Efficacy of methods to synchronize follicular wave emergence in pregnant heifers

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of various methods for synchronization of follicular wave emergence (FWE) in pregnant heifers. Pregnant (60 d of gestation) Holstein heifers (n = 86) arranged in cohorts were randomly assigned to be administered 172 µg of gonadorelin ac...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Cameron B. Hayden, Jessica C.L. Motta, Rodrigo V. Sala, Nora M. Bello, Marco A. Coutinho da Silva, Alvaro García-Guerra
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-01-01
Series:JDS Communications
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666910224001467
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1846091596151390208
author Cameron B. Hayden
Jessica C.L. Motta
Rodrigo V. Sala
Nora M. Bello
Marco A. Coutinho da Silva
Alvaro García-Guerra
author_facet Cameron B. Hayden
Jessica C.L. Motta
Rodrigo V. Sala
Nora M. Bello
Marco A. Coutinho da Silva
Alvaro García-Guerra
author_sort Cameron B. Hayden
collection DOAJ
description The objective of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of various methods for synchronization of follicular wave emergence (FWE) in pregnant heifers. Pregnant (60 d of gestation) Holstein heifers (n = 86) arranged in cohorts were randomly assigned to be administered 172 µg of gonadorelin acetate (GnRH), 3,300 IU of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), follicular ablation of follicles >5 mm (FA), or saline (control). Ultrasonography was performed to determine ovulation and emergence of a new follicular wave. Data were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models with treatment as a fixed effect and cohort as a random effect. Ovulatory response was greater for hCG (81.0%; 95% CI: 58.0–92.9) than GnRH-treated (50.0%; 95% CI: 28.8–71.2) heifers, whereas ovulation was not observed for heifers in the FA or control groups. Heifers in the FA group had a shorter (34.8 ± 1.7 h) interval from treatment to FWE compared with heifers in the hCG (51.8 ± 5.3 h), GnRH (56.8 ± 5.3 h), and control (61.4 ± 9.8 h) groups. Furthermore, treatments differed in variability of time to FWE, whereby FA-treated heifers had less variable, more consistent responses than hCG and GnRH heifers. These groups were, in turn, less variable in time to FWE than heifers in the control group. Synchronization of FWE efficacy was greater in FA (97.6%; 95% CI: 69.8%–99.9%) and hCG-treated (75.0%; 95% CI: 52.8%–89.0%) heifers than control (27.5%; 95% CI: 12.2%–50.9%) heifers, with marginal evidence for a difference between GnRH (69.1%; 95% CI: 46.4%–85.2%) and control heifers. Overall, we found no evidence for differences in FWE synchronization efficacy between hCG, GnRH, and FA. Nevertheless, FA resulted in a shorter and less variable interval from treatment to FWE, thus providing a more precise control of follicular development.
format Article
id doaj-art-a0dd71fee8de467ea2674719eb95b8fc
institution Kabale University
issn 2666-9102
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series JDS Communications
spelling doaj-art-a0dd71fee8de467ea2674719eb95b8fc2025-01-10T04:38:12ZengElsevierJDS Communications2666-91022025-01-0161154159Efficacy of methods to synchronize follicular wave emergence in pregnant heifersCameron B. Hayden0Jessica C.L. Motta1Rodrigo V. Sala2Nora M. Bello3Marco A. Coutinho da Silva4Alvaro García-Guerra5Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210STgenetics, The Ohio Heifer Center, South Charleston, OH 45368USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD 20705Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210; Corresponding authorThe objective of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of various methods for synchronization of follicular wave emergence (FWE) in pregnant heifers. Pregnant (60 d of gestation) Holstein heifers (n = 86) arranged in cohorts were randomly assigned to be administered 172 µg of gonadorelin acetate (GnRH), 3,300 IU of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), follicular ablation of follicles >5 mm (FA), or saline (control). Ultrasonography was performed to determine ovulation and emergence of a new follicular wave. Data were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models with treatment as a fixed effect and cohort as a random effect. Ovulatory response was greater for hCG (81.0%; 95% CI: 58.0–92.9) than GnRH-treated (50.0%; 95% CI: 28.8–71.2) heifers, whereas ovulation was not observed for heifers in the FA or control groups. Heifers in the FA group had a shorter (34.8 ± 1.7 h) interval from treatment to FWE compared with heifers in the hCG (51.8 ± 5.3 h), GnRH (56.8 ± 5.3 h), and control (61.4 ± 9.8 h) groups. Furthermore, treatments differed in variability of time to FWE, whereby FA-treated heifers had less variable, more consistent responses than hCG and GnRH heifers. These groups were, in turn, less variable in time to FWE than heifers in the control group. Synchronization of FWE efficacy was greater in FA (97.6%; 95% CI: 69.8%–99.9%) and hCG-treated (75.0%; 95% CI: 52.8%–89.0%) heifers than control (27.5%; 95% CI: 12.2%–50.9%) heifers, with marginal evidence for a difference between GnRH (69.1%; 95% CI: 46.4%–85.2%) and control heifers. Overall, we found no evidence for differences in FWE synchronization efficacy between hCG, GnRH, and FA. Nevertheless, FA resulted in a shorter and less variable interval from treatment to FWE, thus providing a more precise control of follicular development.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666910224001467
spellingShingle Cameron B. Hayden
Jessica C.L. Motta
Rodrigo V. Sala
Nora M. Bello
Marco A. Coutinho da Silva
Alvaro García-Guerra
Efficacy of methods to synchronize follicular wave emergence in pregnant heifers
JDS Communications
title Efficacy of methods to synchronize follicular wave emergence in pregnant heifers
title_full Efficacy of methods to synchronize follicular wave emergence in pregnant heifers
title_fullStr Efficacy of methods to synchronize follicular wave emergence in pregnant heifers
title_full_unstemmed Efficacy of methods to synchronize follicular wave emergence in pregnant heifers
title_short Efficacy of methods to synchronize follicular wave emergence in pregnant heifers
title_sort efficacy of methods to synchronize follicular wave emergence in pregnant heifers
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666910224001467
work_keys_str_mv AT cameronbhayden efficacyofmethodstosynchronizefollicularwaveemergenceinpregnantheifers
AT jessicaclmotta efficacyofmethodstosynchronizefollicularwaveemergenceinpregnantheifers
AT rodrigovsala efficacyofmethodstosynchronizefollicularwaveemergenceinpregnantheifers
AT norambello efficacyofmethodstosynchronizefollicularwaveemergenceinpregnantheifers
AT marcoacoutinhodasilva efficacyofmethodstosynchronizefollicularwaveemergenceinpregnantheifers
AT alvarogarciaguerra efficacyofmethodstosynchronizefollicularwaveemergenceinpregnantheifers