group) and the lambs were divided in to four equal groups (15 lambs in each group). The ewes groups were given 4 levels of folic acid (0, 4, 8, 12) mg/kg of diet daily from the period of pollination until parturition respectively while the lamb groups were given four levels of folic acid (0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75) mg/kg of B.W. orally one times every week until the time of weaning (90 days) respectively. The results of this study revealed a significant decrease in respiratory rate/minute, heart beats/minute and pulse rate/minute in ewes and lambs which were treated with folic acid in comparing with control groups, also it had been observed a significant increase in the means of final weights of ewes and lambs which were treated with folic acid. Blood picture revealed a significant increase in red blood cell count, white blood cell count, hemoglobin level, packed cell volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration and the level of lymphocytes in blood samples of ewes and lambs which were treated with folic acid, while it revealed a significant decrease in mean corpuscular volume in the same samples. The biochemical tests revealed a significant increase in total protein and globulin in the serum of treated ewes and lambs with folic acid. This study concluded that adding of folic acid with the level of 12 mg/kg for ewes and 0.75 mg/kg for lambs lead to best improve in the rate of growth of animals and increase in their weight.