REPRODUCTIVE TRAITS IN PATANWADI EWES AND ITS CROSSES

Abstract

In the recent past, the ewe has become the most preferred animal for research on mammalian reproduction. It is imperative that the reproductive traits of the ewe be understood in order to carry out successful research. Physiological processes like pregnancy and parturition are a co-ordinated series of highly complex nature, which needs to be well understood and well managed. If the average gestation length, birth weight and the probable time of lambing on a farm is know, the management would be greatly facilitated. Keeping this in mind, the present study was conducted on Patandwadi and its crosses, maintained at Livestock Research Station, Gujarat Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar.