• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제15권6호
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• pp.828-833
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• 2002

Thirty mature pregnant ewes of the Phan Rang breed with an initial live weight of 30 to 45 kg were used to compare the effects of three different diets in late pregnancy on ewe and lamb performance. All diets contained 20% of whole sugar cane, 16% rice bran, 26% cassava root and 6% molasses urea block. The remaining 32% of dry matter consisted of Jackfruit (JF diet), 16% each of Jackfruit and Cassava foliage (JF+CS diet) or Jackfruit and Flemingia foliage (JF+FM diet). The diets were fed at 3.5% of actual BW of the individual animal. The foliages were offered at 120% of the amount decided in the diets of the requirements. The JF+CS diet resulted in significantly higher feed intake than the JF diet, and also a higher feed intake than the JF+FM diet, but this difference was not significant. The ewe weight changes during the last 8 weeks of pregnancy, or from start to 24 h after lambing, were significantly different. The highest weight gain was obtained from the ewes fed the JF+CS diet. Diets had no effect on weight changes of ewes during 3 weeks after lambing but a significant effect on the litter birth weight, with the JF+CS diet giving the highest litter birth weight. There was, however, no effect on the litter weight at 21 days or litter growth rate from birth to 21 days due to the experimental diets.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.459-464
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• 2009

Data and pedigree information for Lori-Bakhtiari sheep used in this study were 6,239 records of lamb mortality from 246 sires and 1,721 dams, collected from 1989 through 2007 from a Lori-Bakhtiari flock at Shooli station in Shahrekord. The traits investigated were cumulative lamb mortality from birth up to 7 days, up to 14 days, up to 21 days, and up to 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 months of age. The models included fixed factors that had significant effects and random direct genetic, maternal genetic and maternal permanent environmental effects. Variance components were estimated using the restricted maximum likelihood procedure applying three animal models with and without maternal and common environmental effects. The overall mean of cumulative lamb mortality rate was 22.95% from birth to 1 year of age, while the overall mortality rate up to 3 and from 3 to 6 months of age was 6.14% and 12.76%, respectively. The mortality rate after 6 months of age declined as the lambs grew older. The age of dam had no important effect on lamb mortality. The type of birth was more important during the preweaning period than at later ages, and lamb mortality rate was higher in twins. The year of birth, month of birth and sex of lamb significantly (p${\leq}$0.01) affected the cumulative lamb mortality rate at all ages. The least square mean of mortality during the final one-third of the lambing period was higher than the first and middle onethird of the lambing period. Male lambs were found to be at a higher risk of mortality than females. Birth weight of the lamb had a highly significant (p${\leq}$0.01) effect on lamb mortality at all ages as a quadratic regression. Direct and maternal heritability estimates of lamb mortality ranged from 0.01 to 0.13 and 0.01 to 0.05, respectively. Direct heritability increased with age of lamb, while maternal effects (genetic and common environmental) were important in the preweaning period. These results indicate that lamb mortality can be reduced first through farm management practices and secondly by genetic selection. Both animal and maternal effects should be considered in breeding programmes for reducing lamb mortality at preweaning.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제4권4호
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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.

• 한국동물생명공학회지
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• 제37권4호
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• pp.226-230
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• 2022

The sheep can be reproduced by natural mating as well as applied reproductive biotechnology, embryo transfer (ET). However, this method in sheep is influenced by several factors such as season, photoperiod, latitude, temperature, nutrition, and breed. In addition, there is still less research on assisted reproductive technologies in small ruminants, compared to other livestock species such as cattle and pigs. Because there has been a need for an optimization and a continuous improvement of ET techniques in small ruminants. the main objective of this study was to evaluate the conception rate obtained after ET in Mongolian sheep (Dorper breed). After embryo recover, code 1 and 2 embryos (morula or blastocyst stage) for ET in the present study were 63% (63/100) and 24% (24/100), respectively. Then Each single embryo was transferred to a synchronized recipient who prepared by estrous synchronization protocol with fluorogestone acetate-cloprostenol sodium. The results demonstrated that an average conception rate and lambing rate was 35.6% (31/87) and 33.3% (29/87), respectively. Further study is still necessary, but these results indicated that single embryo of Mongolian sheep with the present protocol was enough to conducting ET when the genetically superior sheep were necessary to be expanded.

