The effects of parturition season and suckling mode on the puerperium of santa ines ewes and on the weight gain of lambs

• Autor(a) principal: Oliveira, M. E F [UNESP]
• Data de Publicação: 2013
• Outros Autores: Sousa, H. L L, Moura, A. C B, Vicente, W. R R [UNESP], Rodrigues, L. F S, Araújo, A. A.
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por; eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da UNESP
• Texto Completo: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0102-09352013000300035; http://hdl.handle.net/11449/76517
• topic: Puerperium; Sheep; Suckling; Weight gain

Seventy-seven ewes were randomly divided into groups according to parturition season and suckling mode [Rainy season: continuous (n=14) and controlled (n=13); Dry season: continuous (n=25) and controlled (n=25)]. The controlled suckling mode, in both seasons, resulted in a decrease in variables, intervals between parturition and first estrus (reduction of 27.11 and 11.46 days for rainy and dry season, respectively; P<0.05) and between parturition and estrus of conception (reduction of 12.81 and 13.58 days, for rainy and dry season, respectively; P<0.05). As to the lambs, the weight gain was higher in animals subjected to controlled suckling in relation to continuous, especially when lambing occurred in the rainy season (17.83±0.56 vs. 13.95±0.52kg for Lambs' weight at 90 days old, respectively; P<0.05). Therefore, it was concluded that controlled suckling management is better indicated for the Amazonian region, since it allows the ewes to have a shorter puerperium period and the lambs exhibit higher weight gain.