Reproduction of the Red-Bellied Pademelon Thylogale billardierii (Marsupialia)

1982 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
RW Rose ◽  
DJ McCatney

'Thylogale billardierii, which is abundant in Tasmania, is a seasonal breeder with most births in the months April, May and June. Parturition is followed by mating, and the zygote so produced remains dormant until either sucking becomes intermittent near the end of pouch life or the young is lost. The mean length of the oestrous cycle was determined at 30.3 days, not significantly longer than the duration of gestation (30.2 days). Removal of pouch young results in the birth of a new young 28.7 days later. Removal of the corpus luteum results in oestrus 11 days later. Pouch life is 202 days, and vacation of the pouch by the young coincides precisely with parturition and post-partum mating. The young mature at about 14-15 months.

1999 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 167 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. E. Mylrea ◽  
R. C. Mulley ◽  
A. W. English ◽  
G. Evans

Studies were conducted on chital deer hinds (Axis axis) living in a temperate region to advance the understanding of the patterns of reproduction of a tropical cervid species. The hinds exhibited regular patterns of oestrus cyclicity throughout the year as evidenced by concentrations of serum progesterone mon-itored over a 14-month period, and detection of behavioural oestrus by vasectomized stags. The mean length of the oestrous cycle was 18.0 $plusmn; 0.7 days (range, 12–23 days). Profiles of serum progesterone showed con-centrations of <0.5 ng mL-1 at the time of oestrus, which rose to a peak (range 1.5–5.0 ng mL-1) about Day 13, and then declined to low concentrations at the next oestrus. Observations following parturition showed that the first detected oestrus occurred at a mean (± SEM) time of 26.9 ± 3.0 days later for seven of nine hinds. The mean length of the oestrous cycle after the first post-partum oestrus was 16.6 ± 1.0 days (range 7–20 days). The presence of a stag may influence the length of the post-partum period in chital deer hinds, and hinds in contact with a stag in this study had a significantly shorter interval from parturition to first ovu-lation (P<0.01) compared with hinds not in contact with a stag. By 7 weeks post partum a corpus luteum was detected in 93% of hinds. In comparison only 43% of hinds with no stag contact had a corpus luteum by 7 weeks post partum. It is suggested that the tendency towards seasonal calving in the study population may be related more to male than female factors.


Reproduction ◽  
2000 ◽  
pp. 49-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
SD Johnston ◽  
MR McGowan ◽  
P O'Callaghan ◽  
R Cox ◽  
V Nicolson

As an integral part of the development of an artificial insemination programme in the captive koala, female reproductive physiology and behaviour were studied. The oestrous cycle in non-mated and mated koalas was characterized by means of behavioural oestrus, morphology of external genitalia and changes in the peripheral plasma concentrations of oestradiol and progestogen. The mean (+/- SEM) duration of the non-mated oestrous cycle and duration of oestrus in 12 koalas was 32.9 +/- 1.1 (n = 22) and 10.3 +/- 0.9 (n = 24) days, respectively. Although the commencement of oestrous behaviour was associated with increasing or high concentrations of oestradiol, there were no consistent changes in the morphology or appearance of the clitoris, pericloacal region, pouch or mammary teats that could be used to characterize the non-mated cycle. As progestogen concentrations remained at basal values throughout the interoestrous period, non-mated cycles were considered non-luteal and presumed anovulatory. After mating of the 12 koalas, six females gave birth with a mean (+/- SEM) gestation of 34.8 +/- 0.3 days, whereas the remaining six non-parturient females returned to oestrus 49.5 +/- 1. 0 days later. After mating, oestrous behaviour ceased and the progestogen profile showed a significant increase in both pregnant and non-parturient females, indicating that a luteal phase had been induced by the physical act of mating. Progestogen concentrations throughout the luteal phase of the pregnant females were significantly higher than those of non-parturient females. Parturition was associated with a decreasing concentration of progestogen, which was increased above that of basal concentrations until 7 days post partum.


