Effect of alfaprostol, lasalocid, and once-daily suckling on postpartum interval in Brahman and Brahman crossbred cattle.
Brahman cows (n = 49) and primiparous heifers (n = 11), Brahman x Hereford primiparous F1 heifers (n = 86) and Simmental x Brahman primiparous F1 heifers (n = 13) were randomly allotted by breed, age and date of calving to one of eight treatment groups: 1) control; 2) once-daily suckling; 3) lasalocid (200 mg/hd/d); 4) alfaprostol (5 mg intermuscular injections on Days 21 and 32 post partum); 5) lasalocid + once-daily suckling; 6) alfaprostol + once daily suckling; 7) alfaprostol + lasalocid; 8) alfaprostol + lasalocid + once daily suckling. All animals received 2.3 kg/hd/d of a concentrate (6 corn : 1 cottonseed meal) and lasalocid was mixed and fed in the concentrate. Body weights and condition scores were taken on Day 1 post partum and every 28 d thereafter. All animals were maintained with sterile marker bulls with Brahman and Simmental x Brahman cattle artificially inseminated at first estrus. Blood samples were collected at weekly intervals starting on Day 21 post partum until estrus and at nine to twelve days post estrus when the ovaries were palpated for corpora lutea. After the first postpartum estrus with a corpora lutea, cows were placed with fertile bulls. Mean serum progesterone concentrations were below 0.5 ng/ml prior to treatment. Calf weight gains to 90 d were not affected by age (P > 0.10) but were lower in the once-daily suckling group (P < 0.05). Treatment did not affect cow weight or condition score (P > 0.10). Cows had a shorter postpartum interval (P < 0.0001) than heifers. Once-daily suckling shortened postpartum interval (P < 0.0001) and positively influenced the cumulative frequency of return to estrus by 40 d post partum (P < 0.02). Alfaprostol did not affect postpartum interval (P > 0.10) but did increase the cumulative frequency of return to estrus by 90 d post partum (P < 0.03). Lasalocid did not affect postpartum interval or cumulative frequency of return to estrus (P > 0.10). Both once-daily suckling and alfaprostol were effective in increasing the numbers of animals inseminated by 90 d post partum. The once-daily suckling + alfaprostol treatment resulted in the shortest postpartum interval.
Del Vecchio
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Texas Agricultural Experiment Station Texas A&M University Agricultural Research & Extension Center Overton, Tx 75684 USA.
Randel
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Neuendorff
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Peterson
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