Effect of progesterone and oestradiol benzoate on oestrous behaviour and secretion of luteinizing hormone in ovariectomized fallow deer (Dama dama).

Eighteen ovariectomized fallow deer does and two adult bucks were used to investigate the effect of exogenous progesterone and oestradiol benzoate on oestrous behaviour and secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH). In Expts 1 and 2, conducted during the breeding season (April-September), does were treated with intravaginal Controlled Internal Drug Release (CIDR) devices (0.3 g progesterone per device) for 12 days and differing doses of oestradiol benzoate administered 24 h after removal of the CIDR device. The dose had a significant effect on the proportion of does that exhibited oestrus within the breeding season (P less than 0.001), the incidence of oestrus being 100% with 1.0, 0.1 and 0.05 mg, 42% for 0.01 mg and 0% for 0.002 mg oestradiol benzoate. There was a significant log-linear effect of dose on the log duration of oestrus, which was 6-20, 2-14, 2-12 and 2 h after treatment with 1, 0.1, 0.05 and 0.01 mg of oestradiol benzoate, respectively. Dose had a significant effect on the peak plasma LH concentration (P less than 0.01), mean (+/- s.e.m.) surge peaks of 27.7 +/- 2.3, 25.9 +/- 1.8 and 18.6 +/- 3.4 ng/ml being observed following treatment with 1, 0.1 and 0.01 mg oestradiol benzoate respectively. In Expt 3, also conducted during the breeding season, progesterone treatment (0 vs. 6-12 days) before the administration of 0.05 mg oestradiol benzoate had a significant effect on the incidence of oestrus (0/6 vs. 10/12, P less than 0.05), but not on LH secretion. The duration of progesterone treatment (6 vs. 12 days) had no effect on oestrus.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Temporal relationship between the onset of oestrus, the preovulatory LH surge and ovulation in farmed fallow deer, Dama dama

A study was conducted to determine the timing of ovulation relative to the onset of oestrus and the preovulatory LH surge in fallow deer. Mature fallow does were randomly allocated to two treatments (N = 10 per treatment) designed to synchronize oestrus on or about 17 May. Does assigned to Group 1 (prostaglandin-induced oestrus) each initially received single intravaginal CIDR [Controlled Internal Drug Release] devices for 13 days followed by an i.m. injection of 750 mg cloprostenol on Day 12 (15 May) of the subsequent luteal cycle. Does assigned to Group 2 (progesterone-induced oestrus) each received CIDR devices for 13 days, with withdrawal occurring on 15 May. All does were run with crayon-harnessed bucks (10:1 ratio) from the start of synchronization (18:00 h 15 May). Ten does (5 per group) were blood sampled via indwelling jugular cannulae every 2 h for 72 h from cloprostenol injection or CIDR device withdrawal and the plasma was analysed for concentrations of progesterone and LH by radioimmunoassay. Does within each treatment were randomly allocated to an ovarian examination time of 12, 16, 20 or 24 h after the onset of oestrus. Laparoscopy was repeated at 12-h intervals until ovulation was recorded. The ovaries of does failing to exhibit oestrus were examined 72 and 86 h after cloprostenol injection or CIDR device withdrawal. A total of 17 does were observed to exhibit oestrus at a mean (+/- s.e.m.) interval from treatment of 44.6 +/- 3.6 h for Group 1 (N = 9) and 34.1 +/- 2.5 h for Group 2 (N = 8).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Oestrous cycle and breeding season of farmed fallow deer, Dama dama

Oestrus was detected on 177 occasions in 34 fallow does for the duration of the breeding season. A total of 142 cycles had a mean length of 22.4 (+/- 1.3, s.d.) days. Cycle length increased and became more variable as the season proceeded but was not affected by doe age or liveweight. First oestrus occurred within a 12-day period, but the length of the breeding season, and therefore the number of oestrous cycles, was related to doe age. Serum progesterone profiles suggest that silent ovulations, associated with short-lived corpora lutea, occurred before the first behavioural oestrus. Ovulations without oestrus may have also occurred at the end of the breeding season.     

