The Use of cowside milk progesterone assay as an effective management tool

Abstract

Progesterone is a hormone that is produced by the corpus luteum during its functional period in the estrus cycle of the cow. Progesterone is produced by the functional corpus luetum during pregnancy. It can also be produced by a luteal cyst. Progesterone circulates in the blood and can be found in the milk in measurable quantities. The level of progesterone in a milk sample indicates the presence or absence of progesterone producing structures on the ovaries. Determination of ovarian structures at a specific time provides valuable information about the stage of estrus, pregnancy status, and ovarian health, as this article will discuss in detail. A cowside milk progesterone assay can be used to rapidly and economically determine the approximate level of progesterone in a sample of milk, which yields valuable information about the reproductive status of the cow.