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Anoestrous ewes were given two injections of 30 µg synthetic luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LH-RH) separated by one of the following intervals: 1·5, 3, 6, 12 or 24 h. The first injection caused an increase in the plasma LH concentration in each animal. The response to the second injection was dependent on the interval between the injections. When the second injection was administered 1·5 h after the first it caused a further increase in the LH concentration to maximal levels which were significantly greater than those induced in the other anoestrous groups. When the second injection was administered 3 h after the first, there was no significant difference between the responses to the two injections although the time to reach the maximal LH concentration was shorter and the height of the LH peak was greater in each animal following the second injection. When the second injection was administered 6,12 or 24 h after the first, the LH response was significantly less, in terms of height and area of the induced peak, than following the first injection. The LH response to the second injection was particularly low in the 12 and 24 h groups. Two injections of 30 µg synthetic LH-RH were also administered at 1·5 h intervals to ewes on either day 10 of the oestrous cycle or at onset of oestrus. The pattern of LH responses in all these animals was similar to that observed in anoestrous ewes injected at 1·5 h intervals. The total LH release, as assessed in terms of area of the induced peaks, was significantly greater in the onset of oestrus group than in the day 10 group or any of the anoestrous groups.

Presumably the sensitization–desensitization sequence of the pituitary gland to LH-RH which has been demonstrated, together with the effects of sex steroid hormones, must play an important part in the development and decay of the natural preovulatory LH peak.