Y. B. Majama1, U. A. Maina2, M. A. Mahre3, H.D. Kwari1
1Department of Veterinary Anatomy, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria
2Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria
3Department of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria
*Corresponding author’s Email: ymajama@yahoo.com, doi.org/10.55639/607.100908
ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to investigate ovarian activity by measuring the serum progesterone levels of Sahel goats during uterine involution. A total of 35 pregnant Sahel goats with ages between 24 42 months old and body weights between 30-40kg were used for this study. The pregnant does were
obtained from the large animal clinic, faculty of Veterinary Medicine,
University of Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria. Blood samples were collected via the jugular vein of does at postpartum days 1, 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 respectively. Thereafter, serum was harvested from the blood and progesterone levels were determined using Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit (EliKine™ Progesterone ELISA Kit). The maximum and minimum serum progesterone concentration was reported on day 28 and day 21 postpartum to be 1.079 ± 0.09ng/ml and 0.390 ± 0.05ng/ml respectively. The serum progesterone level continues to decrease gradually from postpartum day 3 (0.761 ± 0.04ng/ml) and postpartum day 14 (0.620 ± 0.03ng/ml) respectively. Thereafter, the serum progesterone concentration starts to increase and reached the highest level on postpartum day 28 (1.079 ± 0.09ng/ml). This result also shows that there is no ovarian activity for a prolonged period of time after parturition, suggesting that the interval between time of parturition and resumption of ovarian activity in Sahel goat is day 28 postpartum. Therefore, it could be concluded that, serum progesterone concentration measurement is a precise biological marker for the detection of ovarian activity during the postpartum period.
Keywords:
Progesterone,
Sahel goats,
Ovarian activity,
Uterine involution