Trop Anim Health Prod (2014) 46:405–410 DOI 10.1007/s11250-013-0504-2
REGULAR ARTICLES
The effects of progesterone treatment following artificial insemination on the reproductive performance of dairy cows Thaisa Campos Marques & Karen Martins Leão & Marco Antônio de Oliveira Viu & Roberto Sartori
Accepted: 5 November 2013 / Published online: 16 November 2013 # Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013
Abstract The objective of this study was to examine the effects of increasing circulating progesterone in multiparous Holstein cows, using an intravaginal progesterone implant between days 3 and 7 following fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI). The animals were randomly assigned into two groups: (1) treatment group and (2) control (no treatment). The experiment took place during periods of high and mild temperatures. Pregnancy rates were evaluated by ultrasound at 30 and 60 days after FTAI; embryonic and fetal mortality rates were also evaluated on these dates. The temperature and humidity index on the day of FTAI were different (P 0.05). Throughout the experimental period, the serum progesterone concentration was higher in the treatment group than in the control (P 0.05), as shown in Table 1. The average rectal temperatures during the hightemperature period on the day of FTAI were 38.76±0.37 °C and 38.91±0.13 °C for the control and treatment groups, respectively; for the mild-temperature period, rectal temperatures were 38.10±0.62 °C and 38.43±0.45 °C for the control and treatment groups, respectively. During both temperature periods, there was no difference in the rates of embryonic and fetal mortality between 30 and 60 days after FTAI between the control and treatment groups (P >0.05). Upon analyzing the data from all experiment periods, there was no significant difference in the conception rate at day 30 among the two groups (P >0.05), as shown in Table 2. During the mild-temperature period and the hightemperature period, there was no difference in serum progesterone concentration on day 3 after FTAI between the two groups (P >0.05). However, the serum progesterone concentration was greater in the treatment group than in the control group on day 7 after FTAI (P 0.05). However, the progesterone concentration in the treated group was greater at day 7 after FTAI in comparison to the control group (P 0.05), and those with uppercase letters in the same column are not significantly different between the groups (P >0.05)
a greater effect on reproductive success than the THI at 10, 20, and 30 days after insemination. According to the revised THI table for lactating dairy cows proposed by Smith et al. (2012), the average THI of our study was 71, which indicates the threshold of stress, characterized by a heart rate above 60, a rectal temperature above 38.5 °C, a reduction in lactation, and reproductive problems. Pandey et al. (2012) found no difference in the conception rates of buffaloes treated with 3 mg of the progestin norgestomet from days 4 to 10 after artificial insemination relative to a control group (P >0.05). Likewise, Arndt et al. (2009) observed no difference in the conception rate, embryonic loss rate, or serum progesterone concentration in lactating dairy cows that received an implant containing 1.38 g of progesterone from days 4 to 18 following artificial insemination. However, the use of an implant containing 1.9 g of progesterone in Holstein cows from days 5 to 19 after artificial insemination promoted a higher conception rate in comparison with the control group (56 % vs. 25 %). The implant probably prevented embryo losses by significantly increasing serum progesterone (Mehni et al. 2012). Villarroel et al. (2004) observed a trend towards lower embryonic and fetal mortality rates (P =0.077) in repeat-breeder cows that were treated with an intravaginal implant containing 1.55 g of progesterone from days 5 to 19 after artificial insemination in comparison with a control group. Progesterone is essential for the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy and is responsible for regulating endometrial gene expression in ruminants (Forde et al. 2009).
