Effect of Superovulation Prior to Mating on Milk Production Performance During Lactation in Ewes

¹ Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bogor Agricultural University, Jalan Taman Kencana I No. 3, Bogor 16151, Indonesia
² Laboratory of Physiology and Reproduction, Faculty of Animal Sciences, Jenderal Soedirman University, P.O. Box 110, Purwokerto 53123, Indonesia

Thirty lactating ewes were used to evaluate the effect of superovulation on milk production. Twelve ewes had been injected, prior to mating, with 700 IU of pregnant mare serum gonadotropin; 18 ewes were injected with saline as a control. Thirteen ewes (nine control and four superovulated ewes) were fed at low plane of nutrition; the other ewes (nine control and eight superovulated ewes) were fed at high plane of nutrition. Superovulated ewes, fed at both low and high planes of nutrition, had dramatically higher milk yields (59%), and their milk composition was not changed. Plane of nutrition increased milk lactose and P contents without significant effect on milk production. The increased milk yields in the superovulated ewes were accompanied by increases in dry matter, gross energy intakes, and gross efficiency of milk synthesis. At the end of lactation, superovulated ewes had higher mammary dry fat-free tissue, total DNA, and total RNA. The results demonstrated that superovulation prior to mating dramatically increased milk production and efficiency regardless of plane of nutrition. Increased milk production and efficiency in the superovulated ewes were due to the increased mammary secretory cell numbers and their synthetic activities presumably through the increased endogenous hormonal stimulation of mammary growth and development during pregnancy.

Key Words: superovulation • milk yields • sheep

Submitted on October 19, 1998
Accepted on October 27, 1999