Effects of supplementation on production and age anticipation at first mating of ewe lambs in tropical pastures

Docking the tail of lambs is a standard husbandry procedure and is achieved through several techniques including clamps, hot or cold knives and latex rings, the last of which is the most popular. All tail docking methods cause acute pain which can be reduced by application of local anesthetic, however precise anatomical injection for optimal efficacy requires considerable skill. This pen trial evaluated the ability of local anesthetic (LA) delivered with a dual function ring applicator/injector to alleviate acute tail docking pain. Thirty ewe lambs were assigned to one of three treatment groups (n = 10 per group): ring plus local anesthetic (Ring LA), ring only (Ring) and sham handled control (Sham). Lambs were videoed and their behavior categorized every five minutes for the first hour and every 10 min for the subsequent two hours after treatment. There was a significant effect (p < 0.001) of treatment on total active pain related behaviors in the first hour, with Ring lambs showing higher counts compared to Ring LA or Sham. Ring lambs also displayed a significantly higher count of combined abnormal postures (p < 0.001) than Ring LA or Sham lambs. Delivery of 1.5 mL of 2% lignocaine via the dual action device abolished abnormal behaviors and signs of pain in Ring LA lambs. However, lambs in the Ring LA group spent less time attempting to suckle compared to Ring and Sham lambs, suggesting that some residual discomfort remained.

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A note on attainment of puberty of september-born early-maturing ewe lambs in relation to level of nutrition

Animal Science ◽

10.1017/s0003356100020444 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 53 (3) ◽

pp. 407-409 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

F. Forcada ◽

J. A. Abecia ◽

L. Zarazaga

Keyword(s):

Sexual Activity ◽

Breeding Season ◽

Ovulation Rate ◽

Corpora Lutea ◽

Plasma Progesterone ◽

Ewe Lambs ◽

Early Maturing ◽

Age At Puberty

The attainment of puberty in September-born early-maturing ewe lambs was studied at Zaragoza (latitude 41° 40' N). Thirty twin Salz females were allocated to two groups receiving two nutrition levels after 3 months of age: high (500 g/day lucerne hay and 500 g/day concentrate) (H) and low (500 g/ day lucerne hay) (L). Oestrus was detected daily by aproned rams. Corpora lutea were counted after oestrus and plasma progesterone levels monitored each week.In the first breeding season (January to February) the percentage of females showing sexual activity (silent emulation or oestrus and ovulation) was higher in the H compared with the L group (67 and 20%; P < 0/05). Nonpubertal oestrus before the main breeding season was detected in 67% of animals. In the main breeding season and for H and L groups respectively, percentage of females showing silent ovulation before puberty was 67 and 33% and mean age at puberty extended to 319 (s.e. 4-8) and 314 (s.e. 3·7) days. Ovulation rate at puberty was 1·73 (s.e. 0·13) and 1·33 (s.e. 0·15) respectively (P < 0·05).

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Effects of Brosimum alicastrum and Lysiloma latisiliquum mixtures on voluntary intake, nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance in sheep fed tropical pastures

Animal Feed Science and Technology ◽

10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2007.06.033 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 141 (3-4) ◽

pp. 246-258 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

A. Castro-González ◽

J.A. Alayón-Gamboa ◽

A. Ayala-Burgos ◽

L. Ramírez-Avilés

Keyword(s):

Nitrogen Balance ◽

Nutrient Digestibility ◽

Tropical Pastures ◽

Brosimum Alicastrum ◽

Voluntary Intake

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The effect of stage of breeding season or pre-mating oestrogen and progestagen therapy on fertility in ewe lambs

Animal Science ◽

10.1017/s0003356100007959 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 59 (3) ◽

pp. 429-434 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

N. F. G. Beck ◽

M. C. G. Davies

Keyword(s):

Breeding Season ◽

Corpora Lutea ◽

Oestrogen Therapy ◽

Crown Rump Length ◽

Ewe Lambs ◽

Oestradiol Benzoate

AbstractAn investigation was conducted to determine the effect of mating at puberty or third oestrus or after pre-mating oestrogen and progestagen therapy, designed to mimic the changes that occur in plasma oestrogen and progesterone concentrations during the 1st, 2nd or 3rd oestrous cycles, on fertility in ewe lambs. Twenty-five ewe lambs were mated at puberty on mean date of 18 October and 21 were mated at third oestrus on 3 December. Of these, 28% and 81% of animals mated at puberty and third oestrus lambed, respectively (P < 0·05). A similar number of ewe lambs were mated within 24 h of ram introduction in the groups given one, two or three consecutive applications oestrogen and progestagen (25 μg oestradiol benzoate followed 48 h later by a progestagen pessary left in situ for days). Of the 43 corpora lutea, 21 were represented by viable embryos in the 37 animals holding to service after one application compared with 34 out of 46 corpora lutea in 40 animals given three applications (P < 0·05). Furthermore, embryo crown-rump length, embryo weight and amniotic sac width was greater (P < 0·05), on day of pregnancy, in animals given one compared with three applications of oestrogen and progestagen. These results demonstrate that fertility is improved in ewe lambs mated on third oestrus or after progestagen and oestrogen therapy designed to simulate three oestrous cycles.

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A comparison of zulu sorghum, bulrush millet and white panicum in terms of yield, forage quality and milk production

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1071/ea9750211 ◽

1975 ◽

Vol 15 (73) ◽

pp. 211 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

TH Stobbs

Keyword(s):

Milk Production ◽

Nutritive Value ◽

Mature Stage ◽

Tropical Pastures ◽

Dry Matter Digestibility ◽

Large Bulk ◽

Feeding Value ◽

Calcium Magnesium ◽

Nitrogen Phosphorus

Yield and nutritive value of three summer annual forages, hybrid forage sorghum (Sorghum spp. hybrid cv. Zulu), bulrush millet (Pennisetum typhoides cv. Tamworth) and white panicum millet (Echinochloa crusgalli var. edulis) were determined in three experiments. Uninterrupted growth was measured every 2 weeks between 4 and 12 weeks after sowing, and leaf, stem and inflorescence components analysed for nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium and dry matter digestibility by an in vitro technique. The value of 10-week-old herbage, from crops grown with 50 kg ha-1 N, was determined by grazing with 18 Jersey cows and by feeding chopped material to 12 cows indoors. White panicum was the lowest yielding forage (up to 6,360 kg ha-1 at 10 weeks) but contained the highest concentration of nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium in both leaf and stem fractions at all stages of growth. After 10 weeks growth this feed contained a high proportion of seed and was eaten in arger quantities than zulu sorghum or bulrush millet. Cows grazing white panicum produced the highestr lmilk yields (6.5 and 7.1 kg cow-1 day-1 indoors and grazed) and milk from these cows contained a highe solids-not-fat and protein content than milk from cows fed bulrush millet or sorghum. Zulu sorghum was highest yielding (1 1,240 kg ha-1 at 12 weeks in experiment 1 and 81 50 kg ha-1 at 10 weeks in experiment 2). With advancing maturity stem content increased (>80 per cent from 8 weeks onwards) and the nitrogen content of both leaf and stem fractions rapidly declined to sub-optimum levels. Milk production of cows feeding on zulu sorghum was low, averaging 4.7 and 6.0 kg cow-1 day-1 for indoor and grazing experiments. Bulrush millet produced high forage yields with a higher leaf content than zulu sorghum and milk yields were higher. Butterfat content of milk from cows feeding on bulrush millet was lower than when cows were fed the other forages. It was concluded that these three forages are capable of providing a large bulk of feed but their feeding value at a semi-mature stage of growth is similar to perennial tropical pastures.

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