Prostaglandin F2α or estradiol benzoate to induce ovulation in timed artificially inseminated dairy cows

Abstract

The objective of this work was to compare two types of ovulation inducers – estradiol benzoate (EB group) or prostaglandin F2α (PG group) –, in postpartum dairy cows subjected to timed artificial insemination (TAI). Lactating Holstein‑Gir crossbred cows (n=118) with 60 to 120 days of milk production were used in this study. All cows were treated with an intravaginal progesterone‑releasing device (CIDR) plus 2 mg of estradiol benzoate (EB) on day 0. The CIDR inserts were removed on day 9, and all cows received 500 µg sodium cloprostenol. Twenty‑four hours after CIDR removal, cows were randomly assigned into two treatment groups and were given either 1 mg of EB i.m. (EB group) or 500 µg sodium cloprostenol i.m. (PG group). TAI were performed at 52 to 54 hours, in both EB and PG groups, after CIDR removal. No differences were observed in the ovulation (85.2% vs 72.7%) and pregnancy rates (40.7% vs 38.2%) between the EB and PG groups, respectively. Fertility is similar in the TAI protocols that use prostaglandin F2α or EB to induce ovulation in lactating dairy cows.