scholarly journals Effects of shed modifications on ewe reproductive performance and lamb growth rate in Inner Mongolia

2016 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 479 ◽  
Author(s):  
X. Q. Zhang ◽  
D. Kemp ◽  
X. Y. Hou ◽  
C. M. Langford ◽  
K. Wang ◽  
...  

The effects of warm sheds on the performance of ewes and their lambs in winter are poorly understood. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of traditional sheds (TS + grazing) and modified warm sheds (WS, no grazing) on the reproductive performance of ewes (as well as their liveweight) and their lambs during the winter–spring period. Cross-bred ewes (n = 120) were randomly assigned to two treatments, either TS (+ grazing) or WS (no grazing), during the winter–spring period of 2011, 2012 and 2013. This study was conducted on two adjacent farms with the two treatments applied on each. The ewes in the TS treatment were grazed continuously on pasture in the day and housed in traditional sheds each evening, whereas the ewes in the WS treatment were not grazed. The animals in each treatment were fed the same amount of feed. Ewes housed in the WS group had a higher liveweight and lower weight loss than ewes in the TS group (P = 0.004 and 0.005 respectively); over the 3 years, the weight loss of the ewes in both groups was worst in the first 2 months (December–January) compared with the later 2 months, and was significantly alleviated after the first year (2011; P < 0.001). Lamb liveweight and gain were higher in the WS than TS treatment group (P < 0.001) and the growth rates of the lambs increased continuously as shed temperatures increased. Lamb weight gain and birthweight increased significantly with increasing years of the experiment (P < 0.001). There were more lambs born in the WS than in the TS groups (P = 0.020), with higher survival and twinning rates (P < 0.05). As shed temperatures increased, lambing, survival and twinning rates increased continuously. Therefore, keeping livestock in warm sheds during the winter and spring period will lift animal productivity, leading to improved household incomes. Elimination of winter grazing will reduce damage to already degraded grasslands and will assist herders to develop more positive attitudes towards animal production enterprises.

Author(s):  
Imēne Ben Salem ◽  
Mourad Rekik ◽  
Mohammed Ben Hamouda ◽  
Narjess Lassoued

The current study assessed the effect of the pattern of live weight change on the ovarian function of maiden Barbarine ewes at approximately 1 year of age. For this purpose, a total of 171 weaned ewe lambs (mean live weight  ± s.d. 34.7±3.07 kg and mean age ± SD 196±10 days at weaning) were selected for the experiment. Adjustment of live weight variation  was used. Based on the slope of the curve, animals were grouped into three classes LWCI (n=46),  LWCII (n=91) and LWCIII (n=34) with live weight loss being highest in LWCI and lowest in LWCIII.  Following laparoscopy at 13 months of age, the proportion of ewe lambs found cycling in LWCIII  (85.3%) was higher in comparison to animals in LWCI (43.4%; P<0.001) and tended to be superior to those in LWCII (61.5%; P<0.05). Following synchronisation with progestagen of the females found cycling, levels of plasma IGF-I concentrations between 6 and 42 hrs after removal of sponges were not significantly different between the three classes of live weight, and respectively averaged 94.2, 90.8 and 89.8 µg/l for LWCI, LWCII and LWCIII females. Levels of estradiol were also not significantly different between the three groups (0.73, 0.70 and 0.67 pg/ml for LWCI, LWCII and LWCIII ewe lambs, respectively). It was concluded that, in low input systems of semi-arid and arid Tunisia, mating ewe lambs at the approximate age of 1 year is likely to lead to depressed reproductive performance particularly when the summer live weight-loss is elevated. 


Author(s):  
Lucy Mercer-Mapstone ◽  
Sarah Bajan ◽  
Kasia Banas ◽  
Arthur Morphett ◽  
Kristine McGrath

The need to make higher education curricula gender-inclusive is increasingly pressing as student cohorts diversify. We adopted a student-staff partnership approach to design, integrate, and evaluate a module that taught first-year science students the difference between biological sex, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation in the context of genetics concepts at an Australian university. This module aimed to break the binary in misconceptions of both sex and gender, emphasising that both exist on separate spectra. Data triangulation was used to evaluate students’ attitudes towards the module and their learning of module concepts. Students’ attitudes were positive overall, and evaluation of students’ learning indicated that the majority of students understood and retained key concepts, while also identifying common misconceptions. Perhaps the most important finding was that students who identified as belonging to a minority group had significantly more positive attitudes towards the module than non-minority students. This finding supports previous research that has found inclusive curricula have greater benefit for students from minority backgrounds, indicating the importance of making such curriculum enhancements. Our results speak to both the co-creation process and students’ learning outcomes, providing valuable insights for practitioners both within science and beyond.


1999 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 19-26
Author(s):  
R.H. Watson ◽  
R.G. Keogh ◽  
M.F. Mcdonald

Two groups (n=39) of Romney breeding ewes were maintained under the same grazing management on either endophyte-infected (E+) or endophytefree (E-) perennial ryegrass pasture for two years (1997-1998) following a one-year equilibration period. The ewes were naturally mated in March each year and ovulation rate at 1st mating was measured, and conception and the number of lambs born and weaned were recorded. All ewes were weighed monthly and lamb growth rates were determined between birth and weaning. Mean mating date was delayed by 1.8 days (P


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Flavia Carvalho Silveira ◽  
Gabrielle Maranga ◽  
Fernanda Mitchell ◽  
Brittany A. Nowak ◽  
Christine J. Ren‐Fielding ◽  
...  

