Effects Of Gossypol On Reproduction And Hematology In Sheep

ABSTRACT Twenty-nine sheep were used to determine the effects of gossypol on estrous cycle length, corpus luteum function in cycling sheep, embryonic development in pregnant sheep, and blood fragility. The sheep were randomly assigned to a oolitic)/ diet containing no cottonseed products (TO 0 g gossypolldays), a diet containing cottonseed meal and cottonseed hulls (T1 = 0.96 g gossypol/d), and diet containing whole cottonseed and cottonseed hulls (T2 = 2.42 g gossypol/ days). Weekly blood sample were obtained to monitor serum concentration of progesterone and to analyze of total hemoglobin and percentage of met-hemoglobin. After about 60 days, the sheep were synchronized using SMB implants and superovulated using FSH-P. Five days after estrous detection, embryos were surgically flushed from the uterus. There were no differences (P>0.05) among dietary treatment groups in interval to onset of estrus after synchronization, number of ovulation after superovulation, and number of embryos recovered. The diets had no effects (P>0.05) on the length of the first or second cycle and progesterone concentration when the sheep were on the diets for 42 - 58 days, indicating that normal luteal function was occurring during the estrous cycle. The only significant difference observed on this study were the total hemoglobin (