Female Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy Complications Commons^™

Clover Infertility Of Sheep : Continuing Problem, N R. Adams, Keith Croker

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Some varieties of subterranean clover, notably Dinninup, Dwalganup and Yarloop, contain compounds which act like the female sex hormone oestrogen. These plant oestrogens, or "phyto-oestrogens", interfere with the fertility of sheep and depress the percentage of lambs born.

Over the past 10 years our understanding of clover infertility has increased, and we can now gauge the extent of this residual problem. In fact, there is a widespread but low-level incidence of infertility which does not greatly affect individial farms but which has an important impact on the State's sheep production.

Reproductive Wastage In Sheep On Clover Areas, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Western Australia's 67 per cent lambing for 1970 compares poorly with that of other Australian States, and other countries. From the 12.3 million ewes mated in this State's agricultural areas in 1970, only 8.2 million lambs were marked.

This low 77.7 per cent conception rate sparked the present series of reproductive wastage investigations by the Department's Sheep and Wool Branch.

This report describes the first year's results of the project in W.A.'s "clover disease" areas.