Evaluation of Progesterone Levels in Feces of Captive Reticulated Giraffe (Giraffa Camelopardalis Reticulata)

Dumonceaux, Genevieve A.; Bauman, Joan E.; Camilo, Gerardo R.

doi:10.1638/04-081.1

Cited by 20 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…Hormone metabolites (CORT, P, T, E 2 ) were extracted from fecal samples following the procedure described by Dumonceaux et al (2006). Fecal samples were gently homogenized by applying a small amount of liquid nitrogen in a mortar and dried in an oven at 39 C until stable weight was obtained (1e2 h).…”

Section: Fecal Hormones Immunoassaysmentioning

confidence: 99%

Testing Cort-Fitness and Cort-Adaptation hypotheses in a habitat suitability gradient for roe deer

Escribano-Ávila¹,

Pettorelli²,

Virgós³

et al. 2013

Acta Oecologica

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Section: Fecal Hormones Immunoassaysmentioning

confidence: 99%

Testing Cort-Fitness and Cort-Adaptation hypotheses in a habitat suitability gradient for roe deer

Escribano-Ávila¹,

Pettorelli²,

Virgós³

et al. 2013

Acta Oecologica

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“…Giraffes are considered nonseasonal breeders [10,11], with a short cycle of approximately 15 days [12] and a comparatively long gestation of 448-457 days [13,14]. In zoos, reproductive events in this species were successfully characterized by fecal [14][15][16][17] and urinary [12] progestin (P4) and/or estrogen measurements.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ovarian Ultrasonography Correlated with Fecal Progestins and Estradiol During the Estrous Cycle and Early Pregnancy in Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi)1

Hildebrandt

Pootoolal²,

Rich³

et al. 2009

Biology of Reproduction

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Fecal and urinary progestin analyses have shown that giraffes express a short reproductive cycle, averaging 15 days, compared with other large ruminants. However, actual ovarian events have not been correlated with the hormonal pattern. In this study, mature cycling female Rothschild giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi) were repeatedly examined by transrectal ultrasonography to correlate ovarian function with changes in fecal progestin (fP4 [n(c) = 6]) and estradiol (fE2 [n(c) = 6]) and serum progestin (n(c) = 2) as measured by enzyme immunoassay. Five females became pregnant and were monitored during early gestation. In this study, we discovered that hormone values for fP4 in cycling giraffes do not correlate with the classic profile of follicular development, ovulation, and luteogenesis. The corpus luteum (CL) and the next dominant follicle were forming simultaneously. A mean +/- SD peak in fE2 of 254.92 +/- 194.76 ng/g and subsequent ovulation occurred as early as 1 day after the fall in fP4. In pregnant giraffes, the CL reached a diameter significantly larger (mean +/- SD, 41.02 +/- 2.70 mm; P = 0.0126) than that during the cycle (33.48 +/- 2.80 mm), while follicular activity and fluctuating fE2 were still present. With this research, we demonstrated that the progesterone profile typically used to characterize the ovarian cycle does not correlate with luteal development in the ovaries of this species. Furthermore, we conclude that the giraffe could have evolved a short reproductive cycle because of the almost parallel order of ovarian events.

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“…The progestagenic function of the placenta would seem to be supported by the finding of significant concentrations of progestagens in the fetal fluids. On the other hand, measurement of peripheral serum progesterone concentrations throughout pregnancy in the giraffe have shown no obvious change in profile that might indicate when progestagens of placental origin may become a significant contributor to pregnancy maintenance (Dumonceaux et al 2006, Isobe et al 2007, if indeed they do.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The endocrine profiles of pregnant and non-pregnant giraffe have been investigated by measuring progestagens and/or oestrogens in faeces (Del Castillo et al 2005, Dumonceaux et al 2006, Isobe et al 2007, Lueders et al 2009b, urine (Lostutoff et al 1986) and serum (Lueders et al 2009b). Progestagen levels remain elevated throughout pregnancy (Dumonceaux et al 2006) and then decline w3 days before parturition (Lostutoff et al 1986).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Progestagen levels remain elevated throughout pregnancy (Dumonceaux et al 2006) and then decline w3 days before parturition (Lostutoff et al 1986). Isobe et al (2007) measured faecal oestrogen and progestagen concentrations throughout gestation in a single female giraffe during two successive pregnancies but the profiles differed so much between the gestations that it was difficult to draw any conclusions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ovarian and placental morphology and endocrine functions in the pregnant giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)

Wilsher¹,

Stansfield

Greenwood

et al. 2013

Reproduction

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Gross, histological and immunocytochemical examinations carried out on maternal and fetal reproductive tissues from two pregnant giraffes at an estimated 8 and 13.5 months of gestation (termZ15 months) revealed a typically ruminant macrocotyledonary placenta with binucleate trophoblast cells scattered sparsely in the placentome where they stained intensely with a prolactin antiserum. Binucleate cells were present in greater numbers in the intercotyledonary allantochorion where they did not stain for prolactin whereas the uninucleate trophoblast still did. A single large corpus luteum of pregnancy and several small luteinised follicles were present in the maternal ovaries while the fetal ovaries at 13.5 months gestation showed an assortment of enlarging antral follicles and partially and completely lutenised follicles, the granulosa and luteal cells of which stained positively for 3b-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3b-HSD), 17,20 lyase, prolactin, progesterone receptor and androgen receptor, but negatively for aromatase. The uninucleate trophoblast of the placentome and intercotyledonary allantochorion, the epithelium of the maternal endometrial glands, the seminiferous epithelium in the fetal testis at 8 months of gestation and the zonae fasciculata and reticularis of the fetal adrenal at 13.5 months also stained positively for 3b-HSD and negatively for aromatase. Endocrinologically, it appears that the giraffe placenta is more similar to that of the sheep than the cow with a placental lactogen as the likely driver of the considerable degree of luteinisation seen in both the maternal and the fetal ovaries.

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Evaluation of Progesterone Levels in Feces of Captive Reticulated Giraffe (Giraffa Camelopardalis Reticulata)

Cited by 20 publications

References 18 publications

Testing Cort-Fitness and Cort-Adaptation hypotheses in a habitat suitability gradient for roe deer

Testing Cort-Fitness and Cort-Adaptation hypotheses in a habitat suitability gradient for roe deer

Ovarian Ultrasonography Correlated with Fecal Progestins and Estradiol During the Estrous Cycle and Early Pregnancy in Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi)1

Ovarian and placental morphology and endocrine functions in the pregnant giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)

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