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bp0007rdr30 | Managing Fertility in Domestic Ruminants | REDR2010

Causes and consequences of the variation in the number of ovarian follicles in cattle

Evans ACO , Mossa F , Fair T , Lonergan P , Butler ST , Zielak-Steciwko AE , Smith GW , Jimenez-Krassel F , Folger JK , Ireland JLH , Ireland JJ

Summary. In cattle we have noted that the antral follicle count (AFC, follicles ≥3 mm in diameter) varies greatly among animals (from 5 to 50), is repeatable within animals, and is highly correlated with the total number of healthy follicles in ovaries. Also, animals with low AFC have higher serum concentrations of FSH and LH, but lower concentrations of Anti-Mullerian Hormone, progesterone and androgens than animals with high AFC. We have investigated t...