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By utilizing estrogen and progesterone, it appeared possible to mimic the changes occurring in blood hormone levels near puberty. This suggested the possibility of induction of puberty in beef heifers. Four trials were conducted to test this hypothesis and a fifth to explore the effect of treatment with steroids in induction of estrus in suckling anestrous cows.Trial 1.At the Eastern Colorado Range Station, 45 Hereford, Angus-Hereford and Charolais-Hereford heifers were divided within breed into a control group (C), Group I which received on day 1 a single IM injection of 5 mg of estradiol valerate (EV) plus 3 mg of 17α-acetoxy 11 beta-methyl 19 nor-preg-4ene 3, 20 dione (norgestomet), and a 6 mg ear implant of norgestomet which was removed 9 days later, and group P which received 5 mg of estradiol valerate, IM on day 6, daily IM injections of 20 mg of progesterone from day 6 to day 10 and 2 mg of estradiol-17ß on day 12. By 4 days after implant removal, estrus was detected in 0,94 and 93% for groups C, I and P, respectively.

Eight half-sib prepuberal Angus heifers were randomly divided into treatments E, P, or PE. Treatment E (two heifers) was 2 mg of estradiol 17ß injected IM on day 0. The two heifers in treatment P received 20 mg of progesterone IM on day —2. The four heifers in treatment PE were given 20 mg of progesterone on day —2 and 2 mg of estradiol-17ß on day 0. Blood samples were collected from day —9 to day 13 at 6-hr intervals. Samples were collected at 20-min intervals for 4 hr on days —7 and 0 and at 15-min intervals for 2 1/2 hr on day —2. Serum concentrations of LH and FSH were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA) in all samples collected from day —9 to 6, and progesterone was analyzed by RIA in daily pools of sera for several days prior to day 0 and on day 8, 9, 12 and 13. Injection of progesterone alone in two heifers did not induce behavioral estrus, nor did it have a marked effect on the levels of the hormones studied. Only one of the six heifers receiving E or PE treatments showed standing estrus. Estradiol injections in the E and PE treatments induced LH peaks from 11 to 99 ng/ml that were detected between 12 to 18 hr after the injection. There were no distinct peaks of FSH associated with the LH peaks.Three out of the four heifers in treatment PE developed normal CL as diagnosed by rectal palpation, serum progesterone concentration on days 8 to 13 and return to estrus on days 19 to 21. The two heifers receiving estradiol without progesterone priming did not develop CL and were not observed in heat within 30 days after the treatment.

A general phytochemical investigation was conducted on Amphipterygium adstringens, Schlecht. Numerous qualitative studies were conducted and several conventional techniques were employed in the detection, isolation, purification, and chemical characterization of constituents. Qualitative chemical tests showed the presence of phytosterols, glycosides, and tannins, and the absence of alkaloids and phloro-glucides. An organic acid and a steroidal saponin were isolated from the diethyl ether and n-butanol extracts, respectively. The p-nitrobenzyl and p-phenylphenacyl derivatives of the carboxylic acid were prepared. The neutralization equivalent and infrared spectrum of the isolated acid were established. Chromatographic and infrared studies of the saponin have been reported.