Changes in the concentrations of urea, glucose and some mineral elements in the plasma of the ewe during induced parturition.

Four Finnish Landrace X Dorset Horn ewes were each given an intramuscular injection of 15 mg of dexamethazone on day 142 of gestation. Four ewes with the same fetal numbers were used as controls. Administration of the corticosteroid reduced the mean gestation length from 146-5 to 143-3 days and had no effect on the pre-lambing concentrations of Na, Cl, Ca P and Mg in the maternal plasma or on blood pH. There was a slight but significant (P less than 0-05) decrease in plasma K before lambing in the treated ewes. Plasma urea and glucose concentrations were not affected by treatment. There was a significant increase in the plasma concentration of glucose in both groups of ewes immediately after parturition.