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Animals
Special Issues
For a Sustainable Small Ruminant Reproduction
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For a Sustainable Small Ruminant Reproduction

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Reproduction".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2021) | Viewed by 4127

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Luis Ángel Zarazaga Garcés

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Departamento de Ciencias Agroforestales, Universidad de Huelva, s/n 21007 Huelva, Spain
Interests: small ruminant reproduction; small ruminant physiology; seasonality control; sustainable small ruminant reproduction; small ruminant nutrition; assisted reproductive technology; animal science

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Production systems of small ruminants, sheep and goats, are very important for fixing population and mobilizing resources in rural areas and developing countries. These species are characterized by seasonal reproduction, that leads to important variations throughout the year in the availability of their main products, milk and meat, causing changes in their prices that influence the productivity of farms. To reduce this seasonality, the reproductive control is usually carried out through the use of hormonal treatments, however, the livestock sector must be adapted to a new situation in which there is increasing social pressure on animal protection issues and a growing market that is demanding products free of exogenous substances.

The aim of this Special Issue is to publish high-quality papers concerning the control of small ruminant reproduction without the use of hormones or using alternatives to them. Therefore, we welcome contributions of recent findings, as original research or reviews, on small ruminant reproduction including, but not limited to, the following topics: nutrition, photoperiod, genetics or social interactions as alternatives to the use of hormones on small ruminant reproduction control even how the conventional production systems can be converted to organic systems.

 

Prof. Dr. Luis Ángel Zarazaga Garcés
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Small Ruminant
  • Goat
  • Sheep
  • reproduction
  • seasonality
  • photoperiod
  • melatonin
  • male effect
  • puberty
  • nutrition
  • conventional production system
  • organic production system.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 1375 KiB  
Article
Interactions between Nutrition and the “Ram Effect” in the Control of Ovarian Function in the Merino Ewe
by P. Clemens Khaiseb, Penelope A. R. Hawken and Graeme B. Martin
Animals 2022, 12(3), 362; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12030362 - 02 Feb 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1324
Abstract
We tested whether short-term nutritional supplementation (500 g lupin grain per head daily) would affect the response of ewes to the ram effect. Experiment 1 (end of non-breeding season): ewes were supplemented for either Days −6 to −1 relative to ram introduction ( [...] Read more.
We tested whether short-term nutritional supplementation (500 g lupin grain per head daily) would affect the response of ewes to the ram effect. Experiment 1 (end of non-breeding season): ewes were supplemented for either Days −6 to −1 relative to ram introduction (n = 24) or for 12 days after ram introduction (Days 11 to 22 of the ram-induced cycle; n = 29). Controls (n = 30) were not supplemented. Across all groups, 94–100% of ewes ovulated. Supplementation before ram introduction did not affect ovulation rate at the ram-induced ovulation but increased it during the ram-induced cycle (Control 1.37; supplemented 1.66; p < 0.05). Experiment 2 (the middle of non-breeding season): the supplement was fed for Days −5 to −1 relative to ram introduction. Again, supplementation did not increase number ovulating (Control 16/29; Supplemented 10/29) but it did increase ovulation rate at the ram-induced ovulation (Control 1.31; Supplemented 1.68; p < 0.05). In neither experiment did supplementation affect the frequency of short cycles. Supplementation before ram introduction did not improve the percentage of ewes ovulating or reduce the frequency of short cycles (so will not improve the synchrony of lambing). However, supplementation after ram introduction can increase prolificacy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue For a Sustainable Small Ruminant Reproduction)
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12 pages, 932 KiB  
Article
Photoperiod-Treatment in Mediterranean Bucks Can Improve the Reproductive Performance of the Male Effect Depending on the Extent of Their Seasonality
by Luis A. Zarazaga, María Carolina Gatica, Manuel Delgado-Pertíñez, Horacio Hernández, José Luis Guzmán and José Alberto Delgadillo
Animals 2021, 11(2), 400; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11020400 - 05 Feb 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2037
Abstract
This study examines the effectiveness of the photoperiod treatment (extra light for 88 days) to render the bucks sexually active during the seasonal anoestrous in order to induce a male effect, depending on the reproductive seasonality of the breed of the bucks used. [...] Read more.
This study examines the effectiveness of the photoperiod treatment (extra light for 88 days) to render the bucks sexually active during the seasonal anoestrous in order to induce a male effect, depending on the reproductive seasonality of the breed of the bucks used. In April, 57 anoestrous Blanca Andaluza does were distributed into four groups with three males each: 13 were exposed to control Murciano–Granadina bucks (lower seasonality); 15 were exposed to photostimulated Murciano–Granadina bucks; 14 were exposed to control Blanca Andaluza bucks (higher seasonality), and 15 were exposed to photostimulated Blanca Andaluza bucks. After male introduction, the sexual behaviour of the bucks was assessed, and harness marks recorded doe oestrous behaviour. Ovulation was confirmed from plasma progesterone, and the ovulation rate was assessed by transrectal ultrasonography. Fecundity, fertility, prolificacy and productivity were also determined. All of the does in all of the groups showed ovulation. Interaction between both sources of variation was observed: the percentage of females showing oestrous (p < 0.01) and productivity (p < 0.05) was the lowest in the Blanca Andaluza control group (50% and 0.36 ± 0.17 goat kids born/female, respectively). In conclusion, photoperiod-treated bucks efficiently induce a male effect, but photostimulation could be more necessary for breeds with deep seasonality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue For a Sustainable Small Ruminant Reproduction)
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