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Effects of Oestrogenic Silage on Some Clinical and Endocrinological Parameters in Ovariectomized Heifers

Kliniska och endokrinologiska forandringar hos ova-riectomerade kvigor som utfodrats med ostrogent ensilage

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica volume 35, pages 173–183 (1994)Cite this article

Abstract

The influence of phytoestrogens was studied in 3 ovariectomized Swedish Friesian heifers fed 20 kg of 100% red clover silage per heifer/day for 14 days. Behaviour, reproductive organs and pituitary response to exogenous gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) injections were monitored. Clinical effects like oedema and mucous discharge in the vulva, presence of milky fluid in the mammae and increases in teat size and the cross-sectional distance of the uterus were observed in heifers fed red clover silage. Fluid accumulation in the uterus, visualized by means of ultrasonography, had still not disappeared 30 days after the red clover silage had been completely withdrawn. Red clover silage appeared to reduce the magnitude and duration of the pituitary response to GnRH injections.

Sammanfattning

Inverkan av vaxtostrogener studerades på 3 ovarie-ektomerade kvigor, svensk låglandsboskap (SLB), som vardera utfodrades med 20 kg 100 procentigt rodkloverensilage per dag i totalt 14 dagar. Forandring i beteende, reproduktionsorgan och hypofysens respons på exogent gondadotropinfrisattande hormon (GnRH) undersoktes. Kliniska effekter som odem och forandring av mucus i vulva, mjolkse-kretion samt okning i spenstorlek och uterusstorlek observerades under rodkloverensilageutfodring. Ackumulering av vatska i uterus påvisades med ultraljudsteknik. Denna vatskeansamling var bestående aven 30 dagar efter avslutad rodklover-utfodring Rodkloverensilage tycks reducera magnituden och varaktigheten på hypofys-responsen av GnRH.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by a grant from the Swedish Council for Forestry and Agricultural Research. Financial support for A.I. Nwannenna from the Swedish International Programme on Animal Reproduction is gratefully acknowledged. Hormone analyses were carried out at the Department of Clinical Chemistry. We are also grateful to Ms Catharina Falkenberg for efficient assistance in all aspects of this work and to Ms Mari-Anne Carlsson for skillful technical help. The authors wish to thank Professor Göran Åström for fruitful discussion and criticism. Ahmadu Ballo University, Nigeria is acknowledged for granting A.I.N. study leave.(Received December 6, 1993; accepted March 7, 1994).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden

    A. I. Nwannenna, A. Madej & G. Fredriksson

  2. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7045, S-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden

    A. Madej

  3. Animal Nutrition and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden

    T.J-O. Lundh & G. Fredriksson

  4. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Surgery and Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria

    A. I. Nwannenna

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  1. A. I. Nwannenna
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  3. T.J-O. Lundh
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  4. G. Fredriksson
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Nwannenna, A.I., Madej, A., Lundh, TO. et al. Effects of Oestrogenic Silage on Some Clinical and Endocrinological Parameters in Ovariectomized Heifers. Acta Vet Scand 35, 173–183 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03548345

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Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

ISSN: 1751-0147