Blood progesterone and estrogen hormones level during pregnancy and after birth in Iraqi sheep and goat

Abstract EN

Serum progesterone and estrogen concentrations were investigated during pregnancy and few days after birth.

Blood samples were collected twice / month from 24 numbered animals (12ewes and 12 does).

Serum was isolated and kept under -20C untill hormonal analysis.

Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using (ELISA Reader Dona 3200).

Progesterone concentrations of pregnant ewes and does were showed steadily increased to reach 24.9 + 2.5 ng / ml and 30.34 + 2.3ng / ml in ewes and does, during 4th month and declined to 0.6 and 2.5 ng / ml after birth in ewes and does, respectively.

Estrogen hormone levels in ewes were increased significantly during pregnancy to maximum 98.7 + 4.3ng / ml by 5th month and sharply declined to 4.1 + 0.06 after birth.

While in does estrogen level increased significantly and steadily to 1150.6 + 6.23 pg / ml during last month of pregnancy and to 5.9 + 0.4 pg / ml after birth.

The present work indicated levels of progesterone hormone increased during 1st and 2nd months in ewes and does, while the significant increased from 3rd month on.

Estrogen reach maximum concentrations during last month in doe which higher about 11 times than that of ewes.

It is useful means to diagnosis pregnancy of ewes and does by hormonal methods after mating 20-30 days.