The influence of maternal nutrition on ovine foetal growth.

In recent years considerable information on ovine foetal growth has emanated from both medical research, in which the sheep has been used as a convenient experimental animal, and agricultural research, in which the main interest has been in improving the efficiency of the sheep as a meat and wool producer (Alexander, 1974). In the present paper an attempt is made to draw together some of the main findings, in particular those relating to the effects on foetal growth of underand over-nutrition at different stages of gestation. In reviewing the results of experiments made in early and mid pregnancy, nutritional treatments are described as either ‘high‘ or ‘low’, since in many early reports this is the only description of the treatments. In an attempt at more accurate definition, where possible body-weight changes are included in the present review.