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MLPAO Evaluability of Anti Mullerian hormone

This project aims to increase ewe weaning rates and lifetime productivity by providing sheep producers with a more accurate method of identifying more fertile and fecund ewe lambs before first mating. The proposed marker is anti-müllerian hormone (AMH), which is produced solely by the ovary and can be measured accurately in peripheral blood. Preliminary evidence from Spanish / Italian sheep breeds showed that ewe lambs with high compared with low blood levels of AMH prior to 4 months of age were 12 weeks younger at first lambing, had higher pregnancy rates to first mating (65 versus 33%), and produced 40% more lambs per year and per lifetime. There is also a strong correlation between AMH levels and the number of embryos produced by Merino ewe lambs within juvenile in vitro embryo transfer (JIVET) programs.

Project date

10 Sep 2018-1 Dec 2025

Principal investigator

Dr William van Wettere

Research organisations

Project funded by

Multiple industries
Sheep & lamb Wool

Australian Wool Innovation (AWI)

Australian Wool Innovation is a not-for-profit enterprise that conducts research, development and marketing along the worldwide supply chain for Australian …
  • Location

    Australia

  • Organisation type

    Research funding body

Focus areas

Industries

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