title: Plasma concentrations of progesterone, 17beta-estradiol and androstenedione and superovulatory response of Nelore cows (Bos indicus) treated with FSH.
abstract: Progesterone (P(4)), 17beta- estradiol (E(2)) and androstenedione (A(4)) plasma concentrations were correlated with palpated corpora lutea (CL), recovered embryos and viable embryos in 13 Nelore cows induced to superovulate with FSH, starting on Day 10 of the estrous cycle. Administration of FSH increased the number of ovulations and recovered embryos. Plasma P(4), E(2) and A(4) levels on Day 0 and of P(4) on Days 10 and 11 of the cycle were not correlated with the superovulatory response. Determination of CL by palpation per rectum was used to estimate the number of recovered embryos. Plasma P(4) levels higher than 1 ng/ml on the induced estrus day (Day 14) had an adverse effect on the embryo viability rate. Plasma E(2) concentrations on Day 14 were positively correlated with the number of viable embryos collected, a correlation that has not been previously reported. The present data indicate that plasma P(4) and E(2) concentrations in FSH-PGF2alpha-treated Nelore cows are useful for the identification of 2 different populations of Nelore donors and are correlated with superovulatory response and, particularly, with the number of viable embryos.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Reprodução Animal, Faculdade de Ciéencias Agrárias e Veterinárias, Univeraidade Estadual Paulista, Jaboticabal, SP 14870-000, Brasil.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gradela
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Esper
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Rosa E Silva