Studies show a correlation between progesterone concentrations in early pregnancy and embryo survival (Mann and Lamming 2001). The increased serum progesterone concentration in treated cows relative to untreated (control) cows in this study (Table 3) are supported by Carter et al. (2010), who used intravaginal implants containing 1.55 g of progesterone to supplement the concentration of this hormone. They observed a fourfold increase in the serum progesterone concentration of Simmental heifers that were treated from day 3 to day 7 of the estrous cycle in comparison with the control group. Pandey et al. (2012) also observed higher plasma progesterone concentrations in a group of buffaloes that was treated with 3 mg of norgestomet from days 4 to 10 after insemination, but noted no difference in conception rate between the treatment and control groups. Because the cows from both groups in our study had an average progesterone concentration over 1 ng/ml on day 3 after FTAI (Table 3), it is possible that the progesterone treatment failed to improve the conception rate because neither the treatment nor control group had a progesterone deficit. According to Bó et al. (2007), progesterone supplementation will only improve fertility when there is a lack of existing progesterone. Garcia-Ispierto and López-Gatius (2012) did not observe improved fertility or higher progesterone concentrations in dairy cows supplemented with 1.55 g of progesterone from days 5 to
Table 2 The conception rate at days 30 and 60 and embryonic and fetal mortality rate of multiparous cows in the control and progesterone-treated groups from days 3 to 7 after fixed-time artificial insemination
Period
Group
Number Day 3 after FTAI
Day 7 after FTAI
High temperatures
Control Treatment Control Treatment Control Treatment
23 26 32 33 55 59
1.57±0.18 A 2.73±0.22 B 2.58±0.21 A 4.44±0.34 B 2.46±0.20 A 3.42±0.23 B
Group
Number Conception rate (%) Embryonic and fetal mortality rate (%) Day 30 Day 60
Control 58 Treatment 61
41.38 A 37.70 A
37.93 A 31.15 A
8.33 A 17.39 A
Values indicated with the same uppercase letters in columns are not significantly different (P >0.05)
Table 3 The mean and standard error of the serum progesterone concentrations (ng/ml) at day 3 and day 7 after FTAI in the groups of multiparous cows that were untreated (control) and treated with progesterone during high- and mild-temperature periods
Mild temperatures Experimental period
0.85±0.11 A 1.10±0.08 A 2.77±0.58 A 2.57±0.39 A 1.76±0.30 A 1.89±0.21 A
Values indicated with different uppercase letters in the columns are significantly different within each period (P
REGULAR ARTICLES
The effects of progesterone treatment following artificial insemination on the reproductive performance of dairy cows Thaisa Campos Marques & Karen Martins Leão & Marco Antônio de Oliveira Viu & Roberto Sartori
Accepted: 5 November 2013 / Published online: 16 November 2013 # Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013
Abstract The objective of this study was to examine the effects of increasing circulating progesterone in multiparous Holstein cows, using an intravaginal progesterone implant between days 3 and 7 following fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI). The animals were randomly assigned into two groups: (1) treatment group and (2) control (no treatment). The experiment took place during periods of high and mild temperatures. Pregnancy rates were evaluated by ultrasound at 30 and 60 days after FTAI; embryonic and fetal mortality rates were also evaluated on these dates. The temperature and humidity index on the day of FTAI were different (P 0.05). Throughout the experimental period, the serum progesterone concentration was higher in the treatment group than in the control (P 0.05), as shown in Table 1. The average rectal temperatures during the hightemperature period on the day of FTAI were 38.76±0.37 °C and 38.91±0.13 °C for the control and treatment groups, respectively; for the mild-temperature period, rectal temperatures were 38.10±0.62 °C and 38.43±0.45 °C for the control and treatment groups, respectively. During both temperature periods, there was no difference in the rates of embryonic and fetal mortality between 30 and 60 days after FTAI between the control and treatment groups (P >0.05). Upon analyzing the data from all experiment periods, there was no significant difference in the conception rate at day 30 among the two groups (P >0.05), as shown in Table 2. During the mild-temperature period and the hightemperature period, there was no difference in serum progesterone concentration on day 3 after FTAI between the two groups (P >0.05). However, the serum progesterone concentration was greater in the treatment group than in the control group on day 7 after FTAI (P 0.05). However, the progesterone concentration in the treated group was greater at day 7 after FTAI in comparison to the control group (P 0.05), and those with uppercase letters in the same column are not significantly different between the groups (P >0.05)
