@conference {40739,
	title = {Discovery of the Inverdale gene (FecX)},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {55},
	year = {1995},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {289-290},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	abstract = {Selection for ovulation rate in a screened prolific flock  identified a prolific family of Romneys in 1984 that descended from one  ewe, and progeny tests for her male descendants carried out from 1985 to  1990 indicated the presence of a major gene (Inverdale) on the X-  chromosome. One copy of the gene increases ovulation rate by about 1.0  and litter size by about 0.6. However, research in 1991 found that ewes  with two copies of the gene have small non-functional {\textquoteright}streak{\textquoteright} ovaries  and are infertile. Many of these infertile ewes develop tumour-like  structures on their ovaries and these are currently the subject of  intensive research.    In 1993 a prolific Romney flock in Tokoroa, with no known connection  with A281, was also found to have the Inverdale gene. The place of the  Inverdale gene in industry will be to increase prolificacy in ewe flocks  mated to terminal sires, and a research programme has been established  to identify a genetic market for ram breeders.   },
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Davis GH and McEwan JC and Fennessy PF and Dodds KG}
}
