Effect of 200 µg of gonadorelin at the first gonadotropin-releasing hormone of the Resynch-25 on ovarian dynamics and fertility in lactating Holstein cows

Abstract

Our objective was to determine the effect of a 200-µg dose of GnRH 25 d after previous artificial insemination (AI) in a Resynch-25 resynchronization program on ovulatory response, circulating progesterone (P4) concentrations before and after treatment, and pregnancy per AI (P/AI) compared with a 100-µg dose in lactating Holstein cows. Experimental d 0 was considered the day of the previous AI. Lactating dairy cows (n = 3,240) with an average of 126 d in milk (DIM) and between 1 and 6 services were randomly assigned to receive 100 µg or 200 µg of GnRH on d 25 (GnRH25). On d 32 after AI, cows diagnosed nonpregnant with the presence of a corpus luteum (CL) detected by ultrasound (n = 1,249) received PGF2α treatments on d 32 and 33, followed by a GnRH 32 h later and AI 16 h after this last GnRH. Blood samples were collected on d 25, 32, and 34 to evaluate serum P4 concentrations. Transrectal ultrasonographic examination was performed on d 25 and 27 to assess ovulatory response to GnRH25. Cows were checked for pregnancy on d 32, 46, and 88 after AI. The larger dose of GnRH increased the overall proportion of cows that ovulated to the GnRH25 (25.0% for the 100-µg dose vs. 32.5% for the 200-µg dose). However, when cows were evaluated separately according to the pregnancy status on d 32 after AI, we found no treatment effect within cows pregnant and nonpregnant. Even though treatment increased the proportion of cows with serum P4 ≤0.42 ng/mL at the last GnRH treatment (G2; 86.2% for the 100-µg dose vs. 93.0% for the 200-µg dose), it did not affect P/AI on d 32, 46, and 88. Furthermore, a greater proportion of cows without a functional CL at GnRH25 had circulating P4 concentrations ≥1.00 ng/mL on d 32 and lower than 0.42 ng/mL on G2. These cows also had a greater P/AI on d 32, 46, and 88. In summary, the larger dose of GnRH on d 25 after AI did not increase the ovulatory response in nonpregnant cows and P/AI on d 32, 46, and 88 after AI after the Resynch-25 program. Additionally, nonpregnant cows without a functional CL at GnRH25 were better synchronized after the Resynch-25 protocol and had greater P/AI on d 32, 46, and 88 after timed-AI.