Lambing Performance of Finn Crossbred Ewes

Increased prolificacy of our domestic ewe flock offers one potential means of increased production per ewe unit. Utilization of a known littering breed, such as the Finnsheep, in a crossbreeding program on the ewe side offers an opportunity to increase the lamb drop from our domestic breeds. Results of studies at South Dakota State University utilizing Finn crossbred ewes are reported in this paper

Reproductive Performance of Ewes Treated with Melatonin

Extending the breeding season in the ewe offers several potential benefits to the producer. In addition, this may result in a more constant supply of fresh lamb which could have a major beneficial impact on the slaughter and merchandising segment of the industry. By nature, the ewe is a short day breeder, normally conceiving in the fall-winter period. Physiologically, the breeding season in the ewe is triggered by an increase in the blood level of the natural hormone melatonin. This is in response to the increasing length of daily darkness. Administration of exogenous melatonin should mimic the secretion of endogenous melatonin. This study examined the effectiveness of exogenous administration of melatonin to induce cyclic reproductive activity and conception during July and August

Effect of Management System on Lamb Return

The effects of sex (ram vs wether) and management system on market returns were investigated utilizing 256 February-March born lambs produced at the Antelope Range Field Station, Buffalo, South Dakota. Lambs weaned in early June and finished on a high concentrate ration made superior gains to either lambs weaned a month later or lambs left on native range with their dams. Early weaned-drylot finished ram lambs were heavier when marketed and grossed more total dollars per head than any of the other management-sex combinations, although they brought less per pound than early weaned-drylot finished wethers. Market alternatives that avoid such differential in favor of the intact group. In general, short-fed lambs did not return enough additional dollars to offset feed cost. Discounts on ram lambs compared to wether tended to be higher in the short-fed and all pasture system

Lambing Performance of Aged Targhee Ewes

Targhee ewes procured in the range area of western South Dakota were utilizaed to study the productivity of western aged ewes managed under farm flock conditions. Lamb crops were produced from these ewes lambing at 7, 8 and 9 years of age. An average of 90.4% of ewes exposed lambed with an average drop of 1.79 lambs per ewe lambing. Data from this study indicate that sound aged ewes obtained from range areas can be utilized for additional years of production under farm flock conditions. Furthermore, production levels (percent lambing and lambs per ewe lambing) may equal or exceed that for younger ewews of comparable breeding and management

Effect of Breed of Sire, Level of Postweaning Nutrition and Type of Birth (Single vs. Twin) on Lambing Performance at 12 Months of Age

One of the potential area to increase efficiency of sheep production, and thereby net return, is through an increase in the reproductive efficiency of the ewe. The practice of breeding ewes as lambs and thereby getting an additional lamb crop during a ewe\u27s lifetime offers one possibility to increase the lifetime production of the ewe. Proper growth and development of replacment ewe lambs is necessary if this practice is to become a working reality. A study was designed and initiated in the fall of 1970 to evaluate the effect of breed of sire, level of pre- and postweaning nutrition, age at first breeding and type of birth on subsequent reproductive performance of the ewe. The lambing performance at 12 months of age for the first two sets of lambs from this study will be reported in this paper

Reducing Breeding Seasonality in the Ewe (Progress Report)

Seasonality of breeding is a major obstacle to providing a stable market supply of lamb for the consumer. Seasonality of breeding was listed as the number one research priority by the Western Sheep Task Force and adopted as the number one objective of the recently approved NC-111 Regional Research Project. Reducing breeding seasonality, expanding the fertile breeding season, offer a wide array of potential benefits to the sheep industry and ultimately the consumer. the consumer will benefit by a more stably supply that is more readily available at a more competitive price. Previous experiments at SDSU indicate the potential to develop breeding stock and(or) management systems and ewe stock selected for fall lambing

Influence of Mating and Management Systems on the Performance of Beef Cows and Calves

Research was initiated at the Newell Field Station in 1968 to study the influence of certain mating and management systems of crossbred beef cows on subsequent beef production. Factors under investigation include year-round drylotting vs. summer pasturing and backcrossing vs. outcrossing. Preweaning calf treatments, creep feeding and stilbestrol implantation are being studied

Evaluating Breeding Seasonality in the Ewe

The objective of trials reported in this study was to evaluate fall lambing performance of purebred and crossbred ewes in 1989 and 1990. Fall lambing results following hormone treatment were highly variable. Maiden ewes in general did not lamb in the fall. For mature ewes, approximately 80% of the Finn-Dorset x Targhee (FDT) ewes lambed in September compared to 66% for Columbia, 76.5% for Finn-Dorset (FD) and 0.0% for Hampshire ewes. Additional data and statistical analyses are needed before conclusions are drawn

The Effect of Management System and Breed Ewe on Lambing Performance at 12 and 24 Months of Age

Production data for 1977 and 1978 have been collected on Finn x Targhee, Suffolk x Targhee and Targhee ewes mated to Suffolk rams. All ewes were exposed at the Brookings Sheep Research Unit when they were 7 to 8 months of age. Following weaning (approximately June 1) of the first lamb crop, one-half of each ewe breed group was taken to the Antelope Range Field data. Percentage of ewes exposed that lambed at 12 months of age was highest for Finn x Targhee (73.8), intermediate for Suffolk x Targhee (65.8) and lowest for straightbred Targhee ewes (31.0). Number of lambs born per ewe lambing were 1.65, 1.19 and 1.13 for Finn x Targhee, Suffolk x Targhee and Targhee ewes, respectively. At 24 months of age (second lambing), a higher pecentage of the Targhee ewes lambed under both the farm flock (Brookings) and range (Buffalo) management systems than for the two crossbred groups. However, fewer of the Targhee ewes had lambed at 12 months of age. Finn x Targhee ewes weaned more pounds of lamb in both management systems than either Suffolk x Targhee or Targhee ewes. Subsequent production data should be evaluated on these ewes before final conclusions are drawn

The Effect of Management System and Breed of Ewe on Lambing Performance

Economic pressure continues to stress the importance of efficient production systems in order to be profitable. Crossbreeding with Finnsheep, noted for multiple births, provides the potential to increase lambing rates of domestic breeds. However, little data are available comparing the total productivity of such a system under conditions typical of South Dakota\u27s sheep industry. This study was initiated to compare lifetime productivity of Targhee, Finn x Targhee and SUffolk x Targhee ewes under management systems typical to a farm flock (semi-confinement) versus a range operation. This report covers lambing results for the 1979 amd 1980 lambing seasons