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. 2021 Jan;7(1):148-155.
doi: 10.1002/vms3.353. Epub 2020 Sep 20.

The effect of prostaglandin and gonadotrophins (GnRH and hCG) injection combined with the ram effect on progesterone concentrations and reproductive performance of Karakul ewes during the non-breeding season

Mohammad Ayaseh  1 , Abdolah Mirzaei  1 , Alidad Boostani  2 , Mansur Mehrvarz  1
Affiliations

The effect of prostaglandin and gonadotrophins (GnRH and hCG) injection combined with the ram effect on progesterone concentrations and reproductive performance of Karakul ewes during the non-breeding season

Mohammad Ayaseh et al. Vet Med Sci. 2021 Jan.

Abstract

The effect of prostaglandin and gonadotrophins (GnRH and hCG) combined with the ram effect on the progesterone (P4) concentrations and reproductive performance of Karakul ewes was investigated during non-breeding season. Ewes (n = 93) received a male effect and were divided into two treatment groups including GnRH - hCG (hCG, n = 32), GnRH - GnRH (GnRH, n = 30) and a control (n = 31) group. This study was carried out from April (hormonal injection) to October (lambing). The first doses of GnRH (4.2 μg, Buserelin) were injected at the beginning of the study in treatment groups. These ewes were treated with hCG (250 IU) or the second GnRH dose five days later. All animals received two injections (ten days apart) of 150 μg PGF2α five days after the hCG or the second GnRH injection. Mating was initiated two days after the second prostaglandin injection and lasted for 34 days. Blood samples were collected by jugular venipuncture on days -10, -5, 0 (first PGF2α injection), 17 and 30 during the study. Pregnancy diagnosis was performed through transabdominal ultrasonography on day 40 after the removing of ram. Conception rate was 93.8, 90 and 87.1% in the hCG, GnRH and control groups, respectively. Lambing rate tended to increase in the hCG group compared with the control group (87.1 versus 58.1%; p < .1). There was no significant difference in P4 concentrations among studied groups in identical sampling times (p > .05). In conclusion, the administration of prostaglandin and hCG in combination with the ram effect tended to decrease lambing period. In other words this protocol tended to increase lambing rate at the first cycle. Treatment with hCG or GnRH did not increase serum P4 concentrations of treated Karakul ewes during the non-breeding season.

Keywords: Ewes; GnRH; Non-breeding season; Progesterone; Ram effect; hCG.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest and financial, personal or other relationships with other people or organizations.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Scheme of treatment protocols in Karakul ewes during the experimental periods, relative to the first PGF2α injection (Day 0); B.S: blood sample; D.W: distilled water; PG: prostaglandin; R: ram; U.S: ultrasonography; Day 0: First dose of PGF2α injection
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Serum progesterone (Mean ± SE) concentrations of ewes treated with prostaglandin and GnRH or hCG combined with the male effect in seasonal anestrous ewes
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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