Metabolite contents of blood serum and fluid from small and large sized follicles in dromedary camels during the peak and the low breeding seasons

Abstract

This study was undertaken to investigate serum and follicular fluid (FF) concentrations of some biochemical metabolites during the low (May to October) and the peak breeding season (November to April) in female camels with small and large follicles. For this purpose, ovaries from 92 female camels aged 3–7 years (young) or 8–15 years (adult) with clinically normal reproductive tract and slaughtered over a 24-month period were collected. Jugular blood samples and FF aspirated from small (5–9 mm) and large (10–20 mm) follicles were analyzed for various metabolite concentrations, using the commercial kits. The effect of season, age and follicular size on serum glucose levels was not significant. However, FF glucose concentration in small follicles (136.79 ± 4.05 mg/dl) was higher ( P < 0.05) than that of large follicles (77.09 ± 4.31 mg/dl). Serum cholesterol contents were neither affected by the season, nor by age of the animal or the size of the ovarian follicles. The FF cholesterol concentration during the low breeding season (21.08 ± 1.11 mg/dl) was higher ( P < 0.05) than 6.25 ± 1.14 mg/dl recorded during the peak breeding season. The serum and FF total protein and albumin concentrations were neither affected by the season, nor by the age of the animal or the size of the ovarian follicles. The FF globulin concentration during the peak breeding season (2.46 ± 0.06 g/dl) was higher ( P < 0.05) than 1.56 ± 0.06 g/dl recorded during the low breeding season. Serum and FF activities of AST and ALT did not differ between the two seasons, age groups or follicle classes. Serum triglycerides (56.12 ± 1.28 mg/dl) and HDL (45.12 ± 0.12 mg/dl) levels during the peak breeding season were higher ( P < 0.01) than 31.91 ± 1.25 and 42.60 ± 0.11 mg/dl, respectively, observed during the low breeding season. Serum and FF triglycerides were neither affected by age nor by follicle size. Serum HDL concentration was higher ( P < 0.05) in adult than young camels. The concentration of HDL in FF was higher ( P < 0.05) during the peak (41.92 ± 0.06 mg/dl) than the low (40.80 ± 0.06 mg/dl) breeding season. It was concluded that serum contents of triglycerides and HDL were influenced by the breeding season. Similarly, FF contents of cholesterol, globulin and HDL were influenced by season, while FF glucose contents were influenced by the size of the follicle. However, no correlation could be established between serum and follicular fluid contents of various biochemical metabolites included in the study.