RESUMO

Our objectives were to investigate potential changes in the size of steroidogenic large luteal cells (LLC) during partial luteolysis induced by a sub-dose of cloprostenol in early diestrus and to determine transcriptional variations in genes involved in corpus luteum (CL) functions. Cows were subjected to an Ovsynch protocol, with the time of the second GnRH treatment defined as Day 0 (D0). On D6, cows were randomly allocated into three treatments: Control (2 mL saline, im; n = 10), 2XPGF (two doses of 500 µg of cloprostenol, im, 2 h apart; n = 8) or 1/6PGF (single dose of 83.3 µg of cloprostenol, im; n = 10). Before treatments and every 8 h during the 48-h experimental period, blood samples were collected and CL volumes measured. Furthermore, two CL biopsies were obtained at 24 and 40 h post-treatment. The 1/6PGF treatment caused partial luteolysis, characterized by sudden decreases in plasma progesterone (P4) concentrations, luteal volume and LLC size, followed by increases (to pretreatment values) in P4 and luteal volume at 24 and 40 h post-treatment, respectively. However, at the end of the study, P4, luteal volume and LLC size were all significantly smaller than in Control cows. Temporally associated with these phenotypes, there was a lower mRNA abundance of VEGFA at 24 and 40 h, and ABCA1 at 24 h (P < 0.05). In conclusion, a sudden reduction in CL size during partial luteolysis induced by a sub-dose of PGF2α analog on day 6 of the estrous cycle was attributed to a reduction in LLC size, although these changes did not account for the entire phenomenon. In addition to its involvement in reducing CL size, decreased VEGFA mRNA abundance impaired CL development, resulting in a smaller luteal gland and lower plasma P4 concentrations compared to Control cows.

Assuntos

RESUMO

O objetivo do experimento foi avaliar o grau de sincronização do cio e a taxa de prenhez de vacas de corte tratadas com acetato de melengestrol (MGA) e cipionato de estradiol (ECP). Quarenta vacas lactantes Caracu (uma raça taurina local) mantidas em pastagens de Panicum maximum cv. Tanzania e suplementadas com silagem de milho, receberam o equivalente a 0,5 mg/animal/dia de MGA durante 14 dias. No dia 5, os animais foram divididos aleatoriamente em dois grupos. O grupo 1 (n=21) recebeu uma injeção i.m. de 2,0 mg de ECP enquanto que o grupo 2 (n=19) recebeu 1 ml de solução salina. O cio (detecção visual) foi registrado em todos os animais no período de 120 horas após a retirada do MGA, mas somente os animais do grupo 1 foram inseminados. Os animais do grupo 2 receberam 150 μg do análogo de PGF2α, cloprostenol 17 dias após a retirada do MGA e inseminados no cio induzido. Em ambos grupos, as vacas não detectadas no cio durante o dia foram colocadas com um touro durante a noite para uma eventual cobertura. O diagnóstico de prenhez foi realizado, por ultrassonografia, 40 dias após a IA. Os dados foram analisados pelo teste de Qui-quadrado. Oito (38,1%) animais do grupo 1 e 7 (36,8%) do grupo 2 apresentaram cio após a retirada do MGA (P>0,05). A taxa de concepção dos animais inseminados foi de 37,5% e 50,0% para os grupos 1 e 2, respectivamente (P>0,05). Esse índice aumentou para 58,3% (grupo 1) e 64,3% (grupo 2) quando foram consideradas as vacas cobertas pelo touro durante a noite. Esses resultados sugerem que é possível aproveitar o primeiro cio de fêmeas tratadas com ECP no dia 5 de um tratamento com MGA durante 14 dias. Adicionalmente, considerando o elevado número de animais cobertos pelo touro durante a noite, recomenda-se o uso de ferramentas auxiliares para identificar os animais que apresentam cio noturno ou, ainda, utilizar a monta natural em associação com a IA.

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate estrous synchronization responses and pregnancy rates of beef cows treated with melengestrol acetate (MGA) and estradiol cypionate (ECP). Forty lactating Caracu cows (a locally adapted Bostaurus taurus breed) grazing on Panicum maximum cv. Tanzania and supplemented with corn silage received the equivalent of 0.5 mg/animal/day of MGA for 14 days. On day 5, the animals were randomly assigned to one of two groups: group 1 (n=21) received an im injection of 2.0 mg ECP and group 2 (n=19) received 2 ml saline. Animals of group 1 that exhibited estrus within 120 hours after withdrawal of MGA were inseminated (AI), while animals of group 2 were treated with cloprostenol 17 days after MGA removal and were inseminated during induced estrus. In both groups, cows without estrus detection during the day stayed with a bull at night for possible mating. Pregnancy was diagnosed by ultrasound examination 40 days after AI. Chi-square analyses were used to detect differences between groups. Eight (38.1%) animals of group 1 and 7 (36.8%) of group 2 showed estrus after withdrawal of MGA (P>0.05). The conception rates in groups 1 and 2 were, respectively, 37.5% and 50.0% for inseminated cows and 58.3% and 64.3% for for inseminated cows in addition to mated by the bull at night (P>0.05). These results suggest that it is possible to use the first estrus of females treated with ECP on day 5 of a 14-day MGA treatment. Furthermore, considering the large number of cows mated by the bull at night, it is recommended to use estrus detection tools as an aid for the identification of such animals or to combine AI and bulls for breeding.

