• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.1110-1114
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• 2002

The animal production sector in Jordan is characterized by shortages of locally produced feedstuffs derived from rangeland, forage plants or from human food crops as by products. This is exacerbated by insufficient rainfall, overgrazing, early grazing and high stocking rate. Thus, subject to these constraints, other technological improvements are highly desirable to meet the needs of crop growth and animal production. Alternative adapted technologies are also desirable in order to meet the increased demand for red meat in relation to population growth along with the changes in the price subsidy for feedstuff. The technologies are those, which have been introduced to the animal production sector, obtained in agricultural research stations besides on-farm demonstrations. They include technologies suited for increasing birth and twining rates, synchronizing the mating period, introducing the early weaning method, and animal feed and sheep production. Economic assessments conducted in this study demonstrate promising results of hormonal and nutritional practices in improving production efficiency of Awassi sheep in Jordan. Jordanian published data between 1991 and 1998 were used. The examined practices were: 1) use of PMSG in estrus synchronization in ewes, 2) introduction of early lamb weaning program, 3) supplementation with $AD_3E$ for ewes and 4) the use of agro-industrial feed block as a feed supplement for grazing lambs. Production data were then subjected to partial budgeting for economical evaluation. The use of PMSG outperformed the control groups in fertility and net returns per ewe by US$ 8.36/ewe. The early weaning of lambs increased the net returns by US$ 3.90/lamb. The injection with vitamin $AD_3E$ showed an average additional net return of US$ 5.66/ewe. Feeding agriculture by-product blocks improved weight gain in the feed block groups and resulted in additional net returns of US$ 3.5/lamb. The economic viability and reproductive performance indicators demonstrate that efforts should be undertaken to disseminate these new practices in the development program.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.63-70
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• 1994

Thirty ewes received typical trauma to their oviducts and uterine horns from surgical embryo collection procedures. Ten percent Dexamethasone was used as an irrigant on the exposed abdominal tissue prior to closing the incision. The treatment group received 17mg colchicine Om! lewe) and the control group was administered a 1.0ml placebo(PSS). Fifteen ewes that were initially treated with 17mg /im colchicine showed acute colchicine toxicity within 2-5 days after initial treatment and were removed from the study. Due to acute colchicine toxicity at 17mg, the colchicine level was lowered to 8, 4 and 2mg(4 ewes/group). Treatments consisted of daily injections of colchicine. One ewe in the 8mg group developed toxicity on day 5. Therefore, ewes were then administered colchicine every other day from day 6 to day 14 postsurgeryat 4 and 2 mg. the second laparotomy was performed 9 weeks after first treatment. Following second laparotomy, the treatment group(n=5) received 4 mg colchicine every day for 14 days and there was no clinical symptoms of colchicine toxicity. The third laparotomy was performed by the same operators 5 weeks after final treatment and the adhesions scored. Adhesion grading was based on a scale of 0-4, with 4 being the most severe. The results of adhesion grading(> 3) at second laparotomy were not significantly different(P>0.05)between the two groups. Adhesion formation observed at third laparotomy showed a reduced, but not significant reduction (P>0.05) in the colchicine-treated ewes when compared with the controls. Ten ewes(5 control and 5 treatment)were examined cytogenetically by bone marrow analysis five days post-treatment. There was no difference(P>0.05)in the incidence of numerical or structural aberrations between the two groups.

• Proceedings of the Korean Magnestics Society Conference
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• 2005.12a
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• pp.143-143
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• 2005

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.211-217
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• 2013

A herd of polish lowland local sheep was divided into two equal groups: the first group was kept under an overhead shelter, and the second group was kept in a warm barn. The effect of maintenance on ewe's reproductive performance, survival as well as the growth rate of lambs, and their carcasses quality was investigated. The lack of differences in fertility and prolificacy of ewes as well as in the survival and growth rate between the groups confirmed a good adaptation of $\dot{Z}$ela$\acute{z}$nie$\acute{n}$ska sheep to low temperature. Harsh environmental conditions did not cause a significant decrease of the body weight growth; however, they brought in an (insignificant) reduction of subcutaneous fat thickness and meatiness of the loin part of a lamb's body. The fat content of carcasses obtained from lambs reared under the overhead shelter was significantly lower, with no differences of meat and bones contribution between the groups.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.469-473
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• 1992

Data on the birth weight, 8 week body weight and ewe body weight of an unselected random mating Romney Marsh sheep flock are analyzed to study the influence of various environmental factors. The average birth weight of lambs was 5.06 kg. Sex of lamb, birth type and dam age contributed significant variation in lamb birth weight (p < 0.05). Males were significantly heavier than females (p < 0.05) and singles were significantly heavier than multiples (p < 0.05) at birth. Birth weight of lamb increased with the progress of dams' age. The overall average 8 week body weight of lambs was 20.84 kg. Effect of birth weight, sex, birth type and dam age was significant on 8 week body weight of lamb. Eight week body weight increased with the increase of lamb birth weight (b=1.285 kg). Ewes' body weight taken before tupping was affected by ewes' age, year of performance and their weight at birth. It was concluded that performance data on lamb birth weight, 8 week body weight and ewe body weight should be corrected for the above relevantly significant environmental factors in any genetic calculation in the United Kingdom Romney March sheep.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.1690-1694
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• 2002

Genetic parameters were estimated for birth weight and weaning weight from three year (1991-1993) data totalling 1100 records of 25 rams to 205 ewes of Indigenous Sabi flock maintained at Grasslands Research Station in Zimbabwe. AIREML procedures were used fitting an Animal Model. The statistical model included the fixed effects of year of lambing, sex of lamb, birth type and the random effect of ewe. Weight of ewe when first joined with ram was included as a covariate. Direct heritability estimates of 0.27 and 0.38, and maternal heritability estimates of 0.24 and 0.09, were obtained for birth weight and weaning weight, respectively. The total heritability estimates were 0.69 and 0.77 for birth weight and weaning weight, respectively. Direct-aternal genetic correlations were high and positive. The corresponding genetic covariance estimates between direct and maternal effects were positive and low, 0.25 and 0.18 for birth weight and weaning weight, respectively. Responses to selection were 0.8 kg and 0.14 kg for birth weight and weaning weight, respectively. The estimated expected correlated response to selection for birth weight by directly selecting for weaning weight was 0.26. Direct heritabilities were moderate; as a result selection for any of these traits should be successful. Maternal heritabilities were low for weaning weight and should have less effect on selection response. Indirect selection can give lower response than direct selection.

