REDUCTION OF THE VOLUNTARY WAITING PERIOD BY USE OF HORMONAL PROTOCOLS AND FIXED-TIME ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION (FTAI) IN DAIRY COWS (original) (raw)
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This research was designed to study the effectiveness of applying three Timed Artificial Insemination (TAI) protocols on reproductive performance of Holstein Friesian lactating dairy cows. A group of 173 cows received an injection of GnRH on day 44 postpartum (pp) and PGF 2α 7 d later, and then assigned into three treatments: (1) CO-72 (n = 65), received GnRH injection and TAI on day 54 pp; (2) MOVS (n = 42), received GnRH injection at 56 h after PGF 2α followed by TAI 16 h later; (3) OVS-CO (n = 66), received two GnRH injections on day 54 and 61 followed by PGF 2α injection on day 68 before another GnRH injection with TAI on day 71 pp. Pregnancy rates to first AI for cows in both MOVS and OVS-CO treatments tended to be greater (P < 0.1) than those for cows in the CO-72 treatment while the overall pregnancy rates for cows in the MOVS treatment tended to be greater (P < 0.1) than those for cows in the other two treatments. Pregnancy losses for cows in the OVS-CO treatment were ...
Journal of dairy science, 2012
The objective was to determine the effect of 2 presynchronization treatments on first-service pregnancy per artificial insemination (P/AI) in 4 dairy herds during warm and cool seasons of the year. Cows with ear tags ending with even digits at calving were enrolled in Presynch-10 (Presynch-10): two 25-mg injections of PGF2α (i.e., PG-1 and PG-2) 14 d apart. Cows with ear tags ending with odd digits were enrolled in PG-3-G: one 25-mg injection of PG (Pre-PG) 3 d before injection of 100μg of GnRH (Pre-GnRH), with the Pre-PG injection administered at the same time as PG-2 in the Presynch-10 treatment. Ten days after PG-2 or Pre-PG, all cows were enrolled in a timed AI protocol (Ovsynch-56; injection of GnRH 7 d before GnRH-1 and 56 h after GnRH-2 PG with AI 16 to 18 h after GnRH-2). Median days in milk (DIM) at scheduled timed AI were 75 d, which did not differ among herds. Cows detected in estrus before the scheduled timed AI were inseminated early (early bred, EB). Pregnancy was diag...
Journal of Dairy Science, 2015
With the objective to optimize fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI) protocols based on estradiol benzoate (EB) and progesterone (P4), we performed 2 experiments (Exp.) in dairy cows. In Exp. 1 (n = 44), we hypothesized that increased EB (EB3 = 3 mg vs. EB2 = 2 mg) on d 0 would improve synchronization of ovarian follicle wave emergence. Likewise, in Exp. 2 (n = 82), we hypothesized that a GnRH treatment on d −3 (early in a follicular wave on d 0) versus d −7 (presence of a dominant follicle on d 0) would better synchronize wave emergence. Moreover, results from both experiments were combined to identify reasons for the lack of synchronization. All cows were treated with EB at the time of introduction of a P4 implant (d 0). On d 7, cows were given 25 mg of prostaglandin F 2α ; on d 8, the implant was removed and cows were given 1 mg of estradiol cypionate. All cows received FTAI on d 10. In both experiments, daily ultrasound evaluations were performed and, in Exp. 2, circulating P4 was evaluated during the protocol. Pregnancy per artificial insemination (P/AI) was determined on d 31 and 59 after FTAI. In Exp. 1, EB dose did not change time to wave emergence, but EB3 compared with EB2 decreased the percentage of cows with a corpus luteum on d 7 (19.8 vs. 55.3%) and time to ovulation (10.4 vs. 10.9 d). In Exp. 2, although we detected a tendency for delayed follicle wave emergence after the start of the FTAI protocol in cows ovulating to GnRH given on d −7, there was no difference in percentage of cows with a synchronized wave emergence (~80%). Regardless of treatment, more cows with P4 <0.1 ng/mL, compared with P4 ≥0.1 and <0.22 ng/mL at the time of AI, ovulated to the protocol (81.2 vs. 58.0%) and had increased P/AI (47.4 vs. 21.4%). An analysis of data from both experiments showed that only 73.8% (93/126) of cows had synchronized wave emergence, and only 77.8% (98/126) of cows ovulated at the end of the protocol. Fertility was much greater in cows that had emergence of a new wave synchronized and ovulated to end of the protocol [P/AI 61.3% (46/75)] compared with cows that failed to present one or both of the outcomes above [15.7% (8/51)]. Thus, although current FTAI protocols using EB and P4 produce P/ AI between 30 and 40% for lactating dairy cows, there remains room for improvement because less than 60% (75/126) of the cows were correctly synchronized. Starting the FTAI protocol without the dominant follicle or increasing the dose of EB to 3 mg was not effective in increasing synchronization rate.
