02784naa a2200193 a 450000100080000000500110000800800410001910000190006024500890007926000090016852022680017765000100244565000170245565300260247265300110249870000120250970000210252177300480254215164111996-04-12       1995    bl uuuu     u00u1 u    #d1 aGINTHER, O. J.  aAssociation between emergence of follicular waves and fluctuations in cycle in ewes.  c1995  aFolliculogenesis was studied daily in 16 interovulatory intervals in 5 Polypay ewes from mid February through April using transrectal ultrasonic imaging. The 3-mm follicles attaining &gt=5 mm on Days -1 (ovulation=Day 0) to 11 showed significant peak numbers on Days 0, 5 and 10. The number of 3- and 4-mm follicles that did not reach &gt4 mm was not significant, indicating that these follicles did not manifest a wave pattern. A follicular wave was defined as one or more follicles growing to &gt=5 mm; the day the follicles were 3 mm was the day of wave emergence, and the first wave after ovulation was Wave 1. Waves 1, 2 and 3 emerged on Days -1 to 2, 4 to 7 and 8 to 10, respectively. Four interovulatory intervals in April were short (9 to 14 d), indicating the end of the ovulatory season. ln the remaining 12 intervals, the ovulatory wave was Wave 3 in one interval, Wave 4 in 8 intervals, and Wave 5 or 6 in 3 intervals. The ovulatory wave followed the rhythmic pattern of Waves 1 to 3 by emerging on Days 11 to 14 in 50% of the intervals. ln the remaining intervals, either the ovulatory wave was Wave 4 but did not emerge until Day 16 or otqer waves intervened between Wave 3 and the ovulatory wave. The longest intervals (22, 24 and 14 d) had &gt4 waves. Based on a cycle-detection program, peak values of FSH fluctuations were temporally associated with the emergen? pf waves as indicated by the following: 1) tendency (P&lt0.08) for an increase in FSH concentrations between 3 and 2 days before emergence of a wave; 2) close agreement between mean number of waves per interval (mean +- SEM, 4.1 +- 0.3) and mean number of identified FSH fluctuations (4.5 +- 0.3); 3) close agreement in length of interwave intervals (4.0 +- 0.3) and interpeak (FSH) intervals (3.6 +- 0.2); 4) positive correlation (r2=O.8) for number of the 2 events (follicular waves and FSH fluctuations) within intervals; and 5) a closer (P&lt0.01) temporal relationship between the 2 events than would have been expected if the events were independent. The results support a relationship between transient increases in FSH con?ntrations and emergen? of follicular waves throughout the interovulatory interval in Polypay ewes, with the 2 events occurring approximately every 4 d.  aOvino  aReprodução  aCiclio Estralfoliculo  aGenese1 aKOT, K.1 aWILT BANK, M. C.  tTheriogenologygv.43, n.3, p.689-703, 1995.