Efficiency of single-sire mating programs with beef bulls mated to estrus synchronized females

Abstract

Efficiency in reference to pregnancy rates of breeding beef bulls with estrus synchronized cows and heifers was tested. Most bulls (104 of 112) were given a breeding soundness examination and two 10-min libido/serving capacity tests. Females received either Syncro-Mate-B (SMB) or two injections of Prostaglandin F 2α (PGF) to synchronize estrus. They were assigned to single-sire breeding groups with bull-to-female ratios ranging from 1:7 to 1:51. Control groups consisted of untreated females maintained in single-sire breeding pastures with ratios from 1:24 to 1:37. Continuous observations of sexual activity were made for 30 h (SMB) and 48 h (PGF). After the 120-h posttreatment breeding period, females were placed in breeding pastures. During the synchronized breeding period the percentage of pregnant cattle of total treated was 43.5 ± 1.7% compared (P < 0.01) with 58.9 ± 3.3% for the control group after 23 d of breeding. At end of 28-d (treated) and 46-d (control) period, the percentage of pregnant females was 75.0 ± 2.4 and 79.6 ± 4.7, respectively (P > 0.05). In SMB trials, the percentages of females exhibiting estrus, those serviced at estrus and those pregnant following service during the synchronized breeding period were 90.8 ± 1.5, 73.3 ± 4.5 and 56.4 ± 5.6%, respectively. In PGF trials, the means for these same factors were 78.3 ± 2.4, 70.4 ± 5.9 and 56.1 ± 6.5%, respectively.