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Relationship between Follicular Development and the Decline in the Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Surge in Heifers

^a Departments of Animal Health and Biomedical Science and ^b Dairy Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706

Experiment 1 was conducted to determine whether progesterone affects the pattern of the FSH surge or follicular development associated with a follicular wave in heifers. On Day 7 (Day 0 = ovulation), heifers were allocated into a group receiving prostaglandin F₂ (PGF₂; n = 6) or a control group (n = 5). Twenty-four hours later, all detectable follicles ( 2 mm) were ablated (Hour 0). Follicular development was monitored Hours 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 16, at 8-h intervals thereafter until Hour 112. To monitor FSH concentrations, blood was sampled at Hours -24, 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 16, and at 8-h intervals thereafter until Hour 104. There were no differences (p > 0.05) between the PGF₂-treated group and controls in the patterns of the FSH surge or follicular development.

Experiment 2 tested the hypothesis that 3-mm follicles do not have FSH-suppressing capacity and that suppression increases as follicles grow beyond 5 mm. Twenty-four hours after an injection of PGF₂ (Days 6–8), heifers were subjected to either ablation of follicles 2 mm or ovariectomy. Intact heifers were allocated into four groups (n = 5) in which all follicles of the new wave were ablated upon reaching either 3, 5, or 7 mm or were not ablated (controls). Blood was sampled at 8-h intervals to monitor FSH and estradiol-17ß. Averaged over Hours 8–120, FSH concentrations (ng/ml) were higher (p < 0.05) in the ovariectomized (2.02 ± 0.05) and the 3-mm groups (1.91 ± 0.05) than in the 5-mm (1.52 ± 0.05), 7-mm (1.35 ± 0.04), and control groups (1.33 ± 0.05); and estradiol concentrations (pg/ml) were lower (p < 0.05) in the ovariectomized group (0.19 ± 0.03) than in the 3-mm (1.48 ± 0.16), 5-mm (1.56 ± 0.15), 7-mm (2.22 ± 0.27), and control groups (2.55 ± 0.49).

In conclusion, the presence of endogenous progesterone did not affect FSH patterns or follicular development. Follicles 3 mm had no detectable capacity to suppress FSH. As follicles grew from 3 to 5 mm, they gained the capacity to suppress FSH; however, as follicles grew beyond 5 mm, FSH-suppressing capacity did not increase. The FSH decline was not attributable to an increase in circulating estradiol.

¹ Correspondence: O.J. Ginther, Department of Animal Health and Biomedical Science, 1655 Linden Dr., University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706. FAX: 608 262 7420; ojg{at}ahabs.wisc.edu

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