1976 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 93 ◽  
Author(s):  
JC Merchant

Female agile wallabies in captivity reached sexual maturity at about 12 months old and males produced mature spermatozoa by 14 months. Breeding was continuous throughout the year and birth and oestrus were recorded in every month. The mean length of the oestrous cycle was 32.4 days, and the mean gestation period 29.4 days. Females exhibited post-partum oestrus, usually mating within 1 day of birth. Sixty-four young born in captivity comprised 24 males, 30 females and 10 of unknown sex. If a pouch young were removed or lost, the quiescent blastocyst resumed its development, to birth about 26.5 days later. Failure or absence of the blastocyst was followed by an oestrus at about the time of the corresponding post-partum oestrus. Both the oestrous cycle and the interval between removal of a pouch young and oestrus were significantly longer than when a pregnancy intervened. The oestrous cycle was characterized by changes in the proportions of the main cell types in the vaginal smear, and by changes in the appearance of the urogenital opening and the pouch and teats. The approach of oestrus could not be predicted from vaginal smears but the post-oestrous condition was always recognizable even without mating. Young animals first left the pouch for short periods between the ages of 176 and 211 days, and left permanently between 207 and 237 days. Animals of known age were measured and the development of various morphological characters noted at weekly intervals from about birth until 12 months old.


1993 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. B. Pleasants ◽  
D. G. McCall

AbstractThe records of 1397 cows calving in the spring were collected in the years 1979 to 1984. They were from 638 Angus and 759 Hereford × Friesian cows, and were used to examine the dependencies of post-partum anoestrous interval (ppai), length of oestrous cycle after calving, and conception rate to each oestrus after calving.Two-year-old cows had longer ppai (P < 0·05) than older cows (76 v. 72 days), and Hereford × Friesian cows had shorter (P < 0·05) ppai than Angus cows (68 v. 72 days). Cows due to begin calving on 8 August (early calving) had longer (P < 0·01) ppai than cows due to begin calving on 19 September (71 v. 55 days).The linear regression between ppai and calving date (−0·60) did not differ between years, nor between early and late calving. Non-parametric regressions showed that the dependence between ppai and calving date was linear between plus or minus 20 days of the mean ppai in both early- and late-calving herds. Outside these limits variability of ppai increased and there was no relationship with calving date.The length of the first oestrous cycle after calving was 22 days in 2-year-old cows and 24 days in older cows. Second and third oestrous cycles after calving were 20 days for all breeds and age classes. There was a correlation of −0·41 between the ppai and the length of the first oestrous cycle after anoestrum. There was no significant deviation from normality of ppai or the succeeding post-partum oestrous cycle lengths.The conception rate to the first oestrus after calving was significantly lower (P < 0·01) than for later oestrous periods. The conception rate to first post-partum oestrus showed dependence on the ppai, logit regressions showing a 0·005 to 0·01 proportional improvement in conception at first oestrus per day increase in ppai.The significance of these results to the construction of mathematical models of reproduction in the beef cow is discussed.


1998 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 635 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. M. Johnson

Reproduction of the whiptail wallaby, Macropus parryi, was studied in captivity. The mean length of the oestrous cycle was 41.8 days while the mean length of the gestation period was 38.0 days. M. parryi bred throughout the year and post-partum oestrus was not recorded although mating did occur during the pouch life when the pouch-young was 118–168 days of age. The length of the pouch-life was 256–267 days and weaning occurred 104–215 days after emergence from the pouch. Sexual maturity for females occurred at 509–647 days of age. An age-determination table was produced and found useful for predicting age of pouch-young using body measurements.


1955 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 56 ◽  
Author(s):  
GB Sharman

The period between copulation and birth in Setonix brachyurus Quoy and Gaimard is about 27 days. Approximately 1 day elapses between copulation and fertilization. The gestation period is slightly less than the length of one oestrous cycle. The tuba1 journey of the fertilized egg occupies only about 1 day. The unilaminar blastocyst 3-4 days after mating, with its enclosing membranes, measures about 0.3 mm diameter. At this stage the corpus luteum is not fully developed and a luteal phase is not evident in the uteri. Bilaminar blastocysts and later embryonic stages are associated with a well-developed corpus luteum and luteal changes in the uteri. Towards the end of pregnancy the corpus luteum shows degenerative changes and ovaries and uteri exhibit evidence of approaching oestrus. The allantois of the uterine embryo does not form a placental structure. A well-developed, vascular, trilaminar yolk-sac placenta occurs during the later stages of embryonic life. Oestrus and ovulation occur shortly after the female gives birth. The corpus luteum formed following post-partum ovulation remains of small size and functions during lactation of the young in the pouch as the corpus luteum of lactation. Luteal changes do not occur in the uterus during this time and a lactation anoestrus takes place. Removal of the young from the pouch causes growth of the corpus luteum of lactation and the onset of luteal changes in the uterus. If fertilization takes place at post-partum oestrus the resulting embryo remains as an unimplanted blastocyst of small size during the time the pouch is occupied by a suckling foetus. This quiescent embryonic stage will proceed to normal development following removal of the young from the pouch. Blastocysts may remain unimplanted for up to 5 months. The probable significance of the gestation period in relationship to the length of the oestrous cycle and the placental structure is discussed. The ovulation-inhibiting function of the corpus luteum of lactation and its later luteal function are compared. The mechanism of delayed pregnancy in Setonix is discussed and comparisons are made with known cases of delayed birth in other mammals. Some concluding remarks are made on the breeding habits of Setonix in relation to its environment.


