title: Follicular dynamics and dominance in Booroola x Finnish Landrace and Booroola x Suffolk ewes heterozygous for the F gene.
abstract: To study the influence of the F gene on follicular dynamics and dominance, 2-year-old Booroola x Finnish Landrace (BFL, N = 17) and Booroola x Suffolk (BS, N = 18) ewes were compared with contemporary purebred Finn (FL, N = 18) and Suffolk (S, N = 18) ewes. In Exp. 1, oestrous cycles of ewes were synchronized during the breeding season with progestagen-impregnated sponges. At sponge removal (Day 0), 14 days after insertion, ewes of each of the 4 genetic groups were assigned to Group 1 in which all follicles visible on both ovaries were destroyed by electrocauterization except for the largest (F1) which was marked, Group 2 in which all visible follicles on both ovaries were destroyed, or Group 3 in which the 3 largest follicles of both ovaries were identified as F1, F2 and F3 and marked. At 48 h after treatment (Day 2), follicular growth was evaluated. At Day 0, the mean number of small follicles (1-3 mm) was higher (P less than 0.05) for BS, S and BFL (35.8, 35.1 and 32.9) than FL (24.9) ewes. Large follicles (greater than or equal to 4 mm) were more numerous (P less than 0.05) in FL (3.5) than in BS (2.1) ewes, BFL and S ewes being intermediate. Diameter of the F1 follicle was larger (P less than 0.05) for S (7.6 mm) than FL, BS and BFL (5.8, 5.1 and 5.1 mm) ewes. In Group 1, all F1 follicles marked at Day 0 ovulated at oestrus after sponge removal for BFL, BS and S ewes while in FL ewes, 2 of 6 F1 follicles regressed. In ewes ovulating, only the F1 follicle ovulated except for one S ewe which shed one more ovum. In Group 2, there were no follicles greater than or equal to 4 mm at Day 2 and no ewes ovulated after treatment. In Group 3, the proportion of marked follicles that ovulated was higher for S ewes than in those of the prolific genotypes. The number of follicles not marked at Day 0 but ovulating (compared to the total number of ovulations) was higher in BFL, BS and FL (8/11, 9/13 and 9/13) than S (3/10) ewes. In Exp. 2, prolific (BFL + BS) and non-prolific (S) ewes were compared following destruction of follicles greater than or equal to 3 mm with the F1 left intact (Treatment 1) or destroyed (Treatment 2), 12 days after sponge insertion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Département de zootechnie, Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Castonguay
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Dufour
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Minvielle
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Estrada
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000235:genetics*; D005796:Genes / Q000502:physiology*; D005838:Genotype; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D010060:Ovulation / Q000235:genetics; D012756:Sheep / Q000235:genetics*