William Haresign - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by William Haresign
BSAP Occasional Publication, 1990
Intravaginal progestagen pessaries + pregnant mare's serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) for controlli... more Intravaginal progestagen pessaries + pregnant mare's serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) for controlling the oestrous cycle and for inducing out-of-season breeding have been commercially available for many years. However, extremely good mating management is required if acceptable results are to be achieved. More recently the role of the pineal hormone, melatonin, in the regulation of seasonal breeding has been recognized, and this has led to the development of slow-release formulations for use under farm conditions. Early indications are that such preparations can advance the breeding season by about 4 to 6 weeks, with lambing percentages in early (January) lambing flocks comparable with those of traditional (March) lambing flocks.Recent developments in the use of laparoscopy as an aid to intrauterine insemination and multiple ovulation and embryo transfer (MOET) should play a major role in breed improvement. Intrauterine insemination can markedly improve conception rates following the u...
Animal Science, 1992
An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of the length of the interval between impl... more An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of the length of the interval between implantation with melatonin and ram introduction on mating patterns, and to investigate the effects of melatonin on ovulation rate and litter size in Mule ewes.Increasing the interval from treatment to ram introduction from 4 to 6 weeks was associated with a progressive and significant reduction in the time from ram introduction to mating as well as a reduction in the spread of mating across the group.Melatonin resulted in a significant and consistent increase in ovulation rate at first oestrus (+0·44 to +0·48 ovulations per ewe) across the three treated groups, although the increase in litter size (+0·19 to +0·36) was more variable.It is concluded that melatonin influences the pattern of mating and increases litter size in ewes and that the increase in litter size is accounted for by an induced increase in ovulation rate.
Animal Production, 1981
ABSTRACTTwo groups of 15 ewes in store body condition were either given a maintenance level of fe... more ABSTRACTTwo groups of 15 ewes in store body condition were either given a maintenance level of feeding or a twice-maintenance level (flushed) during the course of one oestrous cycle. Five ewes from each feeding level were slaughtered at 0, 18 or 48 h after the onset of the oestrus at the end of the treatment period and measurements were made of the luteinizing hormone content of their pituitary, the luteinizing hormone concentration in their blood plasma, their ovulation rates, and ovarian follicle numbers and sizes.‘Flushed’ ewes had a significantly higher ovulation rate (260, s.e. 0·24v.1·80, s.e. 0·20;P<0·05), although there was no significant difference in either pituitary luteinizing hormone content or plasma luteinizing hormone concentrations at oestrus.Analysis of the patterns of ovarian follicle distribution suggest that flushing ewes for one oestrous cycle might increase ovulation rate by preventing the late atresia of large follicles in the last 30 h before ovulation.
Recent Developments in Ruminant Nutrition, 1981
Journal of reproduction and fertility. Supplement, 1992
Active immunization of cyclic ewes against androstenedione (using melatonin, Fecundin) has been s... more Active immunization of cyclic ewes against androstenedione (using melatonin, Fecundin) has been shown to increase reproductive output by about 30 extra lambs per 100 ewes put to the ram in UK sheep flocks. However, this technique has not been widely adopted within the industry. One possible reason for this is that it results in an unacceptable incidence of triplet births, even though the litter size distribution is similar to that obtained for untreated flocks with the same overall mean lambing percentage. The use of progestagen sponges plus pregnant mares' serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) for the induction of out-of-season breeding in ewes is associated with a number of recognized shortcomings. A possible reason for the variability in conception rates is the high incidence of complete embryo loss or fertilization failure in ewes that are induced to superovulate after treatment with the doses of PMSG required to promote a high oestrous response. Recent studies have indicated that slow...
Pb concentrations in flood sediments exceed threshold values, in some samples by a factor of 82. ... more Pb concentrations in flood sediments exceed threshold values, in some samples by a factor of 82. • Contamination of animal feed caused blood Pb poisoning and mortality in cattle. • Climate change means that the events of summer 2012 are likely to continue and intensify. • A geomorphological approach is needed to understand metal flux in fluvial systems.
