The Profiles Of Weekly Progesterone And Estradiol Concentrations During Pregnancy In Ewes: Their Correlations With Lamb Birth Weight

  • M. Y. Sumaryadi
  • W. Manalu Bogor Agricultural University
Keywords: progesterone, estradio, lamb birth weight, pregnancy, sheep

Abstract

Thirty nine-pregnant ewes (20 and 19 carrying a single and multiple fetuses, respectively) were used to study the correlations of weekly maternal serum progesterone and estradiol concentrations during pregnancy with lamb birth weight at parturition. Blood samples were drawn weekly (weeks 0 to 20) during gestation period for determination of progesterone and estradiol concentrations. At parturition lamb birth weight was determined around 12 h post partum. Regardless of litter size, concentrations of progesterone during the fetal stage of pregnancy positively correlated with lamb birth weight. In the ewes carrying a single fetus, maternal serum progesterone at week 2, 4, 8, 10 to 12, 14, 16 and 18 to 20 of pregnancy positively correlated with lamb birth weight. In the ewes carrying multiple fetuses, maternal serum progesterone at weeks 0, 8 and 10 of pregnancy positively correlated with lamb birth weight. Regardless of litter size, concentrations of estradiol at week 0, 2, and 4 during the embryonal stage of pregnancy positively correlated with lamb birth weight. During the fetal stage of pregnancy, maternal serum estradiol concentrations positively correlated with lamb birth weight except at weeks 8, 9, and 20 of pregnancy. In the ewes carrying a single fetus, maternal serum estradiol at weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14 of pregnancy positively correlated with lamb birth weight. In the ewes carrying multiple fetuses, maternal serum estradiol concentrations at weeks 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 14 of pregnancy positively correlated with lamb birth weight.

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Published
2020-02-25