Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T05:25:01.088Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The effects of raising post-oestrus progesterone concentrations on luteal activity in post-partum dairy cows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 August 2016

A. O. Darwash ,
G. L. Ward ,
G. E. Lamming  and
J. A. Woolliams
A. O. Darwash
Affiliation:
Cattle Fertility Research Group, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough LE12 5RD
G. L. Ward
Affiliation:
Cattle Fertility Research Group, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough LE12 5RD
G. E. Lamming
Affiliation:
Cattle Fertility Research Group, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough LE12 5RD
Get access

Abstract

In order to investigate the rationale of manipulating post-ovulation progesterone (P4) concentrations, luteal activity was measured in 10 Holstein-Friesian cows treated with a progesterone-releasing device (CIDR, 1·9 g P4) inserted on the morning of day 2 post-oestrus for a period of 7 days and compared with 10 untreated control animals. Milk samples were collected daily during afternoon milking from 7 days pre- to 24 days post-oestrus and P4 concentrations were measured using enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA). The milk P4 profiles were used to assess the effects of early post-oestrus P4 elevation on five intervals of the luteal phase. In the treated (T) and control (C) animals, the mean interval from oestrus to P4 rise (≥3 μg/l), was 2·38 (s.e. 0·18) and 4·90 (s.e. 0·28) days, respectively, (P < 0·01). The mean interval from oestrus to the attainment of peak P4 concentrations was not significantly different (P > 0·05) between the T (14·75 (s.e. 1-62) days) and С (14·30 (s.e. 0·70) days) animals, with cows in the T group showing a more variable (F7 9 = 4-30, P < 0·05) interval to the occurrence of the peak. The interval from peak P4 to corpus luteum (CL) regression (when P4 fell below ≥3 μg/l) was not significantly different between the T (4·13 (s.e. 1·30 days) and С (5·60 (s.e. 0·88) days) groups. Furthermore, CIDR insertion did not alter luteal phase length, number of days with P4 concentrations ≥3 μg/l (T = 16·50 (s.e. 0·80) v.C = 15·00 (s.e. 0·47) days) or the interval from oestrus to CL regression (T = 18·88 (s.e. 0·79) v.C = 19·90 (s.e. 0·41) days). We conclude that treatment with CIDR 2 days after oestrus successfully increased the availability of P4 to cows without significantly affecting luteal phase characteristics.

Keywords

dairy cowsluteolysisoestrous cycleprogesterone
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Science , Volume 68 , Issue 3 , April 1999 , pp. 527 - 532
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1999

