Etches R J, MacGregor H E, Morris T F, Williams J B
J Reprod Fertil. 1983 Mar;67(2):351-8. doi: 10.1530/jrf.0.0670351.
The rate of follicular development in hens was assessed by measuring the increase in the diameter of follicles during 120 h before ovulation and the mass of follicles during 48 h before ovulation. The rate of follicular maturation was estimated by the ovulatory response of follicles to an injection of GnRH and the ability of follicles to produce progesterone in response to an injection of LH. Follicular diameter and follicular mass increased until ovulation, indicating that the follicle continues to sequester yolk material until ovulation occurs. The ovulatory response to GnRH and the production of progesterone in response to LH were negligible until 10 h after ovulation and then both aspects of follicular competence began to be functional. It was concluded that the size of the hen's ovum is not a primary factor regulating ovulability; rather, the acquisition of the ability to ovulate spontaneously is associated with the ability to produce progesterone in response to an LH stimulus. The ability to ovulate in response to GnRH was acquired more quickly in hens laying long sequences than in hens laying short sequences, indicating that the ovulatory response of the follicle can be used to assess the reproductive potential of laying hens.
通过测量排卵前120小时卵泡直径的增加以及排卵前48小时卵泡的质量来评估母鸡卵泡发育的速率。通过卵泡对促性腺激素释放激素（GnRH）注射的排卵反应以及卵泡对促黄体生成素（LH）注射产生孕酮的能力来估计卵泡成熟的速率。卵泡直径和卵泡质量在排卵前持续增加，这表明卵泡在排卵发生之前持续摄取卵黄物质。对GnRH的排卵反应和对LH产生孕酮的反应在排卵后10小时之前可忽略不计，然后卵泡功能的这两个方面开始发挥作用。得出的结论是，母鸡卵子的大小不是调节排卵能力的主要因素；相反，自发排卵能力的获得与对LH刺激产生孕酮的能力相关。与产蛋序列短的母鸡相比，产蛋序列长的母鸡对GnRH产生排卵反应的能力获得得更快，这表明卵泡的排卵反应可用于评估产蛋母鸡的繁殖潜力。
