Relationship between the leptin, progesterone, body weight, and onset of puberty in ewe lambs

Abstract

The current study aimed to determine the relationship between serum level of leptin, progesterone hormones, bodyweight with the onset of puberty in the ewe lambs. Eight healthy weaned local breeds of ewe lambs at the age of 90 days were introduced in the study. Body weights were recorded, blood samples serum was collected and stored at-20°C until hormonal assays. Ovaries and ovarian follicles were checked by ultrasound to measure follicular diameter until estrus was detected every two weeks. The result showed that the earliest estrus behaviour was noticed at age 202. Significantly increased body weight was recorded during the trial times at P<0.05. Moreover, serum leptin levels elevated significantly coinciding with puberty at P<0.05. Also, progesterone level was elevated significantly as the age of puberty at P<0.05. In addition to that, the follicular diameter recorded a significant increase from day 160 till the end of the trial. Studying the correlation among leptin, progesterone, and follicle diameter revealed a direct correlation with the age of puberty and total weight body at prepuberty days. In addition, a close positive direct correlation was observed between the progesterone hormone level and the follicle diameter with the level of the leptin hormone as progressing age of puberty, and the increase in the diameter of the follicle with a rise in the level of serum progesterone hormone. The study concludes that puberty in ewe lambs was found a strong positive correlation among the studied parameters with a time of puberty of sexually mature lambs.