Artificial long days and daily contact with bucks induce ovarian but not oestrous activity during the non-breeding season in Mediterranean goat females

The aim of the present study was to determine whether a treatment of 3 mo of artificial long days and daily contact with bucks can stimulate reproductive activity during the normal seasonal anoestrous in female goats, and whether such treatment modifies the onset of the normal breeding season. Thirty-nine adult, open does were assigned to two treatments of similar mean body weight (BW) and body condition score (BCS). One treatment (LD; n=18) was housed in a light-proof building and exposed to long days (16 h of light/d) from 17 November to 5 February, and then exposed to the natural photoperiod in an open shed. The remaining females were housed in an open shed under natural photoperiod conditions throughout the experiment (control [C]; n=21). Plasma samples for progesterone, BW and BCS were recorded every wk. Oestrous activity was checked daily using aproned bucks. Bucks were housed close to females in a separate barn from the onset of the experiment. Ovulation rate was determined by laparoscopy 7 d after positive identification of oestrus. The interaction of treatment by time for temporal concentrations patterns of progesterone concentrations indicated that luteal activity in LD does were greater (P<0.001) than those of C does during the natural seasonal anoestrous season. None of the C does exhibited oestrous or luteal activity during the non-breeding season; whereas, 72% of LD does exhibited luteal activity only 33% of them showed oestrous activity and during this season (P<0.01). Differences in resumption of the oestrous or luteal activity were not observed (P>0.05) in the subsequent breeding season between treatments. In conclusion, 3 mo of exposing does to long days and daily contact with bucks during the breeding season appears to stimulate reproductive processes that normal would not occur during the anoestrous season. However, this treatment does not induce oestrus is adequate numbers of does to be of practical value. Finally, this treatment does not modify the onset of the subsequent natural breeding season.     

Induction of oestrus and ovulation in anoestrous fallow deer (Dama dama) by using progesterone and GnRH treatment

Fourteen seasonally anoestrous, non-lactating fallow does were each treated with an intravaginal progesterone device for 14 days followed by a subcutaneously implanted osmotic minipump delivering synthetic GnRH at doses of 125 ng/h (7 does) or 250 ng/h (7 does) for up to 7 days, about 6 weeks before the natural breeding season. One doe (low delivery rate) lost its intravaginal device and 6 of the remaining does (46.2%) exhibited oestrus between 71 and 120 h after progesterone withdrawal/minipump insertion. Only one of these does received the low GnRH delivery rate and 5 received the high rate. Serum progesterone profiles indicated that an induced oestrus was followed by apparently normal luteal development. Does which did not exhibit oestrus failed to show a luteal response. Only 1 doe conceived at induced oestrus, producing a viable female fawn 6 weeks before the start of the natural fawning season. The remaining does returned to an anoestrous state until the onset of the natural breeding season.     

Liver total lipids and fatty acid composition of shot red and fallow deer males in various reproduction periods

In this study total lipid (TL) content and the fatty acid composition changes in the liver of red deer stags (n=35) and fallow deer bucks (n=19) were examined at various reproductive stages. Samples were taken from mature red deer stags in the rut (September), in the post-rut (October), at the end of the rut (November) and after sexual activity had ceased (January). Sampling from mature fallow bucks was performed in the pre-rut (early October), in the rut (November) and after the reproduction period (January). The results obtained indicated significant (P<0.001) fatty degeneration of the liver in the males at the rutting season. At that time the TL concentration (x+/-S.D. in wet weight) was 156+/-40 g/kg in the red deer stags and 405+/-46 g/kg in the fallow bucks. Subsequent to the rutting season this value decreased to 47+/-15 g/kg by November in the red deer stags and to 51+/-3 g/kg by January in the fallow bucks. Significant changes were also observed in the fatty acid composition of the liver lipids, determined by gas chromatography. Liver samples collected during the rutting season from both red deer stags and fallow bucks showed higher (P<0.001) total proportions of monounsaturated fatty acids and lower (P<0.001) weight percentages of polyunsaturated fatty acids than those taken in January. In comparison with January the liver samples taken in September from red deer stags showed significantly higher (P<0.001) proportions of fatty acids C14:0, C15:0 and C:16:1, and significantly lower (P<0. 001) proportions of C18:0, C20:4 (n-6) and C22:5 (n-3). The proportions of C14:0, C15:1, C17:1 and C18:3 (n-3) in the liver samples taken in November from fallow bucks were higher (P<0.001), while the proportions of C18:0 and C20:4 (n-6) were lower (P<0.001) than those measured prior to rutting (in October) or after the rut (in January).     

