No abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of delivering reduced doses of hormones via the Bai Hui acupoint in estrus synchronization in goats. A total of 40 goats received intravaginal sponges with medroxyprogesterone acetate for 7 days. The goats were then randomly distributed into 5 treatment: T1 - application of 132.5 ?g of cloprostenol and 300 IU of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG), both by intramuscular injection (IM); T2 - application of 39.75 ?g cloprostenol at the Bai Hui acupoint, and 300 IU of eCG by IM; T3 - application of 132.5 ?g of cloprostenol by IM, and 90 IU of eCG at the Bai Hui acupoint; T4 - application of 39.75?g of cloprostenol and 90 UI of eCG, both in Bai Hui and T5 acupuncture: application of 39.75?g of cloprostenol and 90 UI of eCG, both applied in false acupoint. The goats were subjected to an estrus synchronization protocol and monitored for estrus detection, coverage and evaluation of reproductive parameters to detect entry into estrus. The data were subjected to normality tests, followed by appropriate statistical analyses of each variable. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the percentage of animals in estrus (95.00 ± 11.18%), interval between sponge removal and beginning of estrus (49.72 ± 8.93 h), interval between sponge removal and end of estrus (76.84 ± 11.98 h), duration of estrus (27.08 ± 8.68 h), size of the largest follicle (6.82 ± 0.44 mm), interval between sponge removal and ovulation (78.28 ± 10.82 h), time from ovarian onset to estrus (28.52 ± 5.44 h), follicular growth rate (0.86 ± 0.29 mm/day), number of ovulations (1.32 ± 0.23), plasma progesterone concentration at 7 days after ovulation (10.28 ± 1.65 ng.mL-1), and gestation rate at 30 days after the beginning of estrus (75 ± 12.5%). However, the cost of the synchronization protocol per animal was 43.42% lower in treatments 4 and 5 (30% of the doses) than in treatment 1 (100% of the dose). Ovulation and estrus were efficiently synchronized with the use of 39.75 ?g of sodium cloprostenol and 90 UI of eCG, applied at the Bai Hui acupoint or at a false acupoint.

The substitution of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) by follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in protocols for synchronization of ovulation in Santa Inês ewes was assessed. Ten females were submitted to the insertion of intravaginal sponges containing 60 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate for 10 days; after this period sponges were withdrawn and the animals were randomly divided into two groups. Group 1 (n = 5): intramuscular injection of 0.5 mL d-cloprostenol and 300 UI eCG; Group 2 (n = 5): intramuscular injection of 0.5 mL d-cloprostenol and 20 mg FSH. Interval between sponge withdrawal and estrus beginning was 27.7 h and 35.9 h for eCG and FSH, respectively. Interval between sponge withdrawal and the end of estrus was 55.8 h for eCG treatment and 55.6 h for FSH treatment. Estrus length was 29.3 h and 19.6 h, for eCG and FSH treatments, respectively. The biggest follicle and the second in size measured 0.74 cm and 0.54 cm for eCG treatment, whereas for the FSH treatment they measured 0.73 and 0.50 cm. The interval between the beginning of estrus and ovulation was similar within all groups: 21.0 h for eCG treated ewes and 25.2 h for the ones treated with FSH. Ewes treated with eCG presented an interval of 47.5 h between sponge withdrawal and ovulation, while the ones treated with FSH presented a 61.1 h interval. Ovulation occurred 8.3 h before the end of estrus in the eCG group. On the other hand, ewes treated with FSH ovulated 5.5 h after the end of estrus. Estrus and ovulation were efficiently synchronized in Santa Inês ewes by using long-term progestogen protocol associated to the administration of 20 mg FSH, along with Prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) at the moment of sponge withdrawal, thus substituting the use of eCG

Avaliou-se o efeito da suplementação com geleia real sobre a morfometria do aparelho genital, resposta superovulatória e qualidade embrionária de coelhas. Trinta e seis fêmeas foram distribuídas em quatro grupos (G), sendo: G1 (n=9) formado por animais não suplementados com geleia real, e G2, G3 e G4 (n=9 em cada grupo) por animais suplementados com 10, 20 e 40mg/dia de geleia real. A superovulação consistiu na aplicação de 40UI de gonadotrofina coriônica equina, seguida por 40UI de gonadotrofina coriônica humana, via intramuscular, 48 horas após, e submetidas à cobrição natural. Os animais foram sacrificados, e os embriões coletados 72 horas após a cópula. Não houve diferença estatística entre tratamentos para as variáveis analisadas. O peso médio do aparelho genital foi de 10,88±0,38g; dos ovários - direito e esquerdo -, 0,28±0,02g; e o índice gonadossomático, 0,02±0,0g. O número médio de estruturas totais recuperadas foi de 9,2±1,4; de embriões viáveis, 8,7±1,4; e de degenerados, 0,5±0,2. Dos embriões viáveis, 5,6±0,8 foram classificados como grau I; 2,3±0,5, como grau II; e 0,8±0,2, como grau III. A suplementação com geleia real na dose de até 40mg/dia não apresentou efeito estimulador sobre o aparelho genital e a qualidade embrionária de coelhas.