OVARIAN MASS, SIZE AND NUMBER OF FOLLICLES IN POSTPARTURIENT EWES

The aim of this study was to follow in more detail changes of the ovar ies during physiological puerperium in ewes. Twenty Slovak Merino ewes aged 3-5 yr and lambed in February were included in the experiment. T he groups of animals were slaughtered (n = 5) on d 1, 7, 17 and 24 pos tpartum. Their reproductive apparatus was excised immediately after sl aughter, their ovaries were identified as ipsilateral at the pregnant uterine horn, and contralateral at the non-pregnant horn. All ovaries were weighed, and size and numbers of follicles were evaluated on the ovarian surface. Mass of contralateral ovaries ranged from 0.686 +/- 0 .24 to 0.985 +/- 0.32 g and mass of ipsilateral ones from 0.935 +/- 0. 21 to 1.025 +/- 0,45 g. However, none of the changes in ovarian mass w ere significant. Only small structures were observed on d 1 and 7 post partum when evaluating follicle size. Highest number of follicles in b oth ovaries was found on d 17 after parturition. These data provide fu rther information on postparturient involutional and reparative proces ses of the reproductive apparatus in ewes.