Plasma Concentrations of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto PGF2α and Progesterone During the Oviposition Cycle of the Domestic Goose (Anser anser domesticus)

Abstract

Plasma 13,14-dihydro-15-keto prostaglandin F2alpha (PGFM) and progesterone levels were determined in actively ovulating, 1- to 2-yr-old female geese (Anser anser domesticus) at hourly intervals during the oviposition cycle, using the enzyme immunoassay (EIA) technique. The plasma PGFM concentration showed a peak at the time of oviposition and decreased to a basal level after oviposition. Progesterone levels began to surge approximately 12 to 13 h before ovulation and reached a peak 2 to 3 h before ovulation. The plasma progesterone concentrations returned to basal level at the time of ovulation. The present method of EIA was found to have practical application in analyses of progesterone and PGFM in plasma of birds.

The characteristics of oviposition and hormonal and gene regulation of ovarian follicle development in Magang geese

“…This is somewhat different from European graylag geese ( Anser anser ) reported by Çelebi and Güven [12], which lay eggs mostly during the early part of the day. Oviposition is thought to be regulated by an interaction of endogenous rhythms with daily photoperiod [6], which determines neuroendocrine regulation of ovulation.…”

“…Discovery of these genes is also important for molecule-aided selection of egg-laying performance [9]. The endocrine mechanisms that regulate the egg-laying cycle has been documented for the chickens [6,10,11], in which egg laying and ovarian follice recruitment are almost continuous, and so have the secretion patterns of progesterone and pgFM for graylag goose ( Anser anser ) [12]. However, for the Magang geese ( Anser cygnoid ) in which not only egg laying rate is low, but also the clutch or sequence egg size is limited to no more than the number of large yellow follicles (LYF) available before the first egg in a sequence, resulting extended interruption of over 20 days between the egg clutches [2].…”

Analysis of laying traits in first cycle geese in two production systems

“…These values were higher than those found by Stasko et al [30], who obtained values close to 36 h, using the same definition of a clutch as in the present paper. The present estimates were close to the duration between successive ovipositions obtained by Chun Xiang and He Guang [7] in the White Roman geese (45.7 h), and lower than the duration of 46 to 48 h observed by Celebi and Guven [6]. Thus, a variation can be found between breeds and between management systems for an interval between ovipositions.…”

“…1); all geese showed a proportion of eggs separated by two days (around 50%) higher than the proportion of eggs separated by one day (around 30%). Recent data on plasma progesterone in geese showed a single pre-ovulatory peak within an interval of 46 to 48 h separating two ovipositions, the peak took place 12 to 13 h before ovulation [6] which suggested that hormonal secretions did not follow a 24 hours rhythm. Furthermore, the duration of egg formation was estimated to vary from 42 to 44 h in white Roman geese [7], which does not match easily with a 24 hour rhythm of egg laying.…”

“…Since ovulation generally follows the oviposition of the previous egg [24], the normal interval between successive ovipositions, in the case of normal-shelled eggs, should be longer than the duration of egg formation, estimated to vary from 42 to 44 h in the White Roman geese [7]. Recently, a cyclic variation in the plasma levels of progesterone was identified in the goose [6], with a periodicity much longer than 24 hours. Based on this information, a definition of the laying clutch in the Geese will be proposed.…”