ArticleVeterinary medicine and science2025
Effects of Breeding for Short-Tailedness in Sheep on Parameters of Reproduction and Lamb Development.
Article in Veterinary medicine and science, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Anti-Müllerian hormone, progesterone, and estrogen at breeding season onset and their association with reproductive performance in multiparous ewes.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2026Article
- Concentrations of Progesterone (PVeterinary sciences · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundSheep's tail docking is a widespread practice, which is banned or critically discussed in some countries to improve animal welfare.
objectiveThe aim was to determine the influence of breeding for short-tailedness (ST) or long-tailedness (LT) in sheep on the development of reproduction parameters and lamb performance.
methodOne hundred forty-nine ewes were mated with four rams according to tail length. Pregnancy and pregnancy loss rates were calculated. During pregnancy, the progesterone levels (P4) of the ewes were measured. The weight and length of the 254 lambs were recorded up to 14 weeks of life. Litter size, placenta weight, sex, stillbirths, vitality, morbidity and mortality of the lambs were also documented.
resultsNo significant differences were found for P4 and placental weight for the two mating groups (ST and LT). Although the pregnancy rate for ST was slightly lower (75.71%) than for LT (87.34%), there was only a low significant difference (p = 0.07). The sex distribution was 61 (48.80%) male and 64 (51.20%) female lambs in the ST group and 67 (51.94%) male and 62 (48.06%) female lambs in the LT group. The twinning rate was not significantly different (ST 75.20%; LT 75.97%), and no significant difference was found in the average body length and vitality of the lambs. However, LT lambs showed better weight gains that were marginally significant (p = 0.09).
conclusionThis study found no evidence that reproductive parameters or lamb performance were affected by selective breeding based on tail length.
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Registered trials
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