β-carotene Supplementation Increases Progesterone Concentration and Glutathione Peroxidase Activity Following Alternative Progesterone Primed Oestrous Synchronization Protocol in Goats

Dominic Lado Marino Gore,Khoboso Christina Lehloenya

doi:10.3844/ajavsp.2020.211.219

Dominic Lado Marino Gore, Khoboso Christina Lehloenya

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3844/ajavsp.2020.211.219

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Abstract

The present study evaluated the effect of β-carotene supplementation and oestrous synchronization protocol on ovarian activity and fertility of Saanen does during the breeding season. The supplemented group received 100 mg β-carotene during the breeding and all does were synchronised with Controlled Internal Drug Release dispenser (CIDR) and injected with cloprostenol at CIDR withdrawal. One group of does were injected with 300 IU of eCG, while in another group bucks wearing aprons were introduced at CIDR withdrawal. Does were artificially inseminated twice (48 and 60 h) with fresh undiluted semen. The onset and duration of oestrus, progesterone, oestrdiol-17β and glutathione peroxidase activity, oestrous response and conception rate were analysed. Synchronization protocol did not affect response to oestrus, onset and duration of oestrus and oestradiol-17β concentration. The male presence group had significantly higher conception rate (97%) than the eCG (72%) group. β-carotene supplemented group had higher progesterone concentration and glutathione peroxidase activity. Supplemental β-carotene during the breeding period therefore, could play an important role on establishment of pregnancy due to high progesterone concentration and glutathione peroxidase activity. Inclusion of male effect in progesterone based oestrous synchronization protocol improves conception rate. Therefore, male effect can be used as an alternative to equine chorionic gonadotropin in progesterone based oestrous synchronization protocols especially, where drugs for oestrous synchronization are not affordable.

Highlights

Nutrition affects all aspects of reproductive events from gametogenesis to puberty in both males and females (Scaramuzzi et al, 2006)
In this study we evaluated the possibility of replacing equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) with the male effect in a synchronization protocol, as the male effect induce similar attributes to eCG such as the increase of both FSH and LH and triggering ovulation (Ungerfeld, 2003)
Other parameters measured in the current study were not affected by β-carotene supplementation and male effect based oestrous synchronization protocol

Summary

Introduction

Nutrition affects all aspects of reproductive events from gametogenesis to puberty in both males and females (Scaramuzzi et al, 2006). The most prominent effect is around mating period influencing the wave-like pattern of follicle development, ovulation rate, embryo survival and twining rate (Viñoles Gil, 2003). Short-term supplementation with maize and lupin before ovulation was reported to increase ovulation rate (Nottle et al, 1990; Nogueira et al, 2017). The period post ovulation is very crucial for survival of embryos in farm animals. Many reports have associated the concentration of systemic progesterone with early embryo loss and that progesterone supplementation in cows, those with low progesterone concentration, can reduce this loss (Morris and Diskin, 2008). Most embryonic mortality occurs between day 8 and 16 in cattle (Diskin and Sreenan, 1980) and during the first four weeks of pregnancy in sheep (Petrović et al, 2012)

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