title: Pregnancy determination by use of pregnancy-specific protein B radioimmunoassay in llamas.
abstract: Blood samples were obtained from each of 30 llamas: 22 females that had been exposed to a male and were assumed to be pregnant (gestational stage, 2 to 244 days), 1 female that had not been exposed to a male, 3 sexually intact males, 1 castrated male, and 3 females with congenital reproductive anomalies. Serum was tested for the presence of pregnancy-specific protein B, using a radioimmunoassay that accurately detected pregnancy in cattle, sheep, and other ruminants. Pregnancy-specific protein B was not detected in the serum of the 30 llamas. On the basis of our results, the radioimmunoassay for pregnancy-specific protein B cannot be used in llamas for detection of pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis 95616, USA.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Drew
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Sasser
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002161:Camelids, New World / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D011258:Pregnancy Tests / Q000662:veterinary*; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000097:blood*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D011257:Pregnancy Proteins