a greater effect on reproductive success than the THI at 10, 20, and 30 days after insemination. According to the revised THI table for lactating dairy cows proposed by Smith et al. (2012), the average THI of our study was 71, which indicates the threshold of stress, characterized by a heart rate above 60, a rectal temperature above 38.5 °C, a reduction in lactation, and reproductive problems. Pandey et al. (2012) found no difference in the conception rates of buffaloes treated with 3 mg of the progestin norgestomet from days 4 to 10 after artificial insemination relative to a control group (P >0.05). Likewise, Arndt et al. (2009) observed no difference in the conception rate, embryonic loss rate, or serum progesterone concentration in lactating dairy cows that received an implant containing 1.38 g of progesterone from days 4 to 18 following artificial insemination. However, the use of an implant containing 1.9 g of progesterone in Holstein cows from days 5 to 19 after artificial insemination promoted a higher conception rate in comparison with the control group (56 % vs. 25 %). The implant probably prevented embryo losses by significantly increasing serum progesterone (Mehni et al. 2012). Villarroel et al. (2004) observed a trend towards lower embryonic and fetal mortality rates (P =0.077) in repeat-breeder cows that were treated with an intravaginal implant containing 1.55 g of progesterone from days 5 to 19 after artificial insemination in comparison with a control group. Progesterone is essential for the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy and is responsible for regulating endometrial gene expression in ruminants (Forde et al. 2009).
Studies show a correlation between progesterone concentrations in early pregnancy and embryo survival (Mann and Lamming 2001). The increased serum progesterone concentration in treated cows relative to untreated (control) cows in this study (Table 3) are supported by Carter et al. (2010), who used intravaginal implants containing 1.55 g of progesterone to supplement the concentration of this hormone. They observed a fourfold increase in the serum progesterone concentration of Simmental heifers that were treated from day 3 to day 7 of the estrous cycle in comparison with the control group. Pandey et al. (2012) also observed higher plasma progesterone concentrations in a group of buffaloes that was treated with 3 mg of norgestomet from days 4 to 10 after insemination, but noted no difference in conception rate between the treatment and control groups. Because the cows from both groups in our study had an average progesterone concentration over 1 ng/ml on day 3 after FTAI (Table 3), it is possible that the progesterone treatment failed to improve the conception rate because neither the treatment nor control group had a progesterone deficit. According to Bó et al. (2007), progesterone supplementation will only improve fertility when there is a lack of existing progesterone. Garcia-Ispierto and López-Gatius (2012) did not observe improved fertility or higher progesterone concentrations in dairy cows supplemented with 1.55 g of progesterone from days 5 to
Table 2 The conception rate at days 30 and 60 and embryonic and fetal mortality rate of multiparous cows in the control and progesterone-treated groups from days 3 to 7 after fixed-time artificial insemination
Period
Group
Number Day 3 after FTAI
Day 7 after FTAI
High temperatures
Control Treatment Control Treatment Control Treatment
23 26 32 33 55 59
1.57±0.18 A 2.73±0.22 B 2.58±0.21 A 4.44±0.34 B 2.46±0.20 A 3.42±0.23 B
Group
Number Conception rate (%) Embryonic and fetal mortality rate (%) Day 30 Day 60
Control 58 Treatment 61
41.38 A 37.70 A
37.93 A 31.15 A
8.33 A 17.39 A
Values indicated with the same uppercase letters in columns are not significantly different (P >0.05)
Table 3 The mean and standard error of the serum progesterone concentrations (ng/ml) at day 3 and day 7 after FTAI in the groups of multiparous cows that were untreated (control) and treated with progesterone during high- and mild-temperature periods
Mild temperatures Experimental period
0.85±0.11 A 1.10±0.08 A 2.77±0.58 A 2.57±0.39 A 1.76±0.30 A 1.89±0.21 A
Values indicated with different uppercase letters in the columns are significantly different within each period (P
