Estradiol -17 β and progesterone profile female camels at different reproductive stages

Abstract

The study was conducted on 56 female camels for E2 and P4 profiles at different reproductive stages, viz. 35 bred females (Group A) monitored after breeding once daily for 0-30 days were divided into 2 groups of pregnant (n=13)and nonpregnant (n=22)based on P4 profiles, another pregnant group (Group B) (n=8)was monitored at weekly intervals from 23 rd weeks to the end of gestation; periparturient camels (Group C) were monitored at 6h intervals, while nonpregnant females (n=7) (Group D) with growing and mature follicles were monitored for E2 profiles only and the final group (Group E) (n=6)of nonpregnant females was monitored for E2 profiles before and after mating. The average P4 concentrations in pregnant and nonpregnant females of group A were similar from days 0 -10 after mating. They declined from day 11 onward in nonpregnant females, but continued to increase in pregnant animals (P<0.01). The average daily E2 profiles were found to be low or basal in both non-pregnant (1.32 to 8.74 pg/ml) and pregnant females (0.69 to 8.24 pg/ml). The average concentration of P4 in group B was relatively higher (5.87 to 12.07 ng/ml) between 23rd to 32nd weeks of gestation than at later stages (2.88 to 5.09 ng/ml). The average concentration of P4 recorded in periparturient female camels of Group C was around 4.0-4.5 ng/ml at 55-31 hrs prior to parturition and declined slightly to measure 3 ng/ml at parturition. A further decline in P4 concentration to 1.6 ng/ml occurred after expulsion of the fetus. The average concentration of E2 was low up to 38th weeks of gestation. It started to increase slowly and steadily after the 39th week and measured more than 50, 100, 250, 300 and 375 pg/ml at the 42nd, 45th, 47th, 49th and 52nd weeks of gestation, respectively. It declined in periparturient females to 92.2-243 g/ml at 1-55 hrs before calving. It further declined sharply to 23.3, 5.6 and 6.6 pg/ml at 5, 11 and 17 hrs after calving. E2 profiles of nonpregnant females of group D (n=7)with mature sized ovarian follicles monitored at 30 minute intervals for 2 hrs daily for 15-20 days (for E2 profiles only) revealed mostly basal levels with a few intermittent peaks, indicating the pulsatile nature its secretion. One group of nonpregnant females, Group E (n=6) with mature follicles monitored for E2 profiles only, one day prior to and immediately after mating showed that E2 profiles ar these times did not differ