Attainment of puberty in the European Mouflon (Ovis gmelini musimon) and the domestic Manchega ewe (Ovis aries)

The onset of puberty was assessed from plasma progesterone profiles for Mouflon (n = 8) and Manchega (n = 7) female lambs born in April. Four Mouflons exhibited their first ovulation at a mean date of 27 November +/- 1.4 days, the mean age being 248.5 +/- 3.9 days and the mean body weight 23.8 +/- 0.6 kg. The remaining four Mouflons, which had a slower growth rate, attained puberty during the autumn of the following year. Five of seven Manchega lambs attained puberty in their first year at a mean date of 5 Oct +/- 3.3, the mean age being 185.6 +/- 2.6 days and the mean body weight 41.8 +/- 2.0 kg. The mean liveweight at the onset of puberty was 65.1 and 82% (p < 0.05) of adult body weights for Manchega and Mouflons, respectively. Overall, the results indicate that there is a threshold of bodyweight necessary for the attainment of puberty in the first breeding season for spring-born lambs, which is very different between both Mouflon and Manchega. When body weight was below 23.8 +/- 0.6 and 41.8 +/- 2.0 kg for Mouflon and Manchega lambs, respectively, first ovulation did not occur until the beginning of the next breeding season. The onset of puberty during the second year of life occurred within the specific reproductive seasons for Mouflon (October-April) and Manchega (July-March) ewes, despite minimal further growth.