[Control of sex cycle functions in sheep using cloprostenol, an analog of prostaglandin F2a]

Studied was the synchronizing effect of the prostaglandin F2a analague - estrumate (ICI, England). with the Tsigai sheep. The investigations included observations on the clinical characteristics of the estrus, determination of the hormonal profile in naturally manifested estrus and in estrus induced with prostaglandin, and the conception rate with the first two successive estrus cycles along with the total conception. Estrumate was used twice ar a 9-day interval in a single dose of 125 mg, with a following programmed artificial insemination at the 48 h and the 72d hour after the second treatment. The conception rate with the first estrus of the ewes of the control and the test group was comparatively low - 41.3 and 30.4 per cent, and with the two successive cycles - 68.5 and 76.8 per cent, respectively. The total conception of the test group was 96.4 per cent as against 87.5 per cent of the control group. The studies on the content and dynamics of the basic hormones taking part in the endocrine regulation of the cycle functions in sheep with naturally manifested estrus and those with prostaglandine-unduced estrus did not show reliable differences in the hormonal profile. It was found that estrumate could successfully be used to synchronized the estrus cycle with the Tsigai sheep - a breed with pronounced conservatism' in the manifestation of cyclic functions.