Attainment of early puberty in female black-tailed deer. (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus).

Female black-tailed deer fawns were hand-raised until four months of age and bred to bucks in their first fall. Over 50% conceived and subsequently gave birth to single fawns. Conceptions occurred later than for wild adults but at weights which equalled the weights of the heaviest wild fawns. A high proportion of the fawns born to fawn does died due to presumed lactation failure. Further work is continuing on the factors governing puberty attainment in this species.     

The “males earlier than females” phenomenon in the fawning season of fallow deer (Dama dama)

Twenty years ago, Gaede (in Hemmer, Nutztier Damhirsch Rheinischer Landwirtschafts-Verlag, Bonn, pp 95–112, 1986) pointed to a trend that male fawns of farmed fallow deer were born predominantly within the first half of the fawning season, whereas female fawns were born primarily during the second half. The data basis collected during 25 years of pedigree breeding in the fallow deer domestication project directed by the author shows this “males earlier than females” phenomenon to be real and statistically highly significant. It seems to depend on the age of the siring bucks and may mirror the “fat-season-syndrome” during the rut.This paper is dedicated to Dr. agr. Ernst-Adolf Gaede, former director of the Lehr- und Versuchsanstalt für Viehhaltung Neumühle (Münchweiler an der Alsenz), for his 80th birthday on July 15, 2006.     

Pattern of LH and testosterone secretion of adult male fallow deer (Dama dama) during the transition into the breeding season

Pituitary secretion of LH and testicular secretion of testosterone were investigated during the transitional period from the non-breeding to breeding season of mature male fallow deer exhibiting either normal transitional patterns or shortened transitional patterns in response to summer melatonin treatment. Melatonin implants were administered to 4 bucks for a 150-day period starting 130 days after the winter solstice. Four contemporary bucks served as controls. Melatonin treatment advanced rutting activity, testis development and neck muscle hypertrophy by 6-8 weeks. Profiles of plasma LH and testosterone, based on a 30-min sampling frequency over 24 h, were obtained from 3 treated and 3 control bucks on 4 occasions over the period spanning the transition into the breeding season. In control bucks, LH and testosterone pulse frequency were low (0-2 pulses/24 h) in January and increased (5-7 pulses/24 h) in February. By March and April (pre-rut and rut periods respectively) there was a two-fold increase in basal plasma LH concentrations, a decline in LH pulse frequency (0-1 pulse/24 h) and episodic surges in plasma testosterone concentrations. Melatonin treatment resulted in a shift in hormone profiles, with highly pulsatile patterns of LH and testosterone secretion (7 pulses/24 h) occurring earlier in January. The subsequent post-rut profiles of treated bucks were characterized by lower basal plasma LH concentrations, and reduced frequency and amplitude of plasma testosterone surges.     

Hormonal changes around oestrus of farmed fallow deer, Dama dama

Concentrations of LH, progesterone, oestradiol-17 beta and androstenedione were measured in serum from blood samples collected from 6 fallow does every hour for 46 h during a spontaneous oestrus. Four does had similar serum hormone profiles, with a pronounced preovulatory LH surge (approximately 20 ng/ml) occurring within 4 h of the onset of oestrus, a small elevation (from 0.1 to 0.3 ng/ml) of progesterone at the onset of oestrus, a gradual but non-significant increase (up to 25 pg/ml) of oestradiol-17 beta and a marked 2-fold increase of serum androstenedione concentrations occurring immediately at the onset of oestrus. The remaining 2 does showed pronounced increases in serum progesterone concentrations at the onset of oestrus and a reduction in the initial LH surge. One of these does exhibited a second preovulatory LH surge within the sampling period.     

