The aim of this study was to investigate characterization of oestrous response, onset of induced oestrus, oestrous duration, fecundity and fertility in Awassi ewes treatment with intravaginal sponges and Controlled Intravaginal Drug Release (CIDR) devices in combination with pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) under local environmental conditions during the non-breeding season. A total of 62 ewes were divided into three groups. Group CIDR (n = 20) was treated with CIDR devices for 12 days and 400 IU PMSG was injected upon removal of the CIDR. For ewes in Group Sponge (SP) (n = 24), 30 mg fluorogestone acetate was administered to the sheep for 12 days and 400 IU PMSG was injected upon withdrawal of the sponge. Group Control (CON) (n = 18) served as a control group and received no treatment. Adult, intact and sexually experienced Awassi rams were introduced to all groups at the time when the intravaginal devices were removed. There were no significant differences in terms of oestrous response (CIDR: 90%, SP: 87.5%), time to onset of oestrus and duration of induced oestrus between the CIDR and SP groups. The oestrous response of treatment groups was significantly greater (p < 0.05) than in the control ewes. There were no significant differences in pregnancy (CIDR: 70%, SP: 70.8%), lambing (CIDR: 85%, SP: 79.2%) and fecundity rates between ewes treated with CIDR and those treated with sponges. However, pregnancy and lambing rates were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in ewes treated with CIDR or sponges when compared with those in the control group. It was concluded that it is possible to induce fertile oestrus, successful pregnancy and lambing with the treatment of either CIDR or intravaginal sponge in combination with PMSG in Awassi ewes during the non-breeding season.

No abstract

The objective of this study was to compare the efficiency of oestrus induction protocols on Kilis dairy goats kept on a goat farm situated close to Kilis, Turkey. Eighty goats were assigned randomly into four groups of 20 animals each in a factorial arrangement: (i) untreated control (CON), (ii) melatonin implant (MEL), (iii) CIDR-G (CIDR) and (iv) melatonin implant plus CIDR-G (MC). Experiments were performed in mid-anoestrus season under natural photoperiod environment. The differences among treatment groups in oestrus response were significant. Oestrus response was higher in the MC group than in other groups (p < 0.05). A significant difference was observed in the time interval from cessation of treatment to the onset of oestrus among treatments. The CIDR-G treatment reduced intervals from buck introduction to oestrus. The time to onset of oestrus in both the MC and CIDR groups was significantly shorter, compared with the MEL and CON groups (p < 0.05). The number of does kidding and fertility were not different among treatment groups (p > 0.05). Fecundity was similar among goats in all groups. Prolificacy and twining rates showed similar trends as fecundity rates, with no differences (p > 0.05) between treatments. The results of this study showed that oestrus in Kilis does can be effectively induced by using melatonin and CIDR combined treatment, and fertility will not be adversely affected. However, this treatment did not improve fecundity, prolificacy and twining rates.

SummaryThe aim of the present study was to evaluate different of doses PMSG on estrus synchronization and fertility in Awassi ewes synchronized with progesterone during The transition period. A total of 92 ewes were used in this experiment. All ewes were treated with a vaginal sponge containing 30 mg fluorogestone acetate (FGA) inserted into the vagina of the ewes for 12 days. All animals were divided into four groups randomly and a single intramuscular (IM) dose of PMSG (group 1, 300 IU, n=21; group 2, 400 IU, n=27; group 3, 500 IU, n= 25), group 4 (n=19) was injected with 1 ml normal saline solution and as served control group at time of sponge removal. The interval between the withdrawal of the sponges and estrus was observed 40.82±1.21 h, 40.20±1.14 h, 38.7±1.07 h and 41.79±1.72 h in groups 1, 2, 3 and the control group, respectively. Estrus responses were similar in all groups (group 1, 81.0%; group 2, 92.6%; group 3, 92.0%; control group, 73.78%). There were no statistically significant differences (P>0.05) between the treatment groups and the control group for the onset of estrus or estrus response. The duration of estrus was shorter in group 1, compared to the control group (24.9±0.85 hr vs. 29.07±1.31hr), and that this difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Pregnancy rates were 82.35%, 80.0%, 82.60% and 78.5% in groups 1, 2, 3 and the control group, respectively. Lambing rates were obtained 100.0% among all the groups, or litter size (1.07 to 1.21) did not differ between the treatment groups and the control group. As a result, different doses of PMSG in Awassi ewes synchronized with progesterone during the transition period had similar effect on estrus synchronization and fertility parameters.

Öz: Bu çalışmada, sığır ELISA-PAG (gebelik ilişkili glikoprotein) kitinin Konya Merinosu koyunlarda; 1) gebeliğin teşhisi ve 2) PAG'lerin erken gebelik plazma profilinin belirlenmesindeki kullanılabilirliği değerlendirildi. Bu amaçlar için, kan örnekleri gebeliğin 21-70. günleri arasında haftalık olarak alındı. Kit üreticisinin talimatına göre, PAG'lerin plazma seviyeleri belirlendi ve değer 0.3 OD'nin (optimal yoğunluk) üzerinde ise gebelik tanısı pozitif olarak kabul edildi. Gebeliğin 21 ve 70. günleri arasında PAG'lerin profilinde lineer benzeri bir artış olduğu belirlendi. PAG'lerin pozitif değer oranları 28, 35 ve 42. günlerde sırasıyla %30.8, %69.2 ve %66.7 olarak belirlendi. Bu sonuçlara göre, ticari sığır ELISA-PAG kitinin Konya Merinosu koyunlarda erken gebeliğin tespitinde ve fetoplasental yapının sağlığının izlenmesinde güvenilir olduğu belirlendi. Ancak, plazma örneklerinde gebelik tanısı için pozitif değer 0.3 OD kabul edilirse erken gebelikte yüksek bir hata payı ortaya çıkmaktadır.