Abstract
Two trials were conducted in the highlands of Peru to evaluate the ‘ram effect’ on ewes during the breeding season. Junin (trial 1) and Corriedale ewes (trial 2) were randomly assigned to a non-stimulated group that received no ram stimulation prior to the breeding season, or to a stimulated group that received 14 days of exposure to vasectomized rams prior to the start of the breeding season. Lambing rate by day of lambing season was used to evaluate the effect of ram stimulation prior to start of the breeding season (trial 1) while the number of ewes observed in estrus during the AI season was evaluated (trial 2). In both trials, ram stimulation resulted in a change in distribution of proportion of ewes lambing by day of lambing season (trial 1) or proportion of ewes observed in estrus by day of breeding season (trial 2), with more ewes lambing ( P < 0.01) or in estrus during the first 17 days of the season in the stimulated groups. These results show that ram stimulation can be used in the sheep populations studied in Peru to advance date of conception, increase lambing rate and to induce a more compact lambing pattern in the flock.
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