Pregnancy and Peripheral Plasma Progesterone Levels in Cows Inseminated after Synchronization of Estrus with Prostaglandin F₂α

摘要

Fifteen Holstein cows were treated with two doses of 25 mg of a prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α as dinoprost tromethamine) administered intramuscularly 11 days apart. The cows were then divided into three groups and inseminated either at 72, 80 or 72 and 96 hours after the second dose of PGF2α. Thirteen cows ovulated after the second prostaglandin treatment. Eight cows were diagnosed pregnant by rectal palpation 42 days after insemination but only five calved. PGF2α induced luteolysis in cows with active corpora lutea as evidenced by the dramatic decreases in the plasma progesterone concentrations after treatment. In contrast, following PGF2α administration to cows in follicular or late luteal phase the concentrations of plasma progesterone either increased gradually or remained low for several days before increasing to maximal levels. The ovulatory rate after the two doses of PGF2α11 days apart was high. However, the pregnancy rate after this treatment was influenced by other factors including abnormal ovarian function.