Length of Breeding Season for Eight Breed Groups of Sheep in Wisconsin

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Abstract
The breeding season was studied in eight breed groups: Texas Rambouillets, Montana Rambouillets, Wisconsin Hampshires, Beltsville Hampshires, Suffolks, Polled Dorsets, Targhees and Columbias maintained in confinement in southern Wisconsin. Each breed group consisted of 27 mature ewes allocated randomly into two lots. The ewes were checked daily for estrus for a period of 1 year. There were well defined seasonal trends (P<.01) in the incidence of estrus and some indication (P<.08) of differences among breeds. All breeds showed relatively low incidences of estrus during May, June, July and August. Based on these data for the given breed groups, breeding management systems for lambing three times in 2 years do not appear to be feasible under Wisconsin conditions. Twice-per-year breeding systems using the combinations of March-September, April-October or May-November may have some merit, but more experimental information is needed on length of postpartum anestrous interval and lambing rates at different times of the year. Copyright © 1979. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1979 by American Society of Animal Science.