Reproduction, 1975
Synthetic LH-releasing hormone (LH-RH) has been shown to induce release of both LH and FSH from t... more Synthetic LH-releasing hormone (LH-RH) has been shown to induce release of both LH and FSH from the ovine pituitary in vivo (Jonas & co-authors, 1973; Symons, Cunningham & Saba, 1974). When administered to seasonally anoestrous Clun Forest ewes as a single intravenous injection of either 150 \ g=m\ g or 300 \g=m\g, the induced gonadotrophin release was sufficient to cause ovulation in 23/27 ewes (Haresign, Foster, Haynes, Crighton & Lamming, 1975). Ovulation occurred within 48 hr of injection (W. Haresign, unpublished data). However, peripheral plasma progesterone levels did not rise above basal pr e\ x=r eq-\ injection values in most animals after the induction of ovulation. In view of this finding the present experiment was designed to investigate whether the structures visible on the surface of the ovary after injection of LH-RH were representative of histologically normal CL. Seasonally anoestrous Scottish Blackface ewes were used because at the time of the experiment Clun Forest ewes were already showing signs of spontaneous ovulation characteristic of the onset of the breeding season. The results demonstrated a marked difference in response to LH-RH between Clun Forest and Scottish Blackface ewes in that most of the latter failed to ovulate. In consequence, the initial aims of the
Animal Reproduction Science, 1987
Effects of duration and timing of progesterone priming on the incidence of corpora lutea with a n... more Effects of duration and timing of progesterone priming on the incidence of corpora lutea with a normal lifespan in Merino ewes induced to ovulate by the introduction of rams.
British Society of Animal Science Annual Meeting, 2008
Recent advances in animal nutrition, 1996
Recent advances in animal nutrition, 1996
Recent advances in animal nutrition, 1996
In vivo measures of carcase quality can aid selection. Muscle density, (measured by computer tomo... more In vivo measures of carcase quality can aid selection. Muscle density, (measured by computer tomography) has strong negative genetic and phenotypic correlations with intramuscular fat. The aim of this study was to evaluate growth and carcase parameters of lambs, sired by five high and low muscle density Terminal sire rams, using three different covariates. Progeny (n=394) were recorded for live weight at: birth; 8 weeks, 16 weeks and immediately pre-slaughter. Ultrasonic measurements were made at the third lumbar vertebrae, pre-slaughter. Carcase records include carcase weights, EUROP classification scores for fatness and conformation. Data were analysed using GENSTAT 15, using a sire nested within muscle density ANOVA design model, fitting sex; dam age (slaughter batch for carcase traits); birth/rear type and MyoMaxTM carrier status. The model was adjusted for the covariates, age at measurement (age): live weight at slaughter (Slwt); or slaughter fat grade (fat). Low muscle density...
Recent advances in animal nutrition, 1996
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science, 2009
LoinMax (LM-QTL) increases M. longissimus dorsi (MLD) area and weight by 11% and 8% respectively ... more LoinMax (LM-QTL) increases M. longissimus dorsi (MLD) area and weight by 11% and 8% respectively (Nicoll et al., 1998). It was found to segregate in Australian Poll Dorset sheep (Banks, 1997) and has been mapped to chromosome 18 (Nicoll et al., 1998). The UK sheep industry may benefit from using LM-QTL to increase yield of the highly priced loin region. However, before being utilised, the effects of LM-QTL need to be verified in a genetic background typical to the stratified structure of the UK sheep industry.
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science, 2001
There is increasing interest in the use of red clover (Trifolium pratense) as a high protein fora... more There is increasing interest in the use of red clover (Trifolium pratense) as a high protein forage crop to finish growing lambs. Red clover contains the isoflavanoid compound formononetin which is converted to the non-steroidal oestrogen analogue equol by rumen micro-organisms. Equol is absorbed by the animal, and can have significant effects, such as suppressing reproductive cycling in ewes. Very few commercial red clover varieties have been bred with a low formononetin content to prevent this problem. Although human health benefits have been linked to the consumption of oestrogenically active compounds in foods such as soya (Kurzer and Xu, 1997), there is a need to investigate the presence of oestrogenically active compounds in animal products. The objective of this study was to investigate plasma metabolite and hormone concentrations, and the residual levels of equol in meat, of lambs grazing two varieties of red clover differing in their formononetin contents, compared to contr...
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science, 1998
Variability in superovulatory responses remains one of the major factors preventing the more wide... more Variability in superovulatory responses remains one of the major factors preventing the more widespread utilisation of embryo transfer in sheep breed improvement. Previous work in our group has suggested that in sheep receiving a standard superovulatory treatment regime using oFSH (Ovagen, Immuno-chemical Products Ltd., Auckland, NZ) there is an identifiable pool of follicles at the start of oFSH treatment that eventually ovulate following treatment. If this is the case then research efforts to increase the consistency of superovulatory responses should be focused on increasing the supply of follicles in this category. This experiment therefore had two aims, i) to test the theory that variability in superovulatory responses is a function of variability in the number of potentially ovulatory follicles at the time of the first FSH injection, and ii) to identify the size category of follicles at the start of superovulatory treatment that forms this ovulatory pool.
