Title |
Plasma prolactin concentrations during lactation, pouch young development and the return to behavioural oestrus in captive koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus)
|
---|---|
Published in |
Reproduction, Fertility, & Development, May 2015
|
DOI | 10.1071/rd14384 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
K. Ballantyne, S. T. Anderson, A. Mucci, V. Nicolson, S. D. Johnston |
Abstract |
Plasma prolactin (PRL) concentrations in captive koalas during lactation were determined by serial blood sampling. PRL concentrations were low (1.3 ± 0.1 ng mL-1; n = 5) during early lactation until pouch young (PY) began to emerge from the pouch (around Day 130) before significantly (P < 0.05) increasing between Day 161 and Day 175 (5.3 ± 1.0 ng mL-1). A significant (P < 0.001) peak in PRL (7.7 ± 0.6 ng mL-1) coincided with maturing young between Day 189 and Day 231. All females failed to exhibit any signs of oestrous behaviour until Day 268.8 ± 8.5 (n = 4), some 102 ± 19 days before PY were weaned following achieving target weights of 2.5-2.7 kg. Throughout lactation, plasma LH concentrations were relatively high (range 4.9-8.7 ng mL-1) and LH responses to exogenous gonadotrophin-releasing hormone were observed in all koalas at all times during lactation. |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Unknown | 10 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Student > Bachelor | 2 | 20% |
Librarian | 1 | 10% |
Other | 1 | 10% |
Lecturer | 1 | 10% |
Student > Ph. D. Student | 1 | 10% |
Other | 2 | 20% |
Unknown | 2 | 20% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Medicine and Dentistry | 2 | 20% |
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 2 | 20% |
Veterinary Science and Veterinary Medicine | 1 | 10% |
Environmental Science | 1 | 10% |
Unknown | 4 | 40% |