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Influence of Nutrition on Ovulation and Fertilization in the Rambouillet Ewe¹

Clemson University³, Clemson, South Carolina 29631

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted using Rambouillet ewes. In the first, groups of 12 ewes were maintained on each of five diets for 3 years. Compared with pastured ewes, both low and high energy diets gave poorer fertility, apparently due to low ovulation rates in the former and low fertilization rates in the latter. Protein content did not influence fertility.

In the second experiment, groups of 20, 20 or 40 ewes were kept for 8 months on each of three diets: low energy, high energy or pasture, respectively. At the end of this period (November), ova were recovered and returned to the same ewes (homologous) or reciprocally transferred between low energy and pasture ewes, or between high energy and pasture ewes. The results suggested that over- and under-nutrition may reduce fertility through separate mechanisms.

¹ Published with the approval of the Director of the S. C. Experiment Station as Technical Contribution No. 1004.

² Present address: Institute of Veterinary Science, Syntex Research, Stanford Industrial Park, Palo Alto, California 94304.

³ Department of Animal Science.