title: Artificial insemination of Bos indicus heifers: the effects of body weight, condition score, ovarian cyclic status and insemination regimen on pregnancy rate.
abstract: Effects of body weight, condition score, ovarian cyclic status and insemination regimen on pregnancy rates were investigated in 164 Bos indicus heifers synchronised with norgestomet-oestradiol and pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMSG). Oestrus detection techniques were also compared. Heifers were inseminated at either a fixed time (group 1, n = 83) of 48.0 +/- 0.2 h (mean +/- SEM) after implant removal or at 8.9 +/- 0.5 h after oestrus was detected (group 2, n = 81). Group 2 heifers that were not detected in oestrus by 72 h after implant removal were inseminated at that time. Oestrus was detected for the purpose of insemination using heatmount detectors. Tail-paint and oestrogen treated, chin-ball harnessed steers were used to compare the efficiency of oestrus detection. The probability of ovarian cyclicity increased with increasing body weight and condition score (P < 0.001). A higher proportion of heifers that were acyclic at the commencement of treatment, compared with cyclic heifers, were detected in oestrus at the time of insemination in the fixed-time inseminated group (P < 0.01). Analysis of covariance revealed that intervals from implant removal to oestrus were influenced by ovarian cyclic status (P < 0.01) and insemination group (P < 0.05). A higher pregnancy rate (% +/- SEM) was obtained in acyclic compared with cyclic heifers in the group 1 heifers (50.0 +/- 10 vs 28.1 +/- 6; P = 0.055) but not among the group 2 heifers (45.8 +/- 10 vs 49.1 +/- 7; P = 0.787). The probability of pregnancy was found to be associated negatively with body weight (P = 0.01) while a higher pregnancy rate was obtained in the group 2 compared with group 1 heifers (48.2% vs 34.9%; P = 0.093). The efficiency of oestrus detection was highest using heatmount detectors compared with tail-paint and chin-ball harnessed steers (90.7% vs 37.0% and 23.5%, respectively; P < 0.0001). We conclude that pregnancy rates can be increased in extensive environments when insemination follows oestrus detection using heatmount detectors compared with a fixed-time insemination. The fertility of heifers inseminated at a fixed time is influenced by ovarian cyclic status due to its influence on oestrus-to-insemination intervals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Tropical Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cavalieri
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Fitzpatrick
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002417:Cattle / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D004971:Estrus / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006064:Gonadotropins, Equine / Q000494:pharmacology; D007315:Insemination, Artificial / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D011282:Pregnenediones / Q000494:pharmacology; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D045167:Progesterone Congeners / Q000494:pharmacology; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D006064:Gonadotropins, Equine; D011282:Pregnenediones; D045167:Progesterone Congeners; C100284:norgestomet; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol