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A note on the characteristics of oestrus and ovulation in Awassi ewes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

R. Kassem ,
J. B. Owen  and
I. Fadel
R. Kassem
Affiliation:
Kraim Centre for Sheep Breeding and Range Development, Salamieh, Syria
J. B. Owen
Affiliation:
School of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW
I. Fadel
Affiliation:
Kraim Centre for Sheep Breeding and Range Development, Salamieh, Syria
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Abstract

The length of the oestrous cycle observed in 20 ewe lambs and 424 ewes of the Awassi breed gave mean values of 16·4 (s.d. 1·31) days for ewe lambs and 17·4 (s.d. 1·84) days for ewes. Plane of nutrition did not affect cycle length in ewe lambs and age of ewe (from 2 to 5 years) did not affect oestrous cycle length in ewes (P > 0·05). Of 40 ewes treated with progesterone intravaginal sponges 33 (83%) showed oestrus and 28 (70%) ovulated at the first (synchronized) and 31 (78%) and 30 (75%) at the repeat oestrus. Mean duration of oestrus was 40·0 (s.d. 16·37) h (range 8 to 72) for the first and 34·7 (s.d. 11·19) h (range 16 to 54) for the repeat oestrus. Ovulation rate, measured in the same ewes, gave mean values of 1·18 (s.d. 0·460) for the first and 1·223 (s.d. 0·440) for the repeat oestrus.

Keywords

Awassiewesoestrusovulation
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 50 , Issue 1 , February 1990 , pp. 198 - 201
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1990

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