The objective of this research was to increase the proportion of cows with at least 1 functional corpus luteum (CL) and elevated progesterone at the onset of the timed artificial insemination (TAI) protocol. Postpartum Holstein cows in one herd were stratified by lactation number at calving (September 2009 through August 2010) and assigned randomly to 2 treatments: 1) Presynch-10 (n=105): two 25-mg injections of PGF(2α) (PG) 14 d apart (Presynch); and 2) PG-3-G (n=105): one 25-mg injection of PG 3 d before 100-μg GnRH (Pre-GnRH) injection, with the PG injection administered at the same time as the second PG injection in the Presynch-10 treatment. Cows were enrolled in a TAI protocol [Ovsynch; injection of GnRH 7 d before (GnRH-1) and 56 h after (GnRH-2) PG injection with AI 16 to 18 h after GnRH-2] 10 d after the second or only PG injection. Blood samples for progesterone or estradiol analyses were collected on median days in milk (DIM): 36, 39, 50, 53 (Pre-GnRH), 60 (GnRH-1), 67 (PG), 69 (GnRH-2), and 70 (TAI). Ovarian structures were measured by ultrasonography on median DIM 53, 60, 67, 69, and 6 d post-TAI to determine follicle diameters, ovulation response to GnRH, or both. Although progesterone concentration did not differ between treatments before Pre-GnRH injection, the proportion of cows with at least 1 CL tended to be greater for PG-3-G than Presynch-10 cows, and more PG-3-G cows ovulated after Pre-GnRH injection than ovulated spontaneously in Presynch-10. Further, the diameter of follicles that ovulated tended to be smaller in PG-3-G than in Presynch-10 cows after Pre-GnRH injection. At GnRH-1, the proportion of cows with progesterone ≥1 ng/mL, the number of CL per cow, and the proportion of cows with at least 1 CL were greater for PG-3-G than Presynch-10. Neither follicle diameter nor percentage of cows ovulating after GnRH-1 differed between treatments. At PG injection during the week of TAI, progesterone concentration and the proportion of cows with progesterone ≥1 ng/mL tended to be greater for PG-3-G than Presynch-10, and PG-3-G had more CL per cow than Presynch-10. No ovarian characteristics differed between treatments after GnRH-2, including progesterone concentration, number of CL per cow, and total luteal volume 7 d after GnRH-2. Many of the previous ovarian traits were improved in both ovular and anovular cows after PG-3-G compared with Presynch-10. Pregnancies per AI at d 32 and 60 were only numerically greater for PG-3-G than for Presynch-10 cows, largely because of differences detected during months without heat stress. We concluded that the PG-3-G treatment increased ovulation rate and luteal function 7 d before the onset of Ovsynch, resulting in improved follicular synchrony and predisposing potentially greater pregnancies per AI in lactating dairy cows.
