Abstract :
Twenty primiparous dairy sheep of the Mytilene breed, which were fed with a ration deficient
in vitamin A and carotenes, were divided into 2 groups of 10 animals each after a
2-month adaptation period. The animals of group A were administered vitamin A palmitate
by intramuscular injection (3500 IU/kg bodyweight), while the animals of group B were
used as controls and received only the vehicle of the preparation without vitamin A. Serum
vitamin A concentrations increased significantly in the animals of group A compared to the
animals of group B (P < 0.01) from the first 24 h post-injection and remained significantly
high for 8 days, and at 10 days post-injection they reached the pre-injection levels. The
serum vitamin E concentration declined significantly (P < 0.05) in the animals of group A
compared to the animals of group B for 8 days, when they reached the pre-injection levels.
No changes in serum vitamins A and E levels in the animals of the 2 groups were observed
20 days after the injection of vitamin A.