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ahmad, N., Beam, S. W., Butler, W. R., Deaver, D. R., Duby, R. T., Elder, D. R., Fortune, J. E., Griel, L. C, Jones, L. S., Milvae, R. A., Pate, J. L., Revah, L, Schreiber, Jr D. T., Townson, D. H., Tsang, P. C. W. and Inskeep, E. K. 1996. Relationship of fertility to patterns of ovarian follicular development and associated hormonal profiles in dairy cows and heifers. Journal of Animal Science 74: 1943–1952.Google Scholar
Albihin, A., Gustafsson, H., Hurst, M. and Rodriguez-Martinez, H. 1991. Embryonic ability to prolong the interoestrous interval in virgin and repeat breeder heifers. Animal Reproduction Science 26: 193–210.Google Scholar
Al-Eknah, M. M. and Noakes, D. E. 1989. Uterine activity in cows during the oestrous cycle, after ovariectomy and following exogenous oestradiol and progesterone. British Veterinary Journal 145: 328–336.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ashworth, C. J., Sales, D. J. and Wilmut, I. 1989. Evidence of an association between the survival of embryos and the periovulatory plasma progesterone concentrations in the ewe. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 87: 23–32.Google Scholar
Battista, P. J., Rexroad, Jr.C. E. and Williams, W. F. 1984. Effects of administration of progesterone and prostaglandin F2ct prior to day 5 on luteal function in dairy heifers. Proceedings of the tenth international congress on animal reproduction and artificial insemination, Madrid. Google Scholar
Beard, A. P., Hunter, M. G. and Lamming, G. E. 1994. Quantitative control of oxytocin-induced PGF2a release by progesterone and oestradiol in ewes. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 100: 143–150.Google Scholar
Bearden, H. J., Hansel, W. and Bratton, R. W. 1956. Fertilization and embryonic mortality of bulls with histories of either low or high fertility in artificial breeding. Journal of Dairy Science 39: 312–318.Google Scholar
Burke, C R., Mihm, M., Macmillan, K. L. and Roche, J. F. 1994. Some effects of prematurely elevated concentrations of progesterone on luteal and follicular characteristics during the oestrous cycle in heifers. Animal Reproduction Science 35: 27–39.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Butler, W. R., Cherney, D. J. R. and Elrod, C.C. 1995. Milk urea nitrogen (MUN) analysis: field trial results on conception rates and dietary inputs. Proceedings of the Cornell nutrition conference, Rochester, NY, pp. 89–95.Google Scholar
Diskin, M. G. and Sreenan, J. M. 1980. Fertilization and embryonic mortality rates in beef heifers after artificial insemination. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 59: 463–468.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Erb, R. E., Garverick, H. A., Randel, R. D., Brown, B. L. and Callahan, C. J. 1976. Profiles of reproductive hormones associated with fertile and non-fertile insemination of dairy cows. Theriogenology 5: 227–242.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Esslemont, R. J. and Peeler, E. J. 1993. The scope for raising margins in dairy herds by improving fertility and health. British Veterinary Journal 149: 537–547.Google Scholar
Garrett, J. E. Geisert, R. D., Morgan, G. L., Wettermann, R. P., Zavy, M. T., Gries, L. K. and Buchanan, D. S. 1987. Effect of exogenous progesterone on cycle length, embryonic development and maintenance of pregnancy in the bovine. Journal of Animal Science ??65: (Supplement 1) 418.Google Scholar
Garrett, J. E., Geisert, R. D., Zavy, M. T. and Morgan, G. L. 1988a.Evidence for maternal regulation of early conceptus growth and development in beef cattle. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 84: 437–446.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Garrett, J. E., Geisert, R. D., Zavy, M. T., Wettermann, R. P. and Buchanan, D. S. 1988b. Effect of exogenous progesterone on prostaglandin F2a release and interestrous interval in the bovine. Prostaglandins 36: 85–96.Google Scholar
Ginther, O. J. 1970. Effect of progesterone on length of estrous cycle in cattle. American Journal of Veterinary Research 31: 493–496.Google Scholar
Gordon, I. 1996. Controlled reproduction in cattle and buffaloes, pp. 63–73. CAB International, Oxon, UK.Google Scholar
Hansel, W. 1981. Plasma hormone concentrations associated with early embryo mortality in heifers. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility, Supplement 30: 231–239.Google Scholar
Kidder, H. E., Black, W. G., Wiltbank, J. N., Ulberg, L. C. and Casida, L.E. 1954. Fertilization rates in cows bred to bulls of different levels of fertility. Journal of Dairy Science 37: 691–697.Google Scholar
Lafrance, M. and Goff, A. K. 1988. Effects of progesterone and oestradiol-17ß on oxytocin-induced release of prostaglandin F-2oc in heifers. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 82: 429–436.Google Scholar
Lamming, G. E. and Darwash, A. O. 1995. Effects of inter-luteal interval on subsequent luteal phase length and fertility in postpartum dairy cows. Biology of Reproduction 52: (supplement 1) 72 (abstr.).Google Scholar
Lamming, G. E., Darwash, A. O. and Back, H. L. 1989. Corpus luteum function in dairy cows and embryo mortality. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility, Supplement 37: 245–252.Google Scholar
Larson, S. F., Butler, W. R. and Currie, W. B. 1995. Progesterone supplementation increases pregnancy rates in lactating dairy cattle. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility, Abstract Series 15: 23–24.Google Scholar
Larson, S. F., Butler, W. R. and Currie, W. B. 1997. Reduced fertility associated with low progesterone postbreeding and increased milk urea nitrogen. Journal of Dairy Science 80: 1288–1295.Google Scholar
Macmillan, K. L. and Peterson, A. J. 1993. A new intravaginal progesterone releasing device for cattle (CIDR-B) for oestrus synchronization, increasing pregnancy rates and the treatment of postpartum anoestrus. Animal Reproduction Science 33: 1–25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Macmillan, K. L. and Taufa, V. K. 1987. Effects of using bovine CIDR’s after first insemination on pregnancy rate and subsequent synchrony. Proceedings of the 4th Asian-Australian Association of Animal Reproduction Science congress, 1-6 February, Hamilton, New Zealand, p. 224. Times Commercial Printers, Hamilton.Google Scholar
Maurer, R. R. and Echternkamp, S.E. 1982. Hormonal asynchrony and embryonic development. Theriogenology 17: 11–22.Google Scholar
Parkinson, T. J., Turvey, A. and Jenner, L. J. 1994. A morphometric analysis of the corpus luteum of the cow during the oestrous cycle and early pregnancy. Theriogenology ál: 1115–1126.Google Scholar
Robinson, N. A., Leslie, K. E. and Walton, J. S. 1989. Effect of treatment with progesterone on pregnancy rate and plasma concentrations of progesterone in Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science 72: 202–207.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ruckebusch, Y. and Bayard, F. 1975. Motility of the oviduct and uterus of the cow during the oestrous cycle. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 43: 23–32.Google Scholar
Van Cleeff, J., Drost, M. and Thatcher, W. W. 1991. Effects of postinsemination progesterone supplementation on fertility and subsequent estrous responses of dairy heifers. Theriogenology 36: 795–807.Google Scholar
Van Cleeff, J., Lucy, M. C, Wilcox, C. J. and Thatcher, W. W. 1992. Plasma and milk progesterone and plasma LH in ovariectomized lactating cows treated with new or used controlled internal drug release devices. Animal Reproduction Science 27: 91–106.Google Scholar
Van Cleeff, J., Macmillan, K. L., Drost, M., Lucy, M. C. and Thatcher, W. W. 1996. Effects of administering progesterone at selected intervals after insemination of synchronized heifers on pregnancy rates and resynchronization of returns to service. Theriogenology 46: 1117–1130.Google Scholar
Wilmut, I., Sales, D. I. and Ashworth, C. J. 1985. The influence of variation in embryo stage and maternal hormone profiles on embryo survival in farm animals. Theriogenology 23: 107–119.Google Scholar