Vol. 8(1):37-54, 1991

DOMESTIC ANIMAL ENDOCRINOLOGY

EFFECTS OF CHARCOAL-EXTRACTED FOLLICULAR FLUID ON REPRODUCTIVE FUNCTION IN POSTPARTUM COWS 1 M.M. Hinshelwood *,2, F. Kamel **.a, D.J. Dierschke*,*** and E.R. Hauser *,4

*Department of Meat and Animal Science **Department of Physiology and ***Wisconsin Regional Primate Research Center University of Wisconsin Madison, Wl 53706 ReceivedAugust18, 1989 ABSTRACT In order to determine the role of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) on the resumption of ovarian function in cows early postpartum (PP), bovine follicular fluid (FF) was used to selectively suppress concentrations of FSH. Calves were removed from all cows within 24 hr of birth. Follicular fluid that was treated with charcoal to remove steroids (15 ml; n=14) or serum (S) from an ovariectomized cow (15 ml, n=14) was injected i.m. twice daily from days 1 to 10 PP. Blood samples were collected before each injection and frequent samples (every 15 min for 6 hr) taken on days 5 and 10 PP. Eight cows from each group (FF and S) were slaughtered on the morning of day 11 PP and pituitaries and ovaries collected. The remaining cows (n=6) were observed for estrus. Treatment with FF delayed follicular growth (P

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'Sec text for more detailed description of ovulation status+

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Fig 1. Mean concentrations of FSH from fl'cqucnt blood ~amplcs (ever T 1% rain for 0 hr) collected on d:~} S (A) and day 10 (B) PP. Only d.'lla from cows that did not ovul;itu b x, d;ly 10 PP ;Ire sl'~o\vn. l lorizontal bars represent pooled St{ for each group.

EFFECT OF FOLLICULAR FLUID ON REPRODUCTIVE

FUNCTION

43

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Fig 2. bican concentrations of LH from frequent blood samples (every 15 min for 6 hr) collected on day 5 (A) and day 10 (B) PP. Only data from cows that did not ovulate by day 10 PP arc shown. Horizontal bars represent the pooled SE fk)reach group.

effects o n the h y p o t h a l a m u s a n d pituitary of individual cows. Treating cows with FF s u p p r e s s e d the m e a n s e r u m levels of FSH (P