Dw. Hanlon et al., OVULATORY RESPONSES AND PLASMA LUTEINIZING-HORMONE CONCENTRATIONS IN DAIRY HEIFERS AFTER TREATMENT WITH EXOGENOUS PROGESTERONE AND ESTRADIOL BENZOATE, Theriogenology, 47(5), 1997, pp. 963-975
The objectives of this experiment were to determine the effects of 0.5
mg estradiol benzoate, administered intramuscularly 24 h after remova
l of CIDR-B progesterone containing intravaginal devices, on the time
to estrus, ovulation and peak LH concentration in dairy heifers. Ovula
tory responses and plasma LH concentrations were examined using 14 Fri
esian dairy heifers in 2 separate treatment periods. Al heifers receiv
ed a CIDR-B progesterone-containing intravaginal device with an attach
ed 10-mg estradiol benzoate capsule for 12 d. Within each period, 24 h
after CIDR-B removal, 7 heifers received an intramuscular injection o
f 0.5 mg estradiol benzoate while the remaining 7 heifers received an
intramuscular injection of a placebo. Blood samples for LH assay were
collected at 0, 6 and 12 h, and then every 4 h for 60 h after estradio
l injection Detection of estrus was conducted at 4-h intervals, and ul
trasonographical examination to detect ovulation was conducted every 8
h for 88 h after removal of the CIDR-B device. Treatment with estradi
ol benzoate tended to reduce the time from device removal to the LH pe
ak in Period 1 (median time to LH peak 40.1 vs 63.9 h; P=0.07). In Per
iod 2, treatment with estradiol had no significant effect on the time
to the LH peak, standing estrus or ovulation. We hypothesize that the
period effect was due to the stage of cycle at the time of treatment.
For heifers treated in Period 1, the stage of cycle was random. Howeve
r, because of the prior synchronization of estrus, which was implicit
in the experimental design, heifers in Period 2 tended to be in late d
iestrus. The administration of estradiol benzoate after treatment with
exogenous progesterone appears to overcome the variability in timing
of LH peaks typically occurring in a herd of synchronized heifers due
to different stages of follicular development. (C) 1997 by Elsevier Sc
ience Inc.