Mortality of fallow deer (Dama dama) experimentally-infected with meningeal worm, Parelaphostrongylus tenuis.

Six fallow deer (Dama dama) fawns died after receiving 25 to 150 infective larvae of Parelaphostrongylus tenuis. Fawns given higher doses usually died sooner (6 to 23 days) than those given lower doses (54 to 67 days). Early deaths were associated with severe acute peritonitis resulting from perforation of the intestinal wall; later deaths were associated with paralysis and inability to rise. Numerous adult P. tenuis were found within neural tissues of the brain and spinal cord in the three fawns with paralysis. One white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) exposed to infective larvae from the same source survived infection without exhibiting clinical signs and began passing larvae in feces 88 days post-exposure. At the doses used in this study, meningeal worm caused fatal infections in fallow deer. Results are compared to published observations of fallow deer naturally-infected with P. tenuis.     

The involvement of boar submaxillary salivary gland secretions in boar-induced precocious puberty attainment in the gilt

The involvement of secretions from boar submaxillary salivary glands in mediating the induction of precocious puberty in the gilt was investigated as follows. Forty-eight Large White × (Large White × Landrace) prepubertal gilts from 12 litters were randomly allocated within litters by weight, to four treatment groups of six, in two replicates, at 145 days of age. Treatments commencing at a mean group age of 165 days, were: (1) control (no boar exposure); (2) gilts exposed to a mature sialectomised boar (submaxillary salivary glands were removed at 9 weeks of age); (3) gilts exposed to a mature sham-operated boar; (4) gilts exposed to a mature unoperated boar.Boar exposure occurred for 30 min per day for 75 days, or until pubertal oestrus was observed. Gilts showing pubertal oestrus were removed and slaughtered. Ovaries were examined to confirm reproductive status. Gilts failing to exhibit oestrus by 240 days of age were slaughtered and nominally ascribed a pubertal age of 245 days. Age at puberty was significantly earlier in all three boar-exposed treatments than in the control treatment (P<0.05 for treatments 2 and 3, P<0.001 for treatment 4; median ages at puberty being 227.0, 203.5 , 202.0 and 179.0 days for treatments 1 to 4 respectively). No frothy saliva was ever produced by the sialectomised boar, and chromatographic analysis of saliva produced by the sham-operated boar during mating revealed very low levels of 16-androstene pheromones, while levels in the unoperated boar's saliva were normal. These results provide further evidence for an important role of boar salivary pheromones in the induction of precocious puberty attainment in the gilt.     

The reproductive response to the male effect of 7- or 10-month-old female goats is improved when photostimulated males are used

The exposure of adult, female, Mediterranean goats during anoestrus to males with induced sexual activity via photostimulation, induces a very high percentage of ovulations. The present work examines the ability of photostimulated bucks to improve the male effect-induced reproductive response of young does over that induced by non-stimulated bucks. A 2×2 factorial experiment was designed, consisting of doe age and buck photoperiod treatments. During seasonal anoestrus, 41 does aged 7 (n=19) or 10 (n=22) months were subjected to the male effect on 10 April; half of each group was exposed to males rendered sexually active by prior exposure to 3 months of long days (16 h of light/day) from 31 October (PHOTO bucks), and half to males maintained under the natural photoperiod (CONTROL bucks). Oestrous activity was recorded daily by direct visual observation of the marks left by male-worn marking harnesses over the 32 days following the bringing of the sexes together (introduction). Doe body weight and body condition were determined weekly. Ovulation was detected by measuring plasma progesterone concentrations twice per week over the 3 weeks after introduction. The ovulation rate was assessed by transrectal ultrasonography. Fecundity, fertility, prolificacy and productivity were also determined. The interaction doe age × buck photoperiod treatment had no effect on any outcome. The percentage of females showing ovulation or oestrus was higher in the does exposed to PHOTO bucks (85% v. 43% for those exposed to CONTROL bucks) they also showed higher fertility (75% v. 43%) and productivity (1.05±0.17 v. 0.57±0.16 kids born per doe serviced) (all P values at least P<0.05). The 10-month-old group showed higher percentage of females showing ovulation, oestrus, fertility and productivity than the 7-month-old does after the male effect (females showing ovulation: 82% v. 42%; showing oestrus: 73% v. 42%; fertility: 73% v. 42% and productivity: 1.09±0.17 v. 0.47±0.14 goat kids born per doe serviced; respectively, all P values at least P<0.05). The present results show that the use of photostimulated males improves the reproductive performance of 7- and 10-month-old does, and may contribute towards increasing their productivity and lifetime reproductive performance.     

