Reproductive performance of Philippine sheep raised under full grazing, tethering and total confinement systems.
1993
Suba M.S. | Gines B.R.
Forty-eight growing unrelated Philippine sheep between 4 to 7 months of age were equally distributed into three management systems, namely, total confinement, tethering and full grazing. Reproductive traits such as estrus characteristics and related variables were collected and analyzed in a Completely Randomized Design for equal replications. Other traits such as seasonality of lambing, lambing rates and sex ratio of lambs born were also gathered and analyzed. Ewes grazed and tethered for eight hours and manifested estrus at earlier age, were heavier at first estrus and at first breeding compared to those reared in total confinement. Gestation period was similar in all the treatment groups. Expression of post partum heat was longer for sheep under full grazing and had longer lambing interval compared to those reared under tethering and total confinement. More male than female lambs were born throughout the months of the year. Moreover, multiple births were observed on ewes raised under full grazing. Both positive and negative linear relationships were observed between some growth traits and reproductive variables were from low to moderate. The above results tend to suggest that full grazing and tethering are the most appropriate systems of raising indigenous sheep in Central Luzon [Philippines].
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