The effect of selection for resistance to clover infertility on the reproductive performances of Merino ewes grazed on oestrogenic pastures

Abstract

Rams were bred from ewes which had either maintained their fertility after grazing highly oestrogenic pastures for three to seven years. or, over the same period grazed æcontrolÆ on or lowly oestrogenic pastures In 1977 and 1978 these rams were joined with a random selection of ewes, which had been grazed on lowly oestrogenic pastures, to produce contemporary Resistant and Control ewes.The Resistant and Control ewes were split at weaning into groups which subsequently were grazed on oestrogenic or non-oestrogenic pastures during each pasture growing season (May to October) of the experiment During the dry spring-summer period the ewes were regrouped and entire rams were joined with them for 42 days from early in January to determine whether resistance to the development of clover infertility had been inherited.The reproductive performances of the ewes were measured from two until eight years of age over the period from 1979 to 1986. In addition, the masculinization of the vulvas was monitored, mucus product ion was measured in the second last year, and the histology of the cervixes was observed when the experiment was terminated.The fertility of the Resistant ewes was affected by the oestrogenic pasture in the later years of the experiment, but the level of depression was significantly lower than that measured in the Control ewes grazed on oestrogenic pasture The realized 'heritability' of the ewes' fertile lifetime on oestrogenic pasture was estimated to be 0.73 with a standard error of 0.30.This resistance was associated with histological changes, which confirmed that the Resistant ewes were protected against oestrogen-induced damage. These results support the hypothesis that res istance to the development of clover infertility was present in these ewesA more intensive selection programme involving both ewes and rams may impart a higher level of resistance to ewes This would reduce the adverse effects of oestrogenic pastures on ewe flock productivity.