Seasonal variations in serum pregnancy associated glycoproteins during early pregnancy in Aardi goats in central Saudi Arabia

• Main Authors: Mohamed J Al-Hassan, Kamal A Al-Samawi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2017-01-01
• Series: Asian Pacific Journal of Reproduction
• Subjects: Ovsynch; PAG; Early pregnancy diagnosis; Summer; Winter; Aardi goats
• Online Access: http://www.apjr.net/article.asp?issn=2305-0500;year=2017;volume=6;issue=5;spage=226;epage=230;aulast=Al-Hassan
• ISSN: 2305-0500; 2305-0519

Objective: To accurately detect pregnancy in local Aardi goats of Saudi Arabia before day 30 of pregnancy by using serum caprine pregnancy associated glycoproteins (caPAG) concentrations and to evaluate the effects of heat stress on early pregnancy and on caPAG concentrations in pregnant and non-pregnant goats.Methods: This study was to confirm the reliability of our methods in different seasons of the year. A new protocol to evaluate and improve Aardi goats' reproductive performance was implemented during summer and winter months. A total of 60 healthy mature Aardi goats were used (30 and 30 in the summer and winter, respectively). All were synchronized using an ovsynch protocol and then naturally mated (NM) to mature tested bucks. Conception rates and caPAG were measured and pregnancy was verified by ultrasonography.Results: Regardless of season, however, on day 23 and 35 post-NM, caPAGs were higher in sera of pregnant (P<0.05) than in non-pregnant goats, while there was no difference in caPAG concentrations on day 15. On day 23 and 35 post-NM, serum caPAG concentrations were higher (P<0.001) in the pregnant winter group than in the pregnant summer group, while no differences were found in non-pregnant goats. Measuring serum caPAG concentrations proved to be easy and accurate in assessing early stages of pregnancy (as early as 23 days post-NM) during both summer and winter seasons.Conclusions: It can be concluded that pregnancy rates were not affected by seasonal differences. The modified ovsynch program can be advantageous and worthwhile for its ease of use. When we add the accuracy of caPAG tests, such a program will help in detecting pregnancies in Aardi goats as early as 23 days post-NM, regardless of the season.