USE OF PROBIT ANALYSIS IN A STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF THE RAM ON TIME OF OVULATION IN THE EWE

Abstract

To investigate the relationship between oestrus and time of ovulation from the start of heat and the effect of the ram on this relationship, 200 ewes, half of which had been run with rams continuously during oestrus, were slaughtered at intervals after the end of heat. The method of probit analysis was used to fit multiple regression equations for percentage of ewes ovulated (as a probit) in terms of slaughter time and heat length. From these equations, estimates of mean ovulation times for various heat lengths were calculated. In the control group, which was feased at 4-hr intervals to determine lengths of heat, ovulation occurred, on the average, shortly after the end of oestrus. Although duration of oestrus was shorter when the sexes were continuously associated, ovulation occurred later. In addition, there was a positive correlation between heat length and time of ovulation in this group, but not in the control group.