Oocyte pick-up in juvenile lambs affects neither onset of puberty nor their future fertility

dc.contributor.author	Valasi, I	en
dc.contributor.author	Menegatos, I	en
dc.contributor.author	Papanikolaou, Th	en
dc.contributor.author	Goulas, P	en
dc.contributor.author	Amiridis, GS	en
dc.date.accessioned	2014-06-06T06:47:11Z
dc.date.available	2014-06-06T06:47:11Z
dc.date.issued	2006	en
dc.identifier.issn	0093691X	en
dc.identifier.uri	http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2006.07.001	en
dc.identifier.uri	http://62.217.125.90/xmlui/handle/123456789/3436
dc.subject	Fertility	en
dc.subject	Oocyte pick-up	en
dc.subject	Progesterone	en
dc.subject	Puberty	en
dc.subject	Sheep	en
dc.subject.other	progesterone	en
dc.subject.other	age	en
dc.subject.other	animal	en
dc.subject.other	animal disease	en
dc.subject.other	article	en
dc.subject.other	blood	en
dc.subject.other	body weight	en
dc.subject.other	breeding	en
dc.subject.other	female	en
dc.subject.other	fertility	en
dc.subject.other	newborn	en
dc.subject.other	oocyte	en
dc.subject.other	oocyte donation	en
dc.subject.other	physiology	en
dc.subject.other	pregnancy	en
dc.subject.other	sexual maturation	en
dc.subject.other	sheep	en
dc.subject.other	time	en
dc.subject.other	weaning	en
dc.subject.other	Age Factors	en
dc.subject.other	Animals	en
dc.subject.other	Animals, Newborn	en
dc.subject.other	Body Weight	en
dc.subject.other	Breeding	en
dc.subject.other	Female	en
dc.subject.other	Fertility	en
dc.subject.other	Oocyte Donation	en
dc.subject.other	Oocytes	en
dc.subject.other	Pregnancy	en
dc.subject.other	Pregnancy, Animal	en
dc.subject.other	Progesterone	en
dc.subject.other	Sexual Maturation	en
dc.subject.other	Sheep	en
dc.subject.other	Time Factors	en
dc.subject.other	Weaning	en
dc.subject.other	Animalia	en
dc.subject.other	Ovis	en
dc.subject.other	Ovis aries	en
dc.title	Oocyte pick-up in juvenile lambs affects neither onset of puberty nor their future fertility	en
heal.type	journalArticle	en
heal.identifier.primary	10.1016/j.theriogenology.2006.07.001	en
heal.publicationDate	2006	en
heal.abstract	A study was designed to evaluate whether the time of onset of puberty and fertility of young ewe lambs would be affected by oocyte pick-up conducted in single or repeated sessions during the first months of lambs' live. Five groups of lambs from the Karagouniko breed were used (A-E each n = 12). In group A no treatments were applied (control group) while, laparoscopical follicular aspiration (OPU) was performed early in the third, fourth and fifth month of lambs age (groups C-E, respectively). From the second to fifth month of their age, group B lambs were aspirated four times in monthly intervals. All lambs were weighed at birth, weaning, at second month and monthly thereafter until the eighth month of age. Progesterone priming and ovarian stimulation by serial FSH administrations proceeded each OPU session. To determine onset of puberty blood progesterone concentration was assayed in samples collected initially every week and after the seventh month of age twice weekly. From the seventh month a fertile ram was introduced in each group and oestrous behavior/mating was daily monitored and recorded. Pregnancy diagnosis was carried out by transabdominal ultrasound scanning 55 days after rams' removal. At the fourth and fifth month of age group B lambs were lighter (p < 0.05) than controls, but this difference was later equalized. The time of onset of puberty did not differ between groups (p = 0.069) and ranged between 224 and 270 days. Some animals (n = 15) entered puberty with a full-length luteal phase having progesterone concentration greater than 1 ng/ml, while others (n = 32) exhibited one or two short luteal phases before luteal length restoration. During the first breeding season 41 animals were fertilized and maintained pregnancy to term, without noticeable differences between groups (p = 0.555). During the second breeding season, all ewes were naturally served and lambed at the expected time. It is concluded that OPU in young dairy lambs does not affect the time of onset of puberty, the endocrine profile of the lambs and it does not compromise their future fertility even if it is applied at four successive months. © 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.	en
heal.journalName	Theriogenology	en
dc.identifier.issue	9	en
dc.identifier.volume	66	en
dc.identifier.doi	10.1016/j.theriogenology.2006.07.001	en
dc.identifier.spage	2144	en
dc.identifier.epage	2151	en