Abstract
The influence of the ram effect, starting at lambing, on the resumption of ovarian activity (determined by repeated laparoscopy observations) and oestrous behaviour of autumn-lambing Barbarine ewes was evaluated in 64 multiparous Barbarine ewes in the permanent presence (R; n=32) or totally isolated (NR; n=32) from rams. In the R treatment group, all ewes (100%) ovulated at least once before the 100-day postpartum period, compared to only 50% ( P<0.05) in the NR ewes. The first postpartum ovulation occurred 20.3±9.7 days after lambing in ewes of the R treatment being shorter ( P<0.05) than the mean interval of 50.4±28.7 days for ewes in the NR treatment. Resumption of postpartum ovarian activity was associated with abnormal ovarian cycles. Ewes (R) exposed to rams had a higher frequency of long cycles and tended to yield a reduced ovulation rate than ewes (NR) in isolation from rams (1.07±0.26% versus 1.20±0.40%). In the R treatment group, only 22 ewes of the 30 that ovulated (73%) displayed oestrus with a peak occurrence between days 30 and 40 after parturition. It is concluded that the continuous presence of rams could substantially hasten rebreeding in autumn postpartum Barbarine ewes.
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