• Animal Bioscience
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• 제34권2호
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• pp.192-197
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• 2021

Objective: The present study evaluated the preservation of ram semen at 0℃ using soybean lecithin with a Tris-fructose extender. Methods: Semen was collected by artificial vagina ejaculation from six rams with proven fertility. High quality ejaculates were diluted by soybean lecithin (0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75%, 1.0%, 1.25%) using Tris-fructose extender and control (Tris-fructose egg yolk extender), respectively. The ejaculates were diluted to a concentration of 5×108 sperm/mL, followed by cooling to 0℃ in 90 min and maintaining the temperature for 12 days. The diluted semen samples were examined and recorded for sperm progressive motility, acrosome integrity at 0, 24, 72, 144, 216, 288 h, respectively. Two hundred and twenty-three ewes were inseminated for 216 h with optimal soybean lecithin concentrated semen or control via trans-cervical insemination. Results: The results showed that there were no differences in sperm progressive motility at 0, 24, 72, and 144 h (p>0.05). After 216 h, the sperm progressive motility in the control group and 0.5% concentration groups was significantly higher when compared to 0.25% concentration (p<0.05). The 0.5% concentration group demonstrated the highest survival rate and had no difference with the control group (p>0.05). At 216 h, the sperm progressive motility of all groups was still above 50%. The acrosome integrity of all groups was decreased with prolongation of storage time, but there was no difference at each time point (p>0.05). There was no significant difference in the lambing rate and pregnancy rate between the 0.5% concentration group and the control group (p>0.05). Conclusion: These results suggest that ram sperm is capable of fertilization after preservation at 0℃ with 0.5% of soybean lecithin in Tris-based extender substituted for egg yolk and produce normal offspring after insemination.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제18권5호
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• pp.637-642
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• 2005

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of dietary undegradable protein (UP) level on body weight change, nutrient intake, milk production and postpartum reproductive performance of Awassi ewes. Twenty-seven multiparous Awassi ewes (initial body weight = 53.3${\pm}$1.6 kg) were randomly assigned to three dietary treatments (9 ewes/treatment) for 62 days using a completely randomized design. Experimental diets were isonitrogenous (15.5% CP), isocaloric, and were formulated to contain 17.9 (LUP), 27.1 (MUP), and 34.0% (HUP) of the dietary CP as UP. On day 10${\pm}$3 (day 0 = parturition) ewes were housed in individual pens for 5 weeks. Feed offered and refused was recorded daily. At the end of this period, animals were removed from their pens and combined into 3 separate groups (LUP, MUP and HUP). One fertile, harnessed ram was allowed with each group for 34 days. Rams were rotated every 2 days among the three groups. Each group was offered the corresponding experimental diet. Organic matter, CP, UP and metabolizable energy intakes were higher (p<0.05) for ewes fed the HUP diet compared with ewes fed the LUP and MUP diets. Ewes fed the HUP diet gained more (p<0.05) weight compared with ewes fed the MUP diet (7.3 vs. 2.1 kg), while ewes fed the LUP diet lost an average of 2.1 kg. Pregnancy rate of ewes fed the HUP diet was 100%, compared with 66 and 33% for ewes fed the MUP and LUP diets, respectively. Lambing rate was greater (p<0.05) for ewes fed HUP (8/9) diet compared with ewes fed the MUP (4/9) and LUP (3/9) diets. These results indicate that Awassi ewes receiving adequate dietary UP level consume more feed and are capable of returning to estrus shortly after parturition and are capable of producing two lamb crops per year.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제16권7호
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• pp.983-987
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• 2003

