Use of flunixin meglumine in Santa Inês ewes submitted to laparoscopic and transcervical insemination

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the use of flunixim meglumine in Santa Ines ewes submitted to artificial insemination (AI). Forty-four Santa Inês ewes were synchronized and inseminated at fixed times, by the transcervical or laparoscopic route, between 52 and 58 hours after sponge removal. The ewes were split into two treatment groups, to receive intramuscular injections of 2 mL of saline (control treatment) or 2.2 mg/kg flunixin meglumine (FM treatment), twice a day between days 9 and 19 after AI. The pregnancy diagnosis was performed by ultrasound 30 days after the AI. The chi-square test was used to compare the pregnancy rate between the control and flunixin meglumine treatment and between type of insemination, while the t-test, at 5% probability was used to compare the average weight and body condition, using the SAS statistical software. Flunixin meglumine was not effect in increasing the pregnancy rate in Santa Ines ewes undergoing laparoscopic and transcervical insemination.