This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of season, year of lambing, parity, and the effect of ram on litter size, birth, and weaning weight through 8 years. Data of 4078 lambs sired by 21 rams and 1072 ewes were analyzed by a lineal model. There was a significant effect (P < 0.05) of lambing number on litter size and birth weight, but not on weaning weight (P > 0.05). For litter size, the lowest numbers were obtained on the first lambing ewes (1.21 ± 0.03) and the highest ones inewes starting from the fourth lambing (1.69 ± 0.04). Lowest body weights were found in lambs born from first lambing ewes (3.01 ± 0.1 kg) and the highest ones in lambs born from the second (3.14 ± 0.1) to the fifth (3.15 ± 0.2) lambing ewes. The lambing breeding season had a significant effect on weaning weight: the highest weaning weights were recorded in lambs born in spring (12.70 ± 0.20 kg) and the lowest ones in those born in summer (11.93 ± 0.20 kg). Lambing year had a significant effect (P < 0.05) on litter size and weaning weight, since the values of both traits improved through the years. Effect of ram was significant (P < 0.05) for each of the traits considered: there were differences up to one lamb per litter, also differences up to 1.5 kg for birth weight and up to 6.5 kg for weaning weight among rams. In conclusion, these results indicate that environmental conditions are important source of variation in litter size, birth, and weaning weight in hair sheep under semi-arid climate.

The objective of this study was to evaluate sexual behaviour and semen quality of St. Croix ram lambs bred in a semi-desert region. In Experiment 1, 24 yearling rams were assigned to two groups: T1 with 12 males confined for 11 months; T2 with 12 males confined individually for the same period of time. In Experiment 2, 20 four-month-old ram lambs were assigned to two groups of 10 animals each. In each experiment, sexual behaviour and semen quality were evaluated every 2 weeks over 11 months. In Experiment 1, rams that were individually confined showed better sexual activity than lambs confined together (P<0.05), whereas in Experiment 2 ram lambs confined individually only showed shorter time to first mount with ejaculation (P<0.05). In experiment 1, sperm with better progressive motility (P<0.05) was recorded per yearling ram confined individually (63.4±0.2%) in comparison with rams confined together (51.60.1%). In Experiment 2, ram lambs confined together showed better semen quality (P˂0.05). In both trials, an effect of the season was observed on both sexual behaviour and semen quality (P<0.05). In conclusion, this study of St. Croix males showed different sexual behaviours according to age and type of enclosure.

The aim of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of three pFSH doses (80 mg; 145 mg and 215 mg) on ovarian response and on quantity and quality of transferable embryos of goats during the breeding and the non-breeding seasons. Ovary structures were exposed (laparatomy under general anaesthesia) and numbers of follicles and corpora lutea were registered. Surgical embryo flushing was conducted to count and classify embryos. There were more follicles (3.4 ± 1.1) in does administered 80 mg of pFSH (p < 0.05) than in goats administered 145 mg of pFSH (2.2 ± 1.1) and 215 mg of pFSH (0.9 ± 0.6). Numbers of corpora lutea, blastocysts, and recovered and transferable embryos of goats administered 145 mg pFSH (13.4 ± 3.7, 2.42 ± 1.0, 3.4 ± 1.2 and 3.2 ± 1.1, respectively) and those of goats administered 215 mg pFSH (11.6 ± 2.6, 3.2 ± 0.9, 5.7 ± 1.5, and 5.6 ± 1.5) were greater (p < 0.05) than values obtained from goats administered 80 mg pFSH (4.0 ± 1.5, 0.5 ± 0.3, 1.0 ± 0.5, and 0.8 ± 0.5). Numbers of morula of does administered 80 and 145 mg pFSH (0.4 ± 0.4 and 0.8 ± 0.3) were lower (p < 0.05) than those obtained from animals treated with 215 mg pFSH (2.4 ± 0.9). There was no effect of season upon the analyzed variables. In conclusion, under the prevalent conditions in north-eastern Mexico, administration of 145 or 215 mg pFSH in a decreasing dose schedule over 3.5 days to bred goats provided a satisfactory superovulatory result.