Malpura and Kheri ewes (76) in their late gestation, weighing $34.40{\pm}0.95kg$ were randomly selected and divided into 4 groups of 19 each (G1, G2, G3 and G4). Ewes in all the groups were grazed on natural rangeland from 07.00 h to 18.00 h. Ewes in G1were maintained on sole grazing while ewes in G2, G3 and G4, in addition to grazing received concentrate mixture at the rate of 1% of their body weight during late gestation, early lactation and entire last quarter of pregnancy to early quarter of lactation, respectively. The herbage yield of the community rangeland was 0.82 metric ton dry matter/hectare. The diet consisted of (%) Guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) bhusa, (59.2), Babool pods and leaves (17.2), Bajra (Pennisetum typhoides) stubbles (8.8), Doob (5.3), Aak (4.2) and others (5.3). The nutrient intake and its digestibility were higher (p<0.01) in G2, G3 and G4 as compared to G1 because of concentrate supplementation. The intakes of DM ($g/kg\;W{^0.75}$), DCP ($g/kg\;W{^0.75}$) and ME ($MJ/kg\;W{^0.75}$) were 56.7, 5.3 and 0.83; 82.7, 12.2 and 1.16; 82.7, 12.1 and 1.17 and 83.1, 12.3 and 1.18 in G1, G2, G3 and G4, respectively. The per cent digestibility of DM, OM, CP, NDF, ADF and cellulose was 57.9, 68.8, 68.7, 52.3, 37.5 and 68.4; 67.6, 76.1, 82.3, 60.6, 44.5 and 73.4; 67.6, 76.1, 81.5, 60.6, 44.8 and 74.5 and 67.6, 76.1, 82.3, 60.6, 44.7 and 73.3 in G1, G2, G3 and G4, respectively. The nutrient intake of G2, G3 and G4 ewes was sufficient to meet their requirements. The ewes raised on sole grazing lost weight at lambing in comparison to advanced pregnancy. However, ewes raised on supplementary feeding gained 1.9-2.5 kg at lambing. The birth weight of lambs in G2 (3.92) and G4 (4.07) was higher (p<0.01) than G1 (2.98), where as in G1 and G3 it was similar. The weight of lambs at 15, 45 and 60 days of age were higher in G2, G3 and G4 than in G1. Similarly, the average daily gain (ADG) after 60 days was also higher in G2, G3 and G4 than in G1. The milk-yield of lactating ewes in G2, G3 and G4 increased up to 150-250 g per day in comparison to G1. The birth weight, weight at 15, 30, 45 and 60 days, weight gain and ADG at 30 or 60 days was similar both in male and female lambs. It is concluded from this study that the biomass yield of the community rangeland is low and insufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of ewes during late gestation and early lactation. Therefore, it is recommended concentrate supplementation at the rate of 1% of body weight to ewes during these critical stages to enhance their production performance, general condition as well as birth weight and growth rate of lambs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제24권8호
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• pp.1041-1047
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• 2011

Data on 2,365 Mecheri sheep (1,201 males and 1,164 females), maintained at the Mecheri Sheep Research Station, Pottaneri, India, and recorded between 1979 and 2006, were analysed to study the growth related traits and their genetic control. The body weights at different ages (i.e. at birth, weaning (3 months), 6, 9 and 12 months) were recorded and collected from the birth and growth registers maintained in the farm. The average weights of Mecheri sheep at birth, and at 12 months of age were $2.24{\pm}0.01$ and $16.81{\pm}0.15$ kg respectively. The pre- and post-weaning average daily weight gains were $63.84{\pm}0.75$ and $29.52{\pm}0.43$ g respectively. Study revealed a significant difference with the period of lambing on body weight, weight gain and efficiency in weight gain at different stages of growth. Males were heavier and had a higher weight gain than females at almost all stages of growth and the differences tended to increase with age. The direct heritability estimates increased from birth to six months of age and then decreased. The direct heritabilities of all body weights at different stages of growth were low to moderate in magnitude and the values at birth, weaning, six, nine and 12 months of age were 0.08, 0.17, 0.21, 0.13 and 0.10 respectively. For the estimation of heritability at birth and three months body weights, the direct additive genetic and maternal additive genetic effects have to be taken into account and for the estimation of six months weight, the direct additive genetic and maternal permanent environmental effects have to be included in the model. The estimates of heritability, phenotypic and genetic correlations among the different body weights indicated that the selection for improving the body weights at different traits should be done on the basis of three or six months weight because of higher heritability estimates and having higher genetic correlations with other traits.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• 제60권5호
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• pp.14.1-14.12
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• 2018

