Small ruminant breeding Flashcards
what is a ram marker harness? how do we use it?
§ male, teaser male, androgenized female
§ To determine if return to estrus
§ Only useful in season but
§ Poor predictive value
methods of preg diagnosis in sheep and goats?
§ Ram marker harness
§ Udder palpation
§ Abdominal ballottement
§ Biopryn ELISA
§ Ultrasound
Goat specific:
§ Digital palpation of cervix
§ Estrone sulfate in serum, urine or milk
when can udder palpation be used to diagnose pregnancy
§ Last few weeks of gestation
when can abdominal ballottement be used for pregnancy diagnosis?
After 110 to 120 days gestation
when can we use Biopryn ELISA to diagnose pregnancy and how does it work?
– 30 days post- breeding (Pregnancy Specific Protein B)
what are pregnancy diagnostic methods that can be used in goats but not sheep?
§ Digital palpation of cervix
§ Estrone sulfate in serum, urine or milk
when can digital palpation of cervix be used to diagnose pregnancy in goats?
Before 30 days
-After 30 days gestation can no longer feel
when can estrone sulfate in serum be used to diagnose pregnancy in goats
urine or milk
§ After 50 days gestation
when can we count fetuses in small ruminants? what is the process and technique?
§42 days after male removed
§ 50 to 90 days of pregnancy
§Hold off feed overnight
§Dry wool
§Handling facilities
Ultrasound:
§Curvilinear probe
when can we count fetuses in small ruminants? what is the process and technique?
§42 days after male removed
§ 50 to 90 days of pregnancy
§Hold off feed overnight
§Dry wool
§Handling facilities
Ultrasound:
§Curvilinear probe
why is it important to count fetuses?
Feeding ewes on the basis of litter size (+ body condition, parity)
goat cycle length
21d
sheep cycle length
17d
what is considered breeding success?
UNSYNCHRONIZED IN SEASON
Pregnancy rate to first cycle: 70 – 80%
Pregnancy rate over breeding period: 95 – 100%
SYNCHRONIZED
Pregnancy rate in season: 60 – 70%
Pregnancy rate during anovulatory season: 50 - 70%
What do you think is wrong if…
§These does were scanned at 55 to 80 days of gestation and
§80% found evidence of a pregnancy
§5% no evidence of a pregnancy
§15% found a large black echo on U/S with no structures
Caprine False Pregnancy
Caprine False Pregnancy; how common? presentation? diagnosis? treatment?
§Cloud burst / pseudocyesis
§Common – up to 10% of herd
Presentation:
§ Anestrus
§ Enlarged abdomen
§ May be no breeding history
Diagnosis:
§ U/S – no placentomes or fetus
Treatment:
§ PG – single or double treatment
A goat client with a “pet” herd
§Noticed kids born with abnormal external genitalia
§About 13% of the kids born are abnormal
§What do you think is going on?
Intersex with polled condition