Non-invasive faecal steroid monitoring of ovarian and adrenal activity in farmed blue fox (Alopex lagopus) females during late pregnancy, parturition and lactation onset

Sanson, Gorm; Brown, Janine L.; Farstad, W.

doi:10.1016/j.anireprosci.2004.12.001

Cited by 18 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Overall fecal estradiol concentrations were significantly higher in estrus than in pro-estrus and gestation while fecal progesterone concentrations in the other two periods of wolves were significantly higher than in pro-estrus. This pattern of fecal steroids excretion is similar to the results of previous reports of wolves (Seal et al 1979) which were based on serum steroid analyses and also similar to the findings in bitch (Gudermuth et al 1998) and blue fox (Sanson et al 2005). This means that ovarian progesterone is necessary to maintain pregnancy of wolves as it is in other canine species (Moller 1973).…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 88%

“…Based on the analyses of serum steroid, the changes of reproductive hormones in female wolves during the breeding season were already studied (Seal et al 1979). However, some other reports in canine animals, such as domestic dog (Gudermuth et al 1998), maned wolf (Songsasen et al 2006), African wild dog (Lycaon pictus, Monfort et al 1997) and blue fox (Sanson et al 2005), showed the usefulness of fecal steroid in evaluating the concentrations of estradiol and progesterone. In the present study, we attempted to evaluate the level of sex hormones in female wolves during the breeding season by using the biochemical analyses of fecal samples.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…These methods were also introduced into the conservation biology researches. Several reports used the fecal and urinary hormonal assessments in evaluating the reproductive status of some canine animals, such as the researches in the maned wolves, Chrysocyon brachyurus (Gross 1992;Wasser et al 1995) and the blue foxes, Alopex lagopus (Sanson et al 2005). However, there is no report on the fecal and urinary hormonal assessment of wolves in China.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

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Fecal progesterone and estradiol changes during the breeding season in captive female wolf

Sha

Zhang

Chen

2010

Journal of Forestry Research

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Understanding basic reproductive physiology is crucial for the management of both captive and free-ranging wolf. In the present study, we determined hormonal changes during pregnancy and the estrous cycle in captive female wolf by measuring fecal steroids collected during the breeding season with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).These biochemical analyses were validated using chemical devivatization and mass spectrometry, and interpreted along with the behavioral data.All four females undergoing estrus cycles were copulated with their partners and delivered pups successfully. We found that estradiol concentrations were significantly higher during the estrus cycle than other stages (p<0.01) and progesterone was also significantly increased throughout the pregnancy (p<0.01). These hormonal fluctuations demonstrated pregnancy-specific changes in the fecal progesterone and estradiol concentrations. Patterns of fecal estradiol and progesterone concentrations during estrous cycles were similar to those reported for other canids.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 88%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 96%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

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Fecal progesterone and estradiol changes during the breeding season in captive female wolf

Sha

Zhang

Chen

2010

Journal of Forestry Research

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“…Walker et al 183 observed spectral differences associated with breed, gender and age of goats, even after the removal of the effects of differences of diet. another explanation for faecal nIr spectral differences associated with gender and reproductive status is that reproductive and adrenal steroids, and their metabolic products, which are excreted in faeces, 4,[188][189][190][191][192] are detected by f.nIr spectroscopy. progesterone can be measured in plasma using nIr spectroscopy 193 and, therefore, it seems likely that progesterone and other steroids will be detected in faeces.…”

Section: Prediction Of Botanical and Morphological Composition Of Thementioning

confidence: 99%

Review: Near Infrared Spectroscopy of Faeces to Evaluate the Nutrition and Physiology of Herbivores

