Concentrations of progesterone during storage of whole blood from llama (Lama glama): effects of anticoagulants, storage time and temperature.

Reproductive studies usually utilizes measurement of progesterone in various fluids such as plasma, serum or milk. It has been shown that progesterone concentrations in bovine whole blood decrease proportionally to: i) the time elapsed between the collection of the sample and the separation of plasma or serum from the erythrocytes and ii) the temperature of storage during this period 1988, 1991). The addition of anticoagulants cause a more rapid decline in progesterone concentrations 1982). In equine, porcine and canine blood samples storage time and temperature has a negligible effect on progesterone concentrations 1982; 1982). (1991) working with llama and alpaca whole blood, treated with EDTA as anticoagulant, reported a slight progesterone metabolization in alpaca plasma, but not in llama plasma.