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Research article2005Peer reviewed

Endocrinology of pregnancy and early pregnancy detection by reproductive hormones in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus)

Ropstad E, Veiberg V, Sakkinen H, Dahl E, Kindahl H, Holand O, Beckers JF, Eloranta E

Abstract

The endocrinology was studied throughout pregnancy in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) located in Oulu, Finland (65 degrees N, 25 degrees E) with 13 captive, semi domestic adult females. Blood samples were analyzed for plasma progesterone (P4), estradiol (E,) and estrone sulphate (E1SO4), 15-ketodihydro-PGF(2 alpha) (PG-metabolite) and pregnancy associated glycoproteins (PAG). The mean plasma P4 concentration peaked twice during gestation: at around 24 and three weeks prior to calving. In pregnant females the plasma PAG concentration increased over basal concentrations 21-30 days after the estimated day of conception and peaked at the time of calving. The concentrations of E, and E1SO4 remained low until 60 days before calving when a rapid increase was found for both hormones. The mean plasma concentration of PG-metabolite increased throughout pregnancy to a maximum at parturition. The estimated mean (range) gestation length was 216 (212-220) days. Judged from measures on reproductive organs collected from 86 free-ranging, semi-domestic female reindeer of unknown age presented for slaughter at Roros, Norway (63 degrees N, 11 degrees E) in the second week of December 1999, it was concluded that the breeding season lasted from early September until the end of November. The results also showed that plasma PAG concentration could provide a tool for detection of pregnancy in reindeer. (c) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Published in

Theriogenology
2005, volume: 63, number: 6, pages: 1775-1788
Publisher: ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC

SLU Authors

Publication identifier

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2004.08.003

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/7608