The relationship of circulating plasma progesterone levels and rectal temperatures in gilts

To ascertain if a correlation exists between circulating plasma progesterone levels and rectal temperatures in swine, 10 mixed breed postpubertal ovariectomized gilts were treated with sesame oil containing 500 mg progesterone IM or with saline IM. The average daily rectal temperatures were not correlated with the circulating plasma progesterone levels. Rectal temperature observations do not provide a useful indication of corpus luteum activity in swine.