Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #66219
Title: TIMING OF OVULATION AFTER GONADOTROPIN INDUCTION AND ITS IMPORTANCE TO SUCCESSFUL INTRAUTERINE INSEMINATION IN THE TIGER (PANTHERA TIGRIS)

Author
item Donoghue, Ann - Annie
item BYERS, A - CONSERV. BREED. SPEC. GRP
item JOHNSTON, L - OMAHA ZOO
item ARMSTRONG, D - OMAHA ZOO
item WILDT, D - NATIONAL ZOO

Submitted to: Journal of Reproduction and Fertility
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/16/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: As part of a long-term program to adapt assisted reproductive technology to the tiger, the objectives of this study were to assess the impact of timing of ovulation relative to exogenous hormone treatment and to determine if anesthesia inhibits ovulation in tigers. Adult female tigers were subjected to exogenous hormone treatment followed by laparoscopy under ranesthesia at several time periods after human chorionic gonadotropin administration. It was found that preovulatory follicles were 2 fold greater in females receiving early injection (39-42 hours) than the number observed on females receiving later treatment (46-55 hours). Six of these females, observed to be post-ovulatory at the time of laparoscopy were subjected to intrauterine AI. One female inseminated 46 h after hCG became pregnant and delivered a healthy cub. Results demonstrate the importance of the relationship between gonadotrophin treatment and onset of anesthesia afor laparoscopic examination and/or AI.

Technical Abstract: As part of a long-term program to adapt assisted reproductive technology to the tiger, the objectives of this study were to assess the impact of timing of ovulation relative to hCG treatment and to determine if anesthesia inhibits ovulation in tigers. Adult female tigers were subjected to eCG/hCG treatment followed by laparoscopy under anesthesia at 39-42 (Group I), 46-49 (Group II) or 51-55 (Group III) h after hCG. Six o these females, observed to be post-ovulatory at the time of laparoscopy were subjected to intrauterine AI. Number of pre-ovulatory follicles observed on the ovaries of Group I females was 2-fold greater (P < 0.05) than the number observed on ovaries of females in Group II and III. Fewer (P < 0.05) corpora lutea (CL) were observed on ovaries of Group I females (1.3 +/- 0.6) compared to CL numbers in Group II and III (7.8 +/- 0.8 CL/female). One female inseminated 46 h after hCG became pregnant and delivered a healthy cub. Results demonstrate the importance of the relationship between gonadotrophin treatment and onset of anesthesia for laparoscopic examination and/or AI.