Abstract
Superovulatory treatments for ewes are normally preceded by a period of priming. In a recent study involving two contrasting levels of feeding (0.6 versus 2.4 x maintenance), McEvoy et al (1993) observed that the higher level of feeding suppressed pre-ovulatory plasma progesterone concentrations and the subsequent early development and viability of fertilized ova. This finding suggests that there is a need to reconsider the recommendation, based on data for spontaneously-ovulating ewes, that ‘superovulated embryo donor ewes’ should be maintained on a high level of feeding during the period of oocyte maturation. It also raises questions regarding the form of the relationship between food intake and plasma progesterone concentrations over the wide range of feeding levels that occur in practice. The aims of the present study were therefore two-fold; firstly, to investigate the relationship between level of feeding and plasma progesterone for feed intakes that ranged from 0.6 x maintenance (M) to 2.4 M and secondly to assess the effect of pre-ovulatory feeding levels on the number, quality and viability of ova produced following superovulation.
Published Version
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