Reproductive performance of the West African Dwarf and the Nungua Black Head sheep of Ghana

Ngere, L. O.; Aboagye, G.S.

doi:10.1017/s0003356100031615

Cited by 9 publications

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“…This agreed with the statement of Forbes & Robinson (1967) referring to stability of gestation period within the same breed. Similar results were found by Ngere & Aboagye (1981) and Gordon (1997).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

“…083) were stated by AFRC (1993) for temperate sheep breeds. The present values were higher than those reported by Ngere & Aboagye (1981) for Nungua Blackhead and West African dwarf lambs (0 . 06 and 0 .…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 90%

“…2 lambs/ewe reported by Sulieman et al (1990) for Shugor, Dabasi and Watish Sudanese subecotype, respectively. As for West African dwarf ewes, Ngere & Aboagye (1981) reported higher litter size of 1 . 5¡0 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

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The effect of age and diet on the reproductive performance of Sudan Nilotic ewes

Atta

Khidir

2005

J. Agric. Sci.

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SU MMARYTwo flocks of 42 multiparous (M) and 27 primiparous (P) Nilotic ewes (Southern Sudan) were used in an experiment conducted at the Animal Production Research Centre, Khartoum N., Sudan, to study the effect of age and diet on reproductive performance. Each age group (M and P) was subdivided into two diet groups, fed either a sorghum (So) or a molasses (Mo)-based diet. The two diets were approximately isoenergetic (12 . 2 and 11 . 4 MJ ME/kg DM for So and Mo diets, respectively) and isonitrogenous (217 g CP/kg). These diets were formulated from sorghum and groundnut cake or molasses and urea as main sources of energy and protein, respectively. Each of the four diet groups of ewes was further divided into 6 subgroups (replicates) of similar body weights housed and fed together for two successive gestation periods. The results showed that the diet treatments had no significant effect on age and weights at first oestrous (210, 238 days and 22, 20 kg) and at first lambing (407, 418 days and 30, 28 kg) of the PSo and PMo groups, respectively. Age of the ewes and the diet treatments had no significant effects (P>0 . 05) on feed intake, conception weight, litter size, lamb birth weight, gestation period, postpartum anoestrous period, lambing interval, sex ratio of offspring as well as conception, fertility, abortion and lambing proportions. Primiparous ewes (P) had significantly (P<0 . 05) higher pre-weaning lamb mortality proportion, whereas the sorghum-based diet groups had higher (P<0 . 05) gestation body gain and lambing weights.It was concluded that Nilotic ewes, compared with the other African sheep breeds reviewed, reach sexual maturity at an earlier age and are highly prolific due to their short postpartum anoestrous period. The results also highlight the importance of molasses and urea as efficient and good substitutes for sorghum grains and oil cakes, respectively, in the diets of ewes.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 90%

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The effect of age and diet on the reproductive performance of Sudan Nilotic ewes

Atta

Khidir

2005

J. Agric. Sci.

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“…These results are comparable with those obtained under the free‐range system in the subhumid zone in this study. N gere (1973) and N gere and A boagye (1981) found, under research station conditions at the University of Legon farms at Nungua‐Accra, a mean birth weight of 1.3 kg for the local breed compared to 2.3 kg for Nungua black head, a new breed. A siedu and A ppiah (1983) reported mean weights of 1.85 and 1.90 kg for crosses of Nungua Blackhead with Djallonké ewes, and West African Long‐legged with Djallonké ewes, respectively, raised under tree crops in Ghana.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigations into traditionally managed Djallonké‐sheep production in the humid and subhumid zones of Asante, Ghana III. Relationship between birth weight, preweaning growth, and postweaning growth of lambs*

London

Weniger

1995

J Animal Breeding Genetics

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Summary Birth weight, which is subject to differences in prenatal nutrition, increased with parities to the fifth among the subhumid zone (SH = 1.89 kg) dams and to the sixth among the humid zone (H = 1.71 kg) dams. Seasonal influence did not significantly affect birth weights in either zone. Litter type had the greatest influence on birth weight, growth rate, and viability at 60 days of age, among lambs in both zones. The dual advantage of higher birth weight of lambs and higher postpartum weight of their dams, with the benefit of the maternal effect that supported optimal postnatal development lambs, resulted in higher body‐weight gain at 60 days of age at sixth parity (H = 6.17 kg; SH = 6.99 kg). In both zones, viability was optimum at the fifth parity (H=95.0%; SH = 95.6%). For all weight traits, single lambs (H = 7.73 kg; SH = 8.48 kg) were significantly (p < 0.05) and consistently superior to twin lambs (H = 6.68 kg; SH = 7.31 kg) at the natural weaning age of 105 days. At birth, female lambs were 6.4% behind male lambs in their subsequent growth up to natural weaning, even when the birth weight of both sexes was similar. In both zones, the viability showed an upward trend, with an increase in percentage of lambs weaned up to the fifth parity (H = 80.0%; SH = 90.1%) and a rapid decline after the sixth parity. The postpartum weight and higher parity, together with the postnatal maternal effect of dams' performance on growth in the first 60 days, influenced lambs' weaning weight at 105 days. There was no significant seasonal pattern of growth. At 210 days of age, the influence of litter type started to diminish. Differences in body weight due to sex also became relatively less important at this age. The ewes which had gained rapidly in weight appeared heavily pregnant, and with full udder, at 210 days of age. These findings confirm the importance of the transient nature of growth between 90 and 105 days of age. The physiologically mature weight is reached at higher parity, between the fifth and sixth, antibody weights of 20.93 and 23.59 kg for the humid and subhumid zone ewes, respectively. The mean liveweight considered to be a measure of physiological maturity was attained between 3.5 and 4.0 years of age. Résumé Etudes sur la production ovine traditionnelle dans la région humide et sub‐humide d'Asante (Ghana). III. Relations entre le poids de naissance et le développement du poids du corps avant et après le sevrage Le poids de naissance était fonction de l'influence d'alimentation prénatale variante. Il augmentait jusqu'au point du cinquième agnelage dans la zone sub‐humide (1,89 kg) et du sixième agnelage dans la zone humide (1,71 kg) montrant une dépendance directe du poids des brebis. Dans les deux zones climatiques, on n'a observé aucune influence saisonnière significative par rapport au poids de naissance. Le type de la portée (c.‐à‐d. portée individuelle ou multiple) avait l'influence la plus grande quant au poids, au développement du poids et au taux de survie des agneaux jusqu'au soixantième jour. ...

