Role of photorefractoriness in onset of anoestrus in Rambouillet x Dorset ewes

An experiment was conducted to determine the extent to which refractoriness to short daylength is involved in the onset of anoestrus in Rambouillet x Dorset ewes. Ovary-intact ewes (N = 36) were exposed to ambient photoperiod (C) or to a photoperiod equal to the winter solstice (S) beginning on 21 December 1986 and continuing until 21 April 1987. Samples of serum were obtained at weekly intervals and assayed for progesterone to assess ovarian activity, and for prolactin to assess response to photoperiod treatment. In addition, ovariectomized (ovx) ewes with implants containing oestradiol were housed with C(Covx) and S (Sovx) ewes (N = 4 per treatment). The concentration of LH was determined in serum collected biweekly from all ovariectomized ewes throughout the treatment period as an index of reproductive status. Time-trends for concentrations of LH differed (P less than 0.005) for ewes in Groups Covx and Sovx with LH decreasing on the order of about 8-fold in Group Covx through the treatment period, while not changing appreciably in Group Sovx. Intact ewes in both treatments began to become anoestrous by the 9th week of treatment (about the last week in February). However, fewer Group S than Group C ewes were anoestrous at 13 and 14 weeks of treatment (P = 0.09). Time-trends for concentrations of prolactin also differed for the Group C and S ewes (P less than 0.005), probably reflecting the divergence in duration of photoperiod between the two treatments by the end of the study.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)