Systemic progesterone concentration following human chorionic gonadotropin administration at various times during the estrous cycle in beef heifers

In Trial 1, 26 heifers were allotted randomly to a control group or one of four groups to receive a single injection of 3,000 IU hCG on d 1, 4, 7 or 10 of an estrous cycle. Heifers next completed a nontreated cycle, and at their third estrus were reallotted to one of the five groups described previously. Estrous cycle length was extended in cycle 1 but was not altered during the nontreated cycle or in cycle 3. Administration of hCG on d 4 or 7 increased (P less than .05) mean serum progesterone (P4) over the first 16 d of the estrous cycle by .9 and .8 ng/ml, respectively. In Trial 2, 23 heifers were allotted randomly to one of two groups to receive a placebo or a single injection of 3,000 IU hCG on d 4 of an estrous cycle. Heifers were inseminated artificially at subsequent estrus. On d 4 postbreeding, treatments were repeated. Administration of hCG on d 4 of the prebreeding estrous cycle increased (P less than .05) mean P4 over the first 16 d by .9 ng/ml, whereas mean P4 over the first 16 d postbreeding was not affected by a second injection of hCG on d 4 postbreeding. Administration of hCG increased (P less than .05) first-service pregnancy rate (92 vs 55%). In conclusion, progesterone concentrations were enhanced by hCG given on d 4 or 7 of the estrous cycle, and pregnancy rate was increased when hCG was administered both on d 4 of the prebreeding cycle and d 4 postmating.     

Cytoplasmic estrogen and progesterone receptors in canine endometrium during the estrous cycle

Estradiol and progesterone receptors (ER, PR) were characterized and measured in cytosols from canine endometrium, using saturation and sucrose-gradient centrifugation radioassays. Both receptors were demonstrated to be steroid- and tissue-specific saturable proteins, which bound the respective steroids with high affinity (dissociation constant [Kd] approximately 10(-9)M). Serum estradiol, progesterone, and endometrial cytosol receptor concentrations and receptor-binding affinity were measured for 25 bitches from which samples were obtained at 5 stages of the estrous cycle (5 bitches each): anestrus (A), the 3rd day of proestrus (P3), the 3rd day of estrus (E3), the 12th day after onset of estrus (E12), and the 28th day after onset of estrus (E28). Mean (+/- SEM) serum estradiol concentrations were 17.0 +/- 2.2 (A), 55.4 +/- 5.0 (P3), 89.4 +/- 24.9 (E3), 41.0 +/- 5.9 (E12), and 50.6 +/- 3.9 (E28) pg/ml. Mean (+/- SEM) serum progesterone concentrations were 0.4 +/- 0.1 (A), 1.5 +/- 0.2 (P3), 17.3 +/- 7.5 (E3), 41.6 +/- 9.5 (E12), and 25.8 +/- 3.2 (E28) ng/ml. Concentrations of ER increased significantly from 1.06 pmol/g of uterus during stage A to a peak concentration of 6.18 pmol/g of uterus at E12, followed by a gradual decrease to 0.69 pmol/g of uterus by E28. The PR concentrations increased from 3.01 pmol/g of uterus in stage A to 17.32 pmol/g of uterus at P3; PR concentrations, thereafter, decreased gradually to 1.85 pmol/g of uterus by E28. Dissociation constants were significantly higher at E12 for the ER (Kd = 2.6645 X 10(-9)M) and at P3 for the PR (Kd = 5.8282 X 10(-9)M) than at the other stages examined, indicating a decrease in receptor affinity during the periods of high receptor concentrations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Ovarian morphological conditions and the effect of injection of human chorionic gonadotropin on ovulation rates in prepuberal gilts with two morphologically different ovarian types

