The recommended dose of PMSG is 500 to 700 iu per ewe.
When do you sponge sheep?
Ewes should be weaned six to eight weeks before being sponged.
How do you CIDR sheep?
To insert a CIDR, first restrain the animal and then clean the area of the vulva thoroughly. Put the body of the insert into the applicator, with the plastic tail in the slot. Apply lubricant to the tip of the insert and position the insert with the tail on the underside of the applicator, curling down.
What is flushing sheep?
Flushing – is it good practice? Although flushing by feeding a high plane of nutrition just before mating was traditionally applied to all sheep, it is actually only a short-term fix when ewes fail to reach their target body condition for mating, explains Dr Genever.
How long do you flush sheep for?
Flushing for a two-to-three-week period is not sufficient time to get thin ewes into the ideal body condition score of 3.5. A ewe that is in body condition score of 2.5 today will need 10 weeks of good grass to get her to a body condition score of 3.5.
How long do you flush ewes?
Increasing the plane of nutrition for ewes — a practice known as “flushing” — two to three weeks prior to breeding and three weeks into the breeding season can improve lamb crop in some instances.
How long do you leave sheep CIDRs in?
CIDRs are removed following the treatment period of 12 to 14 days by simply pulling the plastic tail protruding from the vulva. To insert a CIDR, first restrain the animal and then clean the area of the vulva thoroughly.
Can you reuse CIDRs in sheep?
estrus for 28 consecutive days. This information made it clear that the CIDRs could be reused as an estrus synchronization tool, but that with each use the initial spike and sustained release of progesterone was lower.
What does PG600 do for sheep?
By giving optimal amounts of PG600 to anestrous ewes, producers will have a greater number of pregnant ewes at lambing during the out-of-season lambing time.
Can sheep have lambs all year round?
Lambs are born around 145 days (or about 4.5 months) after the ewe falls pregnant. Lambing can start as early as December and go on to as late as June. Specialist breeds will lamb all year round, satisfying demand for the Christmas and Easter trade.
How long do sponges stay in ewes?
Leave them in for at least 48 hours, take them out, feed and rest them and re-introduce them 16 days after sponge removal for a week. Recommended ewe/ram ratio for the first oestrus is 10:1, with less ram power required for the second cycle. Harnesses should only be used from the second cycle.
What is ram effect in sheep?
THE ram effect is a natural method of bringing ewes cycling at the beginning of their natural breeding season. … Rams produce hormones known as pheromones. The ewes are sensitive to these when they have contact, sight and smell of the ram and this triggers their reproductive system to start cycling.
How is sponging carried out in sheep?
Sponging ewes
Some farmers will ‘sponge’ their ewes to ensure a more compact lambing down period. It is a very interesting process that involves the inserting of small sponges, which have been infused with progestogen into the ewe’s vagina.
What is a teaser ram?
A ‘teaser’ is a ram that has been vasectomised (rendering him unable to impregnate ewes), but maintains his testosterone levels, driving his libido and physical mating ability. As a result the ‘ram effect’ naturally synchronises the ewes ready for your entire, fertile rams to be introduced.
How do you mix PMSG?
Reconstitute by dissolving the powder plug in about 5 ml of the solvent provided and then syringe the resulting solution into the solvent vial to mix with the remaining solvent. Administer by subcutaneous or intramuscular injection using normal aseptic precautions.
How do you artificially inseminate a sheep?
An artificial insemination pipette with a 1- to 2-mL syringe attached is placed deep into the vagina. This method is quick and involves minimal restraint of the ewe. For cervical insemination, the ewe is restrained to limit movement and to present the hindquarters at a convenient height for easy access to the vagina.
What is one of the signs that a ewe is about to lamb?
Signs of Impending Lambing
Approximately 10 days before the ewe will lamb, the teats begin to feel firm and full of colostrum. Between then and lambing the lips of the vulva slacken and become slightly swollen. In the last hours before lambing, many ewes will separate from the flock.
How many times can a CIDR be used?
Specifically within the heifer protocols, CIDRs can be used for 5, 6, 7 or 14 days. When utilizing the 14-day CIDR it is important to remember to never breed females on the first estrus after CIDR removal due to persistent, aged follicles which are likely less fertile and would not return favorable results.
What age can a sheep get pregnant?
Sexual behavior. Ewes generally reach sexual maturity at six to eight months of age, and rams generally at four to six (ram lambs have occasionally been known to impregnate their mothers at two months).
How do you synchronize sheep?
This can be largely achieved by treating ewes with progesterone for 10 to 12 days to synchronize estrus. When the progesterone is removed, the ewes exhibit estrus and can be bred at this time. However, for the largest lamb crop, breed the ewes following the second estrus after progesterone treatment.
Can you Cidr ewe lambs?
CIDRs are not recommended for ewe lambs, primarily due to the risk of injury. Using CIDRs is the best method of synchronization for artificial insemination (AI) because the time of ovulation can be more accurately predicted than when using MGA. CIDRs and PMSG must be obtained from your veterinarian.
What do sheep eat after lambing?
After lambing, move the ewe up to full feed (6-7 pounds) of a diet containing 65% total digestible nutrients and 15% crude protein (when suckling twins). An example diet that would meet this requirement could be 4 pounds of moderate quality alfalfa hay and 2 pounds of whole corn.
How much grain should I feed my lactating sheep?
A general rule of thumb for concentrate feeding of lactating ewes is 1 pound of grain for each lamb nursing the ewe. On pasture, ewes rearing triplets should be given access to more forage. Supplemental feeding may be advisable. Protein and energy are both critical nutrients for milk production.
What should I feed my ewes?
Sheep make excellent use of high-quality roughage stored either as hay or low-moisture, grass-legume silage or occasionally chopped green feed. Good-quality hay or stored forage is a highly productive feed; poor-quality forage, no matter how much is available, is suitable only for maintenance.