Vol. 12, Issue 3 (2023)

Author(s):
Suganya G and Leela V

Abstract:
Emus (Dromaius novaehollandiae) are the second largest bird in the world after the ostrich. They are monogamous and seasonal breeders. They are bred for their meat, leather and oil. Its reproductive cycle and the endocrine physiology that regulates its reproductive pattern are necessary for understanding and controlling the breeding activity of the domesticated emus. There are no known literatures that have reported the hormonal pattern of the emus during the breeding season. Hence, an attempt was made to study the concentrations of thyroid hormone and prolactin of the emus during the pre-breeding, breeding and post breeding seasons. Blood samples were collected from thirty apparently healthy emus (15 male and 15 female) of 5 to 6 years of age during the pre-breeding, breeding and post breeding seasons. Plasma was separated by centrifugation and stored in aliquots at - 20 °C till further analysis. Hormones such as tri-iodothyronine and prolactin were analysed using the commercially available kits. The data was subjected to statistical analysis by one way Anova. The results indicated a significantly higher (P < 0.01) tri-iodothyronine and prolactin levels during the post-breeding season. This study will be useful in understanding the physiology of reproductive functions in the emus.