title: Effects of cloprostenol, human chorionic gonadotropin and estradiol benzoate treatment on estrus synchronization in dairy cows.
abstract: Two consecutive experiments were conducted. In Experiment 1, 24 Friesian lactating cows were randomly assigned to two groups. Cows in Group I received intramuscularly (i.m.) 500 mcg of cloprostenol, 1250 IU of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and 5 mg of estradiol benzoate 12 h after cloprostenol treatment. Cows in Group II received 750 IU i.m. of hCG and 3 mg of estradiol benzoate 12 h after cloprostenol treatment. Treatment was given on Day 16 after estrus in both groups. All animals showed estrus within 24 to 48 h after cloprostenol treatment. The average interval from cloprostenol injection to the onset of estrus was not influenced by treatments. Four cows in Group I failed to ovulate and became cystic. In Experiment 2, 71 Friesian lactating cows were randomly assigned to two groups. Cows in Group I received 500 mcg i.m. of cloprostenol after corpus luteum detection by palpation per rectum. Cows in Group II received 500 mcg of cloprostenol plus 750 IU of hCG and 3 mg of estradiol benzoate 12 h after. When estrus ready for service was confirmed by rectal examination, cows were inseminated. The percentage of cows ready for service tended to be lower (P<0.06) between cows in Group I (88%) and those in Group II (100%). The average interval from cloprostenol treatment to service was longest (P<0.001) in Group I (78.7 h+/-14.9, X+/-SD) vs Group II (48 h+/-2.9). The degree of readiness for service synchrony was lowest (P<0.001) in Group I (59.3%) vs Group II (94.2%). The pregnancy rates of cows synchronized or treated were not altered by hCG-estradiol benzoate treatment (P>0.25). These results suggest that in dairy cows treated with cloprostenol following palpation per rectum of a corpus luteum and then with 750 IU of hCG and 3 mg of estradiol benzoate 12 h later, a single fixed-time insemination at 48 h after cloprostenol treatment should be performed.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Producción Animal, Escuela Superior de Agricultura, Avda. Alcalde Rovira Roure, 177 25006, Lérida, Spain.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: López-Gatius