Serum progesterone analysis by commercially available eia kit to monitor ovulation and conception in dromedary camels

Abstract

Commercially available human Enzyme Immuno Assay (EIA) kit was employed to analyse sequential serum progesterone levels subsequent to 22 matings given to 22 female dromedary camels. The serum progesterone levels at day 7,9,15 and 30 post coitum was found to be a good indicator of ovulation or its absence. The incidence of non-ovulatory coitus was 40.9% with resultant low (or below detectable limit) progesterone concentrations. The mean serum progesterone concentration of 2.92 ± 1.48 (n=7), 3.55±1.65 (n=3) and 2.41±1.21 (n=3) ng/ml was found at day 7,9 and 15 post coitum, in ovulatory coitus, respectively. It was concluded that human EIA kits can be used for assay of the progesterone hormone in camels and such an assay can differentiate ovulatory and non-ovulatory coitus in camels.