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Endocrine changes, with emphasis on 13, 14–dihydro–15–keto–prostaglandin F2α and corticosteroids, before and during parturition in dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

M. S. El-Belely
M. S. El-Belely
Affiliation:
Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza 12211, Egypt
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Summary

A study was conducted on eight preparturient camels which were kept in individual stalls adjacent to the Cairo abattoir during 1989. Four novel phenomena are described in this paper: (i) a significant (P < O·05) prepartum decrease in plasma concentrations of progesterone evident over the 48 h preceding parturition; (ii) a remarkably consistent increase in total plasma unconjugated oestrogens, commencing 2–4 days prior to parturition and peaking in excess of 200 pg/ml for c. 2 h before delivery; (iii) a tenfold increase to 5·4±0·19 ng/ml (mean±S.E.) in plasma concentrations of 13, 14-dihydro-15-keto-prostaglandin F2α (PGFM) between days –10 and – 1, showing a sudden and large increase during the 5 h prior to delivery; and (iv) three peaks of total plasma corticosteroids during the 4 h preceding delivery, with the third peak showing the greatest magnitude (24·0±3·11 ng/ml). These results suggest that the dromedary camel is an example of a species in which luteal secretion of progesterone, especially 3α-dihydroprogesterone, is required throughout pregnancy and in which cessation of luteal function, associated with a rapid increase in the oestrogen: progesterone ratio and the secretion of prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α), is a requirement for parturition.

Type
Animals
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 122 , Issue 2 , April 1994 , pp. 315 - 323
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1994

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