Sheep and Goats Flashcards
How many days post-tupping do you scan?
60-90
What % of lamb losses are within a few days of birth?
15%
What should BCS be when put to ram?
3-3.5
What BCS should ram be at tupping?
3.5-4
What should BCS be during lactation?
1.5-2
How long after lactation do ewes have to gain back BCS before tupping?
2-3 months
How many kg of lamb do you get per ewe?
10kg
What weight are lambs weaned at?
30kg
What weight are lambs finished at?
40kg
How long does it take to increase BCS by 0.5?
3 weeks
What level can you measure instead of doing BCS?
3-hydroxybutyrate
What level should 3-hydroxybutyrate levels be?
Below 1mM
What age should ewe lambs be bred?
7-9 months
Why should you feed ewe lambs separately?
Because they are only 60% of their adult weight
Which breeds show a summer anoestrus?
Most
How long is the oestrus cycle in a ewe?
16-17 days
How long is the oestrus cycle in a doe?
18-21 days
What must happen before oestradiol surge to induce oestrus in the ewe?
Priming with progesterone
What is the first ovulation of the season like?
Silent and short (6-8d)
When do more Northern sheep come into season?
Later
For how long do they show oestrus behaviour?
24-36 hours
What are two oestrus behaviours shown by a doe?
Tail wagging and flehmen
How many times is the ewe served naturally?
4 times
Why are the uterine horns long?
Because multiple foetuses
What colour is the corpus luteum often?
Red (corpus rubrum)
Which breeds are often used as teasers?
Dorset, Finn, Romanov
How long before tupping do you use melatonin to advance breeding?
2 months
How long after using a teaser ram does ovulation occur?
2-3 days
In the transitional period, by how much can a teaser ram advance ovulation?
2 weeks
For how long do you leave in a progesterone sponge?
12-14 days
How long after removing a progesterone sponge does oestrus occur?
1-2 days
Why do you give PMSG on removal of a progesterone sponge in the ewe?
Ewes in anoestrus will revert to this if mating fails
How long is gestation in the ewe?
147-148 days (5 months)
How long is gestation in the doe?
140-152 days
For how long does the ewe need the CL?
55-60 days
For how long does the doe need the CL?
Throughout
For how long does the cow need the CL?
For the first 150 and last 50 days
How many placentomes does the ewe have?
60-80
How many placentomes does the doe have?
160-200
Which three hormones can be used to diagnose pregnancy?
Progesterone, PSPB, oestrone sulphate
Which ultrasound mode is for fluid?
A
Which ultrasound mode is transabdominal?
B
Where do you do M mode ultrasound?
Cranially around udder
Between which days can you do M mode ultrasound?
60-90
Which frequency is a rectal probe used at?
7.5MHz (high)
When would you use a rectal ultrasound probe?
If looking for follicles for AI/embryo transfer
What are four signs of pseudopregnancy in the goat?
Pseudocyesis, hydrometra, mucometra, cloudburst
What % of non-infectious infertility is pseudopregnancy responsible for in the goat?
10%
Which kind of goats is pseudopregnancy common in?
Out of season or older
How do you treat goat pseudopregnancy?
PGF2a
What has actually happened in goat pseudopregnancy?
CL continues despite lack of pregnancy
What is passed at term following a pseudopregnancy?
Mucoid fluid
In which species is polled intersex syndrome common?
Goat
What is the most common genotype in polled intersex syndrome?
Sex-reversed XX female
What is the phenotype of a polled intersex goat with testes?
Male pesudohermaphrodite
What is the phenotype of a polled intersex goat with ovaries?
Female pseudohermaphrodite
What is fertility of polled intersex XY male goats like?
Infertile/subfertile
How many days must the foetus be to be viable?
Over 140 days
Over how long does pregnancy toxaemia develop?
24-48 hours
What are the signs of pregnancy toxaemia?
Dull/depressed, BLIND, head-pressing, loose wool
Which muscle types are affected in hypocalcaemia?
All
What are symptoms of hypocalcaemia?
Depressed, weak, bloated, ruminal reflux
How long before lambing should you vaccinate to ensure colostral antibodies?
4 weeks
What 9 things should you vaccinate for?
Clostridia, pasteurella, erysipelas, chlamydia, toxoplasma, orf, blue tongue, foot rot, louping ill
What causes Scald?
Fusobacter on pasture
What causes footrot?
Fusobacter and Dichelobacter
What % of rams are unsound?
3.5-10%, possibly up to 30%
What age is puberty in rams?
5-6 months
What % adult weight is puberty in rams?
50%
What is seasonality like in rams?
Lowest out of ewe, doe, buck
What two structures does the ram penis have?
Urethral process and tubercle
Which accessory glands do the ram and bull have?
Bulbourethral, prostate, vesicular, ampullae
What % body weight are testes?
0.5%
What circumference are adult testes?
36cm
What circumference are testes at puberty?
28cm
At what age is peak ram fertility?
3-4 years
At what age are rams culled?
6 years
Where is the musk gland in the buck?
In front of the horn buds
How can you deodorise the musk gland?
With hot iron
How many ewes per ram if unsynchronised?
1 ram to 30-50 ewes
How many ewes per ram if ram lamb?
1 ram to 15-25 ewes
How many ewes per ram if fully synchronised?
1 ram to 10 ewes or less
How much BCS do rams lose per week at tupping?
0.5
What can cause staphylococcal dermatitis in rams?
Fighting
How is the ram reproductive exam different to a bull?
No internal exam
What are the testes and pampiniform plexus like on ultrasound?
Anechoic
What is the epididymis like on ultrasound?
Lace curtains
What causes scrotal mange?
Chorioptes ovis
What reaction is seen during scrotal mange?
“Nibble reaction”
Where do you aim the electroejaculator?
Ventral to stimulate lumbar sympathetic and sacral parasympathetic nerves
How many times do you pulse the electroejaculator?
5s pulse, up to 3-4x
How do you collect the semen in sheep?
In an artificial vagina