The purpose of this experiment was to determine the ovulation rate after treatment with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in two groups of gilts characterized by different ovarian morphology: grape-type (GT; n = 11) and honeycomb-type (HT; n = 7). At 170 d of age (d 0), gilts were examined by laparoscopy and ovarian type was determined by the distribution of macroscopic follicles present on the ovarian surface. Five to ten minutes after surgery, each gilt received a single injection (i.m.) of 750 IU of hCG. At d 0, GT ovaries had a greater number of large follicles (greater than or equal to 6 mm) than HT ovaries (10.0 +/- .5 vs 2.6 +/- .3; P less than .05), whereas HT ovaries had more small follicles (1 to 3 mm; HT: 42.3 +/- .8 vs GT: 26.7 +/- .9; P less than .05) and total follicles (HT: 59.4 +/- 2.3 vs GT: 52.2 +/- 1.5; P less than .05), although numbers of medium follicles (4 to 5 mm) were similar (GT: 15.6 +/- .8 vs HT: 14.6 +/- 1.7; P greater than .10). Number of induced corpora lutea (CL) per ovary was greater (P less than .05) in gilts with GT ovaries (10.59 +/- 2.9 CL) than in gilts with HT ovaries (5.21 +/- .66 CL). Total weight of luteal tissue (LT) per ovary and serum progesterone concentrations 8 d after induction of ovulation were greater in GT gilts than in HT gilts (GT: 6.37 +/- 1.09 g vs HT: 3.31 +/- .49 g for LT, P less than .05; GT: 21.08 +/- 4.76 ng/ml vs HT: 13.40 +/- 2.05 ng/ml for progesterone, P less than .07).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Effect of human chorionic gonadotropin on preovulatory luteinizing hormone surge and ovarian hormone secretion in gilts

The influence of varying doses of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) on the preovulatory luteinizing hormone (LH) surge, estradiol-17 beta (E2) and progesterone (P4) was studied in synchronized gilts. Altrenogest (AT) was fed (15 mg X head-1 X d-1) to 24 cyclic gilts for 14 d. Pregnant mares serum gonadotropin (PMSG; 750 IU) was given im on the last day of AT feeding. The gilts were then assigned to one of four groups (n = 6): saline (I), 500 IU hCG (II), 1,000 IU hCG (III) and 1,500 IU hCG (IV). Human chorionic gonadotropin or saline was injected im 72 h after PMSG. No differences in ovulation rate or time from last feeding of AT to occurrence of estrus were observed. All gilts in Groups I and II expressed a preovulatory LH surge compared with only four of six and three of six in Groups III and IV, respectively. All groups treated with hCG showed a rapid drop (P less than .01) in plasma levels of E2 11, 17, 23 h after hCG injection when compared with the control group (35 h). The hCG-treated gilts exhibited elevated P4 concentrations 12 h earlier than the control group (3.1 +/- .5, 3.4 +/- .72, 3.1 +/- .10 ng/ml in groups II, III and IV at 60 h post-hCG vs .9 +/- .08 ng/ml in group I; P less than .05). These studies demonstrate that injections of ovulatory doses of hCG (500 to 1,500 IU) had three distinct effects on events concomitant with occurrence of estrus in gilts: decreased secretion of E2 immediately after hCG administration, failure to observe a preovulatory LH surge in some treated animals and earlier production of P4 by newly developed corpora lutea.     

Induction of fertile estrus in prepuberal gilts by treatment with a combination of pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin and human chorionic gonadotropin

Ten trials involving 678 presumed prepuberal gilts (5.5 to 7.5 mo old) were conducted in North Carolina, Illinois and Missouri to evaluate the reproductive performance of gilts given a combination of 400 IU of pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin and 200 IU of human chorionic gonadotropin (P. G. 600). Gilts that were presumed to be prepuberal received P. G. 600 or no treatment (control) on the day of movement from finishing facilities to pens for breeding. Detection of estrus, with the aid of mature boars, was conducted daily for 28 d; gilts in estrus were mated naturally. Treatment with P. G. 600 increased the percentage in estrus within 7 (57.5 vs 40.9%) or 28 d (72.9 vs 59.5%); average interval to estrus was reduced (P less than .05) from 10.4 to 7.5 d. Farrowing rate (78.5 +/- 3.1%), number of pigs born alive (8.6 +/- .2) or dead (.26 +/- .06) and number of pigs weaned (8.0 +/- .2) were unaffected by treatment. Gilts that were heavier than the median for each farm were in heat sooner and more were detected in heat, but no other reproductive traits differed between heavy and light gilts. Overall, the results reveal that P. G. 600 was useful for induction of fertile estrus in prepuberal gilts.     

