A comparison of the follicular dynamics in heifers of the Czech Fleckvieh and Holstein breeds

Abstract

Differences in follicular development and repeatability of follicular growth pattern among Czech Fleckvieh (n = 20) and Holstein (n = 23) heifers were investigated. Follicular dynamics was evaluated by daily sonographic scanning during three interovulatory intervals. The mean duration of the interovulatory interval was 20.66 ± 0.32 days, no differences between breeds were observed. The proportion of the nonalterna-ting pattern was nearly the same as that of the alternating pattern (54% and 46%, respectively). The majority of IOIs ≤ 21 days were of the 2-wave pattern (71%) whereas only 29% of them were of the 3-wave pattern. Conversely, the majority of IOIs ≥ 22 days were of the 3-wave pattern (84%), whereas only 16% were of the 2-wave pattern. Differences could be observed in the Czech Fleckvieh heifers. Comparing 2-and 3-wave interovulatory intervals, 44.2% of the heifers exhibited 3 waves and 55.8% of the heifers exhibited 2 waves of follicular growth. The ratio of 3-to 2-wave heifers was about the same in the Holstein breed; in Czech Fleckvieh 2-wave cycles slightly dominated (11/12, 8/12; respectively). In Holstein heifers, the first follicular wave occurred 0.92 ± 0.15 days after ovulation in 2-wave interovulatory intervals, and the emergence of the first wave in 2-wave Czech Fleckvieh heifers appeared later (P < 0.05), 1.83 ± 0.3 days after ovulation. The maximal size reached by the dominant follicles in all animals and in the Czech Fleckvieh differed in the first and in the second wave of 2-wave cycles (P < 0.05). In 3-wave interovulatory intervals the dominant follicles in the second wave differed (P < 0.05) from the mean diameters of the first and the third wave in the Czech Fleckvieh. The ovulatory follicles were significantly (P < 0.05) smaller in 2-wave than in 3-wave interovulatory intervals among all animals and between the Holstein and Czech Fleckvieh heifers. In conclusion, we found a similar pattern of ovarian follicular dynamics in Czech Fleckvieh and Holstein heifers kept under identical nutritional and environmental conditions. Whether the significant difference in the emergence of the 1 st follicular wave in 2-wave IOIs between C and H heifers is of real biological significance is ambiguous.

Ovarian follicle growth dynamics during the postpartum period in Holstein cows and effects of contemporary cyst occurrence

“…Nevertheless, the reason for such a difference is more probably in the methodology of ultrasound examination, as Savio et al (1990b) reported follicular wave emergence on days 2-6 after ovulation. This is not in agreement with repeatedly observed first wave emergence on the 1 st -2 nd days after ovulation (Ginther et al, 1989;Šichtař et al, 2010). Also, Savio et al (1990b) found the lifespan of rDFs to be evidently shorter than we did (Table 2), although they monitored the follicles until their disappearance, whereas we stopped their monitoring when their size dropped back to 9 mm.…”

“…Factors affecting the fate of DFs pp are closely related to the metabolic status of animals -for instance, prepartum diet (Cavestany et al, 2009), energy balance (EB) pp (Beam and Butler, 1997), but also parity (Zhang et al, 2010). The ovarian follicular dynamics in heifers and cows is well described during the oestrous cycle (Sartori et al, 2004;Šichtař et al, 2010), but there is a lack of detailed information about follicular development in the early pp period, especially in high-yielding dairy cows.…”

Mechanisms regulating follicle wave patterns in the bovine estrous cycle investigated with a mathematical model

“…It was shown that wave pattern is repeatable within individuals (Jaiswal et al, 2009) but also that cows can switch between cycles with 2 and 3 waves (Price and Carrière, 2004). Sichtar et al (2010) reported an almost equal proportion of alternating and nonalternating patterns in cows monitored during 3 cycles. In a study of Rhodes et al (1995) in 5 Bos indicus heifers monitored for at least 12 consecutive estrous cycles, 3 waves was the most common pattern.…”

Follicular dynamic and repeatability of follicular wave development in Peranakan Ongole (PO) cattle

“…It was in line with Jaiswal et al (2009) who said that wave pattern had high repeatability value in crossed Hereford (B. taurus) cattle. Sichtar et al (2010) reported almost equal proportion between individual experiencing a change or not in wave amount pattern in the same individual of dairy cattle.…”