J. Anim Sci.
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

J. Anim Sci. 1973. 36:51-56.
© 1973 American Society of Animal Science
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Wettemann, R. P.
Right arrow Articles by Hafs, H. D.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Wettemann, R. P.
Right arrow Articles by Hafs, H. D.

LH, Prolactin, Estradiol and Progesterone in Bovine Blood Serum during Early Pregnancy1

R. P. Wettemann2 and H. D. Hafs

Michigan State University3, East Lansing, Michigan 48823

Abstract

BLOOD serum LH and prolactin were quantified after fertile and nonfertile inseminations in 28 Holstein heifers and progesterone and estradiol were quantified during the first 75 days of pregnancy in eight heifers. Serum LH was highest on the day of estrus and did not vary significantly thereafter during the first 75 days of pregnancy. Pregnant heifers had slightly lower serum LH than non-pregnant heifers (1.0±.1 vs. 1.2±.1 ng/ml, respectively, P<.10) during days 2 through 11 after insemination. Serum prolactin varied significantly (P<.01) among heifers, but prolactin did not change significantly during the estrous cycle or during pregnancy. Serum estradiol decreased from 12.6±2.4 pg/ml at estrus to 8.4±.6 pg/ml by day 4 of pregnancy and ranged from 6.2±.5 to 8.6±1.3 pg/ml during days 7 to 75 of pregnancy except on day 40 (avg 11.1±2.3 pg/ml) when four of eight heifers had elevated estradiol. Serum progesterone increased from 0.4±.1 ng/ml at estrus to 6.8±.4 ng/ml on day 11. Maximum progesterone during the first 75 days of pregnancy was attained by day 18, then progesterone decreased about 20% (P< .05) during the next 4 days and returned to 11.3±1.6 ng/ml by day 35.

Footnotes

1 Approved by the Director of the Experiment Station as Journal Article No. 5862. We thank Dr. L. E. Reichert (Emory Univ.) for the purified LH (LER-1072-2) used in the LH radioimmunoassay. NIH-LH-B5 and NIH-Prolactin-B1 were supplied by The Endocrinology Study Section of NIH.

2 NIH Predoctoral Fellow. Present address: Department of Animal Science and Industry, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater 74074.

3 Department of Dairy Science.






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1973 by the American Society of Animal Science.