Progesterone and estradiol profiles in different reproductive stages of captive collared peccary (Pecari tajacu) females assessed by fecal metabolites

- Sex hormone profile determined through fecal hormone metabolites in peccary females.
- In collared peccary females progesterone and estradiol are high during pregnancy.
- In collared peccary females progesterone and estradiol are low during lactation.

The study determined the fecal progesterone and estradiol profiles in different reproductive stages of captive collared peccary (Pecari tajacu) females from eastern Mexico. Fifteen adult females were included. At the start of the study the females were either pregnant (early, mid, or late pregnancy), lactating, or non-lactating of unknown pregnancy status. Feces from each female were collected once a week during nine consecutive months to determine concentrations of fecal progesterone and estradiol metabolites using ELISA. Progesterone was similar in early (2048 ± 285 ng/g), mid (2254 ± 274 ng/g), and late pregnancy (2491 ± 374 ng/g), and in early-pregnant and non-lactating females (1154 ± 274 ng/g). Progesterone in lactating females (442 ± 255 ng/g) was lower than in females at any stage of pregnancy, but was similar to non-lactating females. Overall progesterone in pregnant females (2229 ± 173 ng/g) was higher than in lactating and non-lactating females together (772 ± 189 ng/g). Estradiol was similar in early (66 ± 8 ng/g), mid (83 ± 9 ng/g), late pregnant (109 ± 15 ng/g), and non-lactating females (64 ± 9 ng/g). Estradiol in lactating females (34 ± 8 ng/g) was similar to estradiol in early-pregnant and non-lactating females, but was lower than in females in late and mid pregnancy. Overall estradiol in pregnant females (79 ± 6 ng/g) was similar to non-lactating females, but higher than in lactating females. The progesterone and estradiol profiles of captive collared peccary females at different reproductive stages were determined by assessing concentrations of fecal hormone metabolites.