Small Ruminants

Question 1

what’s the thing that comes out of a sheep’s penis that looks like a worm

Answer 1

vermiform appendage

Question 2

semen production begins at _____. how long until functional, mature sperm are there?

Answer 2

puberty

6-8 weeks for functional mature sperm to be produced

Question 3

when is “out of season” for male small ruminants? what happens?

Answer 3

Feb-Jul (long photoperiod)
testicles shrink + produce less sperm… but same quality

Question 4

sheep and goats are _______ ______ (what type of estrous cycle?)

Answer 4

seasonally polyestrous

Question 5

what season are small rumanants sexually active in?

Answer 5

short day
short photoperiod (Aug-Jan)

Question 6

how long is sheep gestation

Answer 6

152 d

Question 7

how longs goat gestation

Answer 7

150d

Question 8

how long is the estrous cycle in the sheep/ewe?

Answer 8

17 days

Question 9

how long is the estrous cycle in the goat/doe?

Answer 9

21 days

Question 10

lambs/doelings have a _____ cycle length than mature sheep/goats

Answer 10

shorter

Question 11

how long is estrus in small ruminants?

Answer 11

30 hours

Question 12

does are _____ in heat, while ewes are ____ in heat.

Answer 12

loud, quiet

Question 13

how long is diestrus in ewes?

Answer 13

14 days

Question 14

how long is diestrus in does?

Answer 14

17 days

Question 15

who requires a CL for a full term pregnancy?

Answer 15

does/goats

Question 16

in a doe pregnancy, what will happen if the CL regresses at any point?

Answer 16

abortion

Question 17

what during the cycle drives the breeding behaviour of the ewe?

Answer 17

hormonal changes

Question 18

rejection of male is caused by what hormone change in ewes?

Answer 18

high P4 during diestrus

Question 19

accepting ram is caused by what hormone change in ewes?

Answer 19

high E2 during estrus

Question 20

tell me the behaviours of P4, E2, and LH during the small ruminant estrous cycle

Answer 20

P4: high during diestrus, lowers during estrus

E2: high during estrus, lowers during diestrus

LH: surge at beginning of estrus, lowers during end of estrus and diestrus

Question 21

how long before breeding season should you prep males and females?

Answer 21

6-8 weeks

Question 22

why do we wait 6-8 weeks before bringing females in with the males?

Answer 22

any severe stress/illness can damage sperm, takes 6-8 weeks after damage to produce new healthy sperm

Question 23

what ist he BCS for male small ruminants?

Answer 23

3.5

Question 24

what is the ideal BCS for female small ruminants?

Answer 24

3-3.5

Question 25

what does the ram:ewe / buck:doe ratio depend on?

Answer 25

• age of male (mature rams 30-50 ewes, ram lambs 15-20 ewes)
• seasonality and breed of buck/ram
• size of breeding area (rams will cover fewer ewes in pasture situation)
• single sire vs multiple sire groups (competition b/t rams)
• synchronized females (mature rams 15-20 ewes, ram lambs 8-10 ewes)

Question 26

what is nutritional “flushing out”? and what does it do?

Answer 26

increasing plane of nutrition of thin ewes

increase ovulation rate

not effective in overfat animals
don’t increase protein >14%

Question 27

true or false: you should manage lambs/doelings separately from mature females. why or why not?

Answer 27

true

need better nutrition, adequate bunk space, aggression from mature females

Question 28

when are doelings/lambs able to be bred first?

Answer 28

• must have reached puberty before breeding season
• be at least 7-8 mo old (lamb/kid at 12-14mo)
• 70% mature BW

Question 29

you should limit the breeding season to _____ days for ewes and ______ days for does. what does this allow for?

Answer 29

ewe: 35d
doe: 42d

allows for 2 full cycles

Question 30

what is the lambing period for ewes?

Answer 30

45 d

Question 31

what is the kidding periods for does?

Answer 31

50d

Question 32

true or false: you can leave males with females outside of the breeding season

Answer 32

false

Question 33

what are the benefits of a limited breeding season?

Answer 33

• easier to manage nutrition of pregs
• nutrition and disease prevention more effective
• make mgmt more effective

Question 34

true or false: you should crutch or shear prior to lambing

Answer 34

true!!!!

Question 35

you should ______ nutrition in late gestation.

Answer 35

increase

Question 36

where does conception happen?

Answer 36

oviduct

Question 37

the embryo travels to the uterus in _____ d.

Answer 37

4-6 d

Question 38

what day is implantation on?

Answer 38

day 16

Question 39

tell me what the CL does for sheep during pregnancy

Answer 39

produces P4, maintains pregnancy for first 30 days before placenta takes over around day 50

Question 40

tell me what the CL does for goats during pregnancy

Answer 40

produces P4 for the ENTIRE PREGNANCY

Question 41

how can you cause abortion in small ruminants?

Answer 41

Estrumate (cloprostenol)

or stress them out. any sort of stress = abortion

Question 42

what is the uterine attachment to the fetus called? what does it do?

Answer 42

placentome

transports nutrients and waste

Question 43

what is the maternal side of the placentome called?

Answer 43

caruncle

Question 44

what is the fetal side of the placentome called?

Answer 44

cotyledon

Question 45

how long before lambing/kidding should you vaccinate moms?

Answer 45

4 weeks

Question 46

how long is stage 1 parturition?

Answer 46

2-12h

Question 47

how long is stage 2 parturition?

Answer 47

1-2 hours depending on # born

Question 48

how long is stage 3 parturition?

Answer 48

≤6 hours

Question 49

what is the cut off time for retained placenta?

Answer 49

> 24h

Question 50

what is the 30 min rule?

Answer 50

if in active labor (stage 2), should be under 30 mins between start and first baby, or between babies

once born, should be up and nursing within 30 mins