Thyroid hormone levels in cow maternal and fetal sera during last trimester of pregnancy.

Thyroid hormone levels were studied in 51 paired pregnant cow and fetal calf serum samples (fetal age 7-9 months). Thyroxine and rT3 levels were substantially higher and those of T3 distinctly lower in calf fetuses as compared to respective mothers. An increase of T3 has been detected in calf sera at the fetal age 8 to 8.5 months. These results suggest some prenatal maturation of thyroxine metabolism in the calf.