OVARIAN FUSION IN SHEEP

A survey of ovine reproductive tracts was undertaken in 2 abattoirs in the south west of England, in which 23 536 tracts from nulliparous an imals and 9970 tracts from cull ewes were examined. The ovaries were f used in 15 nulliparous animals. In 13 of these animals, 2 ovarian stru ctures could be separately identified macroscopically, whilst in the 2 other animals, a single structure was seen. On histological examinati on of the ovaries in which 2 structures could be separately identified , the capsules were confluent and formed a septum between them. In the 2 cases with complete ovarian fusion, a narrow connective tissue sept um separating the 2 ovaries was present. No cases of ovarian fusion we re found amongst the cull ewes, but prominent strands of fibrous tissu e connecting the ovaries were present in 2 animals. It is probable tha t fusion of the ovaries occurs as a developmental abnormality; evidenc e from the 2 cull ewes suggests that the ovaries separate once oestrou s cyclicity has commenced.