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Ovulation rate, prolificacy and pregnancy rate in goats treated with oral glycerol
Author(s) -
Ubaldo Aguilar,
Joel Hernández Cerón,
Yesmín Domínguez,
Carlos Gutièrrez Gutiérrez
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
veterinaria méxico oa
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2448-6760
DOI - 10.21753/vmoa.3.1.360
Subject(s) - estrous cycle , glycerol , ovulation , pregnancy , pregnancy rate , zoology , biology , medicine , endocrinology , biochemistry , genetics
This study tested whether the oral administration of glycerol at the time of progestin removal and in the first 6 days of the estrous cycle increased the ovulation rate, prolificacy, and pregnancy rate in goats. Intravaginal sponges impregnated with fluorogestone acetate were inserted into 129 goats for 12 days; upon sponge removal, goats were randomly assigned to one of the two following treatment groups: the glycerol group (n = 65), which received an oral drench of 100 mL of glycerol upon sponge removal and was repeated on days 0, 2, 4, and 6 following estrus (estrus = day 0), and the control group (n = 64), which did not receive glycerol. The goats in estrus were mated, and their ovulation rate was determined by ultrasonography between days 8 and 12 of the estrous cycle. Pregnancy was diagnosed by ultrasonography on day 40, and the prolificacy was determined at birth. In 6 goats treated with glycerol and 5 controls, their insulin concentrations at 0, 2, 4, 8, and 12 h after the glycerol drench were determined by radioimmunoassay. The proportion of goats with multiple ovulations (glycerol = 71 vs control = 64) and the proportion of goats with multiple births (glycerol = 52 vs control = 56) were similar (P > 0.05) between treatments. Likewise, the pregnancy rate was similar (P > 0.05) between treatments (glycerol = 88 vs control = 85%). The insulin concentrations tended to be higher in goats treated with glycerol (P = 0.08). In conclusion, an oral drench of 100 mL of glycerol at the time of progestin withdrawal and in the first 6 days of the estrous cycle did not increase the ovulation rate, prolificacy, or pregnancy rate in goats.