Seasonal reproduction in ewes selected on seasonal changes in wool growth

in Reproduction
Authors:
G. W. Montgomery
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H. Hawker
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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1530/jrf.0.0790207
Volume/Issue:
Volume 79: Issue 1
Page Range:
207–213
Article Type:
Research Article
Online Publication Date:
Jan 1987
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Summary. Romney and Perendale ewes were selected on the amplitude of seasonal wool growth. The ewes were fed a constant plane of nutrition and run with vasectomized rams. Ovarian activity was recorded by laparoscopy during 11 months. Ewes with a low amplitude of seasonal wool growth (Group L) had a 68% higher wool growth rate in winter and a 17% lower wool growth rate in summer compared with ewes with a high amplitude (Group H). There was no difference between the groups in the date of the first mating mark. Ewes in Group L entered anoestrus significantly later than did ewes in Group H; the difference was 11 days in the mean date of the last mating mark and 17 days in the mean date of the last ovulation. A significantly higher proportion of ewes in Group L ovulated during July to November. In addition, ewes in Group L had a significantly higher proportion of multiple ovulations throughout the experiment: on average the difference between the groups was 0·21. These results show that phenotypic selection for a low amplitude of seasonal wool growth resulted in a delay in the end of the breeding season associated with an increase in ovulation rate, suggesting independent effects on the beginning and end of the breeding season.

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Print ISSN:
1470-1626
Online ISSN:
1741-7899