Oral and Poster Abstracts

decrease in animal aggregation in pastures 60 days age may be
suggested for weaning weight of Farahani male lambs for fattening.
Key words: weaning age, feedlot traits, Farahani male lambs
740 Effectiveness of Oestrus Induction Treatments in Sarda
Breed Lambs during Non-breeding Season
M. Ferrari 1,2 , G. Catone 1 , M. Baroni 1 , P. Petralia 1 , S. Chiodi 1 ,
B. Castellucci 1 , L. Ferrari 2 , A. Malfatti 1
1
University of Camerino, Italy, Department of Veterinary Medicine,
Matelica (MC), Italy
2
Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Department of Veterinary
Medicine, Curitiba, Brazil
Despite the interest and opportunity to use yearling lambs for
ameliorating reproductive performance of flock and as substitutes for
unproductive adult ewes, there is a lack of information about onset of
inducted oestrus in Sarda breed lambs during non-breeding season. The
purpose of this work was to evaluate the efficacy of four different
procedures for oestrus induction out of reproductive season in Sarda
breed lambs. The experiment was performed during early spring season
(end of March) on a farm located in a hill area (400 m above sea level)
in The Marche region (Central Italy). Ninety and two 11 month-old
Sarda lambs were used. The animals were randomly chosen and
divided in four groups designed GI (n=22), GII (n=22), GIII (n=24) and
GIV (n=24). Each group remained in separated pens during the whole
experiment. The animals were fed with good quality hay and 300 grams
of fodder by head in a daily basis and have no contact (visual, sound,
smell) with males during at least 2 months before the start of the
experiment. All lambs were treated with intravaginal sponges
impregnated with 40 mg of FGA (Cronogest ® ) which were removed
after 9, 12, 14 and 14 days after insertion, respectively for GI, GII, GIII
and GIV. PMSG was injected (i.m.) into all lambs at the moment of
sponge withdrawal (500 UI for GI, GIII and GIV and 300 UI for GII).
GI and GIII lambs were injected (i.m.) with 125 µg of cloprostenol at
the moment of sponge introduction. Rams with the chest painted by a
dye mixed in an oil base were introduced after 24 hours from sponge
withdrawal in all groups and the onset of oestrus was verified by
inspection of mating rump marks present on lambs every 12 hours from
ram introduction to 72 hours after. Respectively for GI, GII, GIII and
GIV, the onset of oestrus was 81,8% (n=18), 72,7% (n=16), 87,5%
(n=21) and 62,5% (n=15) and the pregnancy rates were 50%, 46%,
58% and 46%. From these results, we could conclude that both oestrus
and pregnancy rates were not affected by the duration of the sponge
treatment nor by the PMSG dose and that the cloprostenol
administration resulted in a higher number of mated lambs, considering
all the groups (85% vs 67%; p= 0.05) or only the 14 days groups (GIII
vs GIV; p< 0.05).
Key words: oestrus, induction, lambs, Sarda breed
741 A Case Report of Sporadic 10 Ovine Menigoencephalitis in a
Herd in Sao Paulo State, Brazil
L. Gregory 1 , E. Meira Jr. 1 , A. Nassar 2 , E. Scarcelli 2 , E. Villalobos 2 ,
M. Lara 2 , A. DellaLibera 1 , A. Safatle 1 , P. Barros 1 , C. Del Fava 2
1 Universidade de Sao Paulo, Clinica Medica, Sao Paulo, Brazil
2 Instituto Biológico, Centro de Sanidade Animal, Sao Paulo, Brazil
In a flock of 250 Santa Ines ovines proceding from a farm in Bragança
Paulista, Sao Paulo state, Brazil, it was investigated the presence of a
neurological acute disease in ten adult animals between October and
November 2007. The clinical symptomatology included head
deviation, opisthotonus, nystagmus, ataxia with consistent falling to
one side, `paddling` involuntary movement and stiff limbs. The
animals also presented hyperthermia, blindness, letargy and muscle
stiffness with restrained movements. The sheep with visual impairment
was submitted to ophthalmic exam. The eyes presented calmness and at
the direct and indirect ophthalmoscopy, were not possible to detect any
retinal impairment. The animal was submitted a full field
electroretinogram. The procedure was performed according to the
standard protocol recommended by the ISCEV (International Society
for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision), which is constituted of five
responses. The ERG showed reduced amplitude in all five responses,
when compared with healthy sheep. With these results the visual
impairment was not explained by retinal diseases. The main clinical
suspicion was Listeria monocytogenes because, at the farm, all the
animals were being fed with silage from a newly open silo. From ten
118 XXV. Jubilee World Buiatrics Congress 2008
animals examinated, four died and other two were euthanised at the late
stage of the disease. In the remaining animals it was carried out general
and specific clinical exams. The complementary exams were
considered, therefore the disease must be differentiated from Rabies
(IFD), Listeria monocytogenes (PCR and culture) and Toxoplasmosis
(serology). The serological and bacteriological exams were negatives.
At the liquor exam was observed large presence of monocytes,
indicating an almost complete monocitosis. The histological lesions
were predominantly unilateral with typically inflammatory response as
described in meningo-encephalitis cases. It was not possible find the
etiological agents in this case demanding more studies in sheep
encephalitis causes in Brazil.
Key words: sheep, encephalitis, clinical of ruminants
742 Retrospective Study: does Vaccination against Footrot
Improve Reproduction Performances in Ewes?
C. Marcerou, B. Bolkaerts, C. Baricalla, N. Kirschvink
University of Namur, Veterinary Department, Animal Physiology,
Namur, Belgium
The aim of this retrospective study was to assess whether vaccination
against footrot (Fusobacterium necrophorum and Dichelobacter
nodosus) by use of a vaccine with 10 valences against Dichelobacter
nodosus would affect the reproduction performances in a flock of adult
ewes with a high prevalence of footrot.
Data obtained from a sheep flock of adult Texel, Ile de France and
Texel-Ile de France ewes prior to vaccination (Pre: 2005-2006) were
compared to data obtained after vaccination (Post: 2006-2007). Except
instauration of footrot vaccination, the flock management remained
identical: antiparasitic control, reproduction periods (autumn), food
availability and mean parity (3.6±1.5) did not differ between both
periods. The following variables were assessed: number of oestrus
cycles [OC] necessary for gestation (calculated individually by
considering the moment of introduction of the rams into the flock and
the moment of lambing), fertility, fecundity, prolificity and % of
abortions (defined as non lambing ewes after confirmed gestation by
ultrasound diagnosis).
Results: Data are shown as mean ± SD (if appropriated).
OC Fertility Fecundity Prolificity %
(%) (%) (%) abortions
Pre 2.64±2.55 78 126±86 1.61±0.61 17
(n=231)
Post 2.18±2.06* 96* 150±61* 1.56±0.54 3*
(n=204)
* Significantly different from respective Pre-value, p