JDS Communications
This study evaluated 3 strategies to initiate an estradiol/progesterone-based timed-artificial insemination protocol: (1) estradiol benzoate (EB) only on d 0, (2) EB plus GnRH on d 0, and (3) EB on d 0 and GnRH on d 2. Compared with the negative control group (EB only on d 0), adding GnRH on d 2 increased overall fertility, and particularly benefited the following groups of cows: multiparous cows, cows with higher milk production, and cows receiving the first postpartum service. Highlights • GnRH on d 2 of timed AI (TAI) protocols initiated with estradiol benzoate increases fertility. • Only estradiol benzoate on d 0 of TAI protocols decreases fertility of dairy cows. • GnRH on d 2 of TAI protocol increased pregnancy per AI of multiparous and higher-producing cows.
Theriogenology, 2012
The objectives were to determine the effects of one or three timed artificial insemination (AI) before natural service (NS) in lactating dairy cows not observed for detection of estrus on hazard of pregnancy, days nonpregnant, and 21-days cycle pregnancy rate. A total of 1050 lactating Holstein cows were subjected to a double Ovsynch program for their first postpartum AI. On the day of first AI (78 Ϯ 3 days in milk), cows were blocked by parity and randomly assigned to receive either one timed AI (1TAI, n ϭ 533) or three timed AI (3TAI, n ϭ 517) before being exposed to NS. Cows assigned to 1TAI were exposed to bulls 7 days after the first AI. Nonpregnant cows in 3TAI were resynchronized with the Ovsynch protocol supplemented with progesterone twice, with intervals between AI of 42 days, before being exposed to NS 7 days after the third AI. Cows were evaluated for pregnancy 32 days after each timed AI, or every 28 days after being exposed to NS. Pregnant cows were re-examined for pregnancy 28 days later (i.e., 60-day gestation). Exposure to heat stress was categorized based on the first AI being performed during the hot or cool season, according to the temperature-humidity index. Body condition was scored at first AI. All cows were allowed a period of 231 days of breeding, after which nonpregnant cows were censored. Pregnancy to the first AI did not differ between 1TAI and 3TAI on Day 60 after insemination (30.8 vs. 33.5%). Cows receiving 3TAI had a 15% greater hazard of pregnancy and a 17% greater 21-days cycle pregnancy rate than 1TAI and these benefits originated from the first 84 days of breeding. These changes in rate of pregnancy reduced the median and mean days nonpregnant by 9 and 10 d, respectively. Despite the long inter-AI interval in cows subjected to 3TAI, reproductive performance was improved compared with a single timed AI and subsequent exposure to NS. In dairy herds that use a combination of AI and NS, allowing cows additional opportunities to AI before onset of breeding with bulls is expected to improve reproductive performance.
