Anti-Mullerian hormone profile and its association with ovarian parameters in the Chaugarkha goat

Abstract

Circulating anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) is a potential predictor of ovarian reserve in the woman and livestock. Only two such studies are reported in the goat. Accordingly, we investigated the effect of age, estrous cycle and early pregnancy on the serum AMH and its correlation with the ovarian parameters in the Chaugarkha goat. In experiment-1, a random blood sample was collected from the goats (n = 62) and sera were grouped into five based on the age distribution. The first two groups (A-B) represented pre-pubertal kids, group C represented pubertal kids while, the last two groups (D and E) indicated adult. In experiment-2, estrus was synchronized in the does (n = 30) and transrectal ultrasonography (USG) was done on alternate day till day 8 post-synchronized estrus to record antral follicle count (AFC), ovulation rate, and ovarian surface area. The does were bred in the second estrous cycle (n = 26) and pregnant ones (n = 22) were identified on day 30 post-breeding. Sera were harvested on day 0, 8, and 16 post-estrus and on gestation day 30. The concentration of AMH was assayed from the sera collected from different experiments. The results indicated that the serum AMH (ng/mL) decreased significantly from 8.37 ± 0.58–4.62 ± 0.54 during the transition from puberty to sexual maturity and remained stable in the adults (group E; 4.91 ± 0.81). Neither the estrous cycle nor early gestation significantly affected (P > 0.05) the serum AMH (ng/mL) with concentration ranging from 4.89 ± 0.50 on d8 of estrous cycle to 5.11 ± 0.56 at early gestation. Further, the serum AMH showed a significant moderate positive correlation with AFC (r = 0.61; P = 0.001), number of ovulations (r = 0.57; P = 0.002), and litter size (r = 0.59; P = 0.004). It is concluded that serum AMH has the potential to predict the AFC in the adult Chaugarkha goat.