Tropicultura (Jan 2014)
Effect of Repeated Administration of hCG on Ovarian Response in PMSG-superovulated Ouled Djellal Ewes (Algeria)
Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of repeated administration of hCG on ovarian response in PMSG-superovulated ewes. Intravaginal pessaries containing 40 mg fluorogestone acetate (FGA) were inserted in all ewes (n=9) and remained in situ for 14 days. Two days prior to pessary removal, all ewes were treated with 1000 IU of PMSG. On the day of sponge removal (day 0), the females were randomly assigned to 2 treatments. The first group (n=3) did not receive any hCG, while the second group (n=6) treated inter-muscular with hCG (500 IU) during days 0-2. On day 8, laparotomy was performed to assess numbers of corpora lutea (CL) and anovulatory follicles (AF). Blood samples were collected for analysis of serum progesterone (P4) using radioimmunoassay (RIA) method. The results obtained for first and second group was in number of CL (6.33±1.15 and 10.50±5.54), number of AF (2 ±3.46 and 4.16±5.70), then the levels of P4 (5.75± 4.45 and 13.22±6.80 ng/ml), respectively. These results indicate that the repeated administration of hCG post-sponge removal increases number of CL and improves luteal function in ewes after PMSG-superovulatory treatment.
