Effect of PGF2α and GnRH on the reproductive performance of postpartum dairy cows subjected to synchronization of ovulation and timed artificial insemination during the warm or cold periods of the year.

This study was designed to evaluate the reproductive performance of lactating dairy cows (Holstein Friesian) after the injection of PGF2α analogue on Day 15 postpartum, and GnRH analogue on Day 23 after artificial insemination (AI) with Presynch (two injections of PGF2α, administered 14 days apart starting at 30-35 days postpartum) + Ovsynch-based (GnRH-7 days-PGF2α-2 days-GnRH-16-20 hours-timed artificial insemination) treatments, during the warm and cold periods of the year. All the cows (n = 313) were assigned to one of the four groups including: M1 (n = 72) in which the cows were treated with PGF2α on Day 15 postpartum + Presynch-Ovsynch + GnRH on Day 23 post-AI; M2 (n = 41) in which the cows received PGF2α on Day 15 postpartum + Presynch-Ovsynch; M3 (n = 100) including the cows that got Presynch-Ovsynch; and control group (n = 100) including the cows that were not treated and were inseminated at natural estrus. Pregnancy diagnosis was performed 28 to 35 days post-insemination by means of ultrasound. The results showed that treatment with PGF2α on Day 15 postpartum significantly decreased the days to conception and the number of services per conception (P < 0.01) and it also improved the first service conception rate (P < 0.1) only in cows that were treated with M2 protocol. Whereas, the days to first service was not influenced by the treatment of PGF2α on Day 15 postpartum (P > 0.05). In contrast, administration of GnRH on Day 23 post-AI increased the days to conception and the number of service per conception (P < 0.01) and tended to decrease the first service conception rate (P < 0.1) in cows that were treated with M1 compared with M2 protocol. Therefore, it was concluded that Presynch-Ovsynch protocol could be more reproductive and beneficial when a single treatment with PGF2α was administered at 15 days postpartum (15 days after the PGF2α, Presynch-Ovsynch protocol was initiated). Interestingly, the administration of a GnRH agonist on Day 23 post-AI not only did not improve the reproductive performance of the cows receiving first postpartum timed artificial insemination after Presynch-Ovsynch protocol but also reduced that.