Fixed-time artificial insemination in primiparous lactating Nelore acyclic cows

The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the efficiency of a fixed-time artificial insemination protocol to improve the reproductive performance of lactating primiparous acyclic Nelore cows. A total of 350 cows with average body condition score of 2.65±0.01 and average postpartum days of 67.35±1.0 were used. The breeding season (MS) was 180 days. The animals were distributed into G1 (n = 61) and G3 (n = 116) - cows with ovarian follicles ≤8mm in diameter and without corpus luteum (CL). G2 (n = 57) and G4 (n = 116) groups - cows with follicles ≥8mm and without CL. Cows in G1 and G2 remained in natural mating (NM) from day 0 of MS. G3 and G4 were treated (Day 0) with 2mg of oestradiol benzoate (EB), IM, and 1.0g P4 device for eight days. The withdrawal of P4 was administered with 400IU of eCG and cloprostenol 75μg, IM, after 24h, and 1mg BE, IM. The artificial insemination was performed at 51-54h after removing the P4 device. Five days after the end of the artificial insemination, cows from G3 and G4 were also held in MN. Ultrasonography was performed to evaluate the presence of CL and the pregnancy diagnosis at days 45 and 210 after the onset of MS. At 45 days more animals in G3, 42.2% and G4, 51.7% were pregnant (P <0.05) than in G1, 0% and G2, 3.5%. The CL percentage was 6.6%, 28.1%, 50.9%, 62.9% in G1, G2, G3 and G4, respectively. At 210 days 22.9% in G1, 45.6% in G2, 40.5% in G3 and 65.5% in G4 were pregnant. The service periods were: G1, 134.00±11.70 days; G2, 119.65±8.27 days, in G3, 79.91±5.38 days, and G4, 81.40±4.59 days. The fixed-time artificial insemination was efficient to improve the reproductive performance of primiparous lactating Nelore acyclic cows compared to animals that remained only with natural mating.

beef cattle; primiparous cows; fixed-time insemination; Nelore cows; reproductive efficiency