MART-AZR Project Research Report 27: Effect of the Flushing and Late-Gestation Supplementary Feeding on Fertility and Productivity of Harnai Ewes

Abstract

Eighty-one Harnai ewes grazing native range were used in an experiment designed to examine the effect of flushing and late-gestation supplementary feeding on ewe fertility and productivity at Tomagh Range Livestock Research Station, in Loralai district, Baluchistan. The animals were divided into three groups of twenty-seven animals each. These three groups were assigned three flushing treatments at random: barley grain (300 g/head/d), cottonseed cake (100 g/head/d) and control (no supplementary feed) for six weeks. On the 110th day from the start of breeding each of the three main groups was divided into three sub-groups of nine animals each. Three sub-groups of each main group were randomly assigned to one of the three late-gestation supplementary feed treatments: barley grain (300 g/head/d) cottonseed cake (100 g/head/d) and no feed (control). The results indicate that flushing had a significant (P<0.05) effect on the maintenance of ewe body weights. Lategestation supplementary feeding with barley grain also had a significant (P<0.06) effect on the maintenance of ewe body weights. Results of the study also suggest a fertility rate response to flushing and a positive birth weight response to late-gestation supplementary feed with cottonseed cake.