Relationship between time elapsed after human chorionic gonadotropin administration and developmental stage in porcine embryos collected from prepubertal gilts

We examined the relationship between the time elapsed after human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration and developmental stage of porcine embryos after collection. Prepubertal gilts, 7 to 8 months old, were given 1500 IU equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) intramuscularly, followed by 500 IU hCG 72 h later. The treated gilts were inseminated artificially on Day 1 (Day 0=the day of hCG administration) and on Day 2. Embryos were collected surgically on Day 6 (140, 144, and 147 h after hCG administration) or on Day 7 (164, 168, and 171 h), and the developmental stages of the collected embryos were examined. From 75.2% (276/367) of the prepubertal gilts treated with hormones, we collected an average of 20.7 embryos per gilt with normal morphology. At 140 h after hCG administration, morulae (54.4%) could be collected. At 144 h, morulae and early blastocysts (57.7% and 28.9%, respectively) were collected. By 147 h, the proportion of embryos at the blastocyst to expanded blastocyst stages had increased (10.0%). From 164 h to 171 h, expanding or expanded blastocysts of more than 200 microm in diameter and hatched blastocysts could be collected. The proportion of hatched blastocysts increased from 3.2% (164 h) to 41.0% (171 h). These results suggests that although the number of ovulations differed among gilts, porcine embryos at the appropriate stages can be collected efficiently by controlling the time elapsed between hCG administration and embryo collection.     

Effects of human chorionic gonadotropin and cyclic adenosine monophosphate on progesterone secretion by the ovine placenta

Progesterone production by the ovine placenta was investigated between d 80 and 115 of gestation. Serum progesterone concentrations in ewes ovariectomized (ovx) on d 75 of gestation were measured throughout the remainder of gestation, and after the ewes were injected with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) or saline on d 80 or 115. In addition, cotyledonary tissue was collected from intact ewes sacrificed on d 80 or 115 and progesterone accumulation was determined during 2 h incubation with or without pregnenolone supplementation and in the presence or absence of hCG or dibutyryl cyclic adenosine monophosphate (dbcAMP). Serum concentrations of progesterone in ovx ewes increased from 3.5 +/- .4 ng/ml on d 80 to 16.4 +/- 2.1 ng/ml on d 115 (P less than .05). That increase was coincident with a 1.5-to 4.5-fold increase in progesterone output by placental tissue in vitro. Addition of pregnenolone enhanced progesterone accumulation in all tissue incubations. Addition of dbcAMP increased progesterone accumulation in the incubation medium only when supplemented with pregnenolone. Human chorionic gonadotropin did not increase placental progesterone secretion in vivo or in vitro. The results confirm the enhanced secretion of progesterone by the ovine placenta between d 80 and 115 of gestation and indicate that the increase results primarily from increased secretory capability per unit of placenta. The tropic mechanism controlling the placental secretion of progesterone remains unclear, but the mechanism may involve elevation of intracellular cAMP.     

Effect of administration of human chorionic gonadotropin after artificial insemination on concentrations of progesterone and conception rates in beef heifers

The objective of this study was to determine whether administration of hCG approximately 5 d after AI would increase plasma progesterone concentrations and conception rates in beef heifers. Heifers from two locations (Location 1: n = 347, BW = 367 +/- 1.72 kg; Location 2: n = 246, BW = 408 +/- 2.35 kg) received melengestrol acetate (0.5 mg.heifer(-1).d(-1)) for 14 d and an injection of PGF2alpha (25 mg i.m.) 19 d later. Heifers were observed for estrus continuously during daylight from d 0 to 4.5 after PGF2alpha and artificially inseminated approximately 12 h after the onset of estrus. Half of the heifers inseminated at Location 1 were assigned randomly to receive an injection of hCG (3,333 IU i.m.) 8 d after PGF2alpha, and a blood sample was collected from all heifers 14 d after PGF2alpha for progesterone analysis. Half of the heifers inseminated at Location 2 were administered hCG on d 9 after PGF2alpha, and a blood sample was collected from all heifers 17 d after PGF2alpha. Heifers at Location 1 had a 94% synchronization rate, exhibited estrus 2.45 +/- 0.03 d after PGF2alpha, and received hCG 5.55 +/- 0.03 d after AI. Heifers at Location 2 had an 85% synchronization rate, exhibited estrus 2.69 +/- 0.03 d after PGF2alpha, and received hCG 6.31 +/- 0.03 d after AI. Progesterone concentrations were greater (P < 0.01) for hCG-treated heifers than for controls at both locations (8.6 vs. 4.6 ng/mL for treatment vs. control at Location 1, and 11.2 vs. 5.6 ng/mL for treatment vs. control at Location 2). Pregnancy status was determined by ultrasound approximately 50 d after AI. Conception rates (65 vs. 70% for treatment vs. control, respectively) did not differ at Location 1. Conception rates tended (P = 0.10) to be increased with hCG treatment at Location 2 (61 vs. 50% for treatment vs. control, respectively). A second experiment was conducted with 180 heifers at a third location to determine the effects of hCG administration 6 d after timed insemination at approximately 60 h after PGF2alpha in heifers synchronized as in Exp. 1. Pregnancy rate to timed AI did not differ between hCG-treated (62%) and control heifers (59%). Final pregnancy rate after timed AI and bull exposure (92%) was not affected by treatment. In summary, administration of hCG 5 to 6 d after AI did not improve conception or pregnancy rates at two out of three locations evaluated, suggesting insufficient progesterone is not a major factor contributing to early pregnancy failure in beef heifers.     

