Administration of GnRH on the day of fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI) and melengestrol acetate (MGA) administration after ftai in non-suckling nelore cattle

Abstract

<p>The present study evaluated the effect of administering buserelin acetate (GnRH) at the time of fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI), along with the effect of oral administration of melengestrol acetate (MGA) after FTAI on conception rates in non-suckling Nelore cattle. In Experiment I, the effect of GnRH application at the time of FTAI was evaluated, as was administration of MGA from the 13th through the 18th day following FTAI (D24 to D29 after the initiation of the FTAI protocol). Experiment I was performed in 215 non-suckling cattle of the Nelore breed, divided into four experimental groups: Control group: 56 cows subjected to FTAI without GnRH injection; GnRH group: 51 cows subjected to GnRH at the time of FTAI; MGA Group: 57 cows subjected to FTAI without the application of GnRH with mineral supplementation and the addition of 2.28 g of MGA® Premix per cow per day from D24 to D29 after the initiation of the FTAI protocol; MGA and GnRH group: 51 cows subjected to GnRH injection at the time of FTAI, with mineral supplementation and the addition of 2.28 g of MGA® Premix per cow per day from D24 to D29 after the initiation of the FTAI protocol. In Experiment II, the effect of providing MGA five to ten days after FTAI was evaluated in 196 non-suckling pluriparous Nelore cows, divided into two groups: Control group: 104 cows subjected to FTAI, not supplemented with MGA; treated group: 92 cows supplemented with the addition of 2.28 g of MGA® Premix per cow per day from D15 to D20 after the initiation of the FTAI protocol. Diagnosis of gestation was carried out 45 days after FTAI. Both experiments were conducted using a completely randomised design and analysed via the SAS MIXED procedure. In Experiment I, the control group displayed a lower conception rate (32.1%) compared with the groups administered GnRH, MGA, and both MGA and GnRH, which were respectively provided with MGA after FTAI (45.6%), GnRH at the time of FTAI (50.9%), and the combination of the two treatments (50.9%) (P<0.05). In Experiment II, the control group displayed a higher conception rate (40.38%) compared with the group receiving MGA post-FTAI (18.48%) (P<0.05). It was concluded that the injection of buserelin acetate (GnRH) at the time of FTAI and the oral administration of MGA® Premix from the 13th to the 18th day after FTAI increased the conception rates in non-suckling Nelore cattle. However, when MGA® Premix was administered orally from the fifth to tenth day post-FTAI, conception rates in non-suckling Nelore cattle were reduced.</p>