The effects of early weaning and exogenous hormones on postpartum estrus, conception and lambing performance were evaluated with 124 fall-lambed Karakul ewes. The broad outline of the experiment consisted of two lactation periods (nursing for 48 hr or 60 days postpartum) and four hormone treatment groups as follows: (1) a single injection of 2 mg estradiol-17/3 on day 4 postpartum and on the sa...

Animal losses due to abortion and malformed offspring during the lambing period 2011/2012 amounted to 50% in ruminants in Europe. A new arthropod-borne virus, called Schmallenberg virus (SBV), was identified as the cause of these losses. Blood samples were obtained from 40 goat flocks and tested for antibodies against SBV by ELISA, with 95% being seropositive. The calculated intra-herd seroprev...

Colostrum provides newborns with nutrients and immunoglobulins that play a major role in the immune system. In this survey, immunoglobulin G (IgG) content, gross composition, mineral fatty acid composition were determined colostrum of Valle del Belice ewes aim evaluating effect lambing season. total, we analysed 60 bulk tank samples taken after during two seasons (summer winter). The IgG conten...

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of two dietary metabolizable protein (MP) concentrations on the performance and health status of Afshari ewes and survival and growth of their lambs during late pregnancy. For 6 weeks prior to lambing, 32 Afshari ewes were randomly assigned to two dietary treatments, containing low (LMP) or high (HMP) MP concentrations. The ewes in LMP (n=16)...

Makouei sheep is one of the famous breeds in Iran which is reared in Azerbaijan province for their meat, milk and wool. Fifty clinically healthy Makouei ewes were selected to study the variations in energy-related blood metabolites during peri-partum period. Blood was collected from Jugular vein from each sheep on day 7 before the expected lambing time, day of parturition and also day 7 postpar...

Goat farming holds great importance in the KwaZulu Natal province, it offers means to generate income specially sustain rural households. Employment and food security are accounted for. Proper management of goats play a prime role improving productivity herds. To discover what influence various practices have on production goats, data was collected from seventy farmers uMgungundlovu district Kw...

The objective of this experiment was to determine if providing ewes in the final trimester pregnancy with choice from diverse diet components would reduce markers oxidative and metabolic stress improve lamb birth weights relative offered only one forage species, repetitively. Fifty-four, twin bearing Coopworth [initial live weight (LW) = 69.82 ± 1.16 kg] were blocked by onto iso-energetic diets...

A new mutation in the bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) gene (FecX allele) causing increased prolificacy in heterozygous (R+) and sterility in homozygous ewes has been recently described in Rasa Aragonesa, a low-prolificacy Mediterranean breed. The current study determined, first, the effect of this polymorphism on natural and eCG-induced ovulation rate (OR) and the effect of eCG dose on re...

Breeding objectives were developed for Targhee sheep under rangeland production conditions. Traits considered were those for which EPD were available from the US National Sheep Improvement Program and included direct and maternal effects on 120-d weaning weight (WW and MM, respectively); yearling weight (YW); yearling fleece weight, fiber diameter, and staple length; and percent lamb crop (PLC)...

The study involved 120 crossbred ewes (sixty 1.5 years old animals and sixty 2.5 years old animals; initial liveweight 67.6 kg, condition score 3.7), that were mated in October. They were assigned to six treatments (two shearing treatments (shorn and unshorn) × two silage feed values (low and medium) and two extended grazed herbage allowances (1.0 and 1.8 kg dry matter (DM)/day)) designed to ev...