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Pregnancy diagnosis in cows; changes in milk progesterone concentration during the oestrous cycle and pregnancy measured by a rapid radioimmunoassay

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

R. B. Heap ,
Merle Gwyn ,
J. A. Laing  and
D. E. Walters
R. B. Heap
Affiliation:
A.R.C. Institute of Animal Physiology, Babraham, Cambridge
Merle Gwyn
Affiliation:
The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Boltons Park, Potters Bar, Herts.
J. A. Laing
Affiliation:
The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Boltons Park, Potters Bar, Herts.
D. E. Walters
Affiliation:
A.R.C. Statistics Oroup, Department of Applied Biology, Downing Street, Cambridge
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Summary

The progestagen concentration of milk was measured in cows, at various times of the reproductive cycle by a competitive protein binding procedure and by radioimmunoassay. The apparent progesterone concentration was found to be significantly greater in milk (P <0–05) than in plasma, probably due to the presence of an unidentified metabolite(s). A simple, rapid radioimmunoassay was developed to measure directly the progestagen concentration in milk. A mean concentration of about 1 ng/ml at oestrus (or mating) increased, 20–24 days later, to 3–4 ng/ml in cows subsequently found to be non-pregnant and to about 7 ng/ml in pregnant animals. The possible application of this analytical procedure as the basis of a method of pregnancy diagnosis is discussed.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 81 , Issue 1 , August 1973 , pp. 151 - 157
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1973

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