Oral supplementation with melengestrol acetate incorporated in protein-energy blocks II- effect on pregnancy rates of Nellore cows submitted to FTAI and FTET.

Abstract

Abstract The study aimed to evaluate the use of Melengestrol acetate (MGA) supplementation in protein-energy blocks on pregnancy rate post-FTAI or post-FTET for multiparous Nellore cows. In trial 1, 863 cows were submitted to FTAI following P4-estradiol protocol. After FTAI, the animals were allocated into three groups: control (n = 301): supplemented with nutritional blocks; MGA13-18 (n = 309): supplementation with same nutritional block added with MGA between the 13th and 18th days after FTAI; MGA6-18 (n = 253): supplementation with same nutritional block added with MGA between the 6th to 18th days after FTAI. In the second trial, 310 embryo recipients’ cows were submitted to the same estrus synchronization protocol and in vitro-produced embryos were transferred 7 days after the estimated estrus day (D0), and divided into two groups: control (n = 149): supplemented with nutritional blocks without the addition of MGA; MGA group (n = 161): supplemented with nutritional blocks added with MGA between 13th and 18th days after D0. In trial 1, the P/AI were similar for MGA13-18 (56.6%: 175/309) and MGA6-18 (57.70%: 146/253) groups, which were higher (P = 0.0273) than the Control (48.5%: 146/301). In trial 2, pregnancy rates weren´t influenced by treatments [Control: 49.33% (74/149); MGA: 54.37% (87/161); P = 0.185]. In conclusion, supplementation with MGA incorporated into nutritional blocks improves P/AI, proving to be a hormonal tool capable of increasing reproductive efficiency in cattle without major changes in animal supplementation management. The supply of MGA after FTET to recipient cows did not increase pregnancy rates.