Abstract
BackgroundThe study was designed to test the effect of fixed-time artificial insemination (fixed-AI) after the slightly modified Ovsynch protocol on the pregnancy rate in beef cattle in Finnish field conditions. The modification was aimed to optimize the number of offsprings per AI dose.MethodsNinety Charolais cows and heifers were entered into the program an average of 1.8 times. Thus, 164 animal cases were included. Animals were administered 10-12 μg of buserelin. Seven days later animals without a corpus luteum (CL) were rejected (20.7%) while the remaining 130 cases with a CL were administered prostaglandin F2α, followed 48 h later with a second injection of buserelin (8-10 μg). Fixed-AI was performed 16-20 hours after the last injection.ResultsThe pregnancy rate was 51.5% (67/130). The pregnancy rate after a short interval (50-70 d) from calving to entering the program was significantly higher than that after a long interval (>70 d).ConclusionThis protocol seems to give acceptable pregnancy results in beef herds and its effect on saving labour is notable.
Highlights
The study was designed to test the effect of fixed-time artificial insemination after the slightly modified Ovsynch protocol on the pregnancy rate in beef cattle in Finnish field conditions
The aim of the study was to test the usefulness of fixedtime artificial insemination (AI) following the modified Ovsynch protocol, and its effect on the pregnancy rate in beef cattle managed in Finnish field conditions
The approximate pregnancy rate after AI based on oestrus detection had varied around 20% when calculated according to the herd bookkeeping
Summary
The study was designed to test the effect of fixed-time artificial insemination (fixedAI) after the slightly modified Ovsynch protocol on the pregnancy rate in beef cattle in Finnish field conditions. It may be difficult to identify a single animal from a big herd since in many beef breeds all animals are coloured . In some cases, catching a single animal for AI may be problematic. Because of these reasons, the use of AI after oestrus detection in some beef herds is either impossible or at least results in a poor pregnancy rate. Perhaps the biggest reason that so few beef cattle are artificially inseminated is the problem of accurate detection of oestrus
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