Adult East Freisan crossbred (n = 220) and Chios ewes (n = 105) were divided into four groups and inseminated with chilled semen, which had been stored for 7, 13, 20 or 26 h at 5°C. Unilateral intrauterine insemination (50 x 10 6 spermatozoa in 0.25 ml) was performed with the aid of a laparoscope. Inseminations were carried out 48 – 52 h after pessary removal (30 mg FGA) without detecting estru...

Lambing performance of sheep is the most important economic trait and is regarded as a critic factoring affecting the productivity in sheep industry. Ovary plays the most roles in lambing trait. To establish the optimum two-dimensional electrophoresis system (2-DE) of ovine ovarian tissue, the common protein extraction methods of animal tissue (trichloroacetic acid/acetone precipitation and dir...

An experiment of factorial design was conducted to quantify variation in the components of reproductive wastage in Merino ewes following artificial insemination (AI) in either January, March or May. Semen from 6 individual rams was used in either fresh or deep frozen form, the latter providing a ram "control" to identify variation in wastage as of either paternal or maternal origin. Results sho...

Test-day records of purebred Tsigai, Improved Valachian and Lacaune ewes were analysed with a general linear model in order to investigate the effects of flock-test day, lactation number, days in milk, litter size and month of lambing. In total, 121 576 (Tsigai), 247 902 (Improved Valachian) and 2 196 (Lacaune) test-day records gathered over the period 1995–2005 were included in the analyses. A...

This study tested the impact of moxidectin at peripartum on nematode fecal egg count (FEC) and clinical parameters on ewes in the high altitude tropical Andes of Colombia. FEC and clinical evaluations were performed on 9 occasions in 43 naturally infected ewes before and during gestation and after lambing. Moxidectin (Mox, 200 µg kg(-1)) was applied at late pregnancy (T 1, n = 15) or 48 hours a...

The reproductive responses to one and two inseminations of frozen-thawed semen were compared in fat-tailed ewes which had previously been used in controlled reproduction programs aimed at estrus synchronization, multiple ovulation embryo transfer, and out of breeding season. In the trials, mature dry (n = 50) ewes in progestagen-induced estrus were inseminated 54 to 56 h after sponge removal. H...

To determine the effects of Megalac addition on Iranian ewes' reproductive parameters, a complete randomized design was used. Multiparous Kalkohi ewes (n = 32; 3 years old) were randomly assigned to 2 groups which consumed isoenergetic and isonitrogenous control (C) or Megalac (M; 5% Megalac in diet DM) diet. All ewes were synchronized by prostaglandin injection. Blood samples were collected fr...

Previously, the concept of a gestation period of sheep shorter than 121 days was unheard of in the field of sheep biology. Our findings during a farmers’ survey in the Lotkho area of Chitral, Pakistan, revealed that the sheep native to the region, locally called “Kari”, gestates for a period of only three months. This duration is 25-40% short of the usual gestation length and is shorter than ev...

The experiment tested the hypothesis that short-term feeding of barley just before lambing would be as effective as maize in stimulating early production of colostrum. Both grains are high in starch, and should provide a substrate for lactose which, in turn, promotes lactogenesis. Thirty-five Corriedale ewes bearing single foetuses and 25 bearing twin-foetuses from a synchronised mating were fe...

An experiment was carried out to determine the effect of level of digestible undegradable protein (DUP) concentration and source of protein offered to ewes in late pregnancy on subsequent colostrum production and lamb performance. Ninety-one twin-bearing ewes of mixed breeds were offered grass silage and one of six concentrate treatments for a period of 6 weeks prior to lambing. The concentrate...