Sheep and Goats Lecture Part 1

Question 1

Intact male goat is called a ____ or ____ and a female goat is called a ____ or _____. A castrated goat/sheep is called a ______.

Answer 1

Intact male goat= buck/billy
Female goat= doe or nanny
Castrated= wether

Question 2

Ewe and does are seasonally polyestrus and are ____ day breeders, breeding during which months?

Answer 2

Short; September-February

Question 3

Seasonality is affected by…

Answer 3

Day length, melatonin stimulates GnRH secretion which allows them to cycle and first ovulation occurs but transition is SILENT

Question 4

Ewes reach puberty at ___-__ months (same as in the doe). Puberty depends on….

Answer 4

6-8 months; Puberty depends on breed, nutrition, environment (housed with males), and season in which they were born

Question 5

Puberty and seasonality for the ram and buck occurs at __-___ months and adult servicing capacity is ____ years

Answer 5

5-6 months; 2 years

Question 6

EstROUS cycle of the Ewe vs. Doe:

Answer 6

Female sheep: Ewe–> 17 day estROUS cycle with estrus lasting 30 hrs
Doe–> 21 day estROUS cycle, estrus length also 30 hrs

Question 7

1. Gestation of Ewe= ____ days

2. Gestation of the Doe= ____ days

Answer 7

1. 147 days

2. 150 days

Question 8

The doe is ____ dependent thru pregnancy, so shot of _____ (_____) at anytime will cause an abortion.

Answer 8

CL dependent; prostaglandins (Lutalyse)

Question 9

Pregnancy Diagnosis in small ruminants:

Answer 9

Cull open livestock to reduce feed cost, group ewes based on stage of gestation to prevent competition and feed them adequately

Question 10

What is the most commonly used (and reliable) diag. of pregnancy in small ruminants after 20-30 days.

Answer 10

Transrectal U/S

Question 11

What are things to do before a transabdominal U/S to make sure the field of view is clear? What should you see to R/O false preg. from real preg? When can we use the transabd. U/S to see fetuses?

Answer 11

12-24 hr fast; should see fluid and cotyledons or a fetus; after 35 days until term.

Question 12

Dairy goat milk production goal is producing milk all year round, what do we have to do to make this happen?

Answer 12

Breed all year round and milk them a lotttt

Question 13

What is an effective was for increasing twin rates in small ruminants???

Answer 13

“flushing” with major increase in nutrients/food to increase E intake and reach full genetic potential. Breed them only during the n breeding szn and can use hormonal tx (eCG)

Question 14

What is an effective was for increasing twin rates in small ruminants???

Answer 14

“flushing” with major increase in nutrients/food to increase E intake and reach full genetic potential. Breed them only during the n breeding szn and can use hormonal tx (eCG)

Question 15

Male isolated for 30 days and then introduced to a female sm. ruminant causes—>

Answer 15

LH surge and ovulation 48-72 hrs later (first ovulation is silent), pheromone effect

Question 16

Bucks are left with does for ___ days. Rams are left with Ewes for ___ days (1.5 breeding cycles occur). We use hand breeding in ____ _____.

Answer 16

Bucks= 32 d
Rams = 27 d
Hand breeding is done in dairy goats

Question 17

Brucella status in rams–>

Answer 17

Brucella ovis, venereal transmission, Epididymitis and orchitis leads to infertility with increased lambing interval and decreased breeedings. It is reportable and causes infertility (not abortions like in other sp.) Test and cull

Question 18

Scrotal circumference is larger in a ____ than a bull.

Answer 18

Ram (its usually over 32cm- avg. being about 36cm)

Question 19

How can we manipulate cyclicity?

Answer 19

Artificial lights (extend light exposure), melatonin following art. light exposure (for 60-100 days)

Question 20

Dystocia in sm. ruminants is usually caused by ? What is the MOST COMMON cause of dystocia in goats?

Answer 20

Incomplete cervical dilation “ringwomb” which is when the cervix does not dilate. Expected to be genetic so cull the individual; most common cause of dystocia in goats is twins/triplets

Question 21

Pregnancy toxemia involves ruminant energy metabolism which includes….

Answer 21

VFA (acetate, proprionate, butyrate). Propionate enters directly into the Kreb cycle

Question 22

What two things fail when preg. toxemia occurs because they cannot tolerate ketones are energy?

Answer 22

Brain and fetus

Question 23

Posthitis (Pizzle rot) diagnosis and clinical signs:

Answer 23

Affects rams/bucks, urea is broken down into ammonia which has high pH.
Ulceration of prepuce, decreased libido, phimosis

Question 24

Tx of Posthitis (Pizzle rot)—>

Answer 24

Cleaning and antibacterial ointment, ammonium chloride (to acidify the patient because remember ammonia is basic pH), and grass hay to be fed without legumes

Question 25

Intersex conditions are more common in ___ ____.

Answer 25

Polled goats

Question 26

Polled goats are more prone to intersex conditions. What gene is dom and which gene is recessive?

Answer 26

The polled gene is dominant and the hermaphrodite gene is recessive

Question 27

Must be ____for the polled gene.

Answer 27

Homozygous

Question 28

Intersex conditions are easily prevented by using a horned buck, not a polled one for breeding. T/F

Answer 28

True!!!

Question 29

Intersex conditions- how does this make the polled buck sterile anatomically?

Answer 29

Efferent duct fails to join the epididymis, sperm is blocked and sperm granuloma forms as a result.