Endocrine profiles and egg quality in the superovulated cow.

Plasma progesterone- and LH concentrations were studied in lactating dairy cows around the superovulatory heat. The pattern of both hormones accurately reflected the donor animals' endocrine balance and could be used to evaluate and predict the subsequent potentials or quality of a given animal as embryo- and oocyte donor. It was the general impression that both PMSG- and FSH treatment caused endocrine changes in progesterone- and LH patterns that would account for improper oocyte- and embryo development.