Effect of a Middle-Term Flushing in Chilota and Suffolk Down Sheep Breeds in Chiloé Archipelago

Abstract

In Chiloe Archipelago, traditional and short-term flushing are not usually feasible for small-scale sheep farms due to economic and logistic reasons, and cheaper/easier alternatives are needed. The effects of flushing on the reproductive performance of sheep can vary depending on the breed; nevertheless, this effect has never been compared between Chilota and other breeds in Chiloe. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of the application of a middle-term flushing in fertility, prolificacy and lamb mortality in two sheep breeds in Chiloe archipelago, Chile. Under the conditions of this study, the supplementation (300g of concentrate per sheep per day) for ten days before and after the introduction of the ram in the flock was an efficient tool to improve the fertility and prolificacy on Chilota and Suffolk Down ewes, becoming an alternative to traditional and short-term flushing in low technology sheep farms in Chiloe Archipelago.