Effect of pretreating heifers with human chorionic gonadotropin and estradiol on subsequent in vitro luteal tissue progesterone biosynthesis

The use of in vivo treatments of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), estradiol, or HCG plus estradiol was investigated as a method to provide large amounts of LH-sensitive luteal tissue for more extensive in vitro studies. HCG (total dose 11,000) treatments to heifers on Days 1 to 7 of the estrous cycle produced tissue that was senitive to LH added in vitro, but Day 11 corpora lutea of the heifers were only slightly larger than normal. Total doses of 13,000 and 15,000 IU HCG increased the weight of the corpora by factors of 2 and 3, but reduced or abolished the LH response in vitro. Treatment with 5000 IU HCG on either Day 8 or 9 did not substantially increase the weight of the corpora. Basal Day 11 in vitro progesterone synthesis was high, probably due to the recent in vivo luteotrophic treatment. However, the tissue was not capable of further stimulation with LH in vitro. Pretreatment with HCG plus estradiol in 2 experiments resulted in tissues with poor in vitro LH sensitivity. Pretreatment with 3 mg estradiol at 4, 6.5, or 12.5 hours before removal of the corpus on Day 11 also reduced the sensitivity of the tissue to LH IN vitro. These data support the theory that in vivo luteotrophic treatment may deplete a preformed precursor of progesterone, which reduces or abolishes LG sensitivity in vitro. However, results obtained when estradiol was given at levels and times used in these experiments did not support the idea that estradiol reduces endogenous gonadotropins.     

Testicular blood flow and plasma concentrations of testosterone and total estrogen in the stallion after the administration of human chorionic gonadotropin

The goal of this study was to investigate for the first time a possible association between plasma concentrations of testosterone and total estrogen and testicular blood flow in the stallion. Correlations between these variables were calculated before and after administration of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Eight mature warmblood stallions received 5,000 IU hCG intravenously, and four stallions received solvent only. Testicular blood flow in the left and right testicular arteries was assessed using colour Doppler sonography by measuring blood flow volume (BFV) and pulsatility index (PI) immediately before (time 0) and 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 72, 120 and 168 h after hCG administration. EDTA blood samples were collected after each examination from a jugular vein to measure plasma testosterone and total estrogen concentrations. After treatment, the BFV increased and was elevated at 1 h and between 12 and 24 h. The profile of the PI was contrary to that of the BFV throughout the study period. Following hCG, there was a biphasic increase in testosterone concentration with maxima between 1 and 3 h and between 24 and 72 h, and there was a monophasic increase in the total estrogen concentration with a maximum between 6 and 24 h. At time 0, the total estrogen concentration correlated significantly with BFV (r=0.90; P<0.05) but the testosterone concentration did not (P>0.05). The testosterone and total estrogen concentrations did not correlate with PI (P>0.05). The total estrogen concentration, but not testosterone, correlated well with BFV after injection of hCG (P<0.05). The results of this study indicated that the testicular blood flow volume of the stallion may be regulated by estrogens, but additional studies are necessary to investigate whether there is a causal relationship.     

Hormone secretion and characteristics of estrous cycles after treatment of heifers with human chorionic gonadotropin or prostaglandin F2 alpha during corpus luteum formation

Fertility in cattle is related positively to concentrations of progesterone in blood during the estrous cycle preceding insemination. This study determined whether treatment of heifers with prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) or human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) during d 2 to 4 of an estrous cycle affected progesterone during that cycle and whether hormone secretion during the cycle and onset of subsequent estrus were related to progesterone secretion. Nine Holstein heifers were assigned to an experiment designed as a triplicate Latin square, and each heifer received each of three treatments during three consecutive estrous cycles. Treatments were: saline (control, 1 ml) on d 2, 3 and 4 after estrus; hCG, 1000 IU on d 2, 3 and 4; and PGF2 alpha, 25 mg on d 3 with repeated doses 12 and 24 h later. Progesterone throughout the estrous cycle was higher in heifers given hCG than in those given saline. Progesterone during the first week of the cycle was lower in heifers given PGF2 alpha than those given saline, but means for these two groups were similar thereafter. Number of peaks of 15-keto,13,14-dihydro-PGF2 alpha (PGFM) during 24 h after onset of luteolysis was lower in heifers given hCG than in those given saline or PGF2 alpha. Patterns of secretion of luteinizing hormone and estradiol at subsequent estrus were not affected by treatment. Temporal relationships among hormone secretion and onset of estrus were unaffected by treatment.     

