Identifier

etd-04072017-132758

Degree

Master of Science (MS)

Department

School of Animal Science

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

Two experiments evaluated using an estrous-detection patch to identify animals that are in standing estrus at split-timed AI (STAI) and the necessity of a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) injection at STAI on a 7-Day CO-Synch + CIDR protocol. In experiment 1 (n=216) and in experiment 2 (n=101), multiparous lactating crossbred beef cows were stratified by age, BW, BCS, and post-partum interval to 2 treatment groups: CTRL=timed-AI (TAI) at 72h post CIDR removal, or TRT=STAI at 72 or 84h post CIDR removal. All females received GnRH plus a CIDR on d0, prostaglandin-F2α, CIDR removal, and an Estrotect estrous-detector patch on d7. At 72h post-CIDR removal, a patch score was assigned (PS1 <50% removed; PS2 ≥ 50% removed) to all females. Cows in the CTRL group were administrated a second GnRH injection at 72h TAI. Cows in the TRT group with a PS2 were not administrated GnRH at TAI. At 84h, the remaining TRT cows were given a second PS and cows with a PS1 received a GnRH injection and cows with a PS2 did not. Blood samples for Progesterone concentration were collected on d-11 and 0 to determine percent of cows cycling. Data were analyzed using Proc Genmod with treatment and AI technician as fixed effects, sire as a random effect, and BW, BCS, age, and PPI as covariates. In experiment 1, TAI pregnancy rates were similar (P=0.81) between the CTRL (40.8%) and TRT (43.4%) groups. Pregnancy rates tended to be greater (P=0.07) for cows with a PS2 (50.3%) compared with a PS1 (29.4%). However, by extending TAI to 84h in unresponsive cows, 82.0% of the TRT cows did not receive a second injection of GnRH at TAI. In experiment 2, TAI pregnancy rates were similar (P=0.80) between the CTRL (32.3%) and TRT (38.6%) groups. Pregnancy rates were greater (P=0.04) for cows with a PS2 (70.6%) compared with a PS1 (19.4%). By extending TAI to 84h in unresponsive cows, 37.1% of the TRT cows did not receive GnRH at TAI. Using a heat-detector can reduce the percentage of cows that require GnRH at TAI without compromising pregnancy rates.

Date

2017

Document Availability at the Time of Submission

Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide.

Committee Chair

Walker, Ryon

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_theses.4388

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