E. Emsen

Effects of vitamin E supplementation on performance and meat quality traits of Morkaraman male lambs.

This research was carried out to determine the effects of vitamin E supplementation on meat quality traits of approximate 8 months of age Morkaraman male lambs. The lambs were divided into two groups-control (CG, n=7) and experimental (VG, n=6)-at the beginning of fattening period. The diet given to the CG and VG consisted of concentrate and grass hay. In addition, the VG received a supplement of 45 mg vitamin E per lamb in a day during a 75-day fattening period. At the end of the study, average daily weight gain and feed conversion efficiency values as to feed basis were found to be 208 g and 6.3 for CG and 223 g and 6.0 for VG groups, respectively. Vitamin E supplementation resulted in 8.8% improvement in feed conversion efficiency. In the same way, vitamin E supplementation resulted in 6.7% increase in daily weight gain. Slaughter and carcass characteristics of lambs were also determined, but fattening performance, slaughter and carcass characteristics were not significantly different between groups. The effects of vitamin E on meat characteristics, meat colour (L*, a* and b*), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances content (TBARS), drip loss and pH were determined using m. longissimus dorsi (LD) muscles obtained from CG and VG. Though the effect of vitamin E supplementation on most of the meat quality traits was not statistically significant (P>0.05), L* and a* values in LD muscle from VG were preserved for a period of 12 days of maturation. In addition, a* (redness) tended to increase slightly. TBARS values in samples from CG were found to be higher than those of vitamin E treatment group. In this study, it was also concluded that drip loss was relatively preserved by vitamin E supplementation. In conclusion, vitamin E supplementation of Morkaraman male lambs at an inclusion rate over the amount of nutritional recommendations, significantly reduced lipid oxidation, drip loss and tended to maintain meat redness.

Comparison of non-linear models for describing the growth of scrotal circumference in Awassi male lambs

In sheep-like other farm animals-reproductive performance is considered most important in terms of relative economic value. Within these reproductive traits, scrotal circumference (SC) is especially notable and has been suggested as an indicator of seminal performance and male libido as well as the age at puberty. Data on SC of 33 Awassi male lambs, from birth to 330 days of age, were used to obtain a growth pattern for the breed, with the use of four asymptotic and one indeterminate non-linear growth models. The Tanaka model, a four-parameter indeterminate growth model having an initial period of growth and a period of exponential growth followed by an indefinite period of slow growth, described growth in SC remarkably well, with R2=0.999. Among the asymptotic models, the logistic had a good fit (R2=0.967), after the Tanaka. However, as a result of heterogeneity, no curve computed using mean SC values in this study had the ability to uniformly represent every individual (P<0.01). Biological interpretations of the model parameters were discussed.

An economic assessment of differently managed sheep flocks in eastern Turkey

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate production and economic effects of feeding management and hormonal strategy on fat tailed sheep raised in eastern Anatolia. Animals were divided into six groups. Strategies were as follows: ewes were offered 1) 1.0 of the estimated metabolizable energy (1.5kg dry grass hay/ewe/day) (non flushed: NF, n=77) 2) 1.5kg dry grass hay/ewe/day and 300gr barley/ewe/day for 21 days prior to mating (flushing: F, n=100). Thereafter, nutritionally flushed ewes were subdivided: 3) supplemented with Vitamin A and E prior to mating (VIT, n=90), estrus of ewes were synchronized; 4) FGA (30mg) impregnated sponge and 600 U PMSG (Sponge and Flushing: SF, n=113) or 5) PGF2α (125µg/mL Cloprostenol) and 600 U PMSG (PGF, n=90), or 6) feed additive estrus synchronization treatment, Melengesterol Acetate (MGA, 0.25mg per head daily, n=90). Ewes in estrus were hand mated with rams of proven fertility. Reproductive performance was measured from fertility, percentage of animals in estrus within 6 days of ram introduction and the number of lambs born. Also, lamb birth and weaning weights, and survivability rate at weaning were recorded for prolonged productivity. Production data was subjected to gross margin calculating for economic evaluation. The use of MGA outperformed the other groups in fertility and survivability. Net returns per ewe were US

Improved reproductive response of sheep in intrauterine insemination program with the use of royal jelly

21.58/ewe. PGF2α hormone treatments (US

Reproductive response of ewes synchronized with different lengths of MGA treatments in intrauterine insemination program

17.12/ewe) was the most profitable source of extra revenue compared with vaginal sponge (US

Synchronization of Estrus in Fat Tailed Sheep Using Melengestrol Acetate (MGA) in the Breeding Season

12.69/ewe) and supplementing vitamins (US

Estrus Synchronization in Awassi and Red Karaman Fat Tailed Ewes

13.66/ewe). The economic viability and reproductive performance indicators demonstrate that steps should be taken to disseminate these new practices in the fat tailed sheep development program.

