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The detection and treatment of post insemination progesterone insufficiency in dairy cows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 February 2018

G R Starbuck ,
A O Darwash ,
G E Mann  and
G E Lamming
G R Starbuck
Affiliation:
Division of Animal Physiology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LEI2 5RD, UK
A O Darwash
Affiliation:
Division of Animal Physiology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LEI2 5RD, UK
G E Mann
Affiliation:
Division of Animal Physiology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LEI2 5RD, UK
G E Lamming
Affiliation:
Division of Animal Physiology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LEI2 5RD, UK
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Abstract

An analysis on the outcome of 124 inseminations monitored using daily milk progesterone concentration data revealed that those cows in which pregnancy did not occur experienced a 1.7day delay in post-ovulatory luteal progesterone rise when compared to the pregnant group (P<0.001). This suggests that luteal progesterone secretion needs to be initiated prior to day 5 post-ovulation. A comparison between the milk progesterone concentration on day 5 post-ovulation and the pregnancy rate for 1451 inseminations showed the maximum pregnancy rate to occur when the milk progesterone concentration was between 3-9ng/ml. Pregnancy rate fell significantly (P<0.01) when progesterone concentrations were below 3ng/ml, identifying cows that may benefit from progesterone supplementation. The supplementation of progesterone in cows with a day 5 milk progesterone concentration of less than 3ng/ml, using an intra-vaginal progesterone releasing device, only provided benefit for those cows with a day 5 progesterone concentration of between 1-2ng/ml, resulting in a doubling of the pregnancy rate. This data shows that a delay in post-ovulatory progesterone secretion has a detrimental effect on pregnancy but that not all cows with a deficient progesterone concentration benefit from progesterone supplementation.

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Information
BSAP Occasional Publication , Volume 26 , Issue 2: Fertility in the High-Producing Dairy Cow , September 2001 , pp. 447 - 450
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 2001

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