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The objectives of this study were to 1) compare cumulative pregnancy rates in a traditional management (TM) scheme with those using a synchronization of ovulation protocol (CO-Synch + CIDR) for timed AI (TAI) in Bos indicus-influenced cattle; 2) evaluate ovarian and hormonal events associated with CO-Synch + CIDR and CO-Synch without CIDR; and 3) determine estrual and ovulatory distributions in cattle synchronized with Select-Synch + CIDR. The CO-Synch + CIDR regimen included insertion of a controlled internal drug-releasing device (CIDR) and an injection of GnRH (GnRH-1) on d 0, removal of the CIDR and injection of PGF2alpha (PGF) on d 7, and injection of GnRH (GnRH-2) and TAI 48 h later. For Exp. 1, predominantly Brahman x Hereford (F1) and Brangus females (n = 335) were stratified by BCS, parity, and day postpartum (parous females) before random assignment to CO-Synch + CIDR or TM. To maximize the number of observations related to TAI conception rate (n = 266), an additional 96 females in which TM controls were not available for comparison also received CO-Synch + CIDR. Conception rates to TAI averaged 39 +/- 3% and were not affected by location, year, parity, AI sire, or AI technician. Cumulative pregnancy rates were greater (P < 0.05) at 30 and 60 d of the breeding season in CO-Synch + CIDR (74.1 and 95.9%) compared with TM (61.8 and 89.7%). In Exp. 2, postpartum Brahman x Hereford (F1) cows (n = 100) were stratified as in Exp. 1 and divided into 4 replicates of 25. Within each replicate, approximately one-half (12 to 13) received CO-Synch + CIDR, and the other half received CO-Synch only (no CIDR). No differences were observed between treatments, and the data were pooled. Percentages of cows ovulating to GnRH-1, developing a synchronized follicular wave, exhibiting luteal regression to PGF, and ovulating to GnRH-2 were 40 +/- 5, 60 +/- 5, 93 +/- 2, and 72 +/- 4%, respectively. In Exp. 3, primiparous Brahman x Hereford, (F1) heifers (n = 32) and pluriparous cows (n = 18) received the Select Synch + CIDR synchronization regimen (no GnRH-2 or TAI). Mean intervals from CIDR removal to estrus and ovulation, and from estrus to ovulation were 70 +/- 2.9, 99 +/- 2.8, and 29 +/- 2.2 h, respectively. These results indicate that the relatively low TAI conception rate observed with CO-Synch + CIDR in these studies was attributable primarily to failure of 40% of the cattle to develop a synchronized follicular wave after GnRH-1 and also to inappropriate timing of TAI/GnRH-2.

The objectives were to evaluate the effect of presynchronization with GnRH on pregnancy rates (Exp. 1) and ovarian events (Exp. 2) in Bos indicus-influenced females synchronized with CO-Synch + controlled internal drug release (CIDR) as described below. In Exp. 1, a total of 135 Brahman x Hereford (F(1)) females were assigned randomly after stratification to 1) Presynch; presynchronization followed by CO-Synch + CIDR, or 2) No Presynch; CO-Synch + CIDR without presynchronization. On d -7, cattle received 100 microg of GnRH or 2 mL of intramuscular (i.m.) saline. On d 0, all cattle received a CIDR and i.m. injection of GnRH (GnRH-1), followed by CIDR removal and i.m. injection of 25 mg of PGF(2alpha) (PGF) on d 7, and i.m. injection of GnRH (GnRH-2) and timed AI (TAI) 66 h after CIDR removal (d 10). An additional 77 cows not involved in the Presynch comparison were also treated with CO-Synch + CIDR. Pregnancy rates for Presynch (37.3 +/- 6%) and No Presynch (48.5 +/- 6.1%) did not differ (P = 0.6). Pregnancy rate for all CO-Synch + CIDR-treated cattle combined was 41.9 +/- 6.1 (n = 145). In Exp. 2, we examined ovarian events in 98 Brahman x Hereford (F(1)) cows assigned randomly to Presynch or No Presynch. Ovulatory response to GnRH-1 was greater (P < 0.01) in the Presynch (58 +/- 7.1%) than in the No Presynch (27.1 +/- 6.5%) group. However, emergence of a synchronized new follicular wave after GnRH-1 and ovulation rate after GnRH-2 did not differ between groups (P = 0.4). Presynchronization increased the proportion of females ovulating after GnRH-1, but this did not increase synchrony of new follicular wave emergence or ovulation after GnRH-2, and did not improve TAI pregnancy rates.

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