Journal of Dairy Science, 2009
The objectives were to evaluate the effect of supplemental progesterone during a timed artificial insemination (TAI) protocol on pregnancy per insemination and pregnancy loss. Lactating dairy cows from 2 dairy herds were presynchronized with 2 injections of PGF 2α 14 d apart, and cows observed in estrus following the second PGF 2α injection were inseminated (n = 1,301). Cows not inseminated by 11 d after the end of the presynchronization were submitted to the TAI protocol (d 0 GnRH, d 7 PGF 2α , d 8 estradiol cypionate, and d 10 TAI). On the day of the GnRH of the TAI protocol (study d 0), cows were assigned randomly to receive no exogenous progesterone (control = 432), one controlled internal drug-release (CIDR) insert (CIDR1 = 440), or 2 CIDR inserts (CIDR2 = 440) containing 1.38 g of progesterone each from study d 0 to 7. Blood was sampled on study d 0 before insertion of CIDR for determination of progesterone concentration in plasma, and cows with concentration <1.0 ng/mL were classified as low progesterone (LP) and those with concentration ≥1.0 ng/ mL were classified as high progesterone (HP). From a subgroup of 240 cows, blood was sampled on study d 3, 7, 17 and 24 and ovaries were examined by ultrasonography on study d 0 and 7. Pregnancy was diagnosed at 38 ± 3 and 66 ± 3 d after AI. Data were analyzed including only cows randomly assigned to treatments and excluding cows that were inseminated after the second PGF 2α injection. The proportion of cows classified as HP at the beginning of the TAI protocol was similar among treatments, but differed between herds. Concentrations of progesterone in plasma during the TAI protocol increased linearly with number of CIDR used, and the increment was 0.9 ng/mL per CIDR. The proportion of cows with plasma progesterone ≥1.0 ng/ mL on study d 17 was not affected by treatment, but a greater proportion of control than CIDR-treated cows had asynchronous estrous cycles following the TAI protocol. Treatment with CIDR inserts, however, did not affect pregnancy at 38 ± 3 and 66 ± 3 d after AI or pregnancy loss.
Journal of Animal Science, 2008
We determined whether an ovulatory estrus could be resynchronized in previously synchronized, AI nonpregnant cows without compromising pregnancy from the previous synchronized ovulation or to those inseminated at the resynchronized estrus. Ovulation was synchronized in 937 suckled beef cows at 6 locations using a CO-Synch + progesterone insert (controlled internal drug release; CIDR) protocol [a 100-µg injection of GnRH at the time of progesterone insert, followed in 7 d by a 25-mg injection of PGF 2α at insert removal; at 60 h after PGF 2α , cows received a fixed-time AI (TAI) plus a second injection of GnRH]. After initial TAI, the cows were assigned randomly to 1 of 4 treatments: 1) untreated (control; n = 237); 2) progesterone insert at 5 d after TAI and removed 14 d after TAI (CIDR5-14; n = 234); 3) progesterone insert placed at 14 d after TAI and removed 21 d after TAI (CIDR14-21; n = 232); or 4) progesterone insert at 5 d after TAI and removed 14 d after TAI and then a new CIDR inserted at 14 d and removed 21 d after TAI (CIDR5-21; n = 234). After TAI, cows were observed twice daily until 25 d after TAI for estrus and insemi-nated according to the AM-PM rule. Pregnancy was determined at 30 and 60 d after TAI to determine conception to the first and second AI. Pregnancy rates to TAI were similar for control (55%), CIDR5-14 (53%), CIDR14-21 (48%), and CIDR5-21 (53%). A greater (P < 0.05) proportion of nonpregnant cows was detected in estrus in the CIDR5-21 (76/110, 69%) and CIDR14-21 (77/120, 64%) treatments than in controls (44/106, 42%) and CIDR5-14 (39/109, 36%) cows. Although overall pregnancy rates after second AI service were similar, combined conception rates of treatments without a CIDR from d 14 to 21 [68.7% (57/83); control and CIDR5-14 treatments] were greater (P = 0.03) than those with a CIDR during that same interval [53.5% (82/153); CIDR5-21 and CIDR14-21 treatments]. We conclude that placement of a progesterone insert 5 d after a TAI did not compromise or enhance pregnancy rates to TAI; however, conception rates of nonpregnant cows inseminated after a detected estrus were compromised when resynchronized with a CIDR from d 5 or 14 until 21 d after TAI.
