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Reproductive Performance of Ewes after 5‐Day Treatment with Intravaginal Inserts Containing Progesterone in Combination with Injection of Prostaglandin F 2 α
Author(s) -
Dixon AB,
Knights M,
Pate JL,
Lewis PE,
Inskeep EK
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
reproduction in domestic animals
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.546
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1439-0531
pISSN - 0936-6768
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0531.2006.00656.x
Subject(s) - estrous cycle , prostaglandin f2alpha , zoology , seasonal breeder , pregnancy rate , prostaglandin , pregnancy , insert (composites) , estrus synchronization , biology , andrology , endocrinology , medicine , gynecology , ovulation , hormone , ecology , materials science , composite material , genetics
Contents Three experiments were conducted with a total of 1579 ewes to examine reproductive performance in response to synchronization of oestrus during the breeding season, using controlled internal drug releasing (CIDR‐G) inserts in regimens designed to provide high concentrations of circulating progesterone. In experiment 1, treatment with two CIDR‐G inserts for 12 days produced conception rate (79%) and prolificacy (1.9) to first service equivalent to breeding at natural oestrus (56% and 2.0, respectively). Pregnancy rates to two service periods were 90 and 79%, respectively. In experiments 2 and 3, progesterone was delivered by a single CIDR‐G insert for 5 days in combination with prostaglandin F 2 α (PGF 2 α ; 5 mg i.m., twice, 3 h apart) the day before (experiment 2), or at insert removal (experiment 3). The combined treatments improved rates of synchronization of oestrus (p < 0.01) by 23 and 20% points, respectively, and pregnancy rates to the first service period by 19 (p < 0.05) and 13 (p < 0.01) percentage points, respectively, compared to treatment with PGF 2 α alone. It is concluded that the combination of treatment for 5 days with a CIDR‐G insert and two injections of 5 mg PGF 2 α , the day before, or the day of insert removal, were effective treatments to obtain high fertility at synchronized oestrus in ewes during the breeding season.