Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T06:29:22.525Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Oestrous and ovarian activity of subtropical fat-tailed Rahmani sheep and their response to light treatment

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

A. M. Aboul-Naga ,
M. B. Aboul-Ela ,
S. M. El-Nakhla  and
A. Z. Mehrez
A. M. Aboul-Naga
Affiliation:
Animal Production Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt, and Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Mansoura University, El-Mansoura, Egypt
M. B. Aboul-Ela
Affiliation:
Animal Production Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt, and Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Mansoura University, El-Mansoura, Egypt
S. M. El-Nakhla
Affiliation:
Animal Production Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt, and Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Mansoura University, El-Mansoura, Egypt
A. Z. Mehrez
Affiliation:
Animal Production Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt, and Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Mansoura University, El-Mansoura, Egypt
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Oestrous and ovarian activity were studied throughout the year in 29 subtropical Rahmani ewes using both vasectomized rams and intravaginal electrical resistance measurements. Percentages of ewes in oestrus and of ewes ovulating were consistently high throughout the year with a detectable drop in spring months. The drop was more pronounced and lasted longer in oestrous activity than in ovarian activity. About 33% of the ewes showed continuous ovarian activity throughout the year while almost all ewes had periods of behavioural anoestrus.

Effects of artificial light regimen on oestrous and ovarian activity were investigated in 21 Rahmani ewes over a 6-month period from January to June. Oestrous and ovarian activity were slightly lower in the light-treated (L) group than the control (C) group during the period of abrupt increase in daylength. With gradual decrease in daylength, the percentage of ewes showing oestrus was markedly higher in the L than in the C group (84·6 v.37·5% during May).

It was concluded that daylength change, although limited in this region, is a main factor controlling the seasonal changes in oestrous and ovarian activity in subtropical Rahmani sheep.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 108 , Issue 3 , June 1987 , pp. 617 - 621
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1987

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aboul-Ela, M. B., El-Nakhla, S. M. & Mehrbz, A. Z. (1986). Changes in the intravaginal electrical resistance in relation to oestrus and ovulation in the ewe. Animal Reproduction Science(in the Press).Google Scholar
Aboul-Ela, M. B., Topps, J. H. & Macdonald, D. C. (1983). Relationships between intravaginal electrical resistance, cervicovaginal mucus characteristics and blood progesterone and LH. Animal Reproduction Science 5, 259–273.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Aboul-Naga, A. M. & Aboul-Ela, M. B. (1984). Oestrous activity of Egyptian fat-tailed Ossimi ewes raised at different locations. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 13, 481–486.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Aboul-Naga, A.M. & Aboul-Ela, M. B. (1986). The performance of Egyptian breeds of sheep, European breeds and their crosses. I. Egyptian sheep breeds. World Review of Animal Production (in the Press).Google Scholar
Aboul-Naga, A. M., Aboul-Ela, M. B. & Hassan, F. A. (1985). Comparative study of oestrous activity in Finn ewes and two Egyptian fat-tailed sheep under subtropical conditions. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 105, 469–473.Google Scholar
Amir, D., Rosenberg, M. & Schindler, H. (1984). Oestrous and ovarian activity of Finn-cross ewes during the post-partum and the seasonal anoestrous periods. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 103, 155–160.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ducker, M. J. & Bowman, J. C. (1970). Photoperiodism in the ewe. 3. The effect of various patterns of increasing daylength on the onset of anoestrus in Clun Forest ewes. Animal Production 12, 465–471.Google Scholar
Ducker, M. J. & Bowman, J. C. (1972). Photoperiodism in the ewe. 5. An attempt to induce sheep of three breeds to lamb every eight months by artificial daylength changes in a non-light-proofed building. Animal Production 14, 323–334.Google Scholar
Ducker, M. J., Thwaites, C. J. & Bowman, J. C. (1970). Photoperiodism in the ewe. 2. The effects of various patterns of decreasing daylength on the onset of oestrus in Clun Forest ewes. Animal Production 12, 115–123.Google Scholar
El-Fouly, M. A., Shapie, M. M., Abdel-Aziz, A. S. & Kandeal, S. A. (1977). Seasonal variation in oestrous activity in Ossimi and Rahmani ewes. Egyptian Journal of Animal Production 17, 83–93.Google Scholar
Hafez, E. S. E. (1952). Studies on the breeding season and reproduction of the ewe. Journal of Agricultural Scieiwe, Cambridge 42, 189–265.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hafez, E. S. E. (1953). Ovarian activity in Egyptian fat-tailed sheep. Research Bulletin, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University 34, 1–28.Google Scholar
Hulet, C. V. & Foote, W. C. (1964). Effects of variations in light on reproductive phenomena in ewes during the breeding season. Journal of Animal Science 23, 907(abstract).Google Scholar
Mauleon, P. & Dauzier, L. (1965). Variation de duree del' anoestrus de lactation chez les brebis de race lle-de-France. Annales de Biologie Animate, Biochimie, Biophysique 5, 131–143.Google Scholar
Mauleon, P. & Rouqeot, J. (1962). Regulation des saisons sexuelles chez des brebis de races differentes au moyen de divers rythmes lumineux. Annales de Biologie Animate, Biochimie, Biophysique 2, 209–222.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mohsen, M. K. M. (1969). A study of the sexual behaviour of the female Barki sheep and the female angora goats. M.Sc. thesis, Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University.Google Scholar
Mounib, M. S., Ahmed, I. A. & Hamada, M. K. D. (1956). A study of the sexual behaviour of the female Rahmani sheep. Alexandria Journal of Agricultural Research 4, 85–107.Google Scholar
Sefidbakht, N., Mostafavi, M.S. & Farid, A. (1978). Annual reproductive rhythm and ovulation rate in four fat-tailed sheep breeds. Animal Production 26, 177–184.Google Scholar