1997 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 411 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. M. Johnson

The reproduction of the endangered macropod Onychogalea fraenata was studied in captivity. O. fraenata breeds throughout the year. A post-partum oestrus was not recorded, although mating during the pouch life was observed when the pouch young were 80–92 days old. The mean length of the oestrous cycle was determined to be 36·2 days, while the mean length of a gestation period was 23·6 days. Pouch life ranged between 119 and 126 days, and the young males and females matured as early as 270 days and 136 days, respectively.


1982 ◽  
Vol 95 (3) ◽  
pp. 293-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. P. F. Flint ◽  
Marilyn B. Renfree

Oestradiol-17β was measured by radioimmunoassay in cardiac blood from 143 pregnant and post-partum tammar wallabies shot in the wild during reactivation of the diapausing blastocyst, embryonic development, birth and post-partum oestrus. A transient rise in circulating oestradiol on 3 January coincided with or shortly preceded corpus luteum growth and blastocyst expansion; before 5 January mean corpus luteum weight was 14·3± 0·44 mg (n = 65), while thereafter it exceeded 20 mg in two-thirds of the animals. Expanded blastocysts were first noted on 5 January. A second rise in the concentration of oestradiol in plasma, which occurred in late January, preceded parturition and coincided with follicular maturation; the mean (± s.e.m.) oestradiol concentration before 17 January was 27·9 ±1·10 pmol/l (n = 110), whereas on or after this date it was 57·3 ± 4·15 pmol/l (n = 33). Thus oestradiol levels in peripheral plasma increased at parturition and post-partum oestrus, and showed a rise early in gestation which may be related to the termination of diapause.


1967 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benno Runnebaum ◽  
Josef Zander

ABSTRACT Progesterone was determined and identified in human peripheral blood during the preovulatory period of the menstrual cycle, by combined isotope derivative and recrystallization analysis. The mean concentration of progesterone in 1.095 ml of plasma obtained 9 days before ovulation was 0.084 μg/100 ml. However, the mean concentration of progesterone in 1.122 ml of plasma obtained 4 days before ovulation was 0.279 μg/100 ml. These data demonstrate a source of progesterone secretion other than the corpus luteum. The higher plasma-progesterone concentration 4 days before ovulation may indicate progesterone secretion of the ripening Graafian follicle of the ovary.


1998 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Dinç ◽  
F. Esen ◽  
A. Demirci ◽  
A. Sari ◽  
H. Resit Gümele

Purpose: Our purpose was to clarify and further characterize the changes in height, length, width, volume, and shape in the normal pituitary gland and in width in the infundibulum during pregnancy and the first 6 months post partum. Material and Methods: Cranial MR imaging was performed in 78 women who were pregnant in the second or third trimester or who were post partum, and in 18 age-matched control subjects who were not pregnant. Volume measurements were performed in 2 ways; volume 1=1/2xheightxlengthxwidth; and volume 2=area (measured by trackball)xslice thickness Results: Gland volume, height, width, length, and convexity, and infundibular width increased during pregnancy. the highest values were seen during the 3 days immediately post partum. When compared with volunteers, volumes 1 and 2 showed the largest increase (120%) among the parameters. Gland height showed the best correlation (r=0.94, p>0.00001) with gestational age. the mean height of the gland was 8.76 mm in the third trimester. None of the pregnant women had a gland height of above 10 mm during pregnancy. Only 2 subjects had gland heights of 10.04 and 10.2 mm during the 0–3 days post partum. After this first post-partum period of 3 days, the gland size, shape, and volume and the infundibular width returned to normal within 6 months Conclusion: the pituitary gland enlarges in three dimensions throughout pregnancy. During pregnancy, the volume of the gland shows the highest percentage of increase compared to its length, height, and width. the maximum height of the gland does not exceed 10 mm during pregnancy but it may exceed 10 mm during the 3 days immediately post partum.


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