Ovarian activity of Sokoto red goats using abattoir specimens

Ovarian activity of Sokoto red goats was studied for 12 months using 141 pairs of ovaries obtained from a Zaria abattoir. Ovarian activity occurred throughout the year but higher activity was observed during the rainy (June to September) and dry (January to March) seasons. The higher ovarian activity during the rainy season is perhaps due to the availability of pasture during this time, while the higher activity during the dry season might be related to the goat's ability to convert leaves and dry forage that are mostly available during this season into useful nutrients. Temperature increase, particularly during the dry season, might be a factor for higher ovarian activity during the same period.