Abstract
This study was designed to investigate the effect of oversized follicles on the behaviour and hormonal concentrations in female dromedaries. The estrous pattern of 26 dromedaries with oversized follicles was recorded during the breeding season. Thirty-three ovarian pairs with preovulatory and oversized follicles were recovered and sectioned from slaughtered adult camels (n=33). Blood (10 ml) was collected from all females and follicular fluid from slaughtered females for estimation of reproductive hormones and nitric oxide (NO). Oversized follicles lead to infertility problems in dromedaries such as repeat breeding, nymphomania and anestrous. Serum progesterone (P-4) concentrations in repeat breeders with thin-wall oversized follicles (RB thin, n=10; 1411.50 +/- 93.39 pg/ml) and nymphomaniac with thin-wall oversized follicles (Nympho thin, n=8; 1710.00 +/- 107.74 pg/ml) were significantly (P<0.05) lower than that in anestrous animals with thick-wall oversized follicles (Anest thick, n=4; 2532.50 +/- 107.74 pg/ml). Serum estradiol (E-2) concentration was significantly (P<0.05) higher in Nympho thin (0.97 +/- 0.31 pg/ml) than Anest thick (0.30 +/- 0.08 pg/ml) camels. In Nympho-thin camels, serum testosterone (T; 39.75 +/- 4.85 pg/ml) and prostaglandin F-2 alpha (PGF(2 alpha); 173.93 +/- 9.75 pg/ml) concentrations were significantly (P<0.05) higher than both T concentration (17.20 +/- 3.63 pg/ml) in RB thin and PG F-2 alpha concentration (77.65 +/- 7.90 pg/ml) in RB thick camels (n=4). Serum NO concentrations in RB thin (2.49 +/- 0.03 mu M) camels were significantly (P<0.05) higher than that in both RB thick and Anest thick camels. The oversized follicles lead to infertility problems in dromedaries, accompanied by changes in serum and follicular fluid reproductive hormones and NO concentrations.