Effect of maintenance system on the reproduction of sheep as well as the level of some morphological and biochemical blood indicators

The studies were conducted on thirty ewes of two genotypes. For each genotype the ewes were divided into two groups: stabling and pasture. The objective of the investigation was to determine the influence of maintenance system on chosen morphological and biochemical blood indicators as well as the parameters of reproduction traits of sheep. In the first year of the studies the ewes of both groups obtained similar value concerning the size of litter. In the second year a higher value of this indicator was noted for the ewes housed indoors. In the third year of the observation the size of litter in both studied groups was high, ranging from 2 to 2.11. The biochemical analysis revealed a higher content of Hb and Ht in the blood of the ewes kept on the pasture compared with the stabled ones. Also the activity of the ALAT and AspAT enzymes in blood serum in each of the three phases, i.e. in the mating season, the fifth month of pregnancy and the second month of lactation was higher for the ewes kept on pastures compared with the stabled ones. In the pasture group, a higher activity of LDH at pregnancy and lactation and the received differences were statistically significant comparing with the indoor ones. The content of triglycerides cholesterol in blood serum of pasture ewes at all studied periods was lower than in the blood serum of stabled ewes. Moreover, in both studied groups the content of triglycerides and cholesterol was heightened at pregnancy comparing with the mating season and lactation. The content of protein for the studied ewes at mating and pregnancy was at a similar level, the increase in the concentration of this parameter was irrespective of the maintenance system at lactation.