Plasma prolactin concentrations during lactation, pouch young development and the return to behavioural oestrus in captive koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus)
K. Ballantyne A D , S. T. Anderson B , A. Mucci C , V. Nicolson C and S. D. Johnston A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A School of Agriculture and Food Science, University of Queensland, Gatton, Qld 4343, Australia.
B School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.
C Dreamworld, Dreamworld Parkway, Coomera, Qld 4209, Australia.
D Corresponding author. Email: kate_068@msn.com
Reproduction, Fertility and Development 28(11) 1838-1843 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD14384
Submitted: 10 October 2014 Accepted: 27 April 2015 Published: 29 May 2015
Abstract
Plasma prolactin (PRL) concentrations in captive koalas during lactation were determined by serial blood sampling. PRL concentrations were low (1.3 ± 0.1 ng mL–1; n = 5) during early lactation until pouch young (PY) began to emerge from the pouch (around Day 130) before significantly (P < 0.05) increasing between Day 161 and Day 175 (5.3 ± 1.0 ng mL–1). A significant (P < 0.001) peak in PRL (7.7 ± 0.6 ng mL–1) coincided with maturing young between Day 189 and Day 231. All females failed to exhibit any signs of oestrous behaviour until Day 268.8 ± 8.5 (n = 4), some 102 ± 19 days before PY were weaned following achieving target weights of 2.5–2.7 kg. Throughout lactation, plasma LH concentrations were relatively high (range 4.9–8.7 ng mL–1) and LH responses to exogenous gonadotrophin-releasing hormone were observed in all koalas at all times during lactation.
Additional keywords: LH, marsupial.
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