Ovarian status in fat-tailed Syrian Awassi ewes during different reproductive stages and hormonal treatments monitored by laparoscopy and progesterone concentrations

Figures & data

Figure 1.  Means (±SE) of serum progesterone concentrations in the blood of Syrian Awassi ewes in the O + UT, O + FGA and I + FGA + eCG groups following laparoscopic measurements (three times a wk for a period of 18 d for the O + UT group and for 21 d for the O + FGA and I + FGA + eCG groups).

Table 1. Mean diameters (±SD) of the right and left ovaries and the overall diameter (cm) in Syrian Awassi ewes in the O + UT, O + FGA and I + FGA + eCG groups following laparoscopic measurements (three times a wk for a period of 18 d for the O + UT group and for 21 d for the O + FGA and I + FGA + eCG groups).

Group	Right ovary diameter (cm)	Left ovary diameter (cm)	Overall diameter (cm)	Range (cm)
O + UT	1.24±0.07^aA	1.23±0.91^aA	1.24±0.08^aA	1.1–1.5
O + FGA	1.49±0.20^bB	1.44±0.14^bB	1.46±0.17^bB	1.2–2.0
I + FGA + eCG	1.55±0.13^cB	1.54±0.10^cB	1.55±0.12^cB	1.3–2.0
^a,bMeans in the same row with different superscripts indicate a significant difference (p<0.05).
A, B Means in the same column with different letters indicate a significant difference (p<0.05).

Table 2. Mean numbers (±SD) of the different ovarian follicles (<3 mm, 3–5 mm and >5 mm) and their ranges in the ovaries of Syrian Awassi ewes in the O + UT, O + FGA and I + FGA + eCG groups following laparoscopic measurements (three times a wk for a period of 18 d for the O + UT group and for 21 d for the O + FGA and I + FGA + eCG groups).

	Group
Follicle diameter category	O + UT Mean±SD* (range)	O + FGA Mean±SD (range)	I + FGA + eCG Mean±SD (range)
<3 mm	5.8±1.7^a (3–11)	10.6±1.8^b (7–15)	9.9 ±2.4^b (7–15)
3–5 mm	0.37±0.64^a (0–2)	1.4±1.0^b (0–4)	1.9±1.5^b (0–7)
>5 mm	0	0	(0–3)
*In both ovaries.
^a,bMeans in the same row with different superscripts indicate a significant difference (p<0.05).

Table 3. Numbers, diameters and lifespans of corpora lutea (CL), and progesterone concentrations (nmol L⁻¹) (mean±SD) and their ranges in Syrian Awassi ewes in the O + UT, O + FGA and I + FGA + eCG groups following laparoscopic measurements (three times a wk for a period of 18 d for the O + UT group and for 21 d for the O + FGA and I + FGA + eCG groups).

Group	Number of functional CL* (range)	Diameter (mm) (range)	Lifespan (d) (range)	Progesterone (nmol L^−1) (range)
O + UT	None	–	–	0.61±0.58^c (0.01–1.96)
O + FGA	1.6±0.5^a (1–2)	8.1±1.3^a (5–10)	10.7±1.1^a (10–13)	10.23±5.28^a (3.28–23.81)
I + FGA + eCG	2.4±0.5^b (2–3)	8.8±1.8^b (5–15)	13.0±2.1^b (10–15)	20.79±14.31^b (3.29–65.98)
*In both ovaries.
^a,b,cMeans in the same column with different superscripts indicate a significant difference (p<0.05).