title: Biomarkers coding for ovPAG-1 mRNA expression and pregnancy status in Dohne Merino ewes at an abattoir.
abstract: The objective of the present study was to determine the pregnancy status of Dohne Merino ewes at slaughter. This was done by collecting blood samples from the ewes (n = 60) during exsanguination to assay for pregnancy biomarkers using radio-immunological and TaqMan reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction techniques. The expressions of ovine pregnancy-associated glycoprotein within a range of 1.068(-09) to 8.977(-07) indicated 43.33 % ewes with pregnancy (ΔmRNA) signals at the point of slaughter. The assay validation showed that half of these ewes were truly pregnant, and most of the ewes that exhibited 'true positives' were within 56-60 kg live weight and were about 30 months old. The biomarkers used in this study, therefore, showed that approximately 22 % Dohne Merino ewes were truly pregnant at the point of slaughter.
authors.affiliation: Department of Livestock and Pasture Science, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, University of Fort Hare, P. Mail Bag X1314, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
authors.forename: Peter Olutope
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Fayemi
authors.forename: Voster
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Muchenje
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs; D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods* / Q000662:veterinary; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D011258:Pregnancy Tests / Q000379:methods* / Q000662:veterinary; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000097:blood*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay / Q000379:methods* / Q000662:veterinary; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D034561:Sheep, Domestic / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D013019:South Africa
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases; C094766:pregnancy-associated glycoprotein 1
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