Role of male effect to advance breeding season and induce estrus in Mandya ewes

In sheep the ram acts as an exteroceptive stimulus to initiate ovarian activity in ewes during transition from non breeding to breeding season and seems to constitute a major factor in the control of reproductive events (Cushwa et al., 1992). When the ewes are isolated from the rams for more than 1 month they react to the introduction of a ram resulting in activation of LH secretion, synchronization of ovulation. In this study, we explored the possibly of using male effect to induce and synchronize estrus during the non breeding season in Mandya breed of ewes.