A study on plasma estradiol and progesterone profile at days 11, 12 and 13 post ovulation undergone embryo transfer at day 7-post ovulation in local Egyptian mares

Abstract EN

This study was conducted on 28 recipient local mares after synchronizing and recovery of embryos of Arabian mares (donor mares) and transferring them to recipients on day 7 post ovulation, all mares were raised in the studs of police academy –Cairo Egypt under same circumstances in the breeding season from February till may of 2013.

Seventeen recipient mares were pregnant and 9 mares were non pregnant when ultrasound pregnancy check was done on day 21 post ovulation, blood samples were taken on days 11,12 and 13 to detect the steroidal hormonal profile (estrogen and progesterone) via Elisa technique of the recipient mares plasma steroid level and its role in early pregnancy and maternal recognition.

The results were significantly higher (P≤0.05) between pregnant (n=17) and non pregnant (n=9) recipient mares in the plasma progesterone concentrations which were 10.99±0.16 vs 9.59±0.11, 12.69±0.16 vs 11.79±0.22 and 14.4±0.15 vs 13.78±0.23 ng/ml on days 11,12 and 13 post ovulation respectively, significant difference(P≤0.05) was observed when comparison between pregnant mare’s plasma progesterone concentrations on days 11,12 and 13 post ovulation.

Plasma estrogen concentration were significantly higher (P≤0.05) in non pregnant and pregnant mares which were15.17±0.18 vs 14.84±0.14, 14.74±0.27 vs13.94±0.12 and 14.14±0.3 vs13.12±0.16 pg/ ml on days 11,12 and respectively, on the other hand when comparison between days11,12 and 13 plasma estrogen levels were significantly different (P≤0.05) in pregnant mares while no significant difference was found in the same days between non pregnant mares, thus might be the main reason for early embryonic death when detected in early pregnancy check via ultrasonography in 21 days post ovulation.