Faecal Gestagen, Serum and Milk Progesterone Concentrations in Ewes of the Jezersko-Solchava Breed

Abstract

âebulj-Kadunc N ., T. Snoj, V. Cestnik: Faecal Gestagen, Serum and Milk Progesterone Concentrations in Ewes of the Jezersko-Solchava Breed. Acta Vet. Brno 2000, 69: 33–37. The aim of the study was to obtain information about the characteristics of the serum progesterone, faecal gestagen and milk progesterone patterns in the ewes during oestrous cycle, pregnancy and postpartum period. The study was performed in seven adult ewes of the JezerskoSolchava breed. The faecal gestagens were extracted by methanol and hormone concentrations determined by EIA. During the oestrous cycle, lasting 16 days in average, low serum progesterone and faecal gestagen values were found in the follicular ( 4.77 nmol/L and 1.4 nmol/g, respectively) and high values in the luteal phase (31.34 nmol/L and 3.26 nmol/g respectively). They remained high during pregnancy with the mean duration of 145 days, decreased abruptly at parturition and remained low during the early postpartum period. Significant positive correlations were established between the serum progesterone and faecal gestagen concentrations during the oestrous cycle (r = 0.8848, P < 0.001), pregnancy (r = 0.9129, P < 0.001) and postpartum period (r = 0.6861, P <0.01). During the postpartum period significant positive correlation existed among the serum and milk progesterone and faecal gestagen concentrations as well. The results of our study show a positive correlation between the serum progesterone and faecal gestagen concentrations in ewes. Therefore we conclude that faecal gestagen determination is a suitable non-invasive method for the estimation of ovarial activity in ewes.