A short-term treatment with estradiol-17 beta and progesterone induced mammary gland growth and lactogenesis in non-pregnant ewes. These events normally occur during the second half of pregnancy. In order to compare the hormonal environment during the treatment to that during pregnancy, the concentrations of total estrogens (TE), progesterone (P4), glucocorticoids (G) and prolactin (Prl) in the...

The objective of the experiment was to determine the effectiveness of copper oxide wire particles (COWP) in pregnant ewes and safety to lambs. COWP have been used recently as an anthelmintic in small ruminants to overcome problems associated with nematode resistance to chemical dewormers. Doses of COWP (<or=4 g) have been used in lambs without clinical signs of copper toxicity. Use in pregnant ...

Congenital and acquired abnormalities of the reproductive tract of female sheep resulting in subfertility,infertility or sterility cannot easily be detected by routine clinical examination. Morphopathologicalabnormalities of the reproductive tract of ewes were studied by examining a total of 739 genital tracts inabattoirs of Fars province, Iran. From these, the 648 non-pregnant genitalia were e...

Two studies were performed to evaluate early pregnancy diagnosis by transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS), using a 7.5-MHz ransducer in ewes. In the first study, the objectives were to determine the earliest date that a reliable pregnancy diagnosis could be ade (percentage of ewes detected pregnant between days 15 and 20 after mating). In the second study, the objective was to confirm he findings ...

Cystatin C (CST3) is a secreted inhibitor of lysosomal cysteine proteases cathepsins B (CTSB) and CTSL, which are abundant in the ovine endometrium and conceptus. In mice, cathepsins and cystatins play important roles in implantation and placentation. This study determined effects of the estrous cycle, pregnancy, progesterone (P4), and interferon-tau (IFNT) on CST3 in the ovine uterus. In cycli...

This study investigated whether a 27-day period of nutrition at half-maintenance during early pregnancy (up to Day 14) could alter maternal endocrine responses. Forty-six ewes were fed all or half of their maintenance requirements and slaughtered on Day 14 of the oestrous cycle or pregnancy. We used real time RT-PCR to study gene expression of growth hormone receptor (GHR) and leptin in adipose...

Intrauterine laparoscopic insemination is diffuse in sheep breeding, yet requires veterinary expertise and expensive equipment. Our aim was to evaluate the time required, reproductive outcome post-operative complications of mini invasive laparotomic intrauterine insemination, as an alternative approach laparoscopy. A total 115 Sopravvissana breed ewes were enrolled, including 75 adults 40 lamb ...

alpha 1-Adrenergic receptors mediate vasoconstriction in the pulmonary and systemic vasculature. In sheep the in vivo vasoconstrictor response to alpha 1-adrenergic stimulation is less in the pulmonary circulation compared with the systemic circulation of the fetus, the response increases in both vascular beds with fetal and postnatal development, and it decreases in the systemic vasculature wi...

The intake of a pelleted diet offered ad libitum to pregnant Merino ewes between the 90th and 140th days of pregnancy was influenced by their previous nutritional history and degree of body fatness. Marked compensatory intake occurred in previously ill-fed ewes whereas the intake of well-fed fat ewes carrying single foetuses declined slightly as pregnancy proceeded. The body weights of single f...

Groups of 50 ewes were injected with serum from pregnant mares on 5 occasions, 3 months apart, and ovulation rate was estimated at laparoscopy. In Exp. 1, new ewes were used at each time and 3 dose rates (identical to 400, 630 and 1000 i.u. PMSG) were studied. In Exp. 2, the same ewes were used throughout and only 1 dose was given (1000 i.u.). In both experiments the response in ovulation rate ...