Assuntos

RESUMO

O objetivo do experimento foi avaliar o grau de sincronização do cio e a taxa de prenhez de vacas de corte tratadas com acetato de melengestrol (MGA) e cipionato de estradiol (ECP). Quarenta vacas lactantes Caracu (uma raça taurina local) mantidas em pastagens de Panicum maximum cv. Tanzania e suplementadas com silagem de milho, receberam o equivalente a 0,5 mg/animal/dia de MGA durante 14 dias. No dia 5, os animais foram divididos aleatoriamente em dois grupos. O grupo 1 (n=21) recebeu uma injeção i.m. de 2,0 mg de ECP enquanto que o grupo 2 (n=19) recebeu 1 ml de solução salina. O cio (detecção visual) foi registrado em todos os animais no período de 120 horas após a retirada do MGA, mas somente os animais do grupo 1 foram inseminados. Os animais do grupo 2 receberam 150 μg do análogo de PGF2α, cloprostenol 17 dias após a retirada do MGA e inseminados no cio induzido. Em ambos grupos, as vacas não detectadas no cio durante o dia foram colocadas com um touro durante a noite para uma eventual cobertura. O diagnóstico de prenhez foi realizado, por ultrassonografia, 40 dias após a IA. Os dados foram analisados pelo teste de Qui-quadrado. Oito (38,1%) animais do grupo 1 e 7 (36,8%) do grupo 2 apresentaram cio após a retirada do MGA (P>0,05). A taxa de concepção dos animais inseminados foi de 37,5% e 50,0% para os grupos 1 e 2, respectivamente (P>0,05). Esse índice aumentou para 58,3% (grupo 1) e 64,3% (grupo 2) quando foram consideradas as vacas cobertas pelo touro durante a noite. Esses resultados sugerem que é possível aproveitar o primeiro cio de fêmeas tratadas com ECP no dia 5 de um tratamento com MGA durante 14 dias. Adicionalmente, considerando o elevado número de animais cobertos pelo touro durante a noite, recomenda-se o uso de ferramentas auxiliares para identificar os animais que apresentam cio noturno ou, ainda, utilizar a monta natural em associação com a IA.(AU)

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate estrous synchronization responses and pregnancy rates of beef cows treated with melengestrol acetate (MGA) and estradiol cypionate (ECP). Forty lactating Caracu cows (a locally adapted Bostaurus taurus breed) grazing on Panicum maximum cv. Tanzania and supplemented with corn silage received the equivalent of 0.5 mg/animal/day of MGA for 14 days. On day 5, the animals were randomly assigned to one of two groups: group 1 (n=21) received an im injection of 2.0 mg ECP and group 2 (n=19) received 2 ml saline. Animals of group 1 that exhibited estrus within 120 hours after withdrawal of MGA were inseminated (AI), while animals of group 2 were treated with cloprostenol 17 days after MGA removal and were inseminated during induced estrus. In both groups, cows without estrus detection during the day stayed with a bull at night for possible mating. Pregnancy was diagnosed by ultrasound examination 40 days after AI. Chi-square analyses were used to detect differences between groups. Eight (38.1%) animals of group 1 and 7 (36.8%) of group 2 showed estrus after withdrawal of MGA (P>0.05). The conception rates in groups 1 and 2 were, respectively, 37.5% and 50.0% for inseminated cows and 58.3% and 64.3% for for inseminated cows in addition to mated by the bull at night (P>0.05). These results suggest that it is possible to use the first estrus of females treated with ECP on day 5 of a 14-day MGA treatment. Furthermore, considering the large number of cows mated by the bull at night, it is recommended to use estrus detection tools as an aid for the identification of such animals or to combine AI and bulls for breeding.(AU)

Assuntos

RESUMO

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether an additional intramuscular (im) injection of pFSH would increase the embryo production in zebu cows superovulated with a single subcutaneous (sc) pFSH injection. Twenty-one Nelore cows were treated with a progesterone vaginal implant (Controlled Internal Drug Relased - CIDR B) and injected im with 2.5 mg estradiol benzoate. Four days later, cows were assigned randomly into three groups and superovulated with pFSH. Groups A and B received single sc injections of 400 and 320 IU, respectively; Group C received multiple im injections of 400 IU in decreasing doses at 12-h intervals over 4 days. In the morning (07:00 am) of day 3 after starting superovulation, cows received im 150 mcg cloprostenol and Group B was additionally injected im with 80 IU of pFSH. CIDR-B was withdrawn in the afternoon (07:00 pm). Cows were inseminated 48 and 62 h after the cloprostenol injection. Embryo collection and corpora lutea (CL) estimation were done 7 days after insemination. Alternation of treatments (crossover design) occurred at a 60-day interval. There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) of CL counts among treatments. The total (transferable and no transferable) number of recovered embryos from Group A (6.9 +/- 1.5) was not different from Group C (9.8 +/- 1.2), whereas Group B (5.7 +/- 1.5) was lower than Group C (p < 0.05). The number of transferable embryos from Groups A (2.4 +/- 0.7) and B (1.7 +/- 0.6) was lower (p < 0.05) than Group C (4.6 +/- 1.2). Lesser (p < 0.05) embryo production from Group B was related to lower recovery rate (46.4%), compared with Groups A (65.1%) and C (81.7%). It was concluded that an additional im subdose of pFSH, injected 48 h after a single subcutaneous (sc) dose of pFSH, does not improve the embryo production in zebu cows.

Assuntos