The experiment tested the hypothesis that short-term feeding of barley just before lambing would be as effective as maize in stimulating early production of colostrum. Both grains are high in starch, and should provide a substrate for lactose which, in turn, promotes lactogenesis. Thirty-five Corriedale ewes bearing single foetuses and 25 bearing twin-foetuses from a synchronised mating were fe...

Variation in ovulation rate of ewes was studied with particular reference to the heterosis effect in a 3-breed (Dorset Horn, South Australian Merino, Corriedale) experimental sheep population. For the population as a whole, heterosis effect on the young (1 1/2 year-old) ewes (+0.17 k 0.06** ova, or 14.5%) was similar to that on the mature (5 1/2 year-old) ewes (+0.19 f 0.06** ova, or 12.5%), in...

The relationships between ovulation rate and nutrition remain confused, probably because of uncontrolled variation in experimental conditions. To help resolve the problem, we analyzed data from 20 experiments conducted 2002 2016, Uruguay with grazing ewes. All were carried out by a single laboratory under comparable conditions design measured variables. studies used total 3 720 ewes, purebred C...

Two experiments were performed to determine the endocrine and ovarian changes in medroxyprogesterone acetate (MAP)-primed ewes after ram introduction. Experiment 1 was performed during the mid-breeding season with 71 ewes primed with an intravaginal MAP sponge for 12 days. While the control (C) ewes (n = 35) were in permanent contact with rams, the ram effect (RE) ewes (n = 36) were isolated fo...

Ectoparasites of sheep, principally blowflies and lice, cost the New Zealand farming industry an estimated $60 million each year. This figure includes the cost of chemicals and labour used to treat or prevent flystrike and lice, together with the lost production. An Integrated Pest Management (IPM) trial project involving four groups of farmers (overall total 15) in four regions of New Zealand ...