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Concentrations of plasma luteinising hormone,prolactin, progesterone and androgens during the ovulatory cycle of the Turkey |
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| Authors: | P J Sharp R W Lea A Chadwick P E Lake |
| Institution: | 1. Agricultural Research Council's Poultry Research Centre , Roslin , Midlothian , EH25 9PS , Scotland;2. Department of Pure and Applied Zoology , University of Leeds , Leeds , LS2 9JT , England |
| Abstract: | 1. Changes in the concentrations of plasma luteinising hormone (LH), prolactin, androgen and progesterone were measured during the ovulatory cycle of the turkey. 2. Single pre‐ovulatory peaks of plasma LH, androgen and progesterone were observed which took 8, 8 and 12 h respectively, to increase and return to base‐line values. The concentration of plasma prolactin tended to be elevated between 6 h before and 6 h after the LH peak with the maximum values occurring after the peak. 3. The changes in the concentrations of plasma LH and progesterone were 3‐ and 7‐fold respectively while 2‐fold changes were observed in the concentrations of plasma androgen and prolactin. 4. The pre‐ovulatory concentration of plasma progesterone and prolactin began to decrease 4 and 6 h respectively, after the pre‐ovulatory peak of LH. 5. Ovulation and oviposition occurred 6 to 8 h and 36.10+ 0.57 h (SEM) ( n= 11) respectively after the pre‐ovulatory peak of LH. 6. In birds kept on 14 h light/d, pre‐ovulatory peaks of LH were initiated only during a 10 to 11‐h period starting within 2 h after the onset of darkness. 7. A comparison between these data and those from the fowl suggest that the egg is retained in the turkey's oviduct for about 3 to 4 h longer than in the fowl. |
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