The relative biological availability of Mn in reagent-grade (RG) Mn sources was tested using 41 Rambouillet crossbred wether lambs in a completely randomized design. Lambs were fed a basal corn-soybean meal-cottonseed hull diet (37.6 ppm Mn, DM basis) or this basal diet supplemented with 0, 1,500, 3,000 or 4,500 ppm Mn from RG MnSO4.H20 or 3,000 ppm Mn from RG MnO, MnO2 and MnCO3. Feed intake w...

Sonography is a convenient, non-invasive diagnostic modality in small ruminants, often used in reproductive management, internal medicine, and surgery. Pregnancy diagnostics and imaging anatomy and pathology of organs, such as neoplasia, are major applications. Urolithiasis is one of the most common causes of death in male sheep and goats, for which sonography is the diagnostic modality of choi...

The reproductive responses to one and two inseminations of fresh extended semen were compared in crossbred sheep housed in confinement. In three trials, ewes in progestogen-induced estrus were inseminated 54 to 56 h after sponge removal. Half the ewes received a second insemination 4 or 5 h later. Resultant fertility, litter size and embryonic mortality indicated no advantage to a double insemi...

In this study twenty-four male and female one-humped and crossbred (Camelus dromedarius and Camelus bactrianus) camel meat were evaluated during two fattening periods (6 and 9 months). The characteristics of camel meat and fatty acid profile in different parts of body (leg, shoulder, loin and neck) were measured. The results indicated that the pH ultimate of crossbred...

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...

Host factors are regarded as important in shaping the archaeal community in the rumen but few controlled studies have been performed to demonstrate this across host species under the same environmental conditions. A study was designed to investigate the structure of the methanogen community in the rumen of two indigenous (yak and Tibetan sheep) and two introduced domestic ruminant (cattle and c...

A quantitative trait locus (QTL) has been identified on chromosome 18 in Texel sheep (TM-QTL) that increases depth and area of the longissimus dorsi muscle. The study aimed to assess the pleiotropic QTL effects on key meat quality traits (toughness and intramuscular fat content after >or=7 days aging) of crossbred lambs carrying one copy of the TM-QTL. The results showed that male TexelxMule la...

Lying behaviour has been shown to be highly valuable in supporting the productivity and welfare of cattle. The aim this experiment was investigate effect biological physical factors on lying sheep. Ninety-six Bluefaced Leicester x Welsh Mountain crossbred (Mule) ewes managed lamb indoors, 80 (WM) at grass were used for study. Acceleration values collected two flocks from accelerometers fitted v...

The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the effect graded level local brewery by-product (atella) replacement concentrate mixture on feed intake; digestibility and body weight change Dorper-Menz crossbred lambs fed hay basal diet. feeding period 90 days preceded by 15 acclimatization period. experimental design Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with five treatments: T1 [Control, ad lib...