Reproduction of the ewe and female goat in the province of Fars, Iran

Over a period of 12 months, 1006 ovine and 1129 caprine genitalia were collected from an abattoir. 57-5 per cent of the sheep and 89 per cent of the goat specimens were gravid of which 26-9 per cent and 30-2 per cent, respectively, of the total were estimated to be over two months of gestational age. Transuterine migration of the early embryo was a feature in both species although it was more frequent in the goat. Signs of fertilisation failure or embryonic death was most frequently observed if associated with multiple ovulations. Three ovine and two caprine fetuses had severe developmental abnormalities, and a total of 30 specimens had either congenital or acquired abnormalities of the ovaries and uterus.