Inducing Ovulation with hCG Improves Fertility Outcomes of Co-Dominant Follicle Drainage to Avoid Twin Pregnancy in Dairy Cows

Twin pregnancies are undesirable in dairy cattle as they dramatically compromise cow lifespan and, consequently, herd economy. Clinical problems in cows arise from the time of pregnancy diagnosis to pregnancy loss, abortion, or parturition. The drainage of co-dominant follicles in cows with two or m...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: García Ispierto, Irina, Pando, Mònica, Llobera Balcells, Mònica
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2021
País:España
Institución:Universitat de Lleida (UdL)
Repositorio:Repositori Obert UdL
OAI Identifier:oai:repositori.udl.cat:10459.1/70445
Acceso en línea:https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11010169
http://hdl.handle.net/10459.1/70445
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Bovine
Twins
Therapeutics
Heat stress
Hormone treatment
Synchronization
Descripción
Sumario:Twin pregnancies are undesirable in dairy cattle as they dramatically compromise cow lifespan and, consequently, herd economy. Clinical problems in cows arise from the time of pregnancy diagnosis to pregnancy loss, abortion, or parturition. The drainage of co-dominant follicles in cows with two or more follicles at insemination prevents twin pregnancy. The objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness of draining the smaller of two follicles through a simplified maneuver not requiring ultrasonography in cows in their third or more lactation, and then inducing ovulation immediately before artificial insemination (AI) with GnRH or human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG). Animals were monitored by ultrasound at AI and randomly assigned to the groups: follicular drainage and treatment with GnRH (Deph; n = 60), follicular drainage and treatment with hCG (hCG; n = 60), and non-drainage (ND; n = 60) as control cows. On the basis of odds ratios, cows treated with hCG were 2.1 times more likely to become pregnant than control animals. Our results reveal the efficacy of hCG treatment at AI in cows with two follicles of pre-ovulatory size subjected to a simple follicular drainage procedure.