Glucose turnover parameters were obtained in fed and fasted wethers, ewes and pregnant ewes in their 2nd and 3rd trimesters, using a jugular bolus injection of D-glucose-2-3H. Fasting significantly (P less than 0,05) reduced glucose turnover (c. 40%) in both the wether and the non-pregnant ewe. A somewhat larger difference (c. 54%) between the fed and fasted ewes was found in their 3rd trimeste...

Ewe productivity is synonymous with annual litter-weight weaned (LWW) per ewe exposed to rams for breeding, and LWW is largely a function of number of lambs born (NLB) and weaned (NLW). Selecting for LWW should increase litter size and numbers of ewe-ram co-twins. Thus, we used historical records to determine whether sex of co-twin affected lifetime productivity of twinborn ewes. United States ...

This study was conducted to estimate the genetic parameters of litter size (LS) in Moghani sheep using threshold model via Bayesian approach. The data originated from the Jafar-Abad Station of Ardabil province, Iran, and included 9698 lactation records of 4977 ewes with lambings from 1995 until 2010. The pedigree file consisted of data on animals born from 1987 to 2010. The significance of fixe...

In this study 71 head of conceiving ewe and their progeny (91 head) from the flock of Lori-Bakhtiari sheep (360 head), in Sholi Station were randomly selected to determine the relationship between the immunoglobulin (IgG) concentration in the ewe's serum and colostrum, and lamb's serum. Ewe blood sample, colostrum of ewe and blood of the lamb was taken 2 weeks before parturition, 1 to 8 hours a...

Records from 2,525 adult Targhee ewes and 10,099 lambs were used to estimate genetic parameters in an animal model for ewe stayability (STAY), productive life (PL), adult BW (AW) and BCS, fleece characteristics, and number of lambs born (NLB) and for lamb BW at birth and approximately 45 d, 120 d (120W; weaning), 12 mo, and 18 mo of age. Stayabilities were analyzed as overall stayability (STAYn...

Data were recorded for annual reproduction, wool traits and pre-joining live weight of between 992 (for staple strength) to approximately 1200 production records of Merino ewes over the period from 1997 to 2002. The resource population has been divergently selected from the same base since 1986, either for (H line) or against (L line) maternal multiple rearing ability. When expressed relative t...

O NE hundred seventy-nine ewe lambs from a three-breed polyallel cross involving the Willamette, Suffolk and Hampshire breeds were used to study the genetic aspects of fertility. Ewe birth weight, ewe weight at mating and fertility were analyzed in relation to heterosis, general combining ability, maternal effect, reciprocal differences, and the effects of a hormone treatment. Treatment consist...

The effect of level of dietary energy and protein intake on reproductive performance was studied in 110 Finn-cross ewe lambs and in 404 Finn-cross yearling ewes during late gestation. Nitrogen metabolism was studied in 26 ewe lambs and 23 yearling ewes. Increasing digestible energy and crude protein intake for ewe lambs and yearling ewes during late gestation increased (P<.05) ewe average daily...

Lifetime (5 yr) lamb production and wool production from 207 straightbred Targhee (T) and 474 1/4 Finn-1/4 Dorset-1/2 Targhee (FDT) crossbred ewes managed in a range or farm flock system were evaluated for ewe fertility, prolificacy, ewe fleece weight, and total lamb weight weaned per ewe exposed. Data included 2,620 ewe exposures, 2,384 parturitions, 4,638 lambs born, and 3,498 lambs weaned. E...