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“…Although the studies undertaken by C apps et al (1979) and A sare and W ilson (1985) were at the village level, they only covered a period of 12 months. Additionally, a few documented studies by J ollans (1960), A siedu and A ppiah (1983), T uah and B aah (1985), N gere (1973), and N gere and A boagye (1981) were also undertaken under relatively favourable and controlled research‐station environments and can therefore only produce results which may not be immediately applicable to small‐holder conditions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigations into traditionally managed Djallonké‐sheep production in the humid and subhumid zones of Asante, Ghana

London

Weniger

1994

J Animal Breeding Genetics

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This studies presented in this paper were undertaken on 42 households units in two ecological zones of four farming villages located in the heart of the Kumawu Traditional Area (KTA) in Asante. The traditional area is the largest (9256 km(2) ) of the 21 traditional areas or paramouncies comprising the Asante Region (24 390 km(2) ), one of the ten regions of Ghana. The headquarters are in the township of Kumawu, which is located 56 km north-east of Kumase, the capital of the Asante Region. A brief discription of physical conditions, the land tenure system and the current agricultural resources of the area are given. Detailed descriptions of the physical characteristics of sheep type, ownership pattern and management practices, as well as flock structure, are discussed. The availability of fodder plants and their seasonal cover are outlined. In all, the studies covered 700 dams with almost 1500 lambings over a period of 30 months. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG: Untersuchungen über traditionelle Schafproduktion in der Humiden und Sub-humiden Asanter Region Ghanas. I. Natürliche Standortbedingungen und Resourcenausstattung im Untersuchungsgebiet Die Untersuschungen wurden in zwei unterschiedlichen agro-ökologischen Zonen in 42 kleinbäuerlichen Haushalten von 4 Dörfern durchegeführt. Es handelt sich um das Kumawu-Gebiet (9256 km(2) ) der Asanteregion (24 390 km(2) ) 60 km nördostlich von Kumase, der Hauptstadt der Asante mit traditionell sehr starker Schafhaltung. In der 1. Mitteilung wird eine detaillierte Beschreibung der natürlichen Standortfaktoren, Landeigentumsverhältnisse und landwirtschaftlichen Resourcenaussttatung gegeben. In einer Untersuchung über 30 Monate an 700 Mutterschafen mit ca. 1500 Geburten werden zunächst Schafrassen, Management und Eigentumsverhältnisse sowie Herdenstrukturen analysiert. RÉSUMÉ: Analyse de la production ovine traditionnelle (Djallonké) dans la région humide et sub-humide d'Asante du Ghana. I. Conditions naturelles du milieu et disponibilité de ressources dans la région d'enquête Les enquêtes ont été effectuées dans deux zones agro-écologiques différentes, soit dans 42 petites exploitations agricoles faisant partie de quatre villages. Il s'agit du territoire traditionnel de Kumawu, territoire le plus vaste (9256 km(2) ) dans la région d'Asante (24 390 km(2) ), à 56 km nord-est de Kumase, la capitale d'Asante, òu on se dédie traditionnellement à l'élevage intensif des ovins. L'article donne une brève description des facteurs naturels du milieu, de la structure agraire et des ressources agricoles de la région. L'enquête, effectuée pendant 30 mois, sur 700 brébis et à peu près 1500 parturitions s'est dédié d'abord à l'analyse des races bovines, aux pratiques de gestion, aux structures de propriété et celles des troupeaux bovins. Les enquêtes suivantes ont étudié les techniques de production, la reproduction, la commercialisation et les aspects économiques en tant que base d'une intensification de la production.

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Reproductive performance of the West African Dwarf and the Nungua Black Head sheep of Ghana

Cited by 9 publications

References 2 publications

The effect of age and diet on the reproductive performance of Sudan Nilotic ewes

The effect of age and diet on the reproductive performance of Sudan Nilotic ewes

Investigations into traditionally managed Djallonké‐sheep production in the humid and subhumid zones of Asante, Ghana III. Relationship between birth weight, preweaning growth, and postweaning growth of lambs*

Investigations into traditionally managed Djallonké‐sheep production in the humid and subhumid zones of Asante, Ghana

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