Ovarian Response and Profile of Plasma Sex Steroids in Goats Against Combined Administration of FSH and LH Isolated from the Pituitaries of Buffaloes

This study was designed to record the ovarian response towards a combined administration of heterologous buffalo FSH (buFSH) and LH (buLH) in goats. The impact of such a treatment on ovarian structures and on the plasma profile of the ovarian sex steroids (estradiol $17-{\beta}$ and progesterone) was studied. The buFSH and buLH were isolated from the buffalo pituitaries involving a procedure of ethanolic extraction, acetone precipitation followed by metaphosphoric acid - ammonium sulphate fractionation. Both gonadotrophin samples prepared were found biologically active and potent. There was an increase in the total number of follicles in the treated group ($12.66{\pm}1.24$) vis-a-vis the control group ($8.50{\pm}2.06$). However, the percentage ($51.48{\pm}6.37$) of large follicles were found reduced ($23.74{\pm}5.93$) following the treatment. Again the number of corpora lutea were observed significantly higher ($2.33{\pm}0.47C.L.$) in the treated group than (1 C. L.) in the control group. The peak plasma estradiol- $17{\beta}$ levels achieved, were much higher ($17.16{\pm}9.52pg/ml$) in the treated group, than the peak ($7.22{\pm}1.67pg/ml$) achieved in the control group. Similar trend was observed with respect to the progesterone levels (higher in the treated group). This study thus indicated that, a combined administration of heterologous buffalo FSH and LH to goats speeded up development of larger follicles nearing the ovulation stage. This population of the follicles subsequently got reduced and lead to the formation of the increased number of the corpora lutea observed in this study.