ETIOLOGY AND ENDOCRINOLOGY OF PSEUDOPREGNANCY IN THE GOAT

Pseudopregnancy in goats occurs when the corpus luteum (CL) persists i n the absence of a viable conceptus. In this study, effects of active immunization against PGF(2 alpha) (prostaglandin F-2 alpha) on the occ urence of pseudopregnancy were investigated. Does were either immunize d against PGF(2 alpha)-ovalbumin (I-group; n=11), ovalbumin (CI-group, n=4) or remained untreated (C-group; n=8). Persistence of luteal func tion occurred in 7 animals of the I-group and one goat from the CI-gro up. Accumulation of fluid in the uterus of pseudopregnant goats was fi rst detected between days 29 and 38 of the luteal phase. Immunization against PGF(2 alpha) therefore can induce persistence of the CL and le ads to accumulation of fluid in the uterus. The lifespan of the persis tent CL is slightly longer than the duration of a normal pregnancy.