Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-2xdlg Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-24T11:46:24.406Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

An investigation into the relationship between milk progesterone concentrations in fore-milk and composite milk samples

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 February 2018

M.A. McCoy ,
S.D. Lennox ,
C.S. Mayne ,
W.J. McCaughey ,
M. Verner ,
D.C. Catney ,
A.R.G. Wylie ,
B. Kennedy  and
F.J. Gordon
M.A. McCoy
Affiliation:
Veterinary Sciences Division, Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, Stoney Road, Belfast, BT4 3SD
S.D. Lennox
Affiliation:
Biometrics Division, Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, Newforge Lane, Belfast, BT9 5PX
C.S. Mayne
Affiliation:
The Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co. Down, BT26 6DR
W.J. McCaughey
Affiliation:
The Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co. Down, BT26 6DR
M. Verner
Affiliation:
The Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co. Down, BT26 6DR
D.C. Catney
Affiliation:
Biometrics Division, Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, Newforge Lane, Belfast, BT9 5PX
A.R.G. Wylie
Affiliation:
Agricultural & Environmental Science Division, Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, Newforge Lane, Belfast, BT9 5PX
B. Kennedy
Affiliation:
A.I. Service (NI) Ltd., Ballycraigy, 671 Antrim Road, Newtownabbey, Co. Antrim, BT36 8RL
F.J. Gordon
Affiliation:
The Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co. Down, BT26 6DR
Get access

Abstract

Milk progesterone concentrations are generally estimated on a composite, “jar”, sample from the bulk milk collecting jar, with concentrations >3 ng/ml considered as indicative of the presence of luteal tissue. However, on a number of dairy farms composite sampling is not possible as they operate a direct pipeline milking system, without milk meters, and the only practical means of obtaining a milk sample is via fore-milk sampling. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between progesterone concentrations, as estimated by an ELISA procedure, in fore-milk strippings and composite milk samples. A significant relationship (r2 = 0.83) was obtained between the progesterone concentration in composite milk and fore-milk samples; y = 1.52 - 1.41(0.163)x, where y = log10(composite progesterone) and x = log10(fore-milk progesterone). A milk progesterone concentration of 3 ng/ml in composite milk corresponded to a milk progesterone concentration of 1.47 ng/ml in fore-milk. Using this relationship progesterone profiles may be compared between herds where milk samples have been obtained by either composite milk or fore-milk sampling. In addition, composite milk samples only should be used with qualitative on-farm assays.

Type
Posters
Information
BSAP Occasional Publication , Volume 26 , Issue 2: Fertility in the High-Producing Dairy Cow , September 2001 , pp. 471 - 473
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 2001

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bulman, D.C. and Lamming, G.E. 1978. Milk progesterone levels in relation to conception, repeat breeding and factors influencing acyclicity in dairy cows. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 54: 447–458 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Darwash, A.O., Ward, G.L., Lamming, G.E. and Woolliams, J.A. 1999. The effects of raising post-oestrus progesterone concentrations on luteal activity in post-partum dairy cows. Animal Science 68: 527–532 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heap, R.B., Holdsworth, R.J., Gadsby, J.E., Laing, J.A. and Walters, D.E. 1976. Pregnancy diagnosis in the cow from milk progesterone concentration. British Veterinary Journal 132: 445–464 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pope, G.S., Majzlik, I., Ball, P.J.H. and Leaver, J.D. 1976. Use of progesterone concentration in plasma and milk in the diagnosis of pregnancy in domestic cattle. British Veterinary Journal 132: 497–506.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed