Use of hormonal subdoses applied in Bai Hui acupuncture in estrus synchronization protocols for goats

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of delivering reduced doses of hormones via the Bai Hui acupoint in estrus synchronization in goats. A total of 40 goats received intravaginal sponges with medroxyprogesterone acetate for 7 days. The goats were then randomly distributed into 5 treatment: T1 - application of 132.5 ?g of cloprostenol and 300 IU of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG), both by intramuscular injection (IM); T2 - application of 39.75 ?g cloprostenol at the Bai Hui acupoint, and 300 IU of eCG by IM; T3 - application of 132.5 ?g of cloprostenol by IM, and 90 IU of eCG at the Bai Hui acupoint; T4 - application of 39.75?g of cloprostenol and 90 UI of eCG, both in Bai Hui and T5 acupuncture: application of 39.75?g of cloprostenol and 90 UI of eCG, both applied in false acupoint. The goats were subjected to an estrus synchronization protocol and monitored for estrus detection, coverage and evaluation of reproductive parameters to detect entry into estrus. The data were subjected to normality tests, followed by appropriate statistical analyses of each variable. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the percentage of animals in estrus (95.00 ± 11.18%), interval between sponge removal and beginning of estrus (49.72 ± 8.93 h), interval between sponge removal and end of estrus (76.84 ± 11.98 h), duration of estrus (27.08 ± 8.68 h), size of the largest follicle (6.82 ± 0.44 mm), interval between sponge removal and ovulation (78.28 ± 10.82 h), time from ovarian onset to estrus (28.52 ± 5.44 h), follicular growth rate (0.86 ± 0.29 mm/day), number of ovulations (1.32 ± 0.23), plasma progesterone concentration at 7 days after ovulation (10.28 ± 1.65 ng.mL-1), and gestation rate at 30 days after the beginning of estrus (75 ± 12.5%). However, the cost of the synchronization protocol per animal was 43.42% lower in treatments 4 and 5 (30% of the doses) than in treatment 1 (100% of the dose). Ovulation and estrus were efficiently synchronized with the use of 39.75 ?g of sodium cloprostenol and 90 UI of eCG, applied at the Bai Hui acupoint or at a false acupoint.

Application of hormonal subdoses at the Bai Hui acupoint for estrus synchronization in sheep

“…A study testing 30% of the conventional doses of PGF 2 α and eCG applied at the BH acupoint in goats did not find differences in estrus expression, with the average rate of estrus detection of approximately 95% (Souza et al, 2019). Likewise, another study testing even smaller doses (20% and 10% of the conventional doses) of PGF 2 α and eCG applied at the BH acupoint in goats did not find any difference in estrus expression (80% and 77.7%, respectively) (R. C. S. A. .…”

“…This search for the minimum effective doses, among other options, involves the evaluation of different hormonal application routes. The Bai Hui (BH) and Hou Hai (HH) acupuncture points are linked to the reproductive organs, and some techniques using these acupoints have been developed for the treatment or assessment reproductive protocols in ruminants, including the BH acupoint in goats (Souza et al, 2019;R. C. S. A. Araújo et al, 2019) and sheep (Martinez, Oliveira, Cadamuro, Bonamigo, & Folador, 2007) and the Hou Hai acupoint in goats (R. C. Cardoso et al, 2018;R.…”

Application of low dose of equine chorionic gonadotropin at acupoint Hou Hai for fixed-time artificial insemination in beef cows

“…Some hormonal protocols associated with pharmacopuncture for reducing hormone doses and consequently the cost of protocols showed the same level of efficacy as that of traditional protocols, as described by Simplício (2008), who worked with goats and sheep, and by Cardoso et al (2018) and Souza et al (2019), who worked with goats. Komatsu et al (1998) showed that the Hou Hai acupoint can be used to induce estrus in zebu cows via the needling stimulus.…”

Subdose of human chorionic gonadotropin applied at the Hou Hai acupoint on follicular dynamics and luteal development in donkeys

“…An alternative route for hormonal application is pharmacopuncture, which enables the use of reduced doses and has similar results to those obtained using conventional doses (Luna et al, 2008;Souza et al, 2019;Cardoso et al, 2018). Pharmacopunture also reduces undesirable side effects, sediments in animal products for consumption, and treatment costs (Wynn et al, 2001), thus enabling successive applications during the breeding season (Gastal et al, 2006).…”