Synchronisation of oestrus of goats treated with progestagen-impregnated intravaginal sponges and PMSG,and reproductive performance following natural mating or A.I. with frozen semen

Oestrus was synchronised in 88 goats using progestagen-impregnated intravaginal sponges (60 mg Repromap; Upjohn) left in place for 17 days, followed by intramuscular injection of PMSG (300 i.u.) at sponge withdrawal. The percentages of does that came into oestrus in 0–24, 25–48, 49–72 and 73–96 h periods were 42, 30.5, 10.5 and 6.5 (cumulative 89.5%). The time of onset of oestrus ranged from 16 to 40 h. Breeding at the synchronised oestrus using intact bucks (24–96 h) or artificial insemination with frozen-thawed semen, at fixed times of 24, 48, 72 and 96 h, resulted in 71% and 81% conceptions respectively. Intrauterine deposition of semen was possible in 31.3%, 62.5%, 87.5% and 6.3% of cases at 24, 48, 72 and 96 h respectively. Twinning percentages were 54.5% and 56% for natural mating and artificial insemination. Kidding was spread over a 14-day period with mean gestation lengths of 149 days for singletons and 147 days for twins. The results indicate that use of progestagen-impregnated sponges with PMSG is an efficient method of synchronisation of oestrus and may result in increased fertility in goats and, if used with A.I. with frozen semen, may contribute to increased breeding efficiency and rate of genetic improvement of goats in Asia.     

Prevalence, ultrastructure of the cyst wall and infectivity for the dog and cat of Sarcocystis sp. from fallow deer (Cervus dama)

The prevalence of Sarcocystis sp. (Protozoa: Sarcocystidae) in fallow deer (Cervus dama) in Tuscany, Italy was determined by digestion technique and histological examination. Forty-four of 45 fallow deer were infected. Infections occurred in adult deer and in fawns. Samples from the heart were more intensively parasitized than samples from tongue, oesophagus and diaphragm muscle. With transmission electron microscopy, the primary cyst wall was folded and formed narrow, overlapping, sinuous projections which were often parallel to the cyst surface. Dogs fed heart samples from infected fallow deer shed sporocysts after 10-11 days. Cats fed the same samples did not shed any sporocysts.     

Reproductive responses following royal jelly treatment administered orally or intramuscularly into progesterone-treated Awassi ewes

