Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production.
1988, 48: 77-80
Sixty-nine ewes, fitted with abomasal catheters, were individually
penned and offered a pelleted diet at maintenance level. Each ewe
received, in a random order, an abomasal infusion of water (CON),
glucose (GLU), lactalbumin (LAC) and soy protein isolate (SPI) from days
8 to 17 of 4 consecutive oestrous cycles (day 17 = ovulation).
Ovulation was initially synchronised using controlled internal drug
releasers (CIDR) and subsequently by prostaglandin injection. Ovulation
rate was measured by laparoscopy approximately 5 d after expected
ovulation.
Ovulation rate was 161, 172, 177 and 175% for CON, GLU, LAC and SPI
respectively. When expressed as the percentage of ewes multiple
ovulating both protein infusions were associated with a significant
(P<0.05) increase of 55 v 72 and 74% ewes multiple ovulating, for CON v
LAC and SPI respectively. Glucose, with 65% ewes multiple ovulating,
was not significantly different (P>0.05) from any treatment.
These results show that ovulation rate can be modified by short term
abomasal infusion of nutrients and confirm the positive influence of
protein absorption on ovulation rate, but do not exclude the possibility
that the effect of protein may be due to its energy content.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
sheep; ovulation rate; protein; energy; abomasal infusion
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Last Updated 18-03-1997