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science, 1995
Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is one of the potential autocrine/paracrine regulators of ov... more Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is one of the potential autocrine/paracrine regulators of ovarian function. Not only do relationships exist between follicular fluid concentrations of IGF-1 and various biochemical markers of follicular differentiation, but IGF-1 has also been shown to stimulate both proliferation and steroidogenesis in ovarian cells in vitro (Adashi et al., 1985). The actions of IGF-1 are thought to be modulated by IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs). Indeed, follicular growth and atresia in the ewe have been reported to be determined more by changes in IGFBPs than by changes in IGF-1 (Monget et al., 1993). However, in mat particular study, stage of follicular development was determined by follicle size and by microscopic examination of the granulosa cells of individual follicles rather than by biochemical markers of follicle status. The objective of the present study was, therefore, to investigate changes in IGF-1 and IGFBPs levels in follicular fluid and to relate t...
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science, 1999
Currently fewer than 50% of UK lambs produce carcasses of acceptable quality for the domestic and... more Currently fewer than 50% of UK lambs produce carcasses of acceptable quality for the domestic and export markets, which compromises the competitiveness of sheep farming. Carcass quality can be changed by selection, and this is now being taken advantage of in terminal sire breeds and, to a lesser extent, in hill breeds. However, little attention has yet been focused on the crossing breeds, which have relatively poor carcass quality, in spite of the large impact such breeds have on the slaughter generation. Recently, a long-term project began to develop breeding programmes relevant to crossing sire (‘longwool’) breeds. Its objective is to produce a selection index to improve carcass quality without compromising the reproductive performance or maternal ability of these breeds. The Bluefaced Leicester is the most prevalent crossing sire breed with its crossbred (‘Mule’) daughters out of draft hill ewes accounting for 89% of crossbred (longwool x hill) ewes in the UK (Pollot, 1998).
BSAP Occasional Publication, 1990
Intravaginal progestagen pessaries + pregnant mare's serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) for controlli... more Intravaginal progestagen pessaries + pregnant mare's serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) for controlling the oestrous cycle and for inducing out-of-season breeding have been commercially available for many years. However, extremely good mating management is required if acceptable results are to be achieved. More recently the role of the pineal hormone, melatonin, in the regulation of seasonal breeding has been recognized, and this has led to the development of slow-release formulations for use under farm conditions. Early indications are that such preparations can advance the breeding season by about 4 to 6 weeks, with lambing percentages in early (January) lambing flocks comparable with those of traditional (March) lambing flocks.Recent developments in the use of laparoscopy as an aid to intrauterine insemination and multiple ovulation and embryo transfer (MOET) should play a major role in breed improvement. Intrauterine insemination can markedly improve conception rates following the u...
Animal Science, 1992
An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of the length of the interval between impl... more An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of the length of the interval between implantation with melatonin and ram introduction on mating patterns, and to investigate the effects of melatonin on ovulation rate and litter size in Mule ewes.Increasing the interval from treatment to ram introduction from 4 to 6 weeks was associated with a progressive and significant reduction in the time from ram introduction to mating as well as a reduction in the spread of mating across the group.Melatonin resulted in a significant and consistent increase in ovulation rate at first oestrus (+0·44 to +0·48 ovulations per ewe) across the three treated groups, although the increase in litter size (+0·19 to +0·36) was more variable.It is concluded that melatonin influences the pattern of mating and increases litter size in ewes and that the increase in litter size is accounted for by an induced increase in ovulation rate.
Animal Production, 1981
ABSTRACTTwo groups of 15 ewes in store body condition were either given a maintenance level of fe... more ABSTRACTTwo groups of 15 ewes in store body condition were either given a maintenance level of feeding or a twice-maintenance level (flushed) during the course of one oestrous cycle. Five ewes from each feeding level were slaughtered at 0, 18 or 48 h after the onset of the oestrus at the end of the treatment period and measurements were made of the luteinizing hormone content of their pituitary, the luteinizing hormone concentration in their blood plasma, their ovulation rates, and ovarian follicle numbers and sizes.‘Flushed’ ewes had a significantly higher ovulation rate (260, s.e. 0·24v.1·80, s.e. 0·20;P<0·05), although there was no significant difference in either pituitary luteinizing hormone content or plasma luteinizing hormone concentrations at oestrus.Analysis of the patterns of ovarian follicle distribution suggest that flushing ewes for one oestrous cycle might increase ovulation rate by preventing the late atresia of large follicles in the last 30 h before ovulation.