Effect of inter-breed embryo transfer on lamb growing performance and survival.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate estrus and conception rates obtained with the use of progesterone (P 4 ) cream in intravaginal sponges in conjunction with equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) or eCG plus royal jelly (RJ) given at the time of sponge withdrawal. A total of 365 fat tailed ewes were assigned randomly to two treatment groups: insertion of intravaginal sponge containing 30 mg (LNP; n = 188) or 60 mg (HNP; n = 177) progesterone for 12 days. For each treatment, 300 or 600 IU of eCG were compared with 100 or 300 IU of eCG plus 500 mg of RJ to assess the effect on reproductive parameters of ewes inseminated laparoscopically in the anoestrus season. Ewes in each group were inseminated with fresh diluted semen (10 × 10 7 sperm per insemination dose). Inseminations were carried out 11 to 18 h after the first detection of estrus. Pregnancy diagnosis was done at approximately 55 days after insemination. For the 30 and 60 mg natural progesterone treated groups, estrous (22.3 versus 30.5%) and conception rates (50.0% for both treatments) did not differ significantly. Ewes that received 300 IU eCG plus 500 mg RJ had higher (P>0.05) conception rates (66.7 versus 47.6 and 40.0%) than those treated with only eCG (300 or 600 IU) at sponge removal. There was a significant (P≤0.05) delay in onset of estrus in ewes treated with 100 IU eCG plus 500 mg RJ when compared with the other treatment groups. Keywords: Royal jelly, equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG), natural progesterone, artificial insemination, ewe

Sexual Activity and Puberty in the Male Redkaraman and Tushin (Turkish native) Lamb

A total of 415 fat tailed ewes were randomly assigned to two groups to assess the effect of duration of melengestrol acetate (MGA) (9 versus 12d) administration on reproductive parameters associated with laparoscopic artificial insemination. At the end of MGA treatment, ewes in each group were subdivided and inseminated with one of two different insemination doses (10×10(7) or 20×10(7) sperm per 0.5 ml insemination dose) of fresh diluted semen. Inseminations were carried out 11-18 h after first detected estrus. Ewes were screened for their return to oestrus from 10 to 21 days post AI and inseminated at their returned oestrus. Pregnancy diagnosis was done from approximately 55 days after insemination in both synchronized and return estrus. For short (9-day) and long (12-day) term MGA treated groups, estrus rates were 62% versus 89% (P<0.0001), respectively. Ewes (n=115) that returned to estrus were inseminated (7-11h after estrus detection) with fresh diluted semen at different doses (20×10(7) or 40×10(7) or 60×10(7) sperm per 0.5 ml insemination dose). Pregnancy rates were 41% and 44% for short term and long term MGA treated ewes, respectively. Pregnancy rate of ewes which returned to oestrus was 53.4%. There was a significant (P<0.05) increase in pregnancy rates (38-52% for 11-16 h; 63% for 17-18 h) when insemination was held at 17-18 h after first detected estrus following MGA treatments. Pregnancy rates were found to be similar in ewes inseminated with 10×10(7) (36%) or 20×10(7) (47%) motile spermatozoa at first AI, and 20×10(7) (44%) or 40×10(7) (59%) or 60×10(7)(48%) at second AI. It was concluded that short term MGA treated ewes were recorded with lower estrus rates but was similar to pregnancy rates with long term MGA treatment. Acceptable pregnancy rates were achieved in MGA induced estrus when insemination is conducted at 17-18 h after estrus onset and with 20×10(7) sperm per insemination dose.

Effects of vitamin E supplementation on fattening performance, non-carcass components and retail cut percentages, and meat quality traits of Awassi lambs.

Abstract Gimenez Diaz, C.A., Emsen, E., Köycegiz, F., Emsen, B., Yaprak, M. and Kutluca, M. 2005. Synchronization of estrus in fat tailed sheep using melengestrol acetate (MGA) in the breeding season. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 28: 25–27. To assess the effectiveness of MGA in synchronizing oestrus sixty-eight Awassi and Redkaraman ewes were group-fed a diet either containing MGA (0.25 mg/ewe/d for 9d) or no MGA. At the end of the MGA feeding regime, ewes were exposed to one ram per group. The percentage of ewes exhibiting estrus within a 6 d period following withdrawal of MGA was significantly higher (P<0.05) for treated (80%) compared to the control ewes (45%). Number of lambs born per ewe lambing and fertility of ewes were not affected by treatment. It was concluded that MGA is effective to synchronize estrus in fat tailed Awassi and Redkaraman sheep in breeding season.