Tsekouras Nikolaos, Tsakmakidis Ioannis, Gougoulis Dimitrios, Christodoulopoulos Mathis A B, Kousoulis Christos, Papakonstantinou Georgios I, Papatsiros Vasileios G, Christodoulopoulos Georgios
Clinic of Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, Greece.
Department of Agriculture, School of Agricultural Sciences, University of Western Macedonia, Kontopoulou str, 53100 Florina, Greece.
Life (Basel). 2025 May 17;15(5):795. doi: 10.3390/life15050795.
This study examines the reproductive outcomes of Lacaune-crossbred ewes and hoggets in intensive production systems, focusing on vaginal prolapse and hydrometra associated with flaws in estrus synchronization (E.S.) protocols. Data from multiple farms were combined for analysis due to the absence of significant variation at the farm level. The findings revealed a strong association between vaginal prolapse, parity, and litter size, with hoggets carrying multiple fetuses facing the highest risk ( < 0.0001). This highlights the need to reconsider equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) administration in hoggets, as it increases the likelihood of multiple pregnancies and, consequently, prolapse. Additionally, a progressive rise in hydrometra prevalence was observed with repeated synchronization cycles in ewes, increasing from 0.51% after the third treatment to 12.33% after the fourth ( < 0.0001). Notably, in this study, the four synchronization cycles were applied over a relatively short period (7.22 ± 1.64 months), further supporting concerns that excessive hormonal treatments within a compressed timeframe exacerbate reproductive dysfunction. The results corroborate previous reports that prolonged progesterone exposure can impair uterine function, leading to fluid retention and hydrometra. To mitigate these risks, estrus synchronization protocols should be critically reassessed-especially by extending the interval between successive treatments-to protect reproductive health and animal welfare. These findings not only underscore the need for more welfare-conscious practices in intensive sheep farming but also encourage further research aimed at refining hormonal management strategies in dairy ewe reproduction.
本研究考察了拉克瑙杂交母羊和青年母羊在集约化生产系统中的繁殖结果，重点关注与发情同步（E.S.）方案缺陷相关的阴道脱垂和子宫积水。由于农场层面不存在显著差异，因此合并了多个农场的数据进行分析。研究结果显示，阴道脱垂、胎次和产仔数之间存在密切关联，怀有多个胎儿的青年母羊面临的风险最高（<0.0001）。这凸显了重新考虑对青年母羊使用马绒毛膜促性腺激素（eCG）的必要性，因为它会增加多胎妊娠的可能性，进而导致脱垂。此外，观察到母羊在重复同步周期后子宫积水患病率呈逐渐上升趋势，从第三次治疗后的0.51%增至第四次治疗后的12.33%（<0.0001）。值得注意的是，在本研究中，四个同步周期是在相对较短的时间内（7.22±1.64个月）进行的，这进一步支持了人们的担忧，即在紧凑的时间框架内进行过多的激素治疗会加剧生殖功能障碍。研究结果证实了先前的报道，即长期暴露于孕酮会损害子宫功能，导致液体潴留和子宫积水。为降低这些风险，应严格重新评估发情同步方案，尤其是通过延长连续治疗之间的间隔时间，以保护生殖健康和动物福利。这些发现不仅强调了在集约化养羊中需要采取更注重福利的做法，还鼓励开展进一步研究，以完善奶用母羊繁殖中的激素管理策略。
