• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.33 no.3
• /
• pp.525-530
• /
• 1993

Studies were conducted in 13 Korean native heifers to determine the puberty based on plasma progesterone profiles and estrus observations. Blood samples for determination of progesterone profiles were collected from jugular vein twice a week from 8 to 24 months of age, and all heifers werce observed for estrous behaviours twice a day. Heifers attained puberty at 11.3 months of age and 188.5kg body weight as determined by progesterone profiles, whereas the first estrous behaviours were observed at 14.2 months of age and 215.4kg body weight. This result indicates that determination of plasma progesterone profiles could be utilized for monitoring the puberty in Korean native heifers, and one or more ovulations occurred before pubertal heifers showed overt estrous behaviours.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.163-168
• /
• 2005

The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and growth hormone (GH) in serum, the quantitation of spermato-genesis and the comparable relationships among these measurements during pubertal period in New Zealand White male rabbits. To investigate the age-related testicular changes in DNA contents of spermatogenic cells, the fine-needle testicular biopsies from males aged 10 to 28 wks were evaluated by flow cytometry(FCM). Body weight increased significantly between the ages of 12 and 20 wks (P<0.05) and reached 3.4 kg at 28 wks of age. The highest serum IGF-I level (451.3ng/mL) was observed at 20wks of age (P<0.05) and thereafter remained stable at low levels. Serum GH level at 18 wks of age was 183.3 pg/mL which was significantly higher compared to the other ages (P<0.05), and the rising time in serum GH tend to be somewhat earlier than that of IGF-I. The relative percentage of It-cells in testicular cell compartments was $48.2\%$ at the age of 18 wks which significantly increased than those of 16-wk-old (P<0.05) and thereafter increased with the advance of age to $68\%$. The percentage of 2C-cells in testis was $26.8\%$ at 18 wks of age which was significantly lower than $54.3\%$ at 16 wks old (P<0.05). The percentage of 4C-cells was constantly maintained $2\~6\%$ except the $9.9\%$ at 18 wks of age. In conclusion, the results suggest that the puberty onset occurred at about the 18 wks of age and that the IGF-I and GH in serum during the pubertal period showed the age/growth-specific changes and these changes might be related to the spermatogenesis. The DNA FCM combined with fine-needle testicular biopsy could offer a very sensitive method to monitor the quantitative spermatogenic events related to the puberty onset.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.341-347
• /
• 1998

This study was conducted to determine changes in circulating progesterone and Insulin-like Growth Factor-1(IGF-1) concentrations according to daily gain of 0.5 and 0.7 kg ; from 33 weeks of age until the onset of regular oestrus cycles in the heifer of Hanwoo. In all animals, progesterone concentrations was undetectable until just before first oestrus. A small progesterone elevation of approximately 6 days duration(based upon the mean progesterone profile) preceded the first oestrus in 13 heifers. The mean age at first oestrus of the daily gain 0.7 kg(331.0$\pm$ 15.0 days) group was earlier than those of the daily gain 0.5 kg(358.9$\pm$7.9 days) group, and the mean weight at first oestrus of the daily gain 0.7 kg(236.0$\pm$4.7 kg) group was heavier than those of the daily gain 0.5 kg(224.8$\pm$9.7 kg) group. IGF-1 concentrations from day 3 to 15 of first oestrus were higher than those of the earlier luteal stage(Day 0~1) and the luteal regression stage (Day 18~20). IGF-1 concentrations according to the growth stage (from 33 weeks to 57 weeks) increased gradually. On the basis of these results, we suggest that the onset of first oestrus in Hanwoo heifer is about 345 day of age, and progesterone concentrations are closely related to the IGF-1 concentration.