Plasma concentrations of progesterone in female red deer (Cervus elaphus) during the breeding season, pregnancy and anoestrus

Abstract

Concentrations of progesterone in peripheral plasma of red deer hinds were basal (< 1 ng/ml) during lactation/seasonal anoestrus, but increased abruptly at the onset of the breeding season. Lactating hinds (N = 19) started ovarian cycles 10 days later (P<0\m=.\01) and conceived 16 days later (P< 0\m=.\001) than did 13 weaned hinds. There was no evidence, from plasma progesterone values, of silent oestrus at the start of the season. Progestagen/PMSG treatment induced early ovulations in 8 anoestrous hinds but fertility was low, only 2 conceiving and giving birth. Pregnant hinds (N = 42) had high plasma concentrations of progesterone (mean 3\p=n-\5 ng/ml) which declined just before parturition.

Oestrous cycles and the breeding season of the Pere David's deer hind (Elaphurus davidianus)

“…Plasma progesterone concentrations during the breeding season and in anoestrus were similar to those reported for other seasonally polyoestrous ungulates such as the ewe (Walton et al, 1977;Quirkeera/., 1979), goat (Jones &Knifton, 1972;Thorburn& Schneider, 1972) and red (Adam et al, 1985) and fallow (Asher, 1985) deer hinds. When intravaginal or subcutaneous progestagenreleasing devices were used to synchronize oestrus during the breeding season, oestrus occurred 32-90 h after progestagen removal.…”

“…In recent times there has been a growing interest in the use of this species in the deer farming industry. Père David's deer is a seasonal breeder with 75% of births occurring in April (Kirkwood et al, 1987) which is about 2 months earlier than in red deer (Adam et al, 1985). Spring calving would be advantageous in many agricultural systems and, in view of its large body size and rapid growth rate when com¬ pared with red deer (unpublished results), the Père David's deer may offer advantages over species currently farmed.…”

Relationship between the onset of oestrus, the preovulatory surge in luteinizing hormone and ovulation following oestrous synchronization and superovulation of farmed red deer (Cervus elaphus)

“…It would, therefore, be advantageous to induce a greater degree of ovulation synchrony. We investigated the effects of GnRH injection 18 h after withdrawal of CIDR devices on ovulation synchrony, on the basis that increasing the preovulatory LH surge may promote ovulation synchrony (Nancarrow et al, 1984;Walker et al, 1986Walker et al, , 1987 The relationship between the number of corpora lutea and plasma progesterone concentrations during the luteal phase is in agreement with the studies of Kelly et al (1982) and provides further evidence that luteal tissue is the principal source of progesterone during the oestrous cycle and early pregnancy of red deer (Adam et al, 1985). As predicted, administration of the prostaglan¬ din analogue, cloprostenol, on day 15 of luteal development resulted in a marked reduction of progesterone secretion within 2 days, indicating rapid demise of the corpora lutea.…”

Induction of oestrus and ovulation in anoestrous fallow deer (Dama dama) by using progesterone and GnRH treatment

“…in studies utilizing pulsatile administration of GnRH to anoestrous ewes (McLeod et al, 1983;McNatty et al, 1984) and progestagen plus PMSG induction of oestrus and ovulation in anoestrous red deer hinds (Adam et al, 1985). Treatments (Kelly et al, 1982;Adam et al, 1985).…”