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ISSUE: Ewe fertility
Solution name: Photoperiod manipulation in sheep
Country: Romania
Dairy or/and meat sheep: Dairy and meat
Source of information: Industry and research
Level of solution:
Knowledge X
Practical X
Aim: Achieve fertility in ewes during out of normal breeding season
Description:
Exposure to an artificial stimulatory sequence of day length changes can be used to successfully breed ewes out-of-season. Specifically, exposing females to 15 to 16 hours of light during late winter/early spring for 45 to 60 days, followed by exposure to 25 to 30 days of a short-day photoperiod consisting of 8 to 9 hours of light and 15 to 16 hours of darkness, will induce fertile estrus in ewes.
Expected benefits: 60-80% of the ewes exposed will express estrous.
Prerequisites and/or limits (knowledge, training, capabilities, cost, management, facilities, equipment, etc.)
– While photoperiod manipulation can be quite effective, it requires an enclosed barn with electricity, three months of photoperiod manipulation and it does not result in synchronized estrus.