Background: Sheep production is a major component of the livestock sector in Ethiopia. The country owing to the large population of 30.70 million estimated numbers of sheep in the country and out of which about 72.14% are females, and 27.86% are males with diverse genetic resources. The real value of indigenous breeds was often under-estimated mostly due to their poor appearance and relatively low productivity. Developing countries in most cases opt for exotic breeds to increase animal productivity through crossbreeding or breed substitution without properly investigating the production potential of the indigenous breeds. The main objective of the research was to identify sheep flock composition and structure, farmers' traits of interest and breeding objective of Wollo highland sheep, and their $F_1$ crossbreed progenies. Results: Smallholder farmers' flock synthesized from breeding ewes, breeding rams, pre-weaned ewe lambs, pre-weaned ram lambs, unproductive ewes, castrated and fattened rams, with the percentage coverage of 29.2, 13.3, 15.5, 16.5, 12.4, and 12.5%, respectively. The maximum number of flock size was 289.0 sheep per flock and higher in the third stratum. The off-take rate percentage of the three strata presented as 21.9% in 1st stratum, 12% in the 2nd stratum, and 16.4% in the 3rd stratum and higher off-take rate recorded in the first stratum. Sheep producer's traits of interest ranked by growth rate (first), body size (second) and marketing value was third rank. Communal breeding (random mating), village based controlled breeding, mixed type and private ram controlled breeding practice were comprised of 39.7, 61.7, 52 and 71.3%, respectively. The percentages of ewes per flock composition were presented as 36.5, 27.1 and 25.5%, respectively in the 3rd stratum, 2nd stratum and 3rd stratum in the order of their importance's. Conclusion: Genetic improvement practices at smallholder sheep producers situation was showing promising outcome with indigenous Washera $F_1$ crossbred lambs and which designated for weaning rate, body size, marketing age, age at first lambing, good temperament and large litter size in the order of their rank. The contemporary breeding practice tendency indicated that, reduced flock size to improve flock productivity via crossbreeding practices.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제19권4호
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• pp.521-525
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• 2006

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of flushing of ewes with concentrate pellets just before the mating season on their nutrient utilization and reproductive performance on farms. Forty-eight Malpura ewes, 1-5 years old were randomly divided into 2 groups of 24 each (G1and G2). Ewes in both the groups were grazed on natural rangeland from 07.00 to 18.00 hr followed by night shelter in animal shed. G1 ewes were maintained on sole grazing while G2 ewes, in addition to grazing, received concentrate pellets at the rate of 1.5% of their body weight. The mean biomass yield of the community rangeland was 0.46 ton DM/hectare. The intakes of DM (g/kg $W^{0.75}$), DCP (g/kg $W^{0.75}$) and ME (MJ/kg $W^{0.75}$) were higher (p<0.01) in G2 as compared to that of G1 being 86.5, 10.2 and 1.15 and 57.5, 4.7 and 0.75, respectively. The digestibility of DM, OM, CP, NDF and hemicellulose were also higher (p<0.01) in G2 as compared to that of G1 being 57.2, 76.7, 78.9, 51.9 and 81.6 and 50.8, 68.7, 68.4, 45.4 and 74.4, respectively. The conception rate was higher (79.2%) in flushed ewes as compared to that of non-flushed (66.7%). Five of the pregnant ewes died and another 5 aborted in G1 while in G2, 5 ewes aborted with no mortality. The lambing was higher (73.7%) in G2 than that in G1 (37.5%). The birth weight of lambs was higher (p<0.05) in G2 (3.47 kg) than that in G1 (2.95 kg). Further, the birth weight of male lambs was higher (3.28) than that of female lambs (3.14). It is concluded that the biomass yield of the community rangeland in semi-arid region of India is low and insufficient to meet the nutrient requirement of ewes prior to mating season. However, concentrate supplementation at the rate of 1.5% of body weight to ewes during this critical stage enhanced their plane of nutrition, reproductive performance, body condition and birth weights of lambs.