Recent Developments in Ruminant Nutrition, 1981
Journal of reproduction and fertility. Supplement, 1992
Active immunization of cyclic ewes against androstenedione (using melatonin, Fecundin) has been s... more Active immunization of cyclic ewes against androstenedione (using melatonin, Fecundin) has been shown to increase reproductive output by about 30 extra lambs per 100 ewes put to the ram in UK sheep flocks. However, this technique has not been widely adopted within the industry. One possible reason for this is that it results in an unacceptable incidence of triplet births, even though the litter size distribution is similar to that obtained for untreated flocks with the same overall mean lambing percentage. The use of progestagen sponges plus pregnant mares' serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) for the induction of out-of-season breeding in ewes is associated with a number of recognized shortcomings. A possible reason for the variability in conception rates is the high incidence of complete embryo loss or fertilization failure in ewes that are induced to superovulate after treatment with the doses of PMSG required to promote a high oestrous response. Recent studies have indicated that slow...
Pb concentrations in flood sediments exceed threshold values, in some samples by a factor of 82. ... more Pb concentrations in flood sediments exceed threshold values, in some samples by a factor of 82. • Contamination of animal feed caused blood Pb poisoning and mortality in cattle. • Climate change means that the events of summer 2012 are likely to continue and intensify. • A geomorphological approach is needed to understand metal flux in fluvial systems.
Reproduction, 1975
Synthetic LH-releasing hormone (LH-RH) has been shown to induce release of both LH and FSH from t... more Synthetic LH-releasing hormone (LH-RH) has been shown to induce release of both LH and FSH from the ovine pituitary in vivo (Jonas & co-authors, 1973; Symons, Cunningham & Saba, 1974). When administered to seasonally anoestrous Clun Forest ewes as a single intravenous injection of either 150 \ g=m\ g or 300 \g=m\g, the induced gonadotrophin release was sufficient to cause ovulation in 23/27 ewes (Haresign, Foster, Haynes, Crighton & Lamming, 1975). Ovulation occurred within 48 hr of injection (W. Haresign, unpublished data). However, peripheral plasma progesterone levels did not rise above basal pr e\ x=r eq-\ injection values in most animals after the induction of ovulation. In view of this finding the present experiment was designed to investigate whether the structures visible on the surface of the ovary after injection of LH-RH were representative of histologically normal CL. Seasonally anoestrous Scottish Blackface ewes were used because at the time of the experiment Clun Forest ewes were already showing signs of spontaneous ovulation characteristic of the onset of the breeding season. The results demonstrated a marked difference in response to LH-RH between Clun Forest and Scottish Blackface ewes in that most of the latter failed to ovulate. In consequence, the initial aims of the
Animal Reproduction Science, 1987
Effects of duration and timing of progesterone priming on the incidence of corpora lutea with a n... more Effects of duration and timing of progesterone priming on the incidence of corpora lutea with a normal lifespan in Merino ewes induced to ovulate by the introduction of rams.
British Society of Animal Science Annual Meeting, 2008
Recent advances in animal nutrition, 1996
Recent advances in animal nutrition, 1996
Recent advances in animal nutrition, 1996
In vivo measures of carcase quality can aid selection. Muscle density, (measured by computer tomo... more In vivo measures of carcase quality can aid selection. Muscle density, (measured by computer tomography) has strong negative genetic and phenotypic correlations with intramuscular fat. The aim of this study was to evaluate growth and carcase parameters of lambs, sired by five high and low muscle density Terminal sire rams, using three different covariates. Progeny (n=394) were recorded for live weight at: birth; 8 weeks, 16 weeks and immediately pre-slaughter. Ultrasonic measurements were made at the third lumbar vertebrae, pre-slaughter. Carcase records include carcase weights, EUROP classification scores for fatness and conformation. Data were analysed using GENSTAT 15, using a sire nested within muscle density ANOVA design model, fitting sex; dam age (slaughter batch for carcase traits); birth/rear type and MyoMaxTM carrier status. The model was adjusted for the covariates, age at measurement (age): live weight at slaughter (Slwt); or slaughter fat grade (fat). Low muscle density...
