title: Endocrine profiles associated with life span of induced corpora lutea in postpartum beef cows.
abstract: Two experiments were designed to examine whether hormonal profiles were related to luteal life span in pluriparous postpartum anestrous beef cows. Cows (Exp. 1, n = 34; Exp. 2, n = 23) received norgestomet (N) for 9 d or served as controls (C). Each cow received 1,000 IU human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) 48 h after removal of N (d 0). Blood samples collected every 15 min for 8 h on d -5, 3 and 5 (Exp. 1) or on d -10 and -1 (Exp. 2) were assayed for luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). Cortisol was determined in hourly samples collected on d -5 and in samples collected every 2 min during suckling on the same day (Exp. 1). Concentrations of 15-keto-13,14-dihydro-PGF2 alpha (PGFM) were determined in samples collected at 15-min intervals for 2 h on d -5, 3, 5 and 10 (Exp. 1). Estradiol-17 beta was measured in samples collected on d -5 (Exp. 1) or on d -10 and -1 (Exp. 2). Life span of induced corpora lutea was longer (P less than .05) in N than C cows. Percentages of N cows in which corpora lutea, formed in response to hCG, exhibited a normal life span were 83% on farm 1 and 25% on farm 2 (Exp. 1), and 90% (Exp. 2), compared with 0% in C cows. Concentrations of FSH were not affected by N but were lower (P less than .05) on d -5 in cows on farm 2 (.6 +/- .1 ng/ml) than in cows on farm 1 (.8 +/- .1 ng/ml). On d -5, a treatment X farm interaction (P less than .05) for mean LH was observed and frequency of pulses of LH was higher (P less than .01) in N than C cows (2.7 +/- .4 vs. .8 +/- .8 pulses/8 h). Neither cortisol nor PGFM was affected by N. Estradiol was increased in d -1 (6.1 +/- .5 vs 2.6 +/- .8 pg/ml; P less than .01) by N. It is suggested that pre-treatment with N enhanced life span of induced corpora lutea, in part, by influencing secretion of LH and development of follicles, but a threshold concentration of FSH was required for N to exert this effect.
mesh_terms: D000780:Anestrus / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000502:physiology*; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology; D003338:Corpus Luteum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D015237:Dinoprost / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000187:drug effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011282:Pregnenediones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011460:Prostaglandins F / Q000097:blood; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D006728:Hormones; D011282:Pregnenediones; D011460:Prostaglandins F; C008228:15-keto-13,14-dihydroprostaglandin F2alpha; C100284:norgestomet; D004958:Estradiol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D015237:Dinoprost; D006854:Hydrocortisone