Kai-Xing  Qu, Zhan-Xing  He, Mei-Fen  Huang, An-Kui  Wang, Ji-Cai  Zhang, Gang  Zhao, Xi-Ping  Yuan, Bi-Zhi  Huang, 
    Patterns of Plasma Hormone Concentrations in Mithun Bulls Under a Semi-Management,
    Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances,
    Volume 13,Issue 12,
    2014,
    Pages 732-739,
    ISSN 1680-5593,
    javaa.2014.732.739,
    (https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?doi=javaa.2014.732.739)
    Abstract: The present study was aimed to investigate the patterns of 
  plasma hormones including oestradiol-17&#946; (E<SUB>2</SUB>), Progesterone 
  (P<SUB>4</SUB>), Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Luteinizing Hormone (LH) 
  and Testosterone (T) profiles in Mithun bulls (<I>Bos frontalis</I>) kept together 
  with females under a semi-management. Blood plasmas of 16 Mithun bulls at 1, 
  2, 3, 4 and 8 years were collected by jugular venipuncture, respectively. Plasma 
  E<SUB>2</SUB>, P<SUB>4</SUB>, FSH, LH and T were measured by Radioimmunoassay 
  (RIA). As plasma T levels were increasing with age and reached a peak at 8 years 
  (11.39&plusmn;0.26 ng mL<SUP>-1</SUP>) (p&lt;0.01) with significant positive 
  correlation between plasma T concentration and bull ages (r = 0.933, p&lt;0.01), 
  body weight (r = 0.726, p&lt;0.01). Plasma P<SUB>4</SUB> concentration was gradually 
  decreasing with age and the peak of P<SUB>4</SUB> concentration was observed 
  at 1 year (0.43&plusmn;0.14 ng mL<SUP>-1</SUP>) while it stayed the lowest level 
  at 8 years (0.13&plusmn;0.02 ng mL<SUP>-1</SUP>) (p&lt;0.05). The plasma P<SUB>4</SUB> 
  concentrations had a significant negative relationship with age (r = -0.519, 
  p&lt;0.05), body weight (r = -0.468, p&lt;0.05) in Mithun bulls. Also the plasma 
  E<SUB>2</SUB>, FSH and LH concentrations trended to decrease with age (p&gt;0.05). 
  The plasma FSH concentration had a significant positive correlation with P<SUB>4</SUB> 
  concentration (r = 0.621, p&lt;0.01), similar to a positive correlation between 
  plasma LH and P<SUB>4 </SUB> concentrations (r = 0.259, p&gt;0.05). The negative 
  correlation were found between the concentrations of plasma P<SUB>4</SUB> and 
  E<SUB>2</SUB> (r = -0.126, p&gt;0.05) and between T and P<SUB>4</SUB> levels 
  (r = -0.431, p = 0.057), respectively.
    Keywords: Mithun (Bos frontalis);bull;age;hormone;venipuncture