Breeding seasons and lambing

seasons
 Introduction:
Reproductive parameters of sheep and goat:
Breeding age- 6-8 months
Comes to heat after lambing – 21 days after
Length of pregnancy – 147 days (ranges between 144 and 152 days)
Male female ratio – 1:20
Estrous cycle is repeated every 16-17 days on average in ewes (range 14-19
days).
Estrous cycle is 19-21 days in does (range 17-24 days).
 The estrous period lasts for about 24-36 hours in ewes and 34-38 hours in
does
 Puberty and time of first mating
 The time of first oestrus accompanied by ovulation is known as puberty, but this
does not denote complete sexual maturity.
 The females should not be mated until they are physically large enough to cope
with both the pregnancy and the rearing of lambs.
 If mated too young the female may remain stunted and any lamb/kid born will tend
to have low birth weight and vigour with lower chance for survivability.
 As a guideline, females should be mated only when they reach 70 per cent of the
average adult body weight. Adult males average body weight 35kgs. Adult females
average body weight 28kgs
 Breeding of ewe lambs and kids is more common than in past years but it is still a
practice limited to flocks in which were lambs/kids are well grown out.
 The females (lambs/kids) that reach puberty and breeding during their first
year (before cutting teeth) have a greater life time production than those not
exposed.
 However any system of management that involves breeding of ewe
lambs/kids require extra care and more feed Regardless of whether bred as
lambs or not, ewe lambs have to be handled in separate group during
breeding season.
 In male animals puberty occurs when sperm appears in the ejaculate.
 More visible signs include increased aggressiveness and sexual desire, a
change in body conformation to look more masculine, rapid growth of testis
and penis, and separation of the penis from the sheath so that extension of
the penis is possible.
 Oestrous cycle:
 Ewes and does will exhibit oestrus or heat at regular interval during
the breeding season.
 Oestrus is the fertile period and if the female does not conceive it is
repeated every 16-17 days on average in ewes (range 14-19 days)
and 19-21 days in does (range 17-24 days, though 8-10 percent of
animals may have short cycles of 6-10 days.
 These intervals may be 1-2 days shorter in young animals.
 Oestrus: Oestrus is the period of the oestrous cycle when the female
displays a behavioural sexual activity
 It is the period during which females are receptive to the male.
 The oestrus period lasts for about 24-36 hours in ewes and 34-38
hours in does.
 The number of ova shed has an influence on the length of the
period.
 Ewes and does with multiple ovulations are probably in heat longer
than those with only one ovum shed.
 Generally ewes do not show visible signs of oestrus if a ram is not
present.
 When a ram is present, the ewe in heat will exhibit mating
behaviour by rubbing against the ram, circling him, sniffing his
genitalia and wagging her tail.
 The signs of oestrus are much more marked in the doe i than in the
ewe. The outward signs include the following symptoms.
l. Reddening of the vulva
2. Tail wagging
3. Mounting other animals
4. Seeking male
5. Frequent bleating
6. Push her back
7. Stand for mating (Standing reflex)
 8. Generally the young females don't show
aggressive oestrus behaviour
9. The males are attracted by smell, sight and sound and exhibit following
behaviour
(a) Sniff the vulva
(b) Curl his lip
(c) Paw the ewe
(d) Mount and mate
 (e) The male will mount and serve the female more than once if access is
allowed. In general the only sure sign of oestrus is the female that will stand
and allow the male to mount (the standing reflex).
 Breeding and Lambing season:
 Sheep: Most of the breeds of sheep in the temperate regions are
seasonally polyoestrous (poly —many and estrous-heat) i.e. The ewes
have numerous cycles in particular season during which conception can
occur).
 However, in tropical climate the sheep can breed around the year.
 In general, climatic factors and nutrition level influence the physiological
functions in the sheep body and initiate oestrous cycle.
 In most cases the onset of breeding season is triggered by the decreasing
light intensity and cooler nights in welled ewes.
 The breeds in which the breeding is throughout the year are called non-
seasonal breeds.
 Such breeds can be manipulated to produce three lambs per every two
years on an eight months lambing interval.
 The ewes can produce lambs one in January second in September and
third in following May.
 In the farm condition generally two breeding periods, each of 45 days (at
least to cover three oestrous cycles) are Observed for effective breeding
management. The two breeding and lambing seasons followed
 Breeding Season From To
 Main season breeding September October
 Off season breeding March April
 Off season lambing August September

In general, higher fertility is observed in autumn season in the

plains and in summer season in the hilly areas. The ewes usually
come in heat about 2 months after lambing.
 Age at mating : Sheep normally attain good growth at
about 24 months (range 18-36) of age.
 Breeding too young ewes results in more weaklings and
higher lamb losses.
 It is desirable to use rams for mating from the age of 2 years
till the age of 7 years.
Goats:

 The does are more or less continuous breeders.

 It is better to breed the female once a year.
 Some goats can be made to kid twice in 18 months.
 Most does come in heat in September and March.
 The buck is sexually more active in winter and spring
The normal breeding season is
 Sept to Oct,
 Feb to March and
 May to June.
 Age at mating: Does may be mated at 12-15 months age so that
they kid at the age of 17-20 months.
 The average gestation period is 151±3 days.
 Bucks of 18-24 months of age may be used to serve 25-30 does; and
when they attain full maturity at the age of 2-2½ years, may be
allowed to serve 50-60 does in a breeding season.