The aim of this study was to characterize corpus luteum vascularization and its association with plasma progesterone concentration in early stages of pregnancy, when maternal recognition of pregnancy is expected to occur. In all animals, both plasma progesterone concentration and corpus luteum vascularization increased from Day 6 to Day 8 post‐mating and afterwards in non‐pregnant llamas they started to decrease to reach basal levels around Days 12 to 14 post‐mating, while in pregnant animals, both variables remained elevated until the end of the study. A lineal positive relationship between corpus luteum vascularization and plasma progesterone concentration was observed in pregnant (r2 = .46, p < .0001) and non‐pregnant llamas (r2 = .66, p < .0001). Pregnant animals showed higher plasma progesterone concentration and corpus luteum vascularization than the non‐pregnant ones from Day 12 post‐mating until the end of the study (p ˂ .05 and p ˂ .01, respectively). These results suggest that maternal recognition of pregnancy should occur before Day 12 post‐mating in order to expand luteal lifespan, maintaining corpus luteum vascularization and progesterone production. Also, the assessment of CL vascularization area could be a useful and non‐invasive method for early pregnancy diagnosis due to its association with plasma progesterone concentration.

The aim of this study was to characterize the temporal association between follicular waves and circulating concentrations of 17β-estradiol (E2) and IGF1 in llamas. Follicular waves could be clearly divided in three phases: growth, plateau and regression; with a mean duration of 18.8 ± 0.32 days. All follicular waves showed overlapping, so that as one dominant follicle was regressing, another one was growing. E2 plasma concentration showed a wavelike pattern, similar to that followed by the dominant follicle; reaching its maximum concentration at the end of the growth phase and decreasing at the end of the plateau phase. IGF1 also showed variations during the follicular wave. It tended to increase during the growth phase and decreased toward Days 14 and 16. IGF1 reached its maximum concentration before E2 did (5 ± 0.8 vs. 7.2 ± 0.5 days after wave emergence) and before the maximum follicular diameter was attained (10.2 ± 0.46 days after wave emergence). Both hormones started to rise again in coincidence with the development of a new follicular wave. The observed profiles allow to suggest that IGF1 could have a role on folliculogenesis and ovarian steroideogenesis in llamas, as reported for other species.

The aim of this study was to assess the uterine blood flow (UBF) and corpus luteum blood flow (CLBF) in llamas 8 days post-mating, using color-Doppler ultrasonography (CDU), to determine the possible relationship between vascularization and the presence of an embryo. Adult females ( n = 25) were used to monitor ovarian dynamics by palpation and transrectal ultrasonography until detection of a ≥6 mm growing follicle. Females were randomly assigned to one of two groups: Group I ( n = 19), were mated and ovulation was induced by a single dose of buserelin (GnRH analog) that same day (Day 0); and Group II ( n = 6), only ovulation was induced (control). On Day 8, UBF and CLBF were evaluated transrectally in both groups. The color-flow images obtained were analyzed with Image J1.52a software to determine the vascularization area and the percentage of corpus luteum with blood flow emission (CLBF%) together with the percentage for each uterine horn (UBF%). Statistical analysis was performed using an ANOVA test. In Group I, uterine flushing was performed to obtain the embryos, thus dividing the females into Group I+ ( n = 10), when an embryo was recovered and Group I- ( n = 9), when no embryo was recovered. Embryo recovery rate was 52.63% (10/19). In Group I+, UBF% was significantly higher compared to Group I- and Group II ( P <0.05). UBF appears to be a good predictor for embryo presence, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.9 and an optimal cut-off value of 9.37% (with a sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 88.9%). The CLBF% did not differ between groups ( P > 0.05). In conclusion, it is possible to detect a local increase of UBF in the presence of an embryo on day 8 post-mating in llamas. This could be useful to achieve an early pregnancy diagnosis or to decide whether to carry out the uterine flushing in a llama embryo transfer program.