Ovarian activity in goats during the postpartum period

Abstract

Sixteen suckling female goats were used in this experiment. They were divided into 2 groups (8/group) to study ovarian activity during postpartum period (60 days) by measuring progesterone concentration in the plasma. Blood samples were taken from 1st group right after parturition and from second group after 30 days from parturition. Sampling lasted for 35 days for each group. After analysis of these samples results showed that progesterone concentration was less than 0.6ng/ml in most females through 60 days postpartum except in 2 cases. In the 1st case progesterone concentration was higher than normal level 0.5ng/ml for a period exceeding 35 days. This is due to luteal cyst, but in the second case progesterone concentration started to increase after 43 days postpartum and continued to increase for a period of 17 days, thus indicating an occurrence of a normal estrous cycle, then it started to decline to a level of less than 0.5ng/ml before the occurrence of another estrous cycle.