Egg Transfers in Exotic Sheep
H.R. Tervit, A.J. Allison, J.F. Smith, T.M. Harvey and P.G.
Havik
Ruakura Agricultural Research Centre, Hamilton
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Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production. 1976, 36: 67-75
Fifty-one aged "exotic" ewes were superovulated with PMSG and
eggs recovered 3 to 6 days after mating. One hundred and twelve eggs
were transferred to 74 recipients. The donor hormone treatment resulted
in precise synchronization of oestrus and satisfactory superovulation,
but 41% of the donors had corpora lutea undergoing premature regression.
Egg recovery was very low in these animals (28%) and this combined with
a low egg fertilization rate (57%) resulted in only 112 eggs being
transferred. The recipient performance was satisfactory and 57 lambs
were born. The combined lambing performance of the donors post-surgery
and their recipients showed that the number of offspring was increased in
three of the four breeds in comparison with the previous season's
performance of the donors. The limited success of the programme was
largely due to problems associated with the donor hormone regime and to
poor performance of the "exotic" rams.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
Last Updated 24-08-2000
