abstract
- Objectives were to determine the effect of progesterone (P4) concentration on fertility of lactating dairy cows induced to ovulate follicles of the first follicular wave. Lactating dairy cows (n=989) at 38±3d postpartum were balanced by parity and body condition score and randomly assigned to 3 treatments: first follicular wave (FFW), first follicular wave with exogenous P4 (FFWP), or second follicular wave (SFW). All cows had their estrous cycle presynchronized with 2 injections of prostaglandin (PG) F(2α) given 14 d apart. Cows in the FFW and FFWP treatments started the ovulation synchronization protocol 3 d after the last PGF(2α) of the presynchronization protocol, whereas SFW cows received a GnRH injection (100 μg of gonadorelin diacetate; Cystorelin, Merial Ltd., Duluth, GA) 3 d after the last PGF(2α) of the presynchronization protocol and started the synchronization protocol 7 d later. The synchronization protocol consisted of GnRH on d -10, PGF(2α) on d -3, and GnRH concurrent with timed artificial insemination (AI) on d 0. Cows in the FFWP treatment received 2 controlled internal drug release inserts containing 1.38 g of P4 from d -8 to -3. Progesterone concentration was determined on d -10, -8, -6, -3, and 0 from all cows and at 7, 14, and 21 d after AI from a subsample of cows (n=170). Cows (n=715) had their ovaries scanned by ultrasound on d -10, -3, and 7 d. Pregnancy was diagnosed at 38 and 66 d after AI. Concentration of P4 from study d -8 to -3 was lowest for FFW cows (1.4±0.1 ng/mL) and similar between SFW (3.7±0.2 ng/mL) and FFWP (3.7±0.1 ng/mL) cows. Diameter of the dominant follicle on study d -3 was greater for FFW cows (16.5±0.3 mm) than for SFW cows (15.4±0.3 mm), but diameter of the dominant follicle of FFWP cows was not different (15.9±0.3 mm) compared with that of SFW and FFW cows. The incidence of multiple ovulation was largest for FFW cows (SFW=19.5, FFW=33.6, FFWP=19.0%), but pregnancy per AI (P/AI) at 66 d was smallest for FFW cows (SFW=38.9, FFW=22.3, FFWP=32.0%). Anovular cows in the SFW (19.4 vs. 42.8%) and FFWP (22.1 vs. 37.2%) treatments had reduced P/AI compared with cyclic cows, despite having similar or greater P4 concentration from study d -8 to -3, respectively. Estrus and ovulation synchronization protocols for lactating dairy cows must result in growth of ovulatory follicle under P4 concentration >2 ng/mL to ensure high P/AI.