Abstract

Abstract
This study was carried out during a period from 20-11-2006 to 20-3-2007.36
does were used with age ranged between 3.5-4 month and with homogenized
weights. Does were divided randomly into 3 groups and fed on three levels of
protein 12%, 14% and 16% respectively for a period two weeks before breeding
season.
weights of does were recorded at the beginning and finishing of
experiment. At last two weeks of pregnancy does were divided randomly into four
groups, and fed on four treatments of (Nigella sativa L.) powder (0, 1, 2, 3%) , the
feeding continued until does birth, does were weighed at starting and finishing of
treatments , the kids were weighed at 3 days to six weeks of age. The aim of this
study was to find the effect of levels of protein on weight gain of does during
mating, fertility percentage and number of borns /doe lambing, in addition to
find the effect of protein levels, birth type and dominance for sex on gestation
length and also to study the effect of black seed treatments, birth type and
dominance for sex on weekly total weights/doe lambing, total weight gain and
average daily weight gain /doe lambing. The results obtained of this study can be
summarized as follows:
1- Does fed on treatment consists of 16% protein appeared significantly
(P<0.05) highest weight gain compared with does fed on treatments 12and
14% of protein by 61.704 and 12.503 gm respectively.
2- The mean of fertility percentage was 86.1%, feeding does before two weeks of
mating had a significantly effect (P<0.05) on fertility where as does fed on
16% and 14% of protein had a highest fertility compared with does fed on
12% protein .
3- The mean of gestation length for doe was 31.543 day ,and this trait was not
affected by the treatments of protein prior to mating , type of birth and
dominance for sex t.
4- The overall mean for number of litters was 5.594. levels of protein did not
show significant effect on this trait.
5- The overall means for litter weights were 360.211 , 543.081,
1016.896,1383.086,1928.812,2755.037 and 3341.221gm respectively at 3day
and at first ,second, third, fourth and fifth week of age . The fourth treatment
(3% black seed) appeared significantly superiority (P<0.05) in litter weight
/doe lambing compared to control does at all ages, also the litter weights of
fourth treatment inquired significantly superiority compared with litter
weights of second and third treatment at three day and at first ,second , third
and fourth week of age. The litters of eighth birth type exceeded significantly
weights of litters of triple, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh birth type.

Moreover, the litters belonging to dams which have males more than females
, recorded weights higher significantly than those litters belonging to dams
have males less than females at fourth and fifth week of age.
6- The overall mean of total weights gain of litters /doe lambing was 2981.01
gm. The treatments of black seed had no significant effect on total weights
gain of litters /doe lambing .The birth type affected significantly on this trait.
7- The overall mean of daily weight gain of litters /ewe doe lambing was 74.525
gm. The effect of protein levels did not affect on this trait , also the results
explain that dams of eighth birth type and over exceeded
significantly(P<0.05) in daily weight gain compared withlitters belonging to
dams of triple ,fourth and fifth birth type.