Changes in plasma progesterone concentrations in mares treated with cloprostenol and human chorionic gonadotropin and inseminated during estrus

Daily changes in the plasma progesterone concentrations were determined in eight mares treated with intramuscular injections of 250 μg cloprostenol, a prostaglandin analogue, followed five days later by 2500 I.U. human chorionic gonadotropin. A second cloprostenol injection was given 14 days after the first; the mares were then inseminated on the third and fifth day of the subsequent estrus and a second injection of human chorionic gonadotropin was administered on the fifth day. The onset of estrus following the second cloprostenol treatment was synchronized beginning three to four days after treatment in all eight mares. All eight ovulated, five mares conceived and only four foaled. Evaluation of the progesterone profiles provided reliable indicators of luteolysis, ovulation and luteal function. Decreasing plasma progesterone concentrations were associated with cloprostenol induced luteolysis or preceded spontaneous onset of estrus. The plasma progesterone concentrations increased consistently after ovulation, and in the pregnant mares, the progesterone concentrations remained high during the first month after insemination.     

Treatment of post-partum anoestrous dairy cows with progesterone, oestradiol and equine chorionic gonadotropin

Anoestrus in lactating dairy cows at the start of the breeding season is a major form of reproductive wastage for seasonal dairy production based on pasture. The objective of this study was to compare the reproductive performance of anoestrous cows that were treated with a combination of progesterone, oestradiol and equine chorionic gonadotrophin either 10 days before (T-10, n = 2 19) or 16 days after (T+16, n = 229) the start of the breeding season. A higher percentage of cows in the T-10 group were detected in oestrus and inseminated during the first 6 days of breeding than those in the T+16 group (69.4% v. 26.2%. p <0.001). However, the percentage of cows detected in oestrus by Day 16 was similar between the two treatment groups (T10 v. T+ 16; 77.7% v. 76.7%). There was no difference between treatment groups in conception rate to the first (51.2% v. 59.0%) or the second insemination (50.8% v. 57.6%), in pregnancy rate over the first 49 days (74.0% v. 75.1%), in empty rate (10.0% v. 10.5%) or in the mean day of conception from the start of the breeding season (24.0 v. 25.7 days). These results suggest that, under favourable environmental conditions, treatment of anoestrous cows with the programme used in this trial can be performed 16 days after the start of the breeding season with similar results to that performed 10 days before the start of the breeding season. Further studies are needed to determine if this is the case under different environmental conditions or for other treatment programmes.     

Effect of lipoproteins and luteinizing hormone on progesterone production by large and small luteal cells throughout the porcine estrous cycle

Large and small cells were isolated from porcine corpora lutea (CL) on d 10, 15 or 18 of the estrous cycle. They were incubated 13 to 16 h in cholesterol- and serum-free media and then supplied with 0, 10, 50 or 100 micrograms of either porcine low density lipoprotein (LDL) or porcine high density lipoprotein (HDL). Each dose was supplemented with 0, 10, 50 or 100 ng of porcine LH. Media progesterone (P4) content was assessed immediately before and 2 and 24 h after addition of lipoproteins and LH. Production of P4 by large cells always exceeded that of small cells. Day 10 large cells were stimulated by LDL, unaffected by LH, and either inhibited or unaffected by HDL. No treatment affected d 10 small cells. Day 15 large cells and small cells were stimulated by both lipoproteins (LDL greater than HDL). The large cells were stimulated to a small extent by LH at 2 h (P less than .05). Large cells could be isolated from only two of five preparations of d 18 CL. Day 18 small cells produced a small quantity of P4 in a response which qualitatively resembled that of d 15 small cells. Cell type, cycle stage and lipoprotein (particularly LDL) were the major effectors of P4 production. The minimal response to LH supports the theory of autonomy of the porcine CL with respect to P4 production. Days 10 and 15 bracket the period of commitment to luteolysis, and the nature of P4 production by each cell type changed over that period.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)