FERTILITY IN SHEEP.

Shannon News, 17 April 1925, Page 4

FERTILITY IN SHEEP.

A very interesting paper on "Fertility in Sheep," by Mr. J. E. Nichols, B.S.c. (Hons.), has been issued from the Animal Breeding Research Department of Edinburgh University. It is a well-known fact that certain breeds of sheep are more fertile than others, various influences contributing to the utlimate expression of the character, and it is interesting to note that from statistics of nine different breeds collected by the Department the Border Leicester stands at the top in point, of fertility, with 207 lambs per 100 ewes. The next highest is the English Leicester, with 152.1, the Dorset Horn having 150.9, the Suffolk 148.7, the Oxford Down 138.4, with Black I Faces at the bottom, with 91.75.

It is pointed out that the high fertility found for the Border Leicester is probably due to some extent to the small size of the flocks from which the data were obtained.

In the case of multiple births the Border Leicester far out-top ahy of the other breeds, the percentage of triplets being 8.95, the Dorset Horn standing next with 3.1, and the Suffolk and Oxford Down practically on a par with 2.5 and 2.6 per cent, respectively.

These are some of the interesting figures brought out in this paper, which sheepbreeders may study with profit. The references to the important question of barrenness and abortion are also suggestive. It is remarked that tliese conditions (apart from pathological causes) are largely due to environment factors, but the importance of hereditary factors cannot be neglected; the age of the ewes is also important, and show condition has a prejudicial effect. The interesting fact is also brought out that the sex ratio in sheep is about 97 males to 100 females.