Total litter weight weaned at 120 d postpartum per ewe lambing is often believed to be a measure of range ewe productivity. Genetic correlations for litter weight weaned at 120 d with prolificacy, growth, and wool traits for Columbia, Polypay, Rambouillet, and Targhee sheep were estimated using REML with animal models. Observations per breed ranged from 5,140 to 7,083 for litter weight weaned, ...

Introduction: Gonadotropin inhibitory hormone (GnIH) has been known as a key inhibitor of the secretion of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH). Ewe has estrous cycles comprising of follicular and luteal phases. Follicular phase is in turn divided into proestrous and estrous phases. Blood level of LH increases in follicular and decreases in luteal phases. The aim of the present study was to...

Reproductive performance of four, five and six-year old crossbred ewes representing six combinations ofFinnsheep (F), Dorset (D), Rambouillet (R), and White Face Western (WFW) breeding were evaluated when lambing in the winter (February-March, 1977) and in the fall (October-November, 1977). The six breed combinations represented were 3fsF, 5fsWFW; %F, 1f2D, %R; %F, %D, 1f2R; %F, %R; 1f2D, 1f2R;...

A full termed local ewe with the history of continuous straining with labored breathing for last 24 hours was presented. The animal was disinclined to move with tense and round abdomen which developed rapidly during last two weeks. Caesarean section revealed hydrallantois accompanied by multiple fetal congenital abnormalities. The ewe was under observation for four weeks. Metritis developed 12 ...

2. Propranolol, when given to the ewe intravenously, produced bradycardia and increased pulse pressure and inhibited the response of both the ewe and her foetus to isoprenaline. Propranolol, when given to the foetus intravenously, produced bradycardia and increased pulse pressure in both the foetus and the ewe, but only the foetal response to isoprenaline was inhibited. These data demonstrated ...

Rams with strong libido and desirable semen characteristics can provide more insemination doses per ejaculate and produce more progeny, improving population genetic linkage to improve the accuracy of EBV. The objective of this study was to determine if teasing rams, either by sight and smell alone (Exp. 1), or physical contact (Exp. 2), could improve libido and semen quality of rams. In Exp. 1,...

Four hundred seventy-four ewe lambs (5 to 6 mo of age) were assigned within breed to two postweaning feed treatments; 1 = alfalfa pellets ad libitum and 2 = alfalfa pellets plus 20% barley or wheat ad libitum. Ten days prior to the start of breeding, approximately one-half of the ewe lambs within each feed treatment were treated with a single injection of 2.5 mg of estradiol valerate and 1.5 mg...

Although a number of common reproductive disorders in livestock involve bacterial infection, very little is known about their normal vaginal microbiota. Therefore, we sought to determine the species composition of sheep and cattle vaginal microbiota. Twenty Rambouillet ewes and twenty crossbred cows varying in age and reproductive status were sampled by ectocervicovaginal lavage. We amplified a...