Ovarian activity in the scimitar-horned oryx ( Oryx dammah) determined by faecal steroid analysis

Ultrasonography and radioimmunoassay (RIA) of serum oestradiol-17β, luteinizing hormone (LH) and progesterone, and faecal oestrogen and progestin was used to assess ovarian activity in the scimitar-horned oryx ( Oryx dammah). Ovarian examination using ultrasonography revealed maximal follicle and co...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Animal reproduction science 1998-10, Vol.53 (1), p.191-207
Main Authors: Morrow, C.J, Monfort, S.L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Antelopes - physiology
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
Corpus Luteum - diagnostic imaging
Estradiol - blood
Estrogens - analysis
Faecal steroids
Feces - chemistry
Female
Kinetics
Luteinizing Hormone - blood
Noninvasive monitoring
Oestrogens
Ovarian Follicle - diagnostic imaging
Ovary - diagnostic imaging
Ovary - physiology
Progesterone
Progesterone - blood
Progesterone - pharmacokinetics
Progestins - analysis
Scimitar-horned oryx
Ultrasonography
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Summary:Ultrasonography and radioimmunoassay (RIA) of serum oestradiol-17β, luteinizing hormone (LH) and progesterone, and faecal oestrogen and progestin was used to assess ovarian activity in the scimitar-horned oryx ( Oryx dammah). Ovarian examination using ultrasonography revealed maximal follicle and corpus luteum (CL) diameters of 15 and 32 mm, respectively. Steroid hormone metabolite distribution among individual faecal pellets within the same defaecation was relatively homogeneous with coefficients of variation averaging 10.2±1.8% and 16.2±4.6% for oestrogens and progestins, respectively. Elevated faecal oestrogen concentrations were associated with large (>10 mm) antral follicles detected by ultrasonography. Periovulatory peaks in faecal oestrogen excretion, coincident with nadirs in progestin excretion, were detected in three females. Faecal progestin excretion exhibited a similar temporal pattern to serum progesterone concentrations, with a time lag of approximately 16 h. Faecal progestin concentrations corresponded with the presence of functional CL and proved useful for monitoring luteal function, spontaneous and prostaglandin-F 2α analogue-induced luteolysis and anovulation. In summary, faecal steroid monitoring is a practical, noninvasive method for characterising ovarian steroid excretion and has potential for facilitating the application of assisted reproductive technologies in scimitar-horned oryx.
ISSN:0378-4320
1873-2232
DOI:10.1016/S0378-4320(98)00113-4