An experiment was conducted to determine whether natural royal jelly (RJ) paste administered orally or intramuscularly (i.m.) in conjunction with exogenous progesterone is associated with improved reproductive responses in ewes. Thirty 3-6-year-old Awassi ewes were randomly allocated into three (RJ-capsule, RJC; RJ-injection, RJI and control, CON) groups of 10 ewes each. All ewes were treated with intravaginal progesterone sponges for 12 days. Ewes in the RJC and RJI were administered orally or i.m. with a total of 3g of RJ given in 12 equal doses of 250 mg per ewe per day starting at the time of sponge insertion. At the time of sponge withdrawal (day 0, 0 h), ewes were exposed to three rams and checked for breeding marks at 6-h intervals for 3 days. Blood samples were collected from all ewes for analysis of progesterone concentrations. Pretreatment progesterone levels were <0.5 ng x ml(-1) in 16/30 and >1.3 ng x ml(-1) in the remaining ewes indicating luteal function and cyclicity. Similar reproductive responses and progesterone levels occurred in ewes of the RJC and RJI; therefore, data of the two groups were pooled. Following sponge insertion, progesterone levels increased rapidly and reached maximum values of 5.8+/-0.2 ng x ml(-1) within 2 days among ewes of the three groups, and then declined gradually to day 0 values of 1.6+/-0.1 and 1.9+/-0.1 ng x ml(-1) for the RJ-treated and CON ewes, respectively. The rate of progesterone decline was greater (P<0.001) in RJ-treated than in CON. Mean progesterone levels during the 12-day period were lower (P<0.001) in RJ-treated than in CON (2.8+/-0.2 ng x ml(-1) versus 3.3+/-0.2 ng x ml(-1)). Treatment with RJ resulted in greater (P<0.05) incidence of oestrus and shorter (P<0.05) intervals to onset of oestrus than CON. Based upon progesterone levels, ovulation occurred following day 0 in all ewes. Progesterone increased on day 3 in RJ-treated and on day 4 in CON ewes. Progesterone remained elevated through day 18 in 8/20 RJ-treated and 1/10 CON ewes (P=0.09). All pregnant ewes exhibited oestrus 14 h earlier (P<0.02), ovulated approximately 1 day earlier and had higher (P<0.001) luteal phase progesterone levels than non-pregnant ewes. Non-pregnant had higher (P<0.04) body weights than pregnant ewes. In conclusion, results demonstrate that both RJ treatments in conjunction with exogenous progesterone were equally capable of improving oestrus response and pregnancy rate.     

Relationships between LH, FSH and prolactin secretion and reproductive activity in the weaned sow

Blood samples were collected from primiparous sows via indwelling jugular cannulae at 15-min intervals for 12 h before and for 24 h (2 sows) or 48 h (10 sows) after weaning and then every 4 h until behavioural oestrus. Weaning to oestrus intervals ranged from 3 to 10 days and 2 sows showed no signs of oestrus and had not ovulated by Days 11 and 16 after weaning. Prolactin concentrations in plasma decreased significantly (P less than 0.001) and reached basal levels 1-2 h after weaning in all sows whilst plasma progesterone concentrations remained basal until approximately 30 h after the preovulatory LH surge in sows that ovulated. Elevated concentrations of prolactin or progesterone during the post-weaning period were, therefore, not responsible for delayed restoration of cyclicity. Overall, mean LH concentrations rose significantly (P less than 0.001) from 0.22 +/- 0.02 during the 12-h period before weaning to 0.38 +/- 0.03 ng/ml during the 12-h post-weaning period. After weaning, pulsatile and basal LH secretions were markedly increased for sows that showed an early return to oestrus (less than or equal to 4 days) compared with sows showing a longer weaning to oestrus interval but a correlation did not exist between either of these LH characteristics and the time taken to resume cyclicity. Mean LH concentrations before weaning were, however, inversely related (r = -0.649; P less than 0.05) to the weaning to oestrus interval. Overall, mean FSH concentrations rose significantly (P less than 0.001) from 151.1 +/- 6.2 (s.e.m.) ng/ml in the 12-h period immediately before weaning to 187.7 +/- 9.7 ng/ml in the subsequent 12-h period but there was no correlation between FSH concentrations, before or after weaning, and the interval from weaning to oestrus. However, a significant correlation was apparent between ovulation rate and peak concentrations of the rise in FSH after weaning (r = 0.746; P less than 0.05) and overall mean FSH values (r = 0.645; P less than 0.05). It is concluded that both LH and FSH concentrations in peripheral blood rose in response to removal of the suckling stimulus at weanling. The increase in LH pulse frequency associated with weaning was not directly related to the weaning to oestrus interval although a specific pattern of LH secretion was observed in sows showing an early return to oestrus (less than or equal to 4 days).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Secretory patterns of LH and FSH during development and hypothalamic and hypophysial characteristics following development of steroid-induced ovarian follicular cysts in dairy cattle

