EFFECT OF ESTRADIOL-17-BETA PRINTING ON SUPEROVULATORY RESPONSE, EMBRYO RECOVERY AND PROGESTERONE PROFILE IN GOATS

The effect of estradiol-17 beta priming on day 8 and day 9 of estrous cycle on superovulatory response, embryo recovery and progesterone pro file was studied. Cyclic nondescript goats (16) randomly allocated to control (n=8) and treatment (n=8) groups, received 20 NIH-FSH-S1 units in 8 divided doses (4/4,3/3,2/2 and 1/1 units) over 4 days (day 10 to 13 of the estrous cycle) and 10 mg PGF2 alpha on day 12. in addition: treatment group received subcutaneously estradiol 17 beta (0.5 mg in olive oil) injection on day 8 and day 9. Both the groups received an i njection of 500 IU human chorionic gonadotrophin, hCG 10-16 hr after o nset of estrus and served naturally at 12 hr interval till the end of estrus. Laparotomy performed on day post 6 of induced oestrus revealed significantly lower number of corpora lutea (2.00+/-0.73 vs 5. 13+/-0 .93, P<0.05) and significantly higher number of large unovulated folli cle (5.50+/-1.23 vs 2=00+/-0.90, P<0.05). Number of embryo recovered w as low and there was significantly lower progesterone level (5.39+/-1. 31 vs 10.83+/-1.05, P<0.05). However. on other days the difference in level of progesterone was statistically nonsignificant. No effect of e stradiol -17 beta supplementation on superovulation was observed.