Oestrus synchronisation with progestagen injectables in West African Dwarf does.

The efficacy of progestagen injection for synchronising oestrus in West African Dwarf (WAD) does was evaluated. The progestagen injections used were 50mg Progesterone; 100mg Progesterone; 25mg Medroxyprogesterone acetate, MPA, 50mg MPA; 25mg Progesterone plus 0.04mg Ethinyl oestradiol combination and 50mg progesterone plus 10i.u oxytocin. The highest oestrous response of 84.6% was obtained with 100mg of Progesterone injection while the MPA groups did not show: oestrus for upward of 50days post injection. A degree of synchrony >50% was obtained only in those treatments containing above 50mg progesterone. Conception rate (Fertility) at first oestrus was above 75% in'all the responding groups except the 50mg progesterone where only 20% of the 71.4% does in oestrus and mated conceived. A single intramuscular injection of 100mg progesterone to postpartum does between 21 and 28days post-kidding led to significant (p<0.05) reduction of 47 and 27 days in the kidding interval of does under the scavenging and confined management systems respectively. These results indicated that there is good prospect in the use of progestagens injectables for oestrus synchronisation and possibly to shorten the kidding interval of WAD does especially under the predominant smallholder management situation. However further studies are required to establish the mechunism of the effects observed and to determine the appropriate dosage of administration of the progestagens.