EXAMINATION OF THE OVARIAN ACTIVITY IN MA RES BY MEANS OF PROGESTERONE PROFILES

By means of clinical and analytical procedures (enzyme immuno assay fo r progesterone with microtiterplate method) the ovarian activity from 27 mares was tested over a period of several weeks. The measurement of the progesterone level to determine the time of ovulation was proved as suitable in the period of 1-2 days after ovulation. In normocyclic mares (n = 17) a different evelopment of the progesterone profile was detected, so that an insufficient development of the corpus luteum (35 %) could be considered. By means of continuous measurement of progest erone (greater-than-or-equal-to 30 days) six of ten mares with aberrat ions in estrous cycle were considered carrying a persistant corpus lut eum. Four of them showed a complete inactivity of the ovaries. The cli nical importance of the determination of progesterone levels as a mean of routine diagnostic in mares with gynaecological problems is discus sed.