Use of bovine follicular fluid to increase ovulation rate or prevent ovulation in sheep.

Romney ewes were injected intramuscularly once or twice daily for 3 days with 0, 0.1, 0.5, 1 or 5 ml of bovine follicular fluid (bFF) treated with dextran-coated charcoal, starting immediately after injection of cloprostenol to initiate luteolysis on Day 10 of the oestrous cycle. There was a dose-related suppression of plasma concentrations of FSH, but not LH, during the treatment period. On stopping the bFF treatment, plasma FSH concentrations 'rebounded' to levels up to 3-fold higher than pretreatment values. The mean time to the onset of oestrus was also increased in a dose-related manner by up to 11 days. The mean ovulation rates of ewes receiving 1.0 ml bFF twice daily (1.9 +/- 0.2 ovulations/ewe, mean +/- s.e.m. for N = 34) or 5.0 ml once daily (2.0 +/- 0.2 ovulations/ewe, N = 25) were significantly higher than that of control ewes (1.4 +/- 0.1 ovulations/ewe, N = 35). Comparison of the ovaries of ewes treated with bFF for 24 or 48 h with the ovaries of control ewes revealed no differences in the number or size distribution of antral follicles. However, the large follicles (greater than or equal to 5 mm diam.) of bFF-treated ewes had lower concentrations of oestradiol-17 beta in follicular fluid, contained fewer granulosa cells and the granulosa cells had a reduced capacity to aromatize testosterone to oestradiol-17 beta and produce cyclic AMP when challenged with FSH or LH. No significant effects of bFF treatment were observed in small (1-2.5 mm diam.) or medium (3-4.5 mm diam.) sized follicles. Ewes receiving 5 ml bFF once daily for 27 days, from the onset of luteolysis, were rendered infertile during this treatment period. Oestrus was not observed and ovulation did not occur. Median concentrations of plasma FSH fell to 20% of pretreatment values within 2 days. Thereafter they gradually rose over the next 8 days to reach 60% of pretreatment values where they remained for the rest of the 27-day treatment period. Median concentrations of plasma LH increased during the treatment period to levels up to 6-fold higher than pretreatment values. When bFF treatment was stopped, plasma concentrations of FSH and LH quickly returned to control levels, and oestrus was observed within 2 weeks. The ewes were mated at this first oestrus and each subsequently delivered a single lamb.