Progesterone, estrone, estradiol 17-β and estriol in the peripheral blood serum of 81 cows with cystic ovaries of which 23 exhibited continuons estrus, 28 showed irregular estrus and 30 were anestrus, were estimated by radioimmunoassay, and their relation to the sexual behavior and the effect of intramuscular injection of 20 mg of betamethasone (Betsolan, GLAXO) were discussed.
(1) The mean levels (±S. D.) of serum progesterone, estrone, estradiol 17-β, estriol were as follows; 0.10 ± 0.006
ng/m
l, 37.8± 4.9
pg/m
l, 125.3 ± 3.4
pg/m
l, 23.6 ± 3.2
pg/m
l, in continuous estrous cows; 0.31 ± 0.008
ng/m
l, 4.9 ± 2.3
pg/m
l, 48.5 ± 3.0
pg/m
l, 4.5 ± 6.1
pg/m
l in irregular estrous cows and 0.46 ± 0.056
ng/m
l, 10.7 ± 4.5
pg/m
l, 17.4 ± 5.8
pg/m
l, 3.6 ± 5.2
pg/m
l in anestrous cows, respectively.
(2) Cows having higher concentrations of progesterone showed higher conception rates (pregnant cows/treated cows) and conceived in shorter periods following the treatment as compared with those having lower concentrations of it. On the other hand, cows having higher concentrations of estradiol 17-β required longer days to conceive than those having lower concentrations of it, although there were no differences in their conception rates.
(3) Conception rates and their confidential limits (P ?? O.05) and the average days (± S. D.) from treatment to conception were 78.3%, 89.758.9%, 77 ± 54 days for continuous estrus cows, 67.7%, 78.548.8%, 93 ± 61 days for irregular estrous cows and 83.3%, 92.368.5%, 58± 31 days for anestrous cows, respectively.
(4) From these findings, it may be concluded that there is a correlation between sexual behavior and the blood levels of estrogens and progesterone of cows with cystic ovaries, which also relate to the effect of treatments with corticosteroids.
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