To determine the effects of Megalac addition on Iranian ewes' reproductive parameters, a complete randomized design was used. Multiparous Kalkohi ewes (n = 32; 3 years old) were randomly assigned to 2 groups which consumed isoenergetic and isonitrogenous control (C) or Megalac (M; 5% Megalac in diet DM) diet. All ewes were synchronized by prostaglandin injection. Blood samples were collected fr...

An experiment was carried out to determine the effect of level of digestible undegradable protein (DUP) concentration and source of protein offered to ewes in late pregnancy on subsequent colostrum production and lamb performance. Ninety-one twin-bearing ewes of mixed breeds were offered grass silage and one of six concentrate treatments for a period of 6 weeks prior to lambing. The concentrate...

Factors affecting ewe prolificacy (number of lambs born per ewe lambing) were evaluated using records on 9705 Targhee, 12,721 Suffolk, and 7231 Polypay lambings from flocks participating in the US National Sheep Improvement Program. Factors considered were ewe age and season of lambing. Prolificacy was affected by age of the ewe (P<0.001) and was highest for ewes lambing between 4 and either 7 ...

The effect of the melatonin receptor 1a (MTNR1A) gene on fertility and litter size in autumn lambing was studied with 373 ewes from a population of sheep selected for 10 yr for fertility in May and June matings. Animals were from a composite line of 50% Dorset, 25% Rambouillet, and 25% Finnsheep. Two restriction fragment length polymorphisms were present in the population, with allelic frequenc...

The incidence of positive CMT, indicative of subclinical mastitis, was studied in a flock of purebred Targhee ewes from four selection lines. The incidence of positive CMT was found to be random at lambing with respect to age and line of ewe, number of lambs born and weaned and sex of lambs, but at docking (3 to 7 weeks after lambing) increased with increasing age of ewe and number of lambs bor...

Data of 3272 lambing records collected on 818 ewes born from 689 dams and sired by 371 rams were used in the evaluation of ewe lifetime productivity (total number born, number weaned and total weight weaned). These records were collected from ewes born from 1969 to 1994 and which gave birth during the period from 1971 to 1999. Year of birth of ewe and ewe two-tooth liveweight affected the ewe p...

The present study was carried out at the Experimental farm of Animal Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt during the period from June to October 2010. The study was conducted on 30 Ossimi ewes divided randomly into two groups each of 15 animals: Group 1 is control (G) and group 2 is experimental group (G) . On thirty of day before lambing, then on ...