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A note on the use of Dexamethasone to induce parturition in the ewe

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

G. M. Webster  and
W. Haresign
G. M. Webster
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture and Horticulture, University of Nottingham School of Agriculture, Sutton Bonington, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 5RD
W. Haresign
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture and Horticulture, University of Nottingham School of Agriculture, Sutton Bonington, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 5RD
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Abstract

A single intra-muscular injection of either 6mg or 12 mg Dexamethasone on day 142 of gestation resulted in a high degree of synchrony in the time of lambing compared with untreated controls, with no increase in lambing difficulty or perinatal mortality. Birth weight and growth rate of lambs born to treated ewes were not significantly different from those of untreated control ewes.

A single intra-muscular injection of 12 mg Dexamethasone on day 125 of gestation resulted in abortion in nearly half of the ewes, and their lambs were either stillborn or died soon after birth.

These data demonstrate the need to know precise mating dates if parturition is to be induced in this way.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 32 , Issue 3 , June 1981 , pp. 341 - 344
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1981

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References

REFERENCES

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