BLOW PROGESTERONE PROFILE DURING ESTROUS CYCLE, PREGNANCY AND LACTATION IN FEMALE BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS Tizzi, Raffaella*(1) , Accorsi, Pier Attilio(2), Zordan, Silvia(2) and Severi, Carlotta(1) (1) Delfinario Rimini, Lungomare Tintori 2 – 47900 Rimini, Italy (2) Dipartimento di Morfofisiologia Veterinaria e Produzioni Animali, Università degli Studi di Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra, 40064 Ozzano Emilia (BO), Italy Previous studies underlined a significant correlation between progesterone concentrations measured in blood and in biological material released with the blow. The aim of present work was to take advantages of the complete non invasivity and results' reliability of the new technique based on blow sampling, for systematically monitoring progesterone profiles during estrous cycle (A), pregnancy (B) and lactation (C). Three Tursiops truncatus females were sampled every week: the subject "Alfa" (approx. 27 years old) was monitored from March 2006 for a period of 23 months during all the phases A, B and C; the captive born dolphins "Blue" and "Luna" (8 and 10 years old, respectively) were monitored from May 2005 for a period of 24 months (phases A and B) the former, and from March 2006 for a period of 14 months (phase A) the latter. While Blue was housed at Oltremare (Riccione, Italy), both other females were living in Rimini Delfinario (Italy). Progesterone concentrations were determined by a validated RIA. The results confirmed the bottlenose dolphin nature of seasonal poliestral species, with ovulation occurring at least 2-3 times per year in a period lasting between early spring and late autumn. A dramatic increase of blow progesterone concentrations emerged as soon as pregnancy started. In particular, both Alfa and Blue showed mean values of hormone significantly different (p<0.01) shifting from a non pregnant to a pregnant status (Alfa: 104.72 ± 11.19 vs. 206.22 ± 13.71 pg/ml; Luna: 75.60 ± 9.12 vs. 571.63 ± 44.46 pg/ml). The development of diagnostic procedures and stress avoiding approaches such as the blow sampling not only supports captive animals’ management with respect to their wellness, but also provides an opportunity for using the enhanced knowledge in programmes of conservation aimed at improving species' reproductive potential in the wild. This work was supported by a RFO (Bologna University) grant.
Tizzi R., Accorsi P.A., Zordan S., Severi C. (2010). Blow progesterone profile during estrous cycle, pregnancy and Lactation in female bottlenose dolphins. SL : sn.
Blow progesterone profile during estrous cycle, pregnancy and Lactation in female bottlenose dolphins
ACCORSI, PIER ATTILIO;
2010
Abstract
BLOW PROGESTERONE PROFILE DURING ESTROUS CYCLE, PREGNANCY AND LACTATION IN FEMALE BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS Tizzi, Raffaella*(1) , Accorsi, Pier Attilio(2), Zordan, Silvia(2) and Severi, Carlotta(1) (1) Delfinario Rimini, Lungomare Tintori 2 – 47900 Rimini, Italy (2) Dipartimento di Morfofisiologia Veterinaria e Produzioni Animali, Università degli Studi di Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra, 40064 Ozzano Emilia (BO), Italy Previous studies underlined a significant correlation between progesterone concentrations measured in blood and in biological material released with the blow. The aim of present work was to take advantages of the complete non invasivity and results' reliability of the new technique based on blow sampling, for systematically monitoring progesterone profiles during estrous cycle (A), pregnancy (B) and lactation (C). Three Tursiops truncatus females were sampled every week: the subject "Alfa" (approx. 27 years old) was monitored from March 2006 for a period of 23 months during all the phases A, B and C; the captive born dolphins "Blue" and "Luna" (8 and 10 years old, respectively) were monitored from May 2005 for a period of 24 months (phases A and B) the former, and from March 2006 for a period of 14 months (phase A) the latter. While Blue was housed at Oltremare (Riccione, Italy), both other females were living in Rimini Delfinario (Italy). Progesterone concentrations were determined by a validated RIA. The results confirmed the bottlenose dolphin nature of seasonal poliestral species, with ovulation occurring at least 2-3 times per year in a period lasting between early spring and late autumn. A dramatic increase of blow progesterone concentrations emerged as soon as pregnancy started. In particular, both Alfa and Blue showed mean values of hormone significantly different (p<0.01) shifting from a non pregnant to a pregnant status (Alfa: 104.72 ± 11.19 vs. 206.22 ± 13.71 pg/ml; Luna: 75.60 ± 9.12 vs. 571.63 ± 44.46 pg/ml). The development of diagnostic procedures and stress avoiding approaches such as the blow sampling not only supports captive animals’ management with respect to their wellness, but also provides an opportunity for using the enhanced knowledge in programmes of conservation aimed at improving species' reproductive potential in the wild. This work was supported by a RFO (Bologna University) grant.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
