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Endocrine Physiology of the Puerperal Sow^{1, 2,}

Iowa State University,^{3, 4,} Ames 50010

Abstract

Measurement of plasma content of corticoids, progesterone, estrone (E₁), estradiol (E₂) and the Effective Thyroxine Ratio (ETR) was done on samples collected from day 7 prepartum to day 7 postpartum in 23 sows. Competitive protein-binding methods were used for the steroids and the ETR was determined using the Res-O-Mat ETR test (Mallinckrodt, St. Louis).

Corticoids reached a peak mean level of 101.8 ng/ml at day 0. There was a significant elevation of corticoids on days –1,0 and +1 when compared to all other days. Progesterone levels began to decline on day –5, reached 0.5 ng/ml by day +1 and remained quite constant thereafter.

Estrone increased from 1,139 pg/ml at day 6 prepartum to 2,368 pg/ml at day 2 prepartum. The level of E₁ declined to 6 pg/ml by day 6 postpartum. During this same period E₂ levels were 46 pg/ml at day 6 prepartum, 75 pg/ml at day 2 prepartum and 5.5 pg/ml at day 6 postpartum.

¹ This research was supported by U.S.D.A.-A.R.S.-C.S.R.S. contract No. 916-15-01.

² Data taken from a thesis submitted by the senior author to the Graduate College, Iowa State University, in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the M.S. degree.

³ Veterinary Medical Research Institute.

⁴ The authors acknowledge the technical assistance of R. E. Strohbehn and P. A. Harris.