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Ovulation rate and embryo survival in Icelandic ewes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 November 2017

J.P. Hanrahan ,
S. Adalsteinsson ,
S. Thorgeirsson ,
S.S. Thorsteinsson  and
E. Eythorsdottir
J.P. Hanrahan
Affiliation:
Agriculture and Food Development Authority Belclare, Tuam, Co. Galway, Ireland
S. Adalsteinsson
Affiliation:
Agriculture and Food Development Authority Belclare, Tuam, Co. Galway, Ireland Agricultural Research Institute, Keldnaholt, 110 Reykjavik, Iceland
S. Thorgeirsson
Affiliation:
Agriculture and Food Development Authority Belclare, Tuam, Co. Galway, Ireland Agricultural Research Institute, Keldnaholt, 110 Reykjavik, Iceland
S.S. Thorsteinsson
Affiliation:
Agriculture and Food Development Authority Belclare, Tuam, Co. Galway, Ireland Agricultural Research Institute, Keldnaholt, 110 Reykjavik, Iceland
E. Eythorsdottir
Affiliation:
Agriculture and Food Development Authority Belclare, Tuam, Co. Galway, Ireland Agricultural Research Institute, Keldnaholt, 110 Reykjavik, Iceland
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Extract

Icelandic sheep, the only breed in Iceland, belongs to the North European short-tailed group of sheep which includes the Finnish Landrace and Swedish Landrace breeds (Adalsteinsson, 1970). The breed was brought to Iceland during the settlement period (870-930 AD) and it is believed that there has been little if any genetic introduction from outside the country during the last 200 years. The average litter size is about 1.7 with a remarkably low incidnce (˂1.5%) of triplets. The conception rate to a single cycle in the absence of synchronisation is reputedly greater than 90%. There is also evidence for the presence of a gene (Thoka gene) with a large effect on litter size in certain flocks (Jonmundsson and Adalsteinsson, 1985). The low incidence of triplet births and the apparently high conception rate suggest that the distribtuion of ovulation rate and the level of embryo survival may be different from those of typical British breeds.

Type
Reproduction
Information
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Production (1972) , Volume 1989 , March 1989 , pp. 10
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Production 1989

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References

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