Effects of ovarian structures identified at Ovsynch™ enrolment, disease history and lactation variables on odds of pregnancy to a fixed-time artificial insemination after Ovsynch™.

Abstract

To determine the effects of ovarian structures present at Ovsynch™ enrolment, disease history, lactation variables and times bred on pregnancy per fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI) following fixed-time insemination after Ovsynch and to determine the relationship between the size of ovarian follicular structures and concurrent presence of a corpus luteum (CL). The study was conducted in a 3000-cow Holstein dairy herd. Over a 6-month period, 886 non-pregnant cows were examined by transrectal ultrasound and enrolled into 1132 Ovsynch events. Enrolled cows were synchronised using an Ovsynch-56 protocol. At enrolment, both ovaries were scanned by transrectal ultrasound to identify and record the presence and size of ovarian structures. Cows that did not return to oestrus were pregnancy tested 32-38 days post-insemination. Univariable and multivariable generalised linear mixed models (GLMMs) were used to determine the effect of each variable on pregnancy per FTAI. A univariable GLMM was also used to analyse the relationship between size of the dominant follicular structure and concurrent presence of a CL. CL size (P = 0.039) and presence of a luteal cyst (P = 0.002) at Ovsynch enrolment significantly increased the odds of pregnancy. Occurrence of lameness (P = 0.035) or mastitis (P = 0.008) between calving and enrolment significantly decreased the odds of pregnancy. Neither the presence nor size of a follicular structure significantly affected the odds of pregnancy, although cows with larger follicular structures were less likely to have a concurrent CL (P < 0.001). Presence of luteal tissue at Ovsynch enrolment and recent disease events affected pregnancy per FTAI in cows inseminated after Ovsynch.