Radiographic and ultrasonic study of pelvic bones in awassi ewes and local she goat and relationship with age of sexual maturity

Abstract EN

The goal of this study is to find out the age of sexual maturity in awassi sheep and native black she goats by examining pelvic bone development which is obtained from measuring the transverse and vertical diameters of the pelvic bone in the two species using portable x-ray machines American origin.

in addition, the length and width of the ovaries were measured with an ultrasound rectal probe.

to achieve the goal of this study, six awassi sheep and the same number of local goats were used.

radiographs were taken of each animal in the ventro-dorsal position, then the mean and standard error of each measurement in the two species were extracted.

the rectal probe of the ultrasound machine was also used by inserting it into the rectum, taking vertical and transverse ovarian measurements, and then extracting the mean of each measurement along with the standard error.

the mean transverse and vertical diameter measurements at the first instances of sexual maturity in awassi sheep were 7.70 ± 0.09 cm and 10.61 ± 0.03 cm, respectively, and the mean ovarian length and width were 1.20 ± 0.08, 0.80 ± 0.06 cm respectively.

while the average distance to the transverse pelvic inlet and the pelvic inlet vertically in local black goats at age of sexual maturity were 7.15 ± 0.06 cm and 10.55 ± 0.10 cm, respectively, and the average length and width of the ovary was 1.66 ± 0.03, 1.24 ± 0.02 cm respectively.

the results in both species showed that the age of sexual maturity is earlier in awassi sheep than in local black goats.