Two experiments were conducted to (1) investigate developmental endocrinology of ovarian follicular cysts (cysts) in cattle and (2) evaluate effects of cysts on hypothalamic and hypophysial characteristics. Cysts were induced with oestradiol-17 beta (15 mg) and progesterone (37.5 mg) dissolved in alcohol and injected s.c. twice daily for 7 days. Cysts were defined as the presence of follicular structures (which may or may not have been the same structure) of 2.0 cm in diameter or greater that were present for 10 days without ovulation and corpus luteum development. In Exp. 1,22 non-lactating, non-pregnant Holstein cows were allocated to 3 groups. Beginning on Day 5 (oestrus = Day 0) of the oestrous cycle, 7 cows (Controls) were treated with twice daily s.c. injections of ethanol (2 ml/injection) for 7 days. Luteolysis was then induced with PGF-2 alpha and blood samples were collected daily every 15 min for 6 h from the morning after the PGF-2 alpha injection (Day 13) until oestrus. Steroids to induce cysts were injected as previously described into the remaining cows (N = 15). Three blood samples were collected at 15-min intervals every 12 h throughout the experimental period. Additional blood samples were collected every 15 min for 6 h on a twice weekly basis. After steroid injections, follicular and luteal structures on ovaries were not detected via rectal palpation for a period of 36 +/- 4 days (static phase). Then follicles developed which ovulated within 3-7 days (non-cystic; N = 7) or increased in size with follicular structures present for 10 days (cystic; N = 8). Mean (+/- s.e.m.) concentrations of LH, FSH, oestradiol-17 beta and progesterone in serum remained low and were not different during the static phase between cows that subsequently developed cysts or ovulated. During the follicular phase, mean serum concentration of LH (ng/ml) was higher (P less than 0.1) in cows with cysts (2.9 +/- 0.2) than in cows without cysts (1.1 +/- 0.1) or control cows (1.4 +/- 0.2). In addition, LH pulse frequency (pulses/6 h) and amplitude (ng/ml) were higher (P less than 0.1) in cows with cysts (3.6 +/- 0.3 and 2.2 +/- 0.3, respectively) than in non-cystic (2.3 +/- 0.2 and 1.0 +/- 0.2, respectively) and control (1.8 +/- 0.1 and 1.1 +/- 0.2, respectively) groups during the follicular phase. There were no differences in the FSH, oestradiol-17 beta or progesterone characteristics in cows of any of the 3 groups during the follicular phase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Use of pregnancy-specific protein-B and estrone sulfate for determination of pregnancy on Day 49 in fallow deer (Dama dama )

The objective of this study was to determine if pregnancy specific protein-B (PSPB) and estrone sulfate (E(1)SO(4)) could be used to determine pregnancy status in fallow deer (Dama dama ). Forty mature does were synchronized for estrus with an intravaginal progesterone-releasing device (CIDR) and then artificially inseminated via laparoscopy with frozen semen on one day. Ultrasound examination and jugular blood sampling were done 49 days later. Transrectal ultrasonography was done to presumptively determine the pregnancy status at the time of blood sampling. Serum estrone sulfate concentrations were significantly (P < 0.05) greater in pregnant (n=31) than nonpregnant (n=9) females at 49 days of gestation (166.7 +/- 25.9 pg/ml vs 36.3 +/- 11.1 pg/ml, respectively). The percentage of [(125)I]PSPB bound was significantly (P < 0.01) lower when sera of pregnant (n=29) versus nonpregnant (n=9) females was added to RIA tubes (63.7 +/- 1.6% vs 98.1 +/- 1.6%, respectively). There were 30 fawns born from the group of females that were diagnosed pregnant based on ultrasound. We conclude that estrone sulfate and PSPB can be used to determine pregnancy status in fallow deer at 49 days of gestation.     

Eau deer

Chinese water deer are most unusual--the bucks have tusks instead of antlers and does give birth to several fawns each summer. The population in this country is becoming increasingly important as the species becomes rarer in China.