A STUDY ON CHANGES IN OVARIAN LUTEAL TISSUE AND UTERINE HAEMODYNAMICS DURING OESTROUS CYCLE IN DAIRY COWS

The objective of present study was to analyze the changes in ovarian luteal tissue and uterine haemodynamics during oestrous cycle in dairy cows. Luteal tissue and uterine perfusion were investigated by performing the trans-rectal Doppler ultrasonography of both the middle uterine arteries in Jersey crossbred cows (N=10) during one oestrous cycle. The diameter and percent vascularity of corpus luteum (CL) during different luteal phases were studied to envisage the luteal tissue changes. Pulsatility and resistivity indices, time averaged mean and maximum velocity, diameter of the artery, volume of blood flow were measured to study the uterine perfusion. CL diameter and vascularity were significantly higher (p<0.01) during mid luteal phase as compared to those in early and late luteal phases. A significant difference (p<0.01) between the recorded haemodynamic indices i.e. pulsatility index (PI), resistivity index (RI), velocity and volume of blood flow along with the diameter of middle uterine artery (MUA), ipsilateral and contralateral to pre-ovulatory follicle were recorded on the day of oestrus and day 10 of oestrous cycle, however, this difference was found to be non-significant (p>0.05) with the progression of oestrous cycle into luteal phase. Therefore, the Doppler sonography provided an insight into haemodynamic alterations occurring in luteal tissue and uterus during different phases of oestrous cycle.