Reproductive performance of dairy cows with ovarian cysts after different GnRH and cloprostenol treatments

Abstract

Cystic ovarian disease is an important cause of reproductive failure and economic loss for the dairy industry. This report describes two consecutive studies. The objective of the first was to evaluate the response of cows with ovarian cysts to two therapeutic treatments. In the second study, we compared the effectiveness of the best treatment established in Study 1 with that of the Ovsynch protocol. For Study 1, cows were considered to have an ovarian cyst if it was possible to observe a single follicular structure with a follicular antrum diameter ≥25 mm in the absence of a corpus luteum in three ultrasonographic examinations performed at 7 days intervals. At diagnosis (Day 0), cows were assigned to one of two treatment groups. Cows in Group GnRH/CLP ( n=31) were treated with 100 μg GnRH i.m. and 500 μg cloprostenol (CLP) i.m. on Day 14. Cows in Group GnRH–CLP/CLP ( n=32) were treated with 100 μg GnRH i.m. plus 500 μg CLP i.m. on Day 0, and 500 μg CLP i.m. on Day 14. The animals were inseminated at observed estrus and monitored weekly by ultrasonography for 4 weeks or until AI. Cows in the GnRH–CLP/CLP group showed a lower cystic persistence rate (15.6%<45.2%; P=0.01); a higher estrus detection rate (84.4%>41.9%; P<0.0001); a higher ovulation rate (75% versus 32.3%; P<0.0001) and a higher early response rate (31%>3%; P=0.02) than those in the GnRH/CLP group. For the second study, 128 cows with ovarian cysts were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: cows in Group Ovsynch ( n=64) were treated with 100 μg GnRH i.m. on Day 0, 500 μg CLP on Day 7, and 100 μm GnRH i.m. 36 h later. Cows in this group were inseminated 24 h after the second GnRH dose (Ovsynch protocol). Cows in Group GnRH–CLP/CLP/GnRH ( n=64) were treated as those in the GnRH–CLP/CLP group of Study 1 but received GnRH 32 h after the second CLP treatment and were inseminated 24 h after this. A further group of cows without ovarian cysts inseminated at natural estrus served as the Group Control ( n=64). Cows in the GnRH–CLP/CLP/GnRH group showed a lower cystic persistence rate (10.9%<46.9%; P<0.0001); higher ovulation rate (79.7%>17.2%; P<0.0001); higher return to estrus rate (34.3%>12.5%; P<0.01) and higher pregnancy rate (28.1%>3.1%; P<0.01) than those in Ovsynch; and a similar pregnancy rate (28.1% versus 35.9%) to Control cows. These findings indicate that lactating cows with ovarian cysts can be successfully synchronized and time inseminated using a protocol that combines GnRH and CLP, starting treatment by simultaneously administering both products. This protocol also allows the insemination of cows showing estrus within the first week of treatment. Ovarian cysts were less responsive when treatment was started with GnRH alone.