Use of Injectable Progesterone as a Pre-Synchronisation Strategy in a Timed Artificial Insemination Protocol Based on Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone and Progesterone in Bos indicus Beef Cows in Anoestrous

This study evaluated the effects of pre-synchronisation with injectable progesterone (P4) on the ovarian follicular dynamics of Bos taurus indicus cows in anoestrous treated with a timed artificial insemination (TAI) protocol. Multiparous Nelore females (n = 47) at 30-60 days postpartum were used in this study. 10 days before (D-10) the TAI protocol, antral follicle count (AFC; follicles >= 3 mm), ovarian condition and body condition score (BCS; 1-5) were assessed and were randomly allocated into two groups: Pre-sync (n = 25), which underwent pre-synchronisation with 150 mg of injectable P4 intramuscularly (i.m.), and control (n = 22), which received the same volume of NaCL 0.9%. On D0, the ovarian assessment was repeated, and TAI protocol was initiated in all animals, with the insertion of an intravaginal P4 device and administration of 10.5 mu g of buserelin acetate (gonadotropin-releasing hormone-GnRH). On D7, the P4 device was removed, and 300 IU of equine chorionic gonadotropin, 150 mu g of D-cloprostenol and 1 mg of estradiol cypionate were administered i.m. On the same day (D7), the presence of the corpus luteum (CL) was assessed, the dominant follicle was measured, and the tail was painted to evaluate estrous expression. On D9, the largest follicle was remeasured, and TAI was performed. Animals that were not detected in oestrous at the time of AI were administered 10.5 mu g of GnRH i.m. Numerical data were analysed using the Mann-Whitney U test. Binary data were analysed using the Fisher's exact test (5%). BCS, both at the beginning of pre-synchronisation (p = 0.45) and TAI protocol initiation (p = 0.20), and AFC (p = 0.36) did not differ between control and Pre-sync groups. The diameter of the largest follicle was similar between the control and Pre-sync groups on D-10 (p = 0.32), D0 (p = 0.33), D7 (p = 0.29) and D9 (p = 0.22). On D7 of the protocol, the Pre-sync group had a higher percentage of CL visible on transrectal ultrasonography (84.0%; p = 0.02) than the control group (54.5%); however, the expression during oestrous did not differ between groups (p = 0.59). The pregnancy rate was similar (p = 0.64) between groups and was not influenced by the CL rate on D7 (p = 0.48), oestrous expression (p = 0.20) or their interaction (p > 0.1). Pre-synchronisation effectively increased the proportion of cows with CL on D7 without altering the diameter of the largest follicle, oestrous expression or pregnancy rate in anoestrous cows treated with a GnRH/P4-based TAI protocol.