for decreasing the numberofbreedingewes onpastures and prevention of demolition pastures, animal breedingprograms are necessary on genes with major effects on litter size in iranian sheep breeds for identify effective candidate genes on these economical traits .the gdf9 gene is one of the most important effective factors on litter size in sheep. the aim of the present study was to identify g2, ...

Our objectives were to evaluate maternal body changes in response to dietary restriction or the increased nutrient requirement of fetal growth. In Exp. 1, 28 mature crossbred ewes (61.6 +/- 1.8 kg initial BW) were fed a pelleted forage-based diet to evaluate effects of pregnancy and nutrient restriction on visceral organ mass. Treatments were arranged in 2 x 3 factorially, with dietary restrict...

The difficulty of cervical penetration severely limits the use of transcervical AI (TAI) in sheep, and trauma from cervical manipulation (CM) may reduce fertility after TAI. We investigated the effects of cervical dilation using exogenous oxytocin (OT) to facilitate TAI and its effects on reproductive variables after laparoscopic AI (LAI). Estrus was synchronized by inserting pessaries impregna...

An experiment was conducted to ascertain if follicles could reach ovulatory size after the largest follicle (dominant) has been removed at different times during a progestin treatment in anestrous ewes, and secondly to determine if these new follicles could respond to an hCG-induced ovulation and have similar function as corpora lutea. Mature crossbred sheep (n=44) in anestrous were treated wit...

Colostrum is the first secretion of mammary gland and used as an essential food for newborns in hours life. The objective this work to evaluate nutritional quality colostrum postpartum period, its variation over 72 influence on lamb weight gain. experiment was carried out using 38 crossbred ewes from Texel Suffolk their respective lambs, evaluating values protein, fat, lactose, total solids, sa...

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the ejaculation rate (serving capacity) of sexually experienced rams could be estimated by selected measures of sexual libido when rams were exposed to estrous ewes under conditions that prevented copulations. Twenty-four crossbred rams selected for either high or low rates of copulation were exposed to two restrained estrous ewes under three t...

BACKGROUND The effect of different thawing procedures for ram semen frozen in minitubes and mini straws on the fertility of sheep was tested in a field trial. METHODS Altogether, 719 Norwegian Crossbred ewes, aged between six months and six-and-a-half years from 8 farms, were inseminated vaginally in natural oestrus with frozen-thawed semen. Minitubes were thawed at 70 degrees C for 8 sec (T7...

Synchronization of estrus and ovulation are of paramount importance in modern livestock improvement programs. These methods are critical for assisted reproduction technologies, including artificial insemination and embryo transfer, that can increase productivity. In the current study, subcutaneous implants containing norgestomet were placed for long (14 days), medium (9 days), and short (5 days...