National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS)
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PRINT ISSN : 2319-7692
Online ISSN : 2319-7706 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcmas@gmail.com / submit@ijcmas.com Editor-in-chief: Dr.M.Prakash Index Copernicus ICV 2018: 95.39 NAAS RATING 2020: 5.38 |
The aim of the present research was to evaluate the potential of blood progesterone (P4) analysis for determination of puberty onset in Bulgarian Murrah buffalo heifers. The experiment was conducted with 13 clinically healthy buffalo heifers from the Bulgarian Murrah breed, at 9 to 20 months of age. Blood samples were collected from all animals and progesterone concentrations were assayed through a commercial ELISA. The time course of blood progesterone was monitored in ascending age order and the correlation between both parameters was evaluated. On the basis of hormonal analysis data, the animals were divided into two groups: non-cycling (P4 < 1 ng/ml) and cycling (P4 > 1 ng/ml). The percentages of cycling, resp. non-cycling heifers, the average age and mean blood progesterone concentrations in the groups were calculated. Data were statistically analysed. The earliest age at which blood progesterone accepted as threshold value for cycling buffalo heifers was measured, was 11 months. There was a tendency towards increase in the average age of cycling vs. that of non-cycling buffalo heifers with statistically significant difference (P<0.001) between progesterone concentrations in the two groups. The analysis of results demonstrated that the assay of blood progesterone concentrations in Bulgarian Murrah buffalo heifers could be used for detection of puberty onset. Blood hormonal concentrations were lower than 0.71±0.24 ng/ml and higher than 1.23±0.16 ng/ml in animals having attained 20 months of age could be assumed as a sign for lack or presence of ovarian activity, respectively. The presented results could contribute to the body of knowledge on endocrine changes of the studied buffalo breed during the prepubertal period and the time of sexual maturity onset.
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