Pre- and postpartum blood values and postpartum cell content of vaginal smears of female moose and dairy cows

The postpartum period of female moose (Alces alces) and dairy cows was studied in the Komi Republic where short summers (2.5-3.5 months) and long winters (8.5-9.0 months) prevail. Cholesterol concentrations in blood of pregnant and postpartum female moose serum blood varied between 1.79-2.01 mmol/l. Levels in cow blood increased 1.8 times from pregnancy to postpartum, with a noticeable rise at estrus. Total serum protein of female moose blood before and after calving was 65-67 g/l and in the cows blood 73 g/l and higher. Albumin-globulin ratio of female moose blood decreased before calving and increased up to 1.34 after calving. During 3 postpartum months the cell composition of female moose vaginal smears taken from the most extreme section of the vagina shows the early desquamation of 13.7-22.5% of immature superficial cells. Nuclei without cytoplasm constituted 24.1-58.8% with composition change in the moose rutting period similar to the vaginal smear composition in cows in the period of their estrus activity peak. Serum progesterone level of prepartum moose averaged 1.89+/-0.50 ng/ml as compared to 1.02+/-0.50 ngml after calving.