• International Journal of Reliability and Applications
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.71-78
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• 2008

Based on the goodness of fit approach, a new test is presented for testing exponentiality versus exponential better (worse) than used (EBU (EWU)) class of life distributions. The new test is much simpler to compute, asymptotically normal, enjoys good power and performs better than previous tests in terms of power and Pitman asymptotic efficiencies for several alternatives.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.1395-1399
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• 2004

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of dietary fat inclusion on nutrient intake, body weight, milk production, return to estrus, pregnancy and lambing of winter-lambing, postpartum Awassi ewes. Thirty multiparous, winter-lambing Awassi ewes (body weight=51${\pm}$7.0 kg) were randomly assigned to three dietary treatments (n=10) for 62 days using a completely randomized design. Experimental diets were isonitrogenous, and were formulated to contain 0 (CON), 2.5 (MF), and 5% (HF) added fat, and 33% of the dietary crude protein (CP) as undegradable intake protein (UIP). On day 26 postpartum (day 0=parturition), ewes and their lambs were housed in individual pens for 28 days. Feed offered and refused was recorded daily. At the end of this period, ewes and their lambs within each treatment were combined into one group and fed their respective diet ad libitum. One fertile Awassi ram fitted with a marking harness was allowed with each group for 34 days. No significant (p>0.05) differences in dry matter intake, organic matter intake, and crude protein intake were observed for ewes fed the three experimental diets. No difference was observed in metabolizable energy intake (MEI) for ewes fed the CON and the MF diets (average 8.3 Mcal/d) diet. However, ewes fed the HF diet had greater(p<0.05) MEI compared with the rest of the treatments. Ewe body weights increased throughout the study, unaffected by the experimental diets. No significant differences in milk production were found among ewes fed the three experimental diets. No significant differences were observed in pregnancy rate (6/10, 5/10, 6/10 for CON, MF and HF diets, respectively), lambing rate and the number of lambs per ewe among the three treatments. postpartum reproductive performance of well-fed, winter-lambing Awassi ewes.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.737-742
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• 2004

Garole, a prolific small sized sheep breed of West Bengal, was introduced in the Mutton project of the Institute in 1997 to explore the possibility of incorporating fecundity gene(s) into monotocus Malpura sheep of Rajasthan. Results of reproduction and production traits in respect of Garole${\times}$Malpura (G${\times}$M) half-breds have been obtained. Of 35 lambing obtained so far from the ewes of Garole${\times}$Malpura, 45.71% were twin lambing, whereas, Malpura sheep produced mostly single lamb except 2.55% twin lambing on an average. Other reproduction traits in G${\times}$M ewes such as lambing rate, litter size at birth and weaning were considerably improved over Malpura ewes. Results revealed that the fecundity genes responsible for increasing ovulation rate and litter size have been incorporated in to the G${\times}$M genotype and it might prove a valuable germ plasm towards evolving a new prolific strain of sheep. Interestingly, survivability of G${\times}$M half-breds was almost at par with the local Malpura sheep in harsh climatic conditions of semi-arid tropics. The body weights at different ages of G${\times}$M half-breds were on little lower side compared to contemporary Malpura lambs. Average kilogram of lambs weaned/ewe lambed in Malpura and G${\times}$M genetic group was 11.86 and 11.07 kg respectively. In view of minimizing the differences in body weights and kg of lambs weaned/ewe lambed between the two genetic groups, G${\times}$M ewes has to be backcrossed with Malpura rams to raise the inheritance of latter up to 75% level. However, further research is needed to reach on certain conclusions regarding net returns from such crosses.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.333-339
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• 1991

Eighty-two ewes of Balochi breed, two to four years of age were used in a completely randomized design to study the effect of winter supplementation on their performance in Kalat area of Balochistan and randomly divided into two groups of 40 and 42 animals. Two treatments (T1 and T2) studied were : 250 gm/animal/day of a 50 : 50 mixture of cottonseed cake and barley grain fed from Oct. 20 to Dec. 18, 1988 plus grazing and 500 gm/animal/day of the same feed mixture fed from Oct. 9 to Dec. 18, 1988 in addition to grazing. Lucerne hay and wheat straw in a 50 : 50 ratio were provided to all the ewes for a period of one month from Jan. 6, 1989 @ 320 gm/animal/day to sustain them in severe winter. Same feeding levels to the same ewe groups were again fed from Mar. 1 to May 27, 1989. Three breeding rams stayed with the flock from Nov. 1 to Dec. 13, 1988. Lambing took place from Apr. 2 to May 12, 1989. Conception, lambing and mortality percentage was found different (P<.05) between T1 and T2 (12.5 vs 14.8 kg). The ewes on T2 maintained higher body weights throughout winter than the ewes on T1. The results are suggestive of improvement in conception rate with winter supplementation (flushing) and decrease in ewe mortality. Late-gestation and early-lactation supplemental feeding of ewes results in increases in weaning weights of their lambs.