Fecal Progestagens to Detect and Monitor Pregnancy in Captive Female Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus)

Abstract

Abstract. The purposes of the present study were to establish a noninvasive monitoring assay of fecal progestagen measurement to detect pregnancy and to identify the components of fecal progestagens in early, middle and late pregnancy in cheetahs. Feces were collected from 7 female cheetahs and analyzed from 30 days before the last copulation to parturition in 9 pregnancies. Blood was collected from one cheetah. Fecal progestagen and serum progesterone concentrations were determined by enzyme immunoassay (EIA). The profiles of the fecal progestagen concentrations were similar to the serum progesterone profile. Fecal progestagen and serum progesterone concentrations remained at the baseline until copulation. In the mean fecal progestagen profile during pregnancy (92.8 ± 0.4 days; from the last copulation to parturition), the concentrations increased 3-4 days after the last copulation and remained high until parturition. To investigate changes in the components of progestagen metabolites in the tripartite periods of gestation, fecal progestagens were analyzed by HPLC-EIA. Marked immunoreactive peaks consistent with 5α-pregnan-3α/β-ol-20-one and 5α-pregnan-3,20-dione and small peaks consistent with 5β-pregnan-3α/β-ol-20-one were detected. There were no distinct difference in the components of progestagens among the first, second and third trimesters of pregnancy. The hormone assay, as an indicator of fecal 5α-reduced pregnanes, is useful for detecting pregnancy and monitoring pregnant luteal activity in cheetahs. Key words: Cheetah, Fecal hormone, Progesterone, Steroid metabolites (J. Reprod. Dev. 57: [262][263][264][265][266] 2011) aptive breeding and management are important for the ex-situ conservation of cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus); however, breeding cheetahs is difficult in captivity. The causes of this difficulty may be attributed to basic reproductive abilities, such as the high rate of morphologically abnormal sperm [1,2], high cub mortality [2] and reproductive suppression occurring among female cheetahs housed together or in close proximity [3,4]. Recent studies have also suggested that appropriate husbandry and management based on the singularity lifestyle of free-ranging cheetahs are effective for captive breeding [5]. In Japanese zoos, breeding loans, such as exchanging or moving female cheetahs between institutes, have enabled successful breeding. These trials might have caused changes in individual relations among females and reproductive suppression.While the breeding opportunities have increased in captive cheetah breeding programs, the high infant mortality needs to be improved. It is therefore necessary to detect pregnancy reliably and to provide appropriate management before and after parturition. About 30% of the cheetah cubs born in captivity die before six months of age [2], and more than 80% of the loss occurs during the first month [5]. For these reasons, reliable pregnancy determination is one of the most important tools to prepare for parturition and for the unlikely event of hand rear...

One year daily changes in fecal sexual steroids of two captive female cheetahs ( Acinonyx jubatus ) in Italy

“…Conversely, fecal progestogen concentrations reported in this study are far lower than reported by others (Adachi et al, 2011;Brown et al, 1994Brown et al, , 1996Kinoshita et al, 2011). In cheetahs, circulating progesterone is almost completely metabolized and it is excreted in feces mostly as reduced 5-pregnane metabolites; while native progesterone is barely present (Adachi et al, 2011;Brown et al, 1994).…”

“…In cheetahs, circulating progesterone is almost completely metabolized and it is excreted in feces mostly as reduced 5-pregnane metabolites; while native progesterone is barely present (Adachi et al, 2011;Brown et al, 1994). The antiserum employed in this study showed poor, if any, cross-reactivity with 5-pregnane metabolites and was not able to detect conjugated progestogens.…”

Public exposure and number of conspecifics have no influence on ovarian and adrenal activity in the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)

“…There are multiple reports on the independent monitoring of ovarian (Adachi et al, 2011;Brown et al, 1996;Wielebnowski et al, 2002) or adrenal (Crosier et al, 2016;Koester et al, 2015;Terio et al, 2004;Wells et al, 2004) hormone metabolite patterns in the feces of captive-held cheetahs. However, there has been little emphasis on the simultaneous assessment of both metabolites in adult females, especially to determine if measured glucocorticoids are related to estrogen profiles or affect ovarian activity.…”

Estradiol-17β hormone concentration and follicles number in exotic Burgo chicken supplemented by Sauropus androgynus leaves extract

“…When the primordial follicle grows until the stage of de Graff follicle, those hormones are mutually interacted. Previous studies also reported that sexual steroid hormones such as P4, E2, estrone (E1), immunoreactive pregnanediol glucoronide (PdG), estradiol glucoronide (E2G) of female can be used widely to monitor natural ovarian activity such as functional luteal activity and follicular maturation and to confirm pregnancy (Adachi et al 2011;Kusuda et al 2006Kusuda et al , 2007aPutranto 2011c;Putranto et al 2007a, b, c).…”