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Effect of passive immunization against testosterone on the reproductive performance of Scottish Blackface ewes in different levels of body condition at mating

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

S. M. Rhind
Affiliation:
Hill Farming Research Organisation, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0PY
R. G. Gunn
Affiliation:
Hill Farming Research Organisation, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0PY
B. A. Morris
Affiliation:
Division of Clinical Biochemistry, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 5XH
J. Clayton
Affiliation:
Division of Clinical Biochemistry, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 5XH
I. D. Leslie
Affiliation:
Hill Farming Research Organisation, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0PY
G. Gittus
Affiliation:
Hill Farming Research Organisation, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0PY
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Abstract

The effect of passive immunization against testosterone on reproductive performance was investigated in 180 mature Scottish Blackface ewes in different levels of body condition at mating. Ewes were fed to achieve a wide range of condition (scores 1·5 to 3·0) by 2 weeks before a synchronized mating. During the week before mating, 90 ewes were each injected with 32 ml of a neat anti-testosterone antiserum (1: 96 000 initial titre) and 90 ewes were untreated. At about 55 days after mating, 50 immunized and 50 control ewes were slaughtered and the numbers of corpora lutea and embryos present were recorded. The proportion of immunized ewes that conceived during two periods of mating was in excess of 0·9 in all condition categories. By contrast, untreated ewes in the low condition category (score =£ 2·00) had significantly lower conception rates than ewes in higher condition categories. Immunized ewes with condition scores of 2·50 or less at mating had significantly higher ovulation rates, litter sizes and lambing rates compared with control ewes, while immunized ewes with scores of 2·75 or higher were not significantly different from control ewes in these measurements. There was no effect of immunization on embryo mortality rate, lamb sex ratio, lamb birth weight, or lamb survival rate in the 1st week after birth.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1985

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References

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