Journal of Dairy Science, 2004
To compare 2 hormonal protocols for submission of lactating dairy cows for timed artificial insemination (TAI), nonpregnant lactating Holstein cows (n = 269) >60 d in milk were randomly assigned to each of 2 treatments to receive TAI (TAI = d 0). Cows assigned to the first treatment (Ovsynch, n = 134) received 50 μg of GnRH (d −10), 25 mg of PGF 2α (d −3), and 50 μg of GnRH (d −1) beginning at a random stage of the estrous cycle. Cows assigned to the second treatment (Presynch, n = 135) received Ovsynch but with the addition of 2 PGF 2α (25 mg) injections administered 14 d apart beginning 28 d (d −38 and −24) before initiation of Ovsynch. All cows received TAI 16 to 18 h after the second GnRH injection. Ovulatory response after each GnRH injection for a subset of cows (n = 109) and pregnancy status 42 d after TAI for all cows were assessed using transrectal ultrasonography. Based on serum progesterone (P 4) profiles determined for a subset of cows (n = 109), P 4 concentrations decreased for Presynch cows after the first 2 PGF 2α injections, and Presynch cows had greater P 4 concentrations at the PGF 2α injection on d −3 compared with Ovsynch cows. Although the proportion of cows ovulating after the first and second GnRH injections did not differ statistically between treatments (41.1 and 69.6% vs. 35.9 and 81.1% for Ovsynch vs. Presynch, respectively), pregnancy rate per artificial insemination (PR/AI) at 42 d post TAI was greater for Presynch than for Ovsynch cows (49.6 vs. 37.3%). Parity, DIM, and body condition score (BCS) at TAI did not affect PR/AI to TAI. These data support use of this presynchronization protocol to increase PR/ AI of lactating dairy cows receiving TAI compared with Ovsynch.
Journal of dairy science, 2011
The objective was to test potential presynchronization programs applied to cows before a timed artificial insemination (TAI) program to increase the percentage of cows ovulating in response to both GnRH injections of a TAI program and having a functional corpus luteum before the first GnRH injection of the TAI program. At calving, cows were blocked by lactation (1 vs. 2+) and assigned randomly to receive 1 of 5 presynchronization treatments. Two variants of the standard Presynch program were tested in which 2 injections of PGF2α were administered 14 d apart with either 14 d (Pre14; n=122), 12 d (Pre12; n=123), or 10 d (Pre10; n=151) intervening before a TAI program was initiated. Two other presynchronization programs consisted of administering a progesterone-releasing controlled internal drug release (CIDR) insert for 7 d plus PGF2α administration at insert removal. Insert removal occurred either 10 d (CIDR10; n=157) or 3 d (CIDR3; n=117) before a TAI program was initiated. The TAI ...
Journal of Dairy Science, 2007
Timed artificial insemination (TAI) protocols use PGF 2α and GnRH injections to synchronize ovulation. The objective was to evaluate the PGPG protocol (d 0, PGF 2α ; d 3, GnRH; d 11, PGF 2α ; d 13, GnRH and TAI) for first TAI and also examine methods for second TAI in nonpregnant cows. A factorial test of the first PGF 2α and first GnRH injections within the PGPG protocol was performed (the last PGF 2α and GnRH injections were deemed essential to the TAI). Lactating dairy cows (n = 804) in a commercial herd were assigned to 1 of 5 first-TAI treatments, which were PGPG, GPG (d 0, no treatment; d 3, GnRH; d 11, PGF 2α ; d 13, GnRH and TAI), PPG (d 0, PGF 2α ; d 3, no treatment; d 11, PGF 2α ; d 13, GnRH and TAI), and PG (d 0, no treatment; d 3, no treatment; d 11, PGF 2α ; d 13, GnRH and TAI); the Ovsynch protocol (GnRH, 7 d, PGF 2α , 2 d, GnRH and TAI) was the positive control. For resynchronization, cows received either GnRH or the control (no injection) on d 22 after TAI. Nonpregnant cows on d 28 were then treated with PGF 2α on d 29, GnRH on d 31, and TAI [i.e., resynchronization treatments of ReGPG (received GnRH on d 22) and RePG (did not receive GnRH on d 22)]. Pregnancy rates for PGPG, GPG, PPG, PG, and Ovsynch were similar at d 28 after first TAI. Analyses of multiple explanatory factors by logistic regression detected an effect of uterine or ovarian abnormality on the d-28 pregnancy rate (normal more likely to be pregnant). Day-42 pregnancy rates were affected by uterine or ovarian abnormality (normal more likely to be pregnant), postpartum disease occurrence (healthy cows more likely to be pregnant), milk production, and days in milk. Treatment was not significant for the d-42 pregnancy rate. Effects of postpartum disease, milk production, and days in milk on the d-42 pregnancy rate were apparently manifested through their effects on embryonic loss be