What type of estrous cycle do sheep and goats have?
They are seasonally polyestrus (they cycle during a specific season then have multiple cycles in that season)
Small ruminants are _____ day breeders
Short (opposite of the horse)
What stimulates small ruminants to cycle?
Decreasing day length
Which seasons are small ruminants reproductively active in?
Fall to winter (August to January)
How long is the ewe (sheep) estrous cycle?
17 days (range 14 - 19 days)
How long is the doe (goat) estrous cycle?
21 days (range 19-23 days)
How long is estrus in small ruminants (both ewes and does)?
30 hours (range 15-45 hours)
How long is diestrus in ewes?
14 days
How long is diestrus in does?
17 days
What are some behavioural signs of estrus in both the ewe and doe?
- Actively seeking out the male
- Tail flagging
- Standing to be mounted
What are some breeding signs seen in rams?
- Check females by sniffing vulva
- Display of Flehmen response
- Test for estrus by striking with forelegs
- Head and neck extended
What are some breeding signs seen in goats (bucks)?
- Urination on beard and front legs
- Check females by sniffing vulva
- Display of Flehmen response
- Test for estrus by striking with forelegs
- Head and neck extended
Same as the ram except they have urination as their unique sign
When should pre-breeding preparations occur in small ruminants?
At least 6-8 weeks prior to placing males with females
What should be done in the pre-breeding preparation period for rams and bucks?
- Ensure a low-stress environment (severe stress or illness such as fever or frostbite can damage semen and it takes 6-8 weeks after this damage to produce new healthy sperm)
- Check BCS (target is 3.5 for breeding)
- Start to feed rams/bucks concentrate to match ewes/does intake
What are some male factors that the ram:ewe and buck:doe ratio depend on (five)?
- Maturity of male
- Size of breeding area
- Single sire versus multiple sire groups (can cause competition between rams)
- Seasonality and breed
- Synchronized females
Mature rams can breed with _______ ewes and lamb rams can breed with _______ ewes
30-50 (mature)
15-20 (lambs)
True or False: Rams will cover fewer ewes in pasture situations
True
What should be done in the pre-breeding preparation period for ewes and does?
- Check BCS (target is 3-3.5 for breeding)
- Nutritional “flushing” if needed (to increase ovulation rate)
Don’t forget to manage the lamb ewes and does separately from the mature females!
How should the lamb ewes and does be managed seperately?
- Lambs need better nutrition
- Lambs need adequate bunk space (there can be some aggression from mature females which will scare them off eating properly)
When can you start to consider breeding an ewe or doe lamb (four)?
- They must have reached puberty before breeding season
- They must be at least 7-8 months of age (as they will lamb/kid at 12-14 months of age)
- They must be at 70% of mature body weight
- They must be in ideal body condition
What is nutritional flushing?
When you put thinner mature ewes/does on an increasing plane of nutrition (specifically energy) prior to breeding
What are two things that are important to remember when nutritional flushing?
- It is not effective in overfat animals
- Do not increase protein over 14%
How long should the breeding season be in ewes and why?
Limit the breeding season to 35 days maximum because this should be enough time to allow for two cycles in ewes
How long should the breeding season be in does and why?
Limit the breeding season to 42 days maximum because this should be enough time to allow for two cycles in does
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Review45
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Dairy 152
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Dairy 234
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Dairy 368
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Beef Cow Repro42
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Dystocia53
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Repro Tech43
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Bull BSE69
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Male Pathophysiology (ew)97
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Small Ruminants41
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Pig Theriogenology73
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Small Animal 169
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Small Animal 293
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Small Animal 359
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Equine 162
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Equine 243
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Equine Lecture 2 - Pathologies33
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Equine 398
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Equine 4150
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Prolapses46
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