Monitoring Ovarian Cycles by Fecal Progesterone Analysis in Thamin Eld’s Deer Hinds (Rucervus eldii thamin)

Abstract

The aims of this study were to demonstrate the effectiveness of fecal progesterone metabolite monitoring technique during estrus synchronization and to investigate fecal progesterone metabolite profile in Eld’s deer (Rucervus eldii thamin) hinds for one year (February 2009-Janurary 2010). Fecal samples from five hinds were collected weekly, subjected to hormone extraction and subsequently progesterone analysis using enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Estrus synchronization and artificial insemination were performed during breeding season (June 2009). This included an intramuscular injection of ProstaglandinF_2α (5 mg) in combination with a vaginal insertion of a controlled internal drug-releasing device (CIDR type G) for 14 d. After CIDR-G removal for 70 h, all hinds were inseminated with frozen thawed  semen  by laparoscopic technique. This study found that one from five hinds responded to hormone stimulation. The fecal progesterone metabolite of the responded hind (no.11) was significantly highest compared with the non-responded hinds (no.7, no.42, no.43 and no.44) during the CIDR-G insertion (2,360±320 ng/g dry feces) (p<0.05), whereas the fecal progesterone concentrations of the four non-responded hinds during synchronization did not differ from basal progesterone concentrations (p>0.05). Mean±SE of progesterone metabolite concentrations during March to August  (390.1±33.2 ng/g) were significantly higher than during September to February (291.4±20.1 ng/g) (p<0.05). The non-pregnant Eld’s deer hinds exhibited multiple estrous cycles. Long estrous cycle (24.9±2.2 d) was observed throughout the year and mean number of estrous cycles was 14.0±0.4 cycles/animal/year.  The concentration (mean±SE) of fecal progesterone during gestation was 816.9±60.0 ng/g in early pregnancy, 1,998.1±416.7 ng/g in middle pregnancy and 5,995.5±757.4 ng/g in late pregnancy. Consequently, fecal steroid analysis by EIA for monitoring of reproductive function and fecal steroid measurement can be used as an important breeding management in Eld’s deer.