Three experiments were performed to determine the effect of postpartum time interval, the influence of parity (primimarous vs multiparous), and lamb weaning on the response of postpartum ewes to oestrus synchronization/induction treatments during the breeding season. In the Experiment 1 ewes were treated with an 8-days medroxyprogesterone priming and 350 IU of eCG, starting 14-18 (EPP), 24-30 (MPP), or 42-48 (LPP) days postpartum. More EPP than LPP ewes were marked by rams (p < 0.05), but conception rate was similar. In Experiment 2, 36 primiparous and 47 multiparous ewes that lambed during autumn received a 12-days medroxyprogesterone treatment followed by the introduction of rams. Ewes that came into oestrus, and that had a corpus luteum on Day 5 was greater in multiparous than in primiparous ewes (p = 0.04 and p = 0.03 respectively). Pregnancy rates on Day 35 and on Day 90 were similar. Experiment 3 was conducted with 26 ewes that remained with their lambs suckling during all the experiment, and 26 that were weaned ~27 days after birth, 3 days before the introduction of the rams. There were no differences on the percentage of ewes that came into oestrus, or the conception rate. We concluded that in postpartum ewes that had lambed during the breeding season: (1) is possible to induce fertile oestrus during early postpartum; (2) the early response was greater in multiparous rather than in primiparous ewes, although after a 35 d-breeding period differences disappeared and (3) weaning lambs early before stimulation did not improve the response.Additional key words: intensive breeding; lactation; postpartum anoestrous; progestagen; sheep. ResumenSincronización de celos en ovejas posparto que paren en otoño: efecto del intervalo posparto, la paridad y el destete temprano Se realizaron 3 experimentos para determinar el efecto del tiempo posparto, de la paridad (primíparas-multíparas) y el destete sobre la respuesta de ovejas posparto a una sincronización/induccción de celos durante la estación reproductiva. En el Experimento 1 se trató a las ovejas con medroxiprogesterona durante 8 días y eCG (350 IU), a los 14-18 (EPP), 24-30 (MPP), o 42-48 (LPP) días posparto. Más ovejas EPP que LPP (p < 0,05) manifestaron celo, siendo la tasa de concepción similar. En el Experimento 2 se utilizaron 36 ovejas primíparas y 47 multíparas que parieron durante otoño, y recibieron un tratamiento con medroxiprogesterona seguido de la introducción de carneros. El porcentaje de ovejas en celo, y ovejas que ovularon a los 5 días fue mayor en las multíparas que en las primíparas (p = 0,04 y p = 0,03 respectivamente); la tasa de preñez fue similar. En el Experimento 3 se utilizaron 26 ovejas que permanecieron con sus corderos lactando durante todo el experimento, y 26 que fueron destetados a ~27 días posparto, 3 días antes de la introducción de los carneros. No hubo diferencias en los porcentajes de ovejas en celo, ni en la tasa de concepción. Se concluyó que en ovejas postparto que parieron durante la estación reproductiva: (1) fue ...

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of three fibrolytic enzyme products (cellulase (CEL), xylanase (XYL) and a 1:1 mixture of CEL and XYL (MIX)) at three dose levels (0, 1 and 3 lL/0.5 g DM) on the in vitro fermentation of a diet for growing lambs. Bottles were incubated for 96 h at 39 C. A mathematical model was used to estimate the parameters describing the gas production (GP) curve (b, c and L). Dry matter degradability (DMD) and fibre (NDFD and ADFD) degradability were determined at the end of the incubation period. Metabolisable energy (ME) and short chain fatty acids (SCFA) were calculated at 24 h of incubation. The asymptotic GP (parameter b) was affected (p < 0.02) by enzyme product and dose level, with a significant linear response (p < 0.05). Dose level affected ME and SCFA with a significant linear (p < 0.05) and quadratic (p < 0.01) response. The interaction between enzyme product and dose level was significant (p < 0.05) for cumulative GP up to 72 and 96 h of incubation, pH, ADFD and DMD. The results suggest that application of exogenous cellulases has the potential to alter asymptotic GP and degradability of ADF and DM of a diet for growing lambs, but most of the results depend on the interaction between enzyme product and dose level. Future studies are required to determine the ideal combination between enzyme product and dose level for optimal degradation of ruminant feeds. ARTICLE HISTORY