Endocrine changes during pregnancy, parturition and the early post-partum period in the llama (Lama glama)

Abstract

Summary. Mean ( \ m=+-\ s.d.) pregnancy length for the 14 llamas in this study was 350 \ m=+-\ 4\ m=. \ 5 days. Plasma progesterone concentrations increased by 5 days after mating and remained elevated (>2\m=.\0ng/ml) throughout most of pregnancy. At about 2 weeks before parturition, plasma progesterone concentrations began to decline, dropped markedly during the final 24 h before parturition, and returned to basal concentrations (<0\m=.\5ng/ml) by the day of parturition. The combined oestrone + oestradiol-17\g=b\ and oestradiol-17\g=b\ concentrations varied between 6 and 274 pg/ml and 4 and 114 pg/ml, respectively, during the first 9 months of pregnancy. Concentrations increased between 9 months after mating and the end of pregnancy with peak mean concentrations of 827 \ m=+-\ 58 (s.e.m.) pg oestrone + oestradiol-17\g=b\/ml(range: 64\p=n-\1658) and 196 \ m=+-\ 10 pg oestradiol-17\g=b\/ml(31\p=n-\294)during the last week of pregnancy. Concentrations then declined to 87 \ m=+-\14 pg oestrone + oestradiol-17\g=b\/ml(7\p=n-\488) and 25 \ m=+-\5 pg oestradiol17\g=b\/ml (2\m=.\5\p=n-\142)during the first week postpartum. Plasma cortisol concentrations varied between 2\m=.\6and 51\m=.\9 ng/ml (14\m=.\0 \ m=+-\ 0\m=.\5) from mating until 2 weeks before parturition when the concentrations began to decline. Only a slight increase in plasma cortisol concentrations was observed in association with parturition. Plasma triiodothyronine concentrations varied between 0\m=.\5and 4\m=.\5 ng/ml (1\m=.\9 \m=+-\ 0\m=.\1)throughout pregnancy and the periparturient period. Plasma thyroxine concentrations varied between 21\m=.\3and 91\m=.\5ng/ml (56\m=.\5\ m=+-\ 0\m=.\8) from mating until about 39 weeks of pregnancy when they began to decline, from 43\m=.\0 \ m=+-\ 5\m=.\3 ng/ml at 15 days pre partum to 23\m=.\5\m=+-\ 5\m=.\5 ng/ml immediately before parturition, but then increased to 52\m=.\8\ m=+-\ 3\m=.\9 ng/ml by 1 day post partum.

Hormonal Profile, Antioxidant Status and Some Biochemical Parameters during Pregnancy and Periparturient Period in Dromedary She Camel

“…In female Dromedary camels, the physiology of the periparturient period has gained little attention and most of the available data describing metabolism during the transition phase was based only on a few measurements [13,14].…”

The Postpartum Llama: Fertility after Parturition1

“…20 postpartum) ovulated but did not conceive. Breeding females at different times progesterone to the size of the CL in llamas [15][16][17] and postpartum resulted in different outcomes. Low and basal a second time in the presence of an ovulatory-size follicle concentrations of PdG (mean 0.5 ng/mg Cr) were regis-These females became pregnant after the second breeding tered at time of breeding in females not ovulating and in (Fig.…”

Monitoring the Changes in Certain Hematological and Biochemical Parameters in Camels (Camelus Dromedaries) during Postpartum Period

“…It was proved that the plasma concentration of progesterone was increased by the 5 th days after mating and remained high throughout most of pregnancy, and it starts to decline by the 2 nd weeks before parturition [3,17] . In addition, the low level of progesterone detected in the 1 st day postpartum concur with previous studies during postpartum females in camels [18] and other species [19] .…”

“…Most health disorders occur during the transition period resulting in severe economic losses [2] . In addition, the endocrine and metabolic changes associated with pregnancy, parturition and postpartum period are usually neglected during disease diagnosis [3] . The stressful condition during transition period and the decreased food intake with drop in the concentration of different blood constituents makes it very important in the animal's life [2,4] .…”

“…The postpartum period has few studies and little attention during the last decades, the data describing the hematological and biochemical alterations are inadequate. However, the effect of the transition period on the hormonal changes in pregnancy, parturition and post-partum has been studied in llama [3] . …”