Endocrine Profiles Associated with Life Span of Induced Corpora Lutea in Postpartum Beef Cows

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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-PGF2α (PGFM) were determined in samples collected at 15-min intervals for 2 h on d −5, 3, 5 and 10 (Exp. 1). Estradiol-17β 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<.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<.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 × farm interaction (P<.05) for mean LH was observed and frequency of pulses of LH was higher (P<.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<.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. Copyright © 1986. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1986 by American Society of Animal Science

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