Immunoglobulin G concentration in colostrum and prolactin plasma levels in response to induced parturition in goats

Abstract

The effect of induction of parturition on IgG concentration in colostrum and plasma, and on prolactin plasma levels was studied in sixteen pregnant Majorera goats. Treatment goats (TG), i.e. those with induced parturition, had higher prolactin values than control goats (CG) (p<0.05) at 24 hours prior to parturition (6.6 and 51.1 ng/ml, CG and TG respectively) and at 48 hours after parturition (37.8 and 64.4 ng/ml, CG and TG respectively), while CG had higher prolactin values (p<0.05) than TG at 96 hours after parturition (53.7 and 20.9 ng/ml, CG and TG respectively). The plasma IgG concentration at parturition did not differ between groups (20.4 and 20.9 mg/ml in CG and TG, respectively). Colostrum IgG concentration in CG was higher (p<0.05) than in TG (140.7 and 89.6 mg/ml, respectively).