The effect of daylength and nutrition on the oestrous and ovulatory activity of Greyface ewes

Abstract

SUMMARYThe onset and duration of oestrous and ovulatory activity in 26 Greyface ewes receiving natural daylength changes were determined. Precise ovulation data were obtained by endoscopy and repeated observations of the ovaries of all ewes were made on 10 occasions from 15 July 1971 to 27 June 1972. The natural breeding season for these Greyface ewes was, on average, 22 September 1971 to 18 February 1972. There were significant seasonal changes in the mean ovulation rate of the ewes which appeared to be inversely related to seasonal changes in natural daylength.An abrupt decrease in artificial daylength of 11 -43 hr applied on 22 June 1971 to 28 similar Greyface ewes advanced their mean onset of oestrous activity by 23 days. The decrease in artificial daylength also advanced the occurrence of ovulation in these ewes. The highest mean ovulation rate of the ewes receiving the decrease in artificial daylength was at least as high as the peak mean ovulation rate measured in the control ewes.At most stages of the experiment, the plane of nutrition had no significant effect on either oestrous or ovulatory activity in the ewes.