Recent advances in animal nutrition, 1996
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science, 2009
LoinMax (LM-QTL) increases M. longissimus dorsi (MLD) area and weight by 11% and 8% respectively ... more LoinMax (LM-QTL) increases M. longissimus dorsi (MLD) area and weight by 11% and 8% respectively (Nicoll et al., 1998). It was found to segregate in Australian Poll Dorset sheep (Banks, 1997) and has been mapped to chromosome 18 (Nicoll et al., 1998). The UK sheep industry may benefit from using LM-QTL to increase yield of the highly priced loin region. However, before being utilised, the effects of LM-QTL need to be verified in a genetic background typical to the stratified structure of the UK sheep industry.
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science, 2001
There is increasing interest in the use of red clover (Trifolium pratense) as a high protein fora... more There is increasing interest in the use of red clover (Trifolium pratense) as a high protein forage crop to finish growing lambs. Red clover contains the isoflavanoid compound formononetin which is converted to the non-steroidal oestrogen analogue equol by rumen micro-organisms. Equol is absorbed by the animal, and can have significant effects, such as suppressing reproductive cycling in ewes. Very few commercial red clover varieties have been bred with a low formononetin content to prevent this problem. Although human health benefits have been linked to the consumption of oestrogenically active compounds in foods such as soya (Kurzer and Xu, 1997), there is a need to investigate the presence of oestrogenically active compounds in animal products. The objective of this study was to investigate plasma metabolite and hormone concentrations, and the residual levels of equol in meat, of lambs grazing two varieties of red clover differing in their formononetin contents, compared to contr...
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science, 1998
Variability in superovulatory responses remains one of the major factors preventing the more wide... more Variability in superovulatory responses remains one of the major factors preventing the more widespread utilisation of embryo transfer in sheep breed improvement. Previous work in our group has suggested that in sheep receiving a standard superovulatory treatment regime using oFSH (Ovagen, Immuno-chemical Products Ltd., Auckland, NZ) there is an identifiable pool of follicles at the start of oFSH treatment that eventually ovulate following treatment. If this is the case then research efforts to increase the consistency of superovulatory responses should be focused on increasing the supply of follicles in this category. This experiment therefore had two aims, i) to test the theory that variability in superovulatory responses is a function of variability in the number of potentially ovulatory follicles at the time of the first FSH injection, and ii) to identify the size category of follicles at the start of superovulatory treatment that forms this ovulatory pool.
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science, 1995
Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is one of the potential autocrine/paracrine regulators of ov... more Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is one of the potential autocrine/paracrine regulators of ovarian function. Not only do relationships exist between follicular fluid concentrations of IGF-1 and various biochemical markers of follicular differentiation, but IGF-1 has also been shown to stimulate both proliferation and steroidogenesis in ovarian cells in vitro (Adashi et al., 1985). The actions of IGF-1 are thought to be modulated by IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs). Indeed, follicular growth and atresia in the ewe have been reported to be determined more by changes in IGFBPs than by changes in IGF-1 (Monget et al., 1993). However, in mat particular study, stage of follicular development was determined by follicle size and by microscopic examination of the granulosa cells of individual follicles rather than by biochemical markers of follicle status. The objective of the present study was, therefore, to investigate changes in IGF-1 and IGFBPs levels in follicular fluid and to relate t...
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science, 1999
Currently fewer than 50% of UK lambs produce carcasses of acceptable quality for the domestic and... more Currently fewer than 50% of UK lambs produce carcasses of acceptable quality for the domestic and export markets, which compromises the competitiveness of sheep farming. Carcass quality can be changed by selection, and this is now being taken advantage of in terminal sire breeds and, to a lesser extent, in hill breeds. However, little attention has yet been focused on the crossing breeds, which have relatively poor carcass quality, in spite of the large impact such breeds have on the slaughter generation. Recently, a long-term project began to develop breeding programmes relevant to crossing sire (‘longwool’) breeds. Its objective is to produce a selection index to improve carcass quality without compromising the reproductive performance or maternal ability of these breeds. The Bluefaced Leicester is the most prevalent crossing sire breed with its crossbred (‘Mule’) daughters out of draft hill ewes accounting for 89% of crossbred (longwool x hill) ewes in the UK (Pollot, 1998).