2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. vzj2012.0059 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Zhao ◽  
Mingbin Huang ◽  
Robert Horton ◽  
Feng Liu ◽  
Stephan Peth ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
O R Ghosh-Swaby ◽  
S G Goodman ◽  
L A Leiter ◽  
A Cheng ◽  
K Connelly ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Glucose lowering drugs or strategies (GLDS) have varied effects on major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and heart failure (HF) in cardiovascular outcomes trials. Mechanisms driving cardiovascular risk reduction remain elusive. Methods We searched MEDLINE, PubMed, and meeting abstracts up to 11/21/2018 for large GLDS cardiovascular outcome trials (CVOTs) in patients with or at risk for type 2 diabetes. Primary endpoints of MACE and HF were evaluated with random effects risk ratios (RR) and explored by baseline CVD subgroups and meta-regression by weight change across treatment arms. Results In 27 GLDS CVOTs, a total 207,820 patients, median age 63 years, 64% male, 64% CVD and 11% with prior HF were studied over a mean 3.8 years with 20,118 (10%) patients having MACE and 7,212 (4%) a HF event. Compared with standard care, GLDS overall lowered MACE (RR 0.92, P<0.ehz745.01171) but not HF (RR 1.01, P=0.91). Across GLDS, the magnitude and directionality varied modestly for MACE RR (P-int=0.07) but markedly for HF (P-int<0.ehz745.01171). Meta-regression showed a change in HF RR by 6% (95% CI 3%-9%) per 1 kg weight gain/loss between treatment arms (P=0.0006; Figure). In 9 trials of GLDS that achieved marked weight loss (lifestyle, GLP1 agonists, SGLT2 inhibitors), MACE benefit was confined to patients with baseline CVD (RR 0.89 [0.84–0.95] versus without (RR 1.02 [0.91–1.15]; P-int=0.01) with consistent HF effect (RR 0.80 [0.72–0.88] vs RR 0.76 [0.56–1.03]; P-int=0.74). Heart Failure Risk and Changes in Weight Conclusion HF outcomes were improved with GLDS that lower weight. Among diabetes GLDS that lower weight, there was a robust risk reduction in atherothrombotic and heart failure events, with the MACE benefit confined to patients with established CVD. Acknowledgement/Funding Heart and Stroke Foundation


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (7) ◽  
pp. 3184-3190
Author(s):  
Armando Rosales ◽  
Enrique Elli ◽  
Scott Lynch ◽  
Gretchen Ames ◽  
Mauricia Buchanan ◽  
...  

ILR Review ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 224-254
Author(s):  
Alexandre J. S. Morin ◽  
Daniel G. Gallagher ◽  
John P. Meyer ◽  
David Litalien ◽  
Paul F. Clark

The authors adopt a person-centered approach to the investigation of the dimensionality of the union commitment construct by capitalizing on a 10-year longitudinal study (from 1992 to 2002) of 637 union members in their first year of employment measured again 1 and 10 years later. Results reveal four distinct profiles of union commitment, presenting a stable structure over time. These profiles demonstrate consistency in commitment level across the three most common union commitment dimensions, thus questioning the necessity of adopting a multidimensional approach. Results show that union members became more similar to other members of their profiles over time, and that their union commitment became slightly less extreme as union tenure increased. Finally, results show that union commitment profiles predict union participation, in accordance with our expectations, and suggest that endorsing positive attitudes toward unions and their instrumentality was a stronger predictor of profile membership than was satisfaction with the actions of one’s own union.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (11) ◽  
pp. 3589-3595 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pauline Faucher ◽  
Judith Aron-Wisnewsky ◽  
Cécile Ciangura ◽  
Laurent Genser ◽  
Adriana Torcivia ◽  
...  

Bird Study ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 121-129
Author(s):  
Bourhane-Eddine Belabed ◽  
Mohammed Athamnia ◽  
Laïd Touati ◽  
Farrah Samraoui ◽  
Abdennour Boucheker ◽  
...  

<sec><title>Capsule</title>Age, arrival date and egg laying date are essentially closely related and determine reproductive performance in the White Stork Ciconia ciconia.</sec><sec><title>Aims</title>To describe the impact of age, arrival date and egg laying date on breeding success in the White Stork.</sec><sec><title>Methods</title>Ringing data from a White Stork breeding colony of 212 nests at Dréan, Algeria, were used to model the relationship between age, arrival date, laying date and reproductive performance. Seventy breeders that were individually colour-ringed as nestlings were monitored.</sec><sec><title>Results</title>Birds breeding on the periphery of the colony had significantly smaller nests and showed a tendency towards later laying dates, but they did not differ from centrally nesting birds in age or arrival date. First year birds did not breed and second year birds were significantly more likely than older age groups to occupy nests but fail to lay eggs. Older birds arrived earlier at the breeding colony and had a higher probability of initiating laying than younger birds. They also had a higher probability of nesting successfully and fledging a larger number of young.</sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title>Age determined arrival and laying dates and influenced breeding performance in the White Stork.</sec>


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document