Dixon¹,

Coates

2009

Journal of Near Infrared Spectroscopy

106

103

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Near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, usually in reflectance mode, has been applied to the analysis of faeces to measure the concentrations of constituents such as total N, fibre, tannins and d 13 C. In addition, an unusual and exciting application of faecal NIR (F.NIR) analyses is to directly predict attributes of the diet of herbivores such as crude protein and fibre contents, proportions of plant species and morphological components, diet digestibility and voluntary DM intake. This is an unusual application of NIR spectroscopy insofar as the spectral measurements are made, not on the material of interest (i.e. the diet), but on a derived material (i.e. faeces). Predictions of diet attributes from faecal spectra clearly depend on there being sufficient NIR spectral information in the diet residues present in faeces to describe the diet, although endogenous components of faeces such as undigested debris of microorganisms from the rumen and large intestine and secretions into the gastrointestinal tract will also contribute spectral information. Spectra of forage and of faeces derived from the forage are generally similar and the observed differences are principally in the spectral regions associated with constituents of forages known to be of low, or of high, digestibility. Some diet components (for example, urea) which are likely to be entirely digested apparently cannot be predicted from faecal NIR spectra because they cannot contribute to faecal spectra except through modifying the microbial and endogenous components. The errors and robustness of F.NIR calibrations to predict the crude protein concentration and digestibility of the diet of herbivores are generally comparable with those to directly predict the same attributes in forage from NIR spectra of the forage. Some attributes of the animal, such as species, gender, pregnancy status and parasite burden have been successfully discriminated into classes based on their faecal NIR spectra. Such discrimination was likely associated with differences in the diet selected and/or differences in the metabolites excreted in the faeces. NIR spectroscopy of faeces has usually involved scanning dried and ground samples in monochromators in the 400-2500 nm or 1100-2500 nm ranges. Results satisfactory for the purpose have also been reported for dried and ground faeces scanned using a diode array instrument in the 800-1700 nm range and for wet faeces and slurries of excreta scanned with monochromators. Chemometric analysis of faecal spectra has generally used the approaches established for forage analysis. The capacity to predict many attributes of the diet, and some aspects of animal physiology, from NIR spectra of faeces is particularly useful to study the quality and quantity of the diet selected by both domestic and feral grazing herbivores and to enhance production and management of both herbivores and their grazing environment.

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“…Because of significant differences between species in excreted fGCMs (Palme 2019) and in gut passage time, it is necessary to validate FGM measures for each species and assay. Although fecal GCMs have recently been used in studies of stress in both wild (McDonald et al 2018) and farmed Arctic foxes (Sanson et al 2005), no successful validation of the method was carried out in these studies. A physiological validation is an experimental process, where animals are injected with synthetic ACTH, thereby stimulating the release of glucocorticoids (Touma and Palme 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fecal glucocorticoid metabolites as an indicator of adrenocortical activity in Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) and recommendations for future studies

et al. 2021

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Measuring fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCMs) is a widely used, non-invasive method for studies of stress in vertebrates. To study physiological responses in wild Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) to perceived stressors such as fluctuating food availability, occurrence of competitors and predators and disturbance from human activities, a species-specific physiological validation of a method to evaluate adrenocortical activity is needed. Here we used 15 captive Arctic foxes (both males and females and juveniles and adults) to investigate fGCM concentrations following ACTH injection (physiological validation), or handling alone and compared them with their respective baseline concentrations prior to the treatments. A 5α-pregnane-3ß,11ß,21-triol-20-one enzyme immunoassay measured significant fGCM increases following both treatments. The time lags to reach peak fGCM values were 9.3 ± 1.3 h and 12.8 ± 1.7 h for ACTH and handling treatment, respectively. Concentrations of fGCMs varied a lot between individuals, but not attributed to sex nor age of the foxes. However, we found a negative relationship between boldness and fGCM concentrations. Faecal glucocorticoid metabolites concentrations did not change significantly over a period of 48 h in samples kept at temperatures reflecting winter and summer means. This would allow the collection of samples up to two days old in the wild regardless of the season. We conclude that our successfully validated method for measuring fGCMs can be used as a non-invasive tool for studies exploring various stressors both in wild and captive Arctic foxes.

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Non-invasive faecal steroid monitoring of ovarian and adrenal activity in farmed blue fox (Alopex lagopus) females during late pregnancy, parturition and lactation onset

Cited by 18 publications

References 17 publications

Fecal progesterone and estradiol changes during the breeding season in captive female wolf

Fecal progesterone and estradiol changes during the breeding season in captive female wolf

Review: Near Infrared Spectroscopy of Faeces to Evaluate the Nutrition and Physiology of Herbivores

Fecal glucocorticoid metabolites as an indicator of adrenocortical activity in Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) and recommendations for future studies

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