1988 Volume 41 Issue 2 Pages 83-87
An enzyme immunoassay (EIA) kit of plasma/serum Progesterone (P)(Cambridge Life Science Ltd., U. K.) was evaluated for practical use in bovine reproduction. The measurable range of plasma P was between 0.6 and 10.0ng/ml. Intra-assay cofficients of variation (CVs)(n=6) of plasma P levels from three pooled plasma samples were 11.9%(mean=1.11 ng/ml), 11.6%(2.25 ng/ml) and 7.4%(6.07ng/ml). The inter-assay CVs of P levels from other pooled samples were 22.4%(0.86ng/ml), 25.2%(2.22ng/ml) and 17.8%(6.39ng/ml). The time required for the whole procedures was within 2 hours. A significantly high correlation (r=0.903, P<0.005, n=27) was observed between P levels determined by this kit and the values obtained by a double antibody EIA.
The early pregnancy diagnosis of heifers based on P levels 22-24 days after insemination showed an accuracy rate of 100%(14/14) for negative results and 60.9%(25/41) for positive cases. The P levels estimated by this kit was also useful for a differential diagnosis of anestrous cows with a functional corpus luteum and those with inactive ovaries, The plasma P EIA kit may be successfully applied to heifers as a tool of reproductive management and a diagnostic aid for ovarian dysfunction.
