Temporal relationship between plasma progesterone and oxytocin profiles in relation to ovarian activity in sheep

Abstract

The relationship between progesterone and oxytocin profiles during the oestrous cycle, early pregnancy, ovarian inactivity and after PGF a injection in sheep, was examined. A parallelism between progesterone and oxytocin levels during the estrous cycle (r = 0.846, P < 0.1) was observed. Early pregnant ewes and those having inactive ovaries had significant low oxytocin levels. Injection of cloprostenol induced peak levels of oxytocin after 2 hr from injection (r = 0.366, P < 0.05).