Pharmacological Control of Estrus in Tropical Cattle, an Economical Assessment of Different Synchronization Protocols

Abstract

To compare the fertility results and to assess the cost-effectiveness of several synchronization protocols applied under the conditions of beef cattle enterprises in Colombia, 1658 multiparous zebu crossbred cows mostly Brahman and Nelore ranging between 2-6 parities were used. Five protocols of pharmacological treatments varying in hormones used, dosage and the time of application were tested. All cows were inseminated at 52 h by appointment. Pregnancy diagnosis was undertaken over 45 d after insemination by rectal palpation. The total cost per cow and the total cost per gestation, for each protocol, were calculated. Taking a herd of one-hundred cows as baseline for calculations, it was estimated the cost of the total amount of pregnancies possibly obtained in each protocol; then, the excess between the costs of a pregnant cow and the cost of a treated cow was estimated. Additionally, the costs due to cows empty after four services were calculated. A total of 874 pregnancies were registered (52.7%), with pregnancies per protocol varying between 46.9% and 66.2% (p<005). The cost per treated cow, varied between $64.08 and $97.47 and the cost per gestation from $126.01 to $177.26, without association between the cost of the treatment and the pregnancy rate. Protocol A was the best cost-effective with the lowest additional costs, the lowest amount of open days (2107.7 to 2231.7 d) and IA straws (average=134), with an additional costs of $6940.00. Synchronization of estrus using pharmacological products seems to have a place in the management of cattle; however, caution should be called upon a careful assessment both from the part of the farm and the professional in charge of the enterprise to avoid using the technique indiscriminatively thus propitiating the use of a method that might not be cost efficient.