Progesterone profiles and oestrous cycle changes following superovulatory treatment of Holstein-Friesian dairy cows in a tropical environment

Abstract

Changes of progesterone (P4) profiles and oestrous cycle were investigated up to 70 days in 20 superovulated Holstein-Friesian cows in a dry tropical environment (Brazil). Superovulated cows showed no significant differences in relation to P4 level at the time of embryo recovery (39.0 ± 27.1 nmol/L, P = 0.536), first and second (12.0 ± 6.0 and 10.7 ± 2.2 nmol/L, P = 0.543) cycle. There was a close correlation between serum P4 concentration and the number of corpora lutea (CL; 13.3 ± 9.5) at the recovery (P < 0.0001). After the embryo collection, cows returned to cycle in different ways: (i) group of donors returning to cycle after 2.2 ± 0.8 days, (ii) group with a delay of 11.0 ± 1.9 days; and (iii) animals having a long (28.8 ± 2.2 days) acyclic period, which is significant (P < 0.001). The remaining animals (30%) showed cystic ovarian malformations. P4 level at the time of embryo recovery does not influence the oestrous cycle changes. The results suggest that Holstein-Friesian donor cows may suffer from cystic ovarian degeneration and may have a long acyclic period after superovulatory treatment in a tropical climate.