Effect of stage of gestation and foetal number on plasma concentrations of a pregnancy serum protein (PSP-60) in cattle

This study characterised the peripheral plasma concentration of PSP-60 throughout gestation, and examined the effect of stage of gestation and foetal number on this protein in Holstein cows after non-surgical embryo transfer. Cows (n=12) were divided into two groups; Group 1 contained single embryo recipient cows (n=5), Group 2 contained twin-embryo recipient cows (n=7). Blood was collected approximately every third day from day 0 (first day of standing oestrus), then daily for the last 10 days of gestation and until one day post-partum. Two of the twin-embryo recipient cows had abnormal pregnancies, consequently data from them was considered separately. In both groups PSP-60 increased progressively from about day 20 post-oestrus to 20 days pre-partum (from 0·9 ± 0·2 to 49·7 ± 8·7 ng ml⁻¹, and from 1·3 ± 0·6 to 115 ± 34·9 ng ml⁻¹ (mean ± SEM), in singleton and twin-bearing groups, respectively). The mean concentrations between 20 and 10 days pre-partum increased dramatically by about six-fold (P<0·001) in singleton-bearing cows (from 49·7 ± 8·7 ng ml⁻¹ to 2838 ± 73·7 ng ml⁻¹) to over two-fold in twin-bearing cows (from 115 ± 34·9 ng ml⁻¹ to 284 ± 98·2 ng ml^-1). The mean concentrations of the two groups were indistinguishable between 10 days pre-parturn and parturition. Cows giving birth prematurely to stillborn calves or to a schistosomus reflexus calf exhibited abnormal PSP-60 profiles. Our findings indicate that peripheral plasma PSP-60 concentrations are correlated to the stage of gestation and foetal number, and assist in predicting foeto-placental viability.