Reproductive performance of dairy cows with luteal or follicular ovarian cysts after treatment with buserelin

In dairy farm management economic losses resulting from cystic ovarian degeneration are well known. In spite of this, neither the definition nor the aetiopathology of ovarian cysts are clear and agreed upon. Also the usual classification in luteal and follicular cysts, requiring ultrasound examination together with assessment of P4 to be accurate, is not very helpful in field conditions. Consequently a single treatment is often provided for both types of cysts, and since the 1970s treatments with GnRH and its analogues have been considered very useful. Nevertheless differences in recovery rates after GnRH treatment in animals with either luteal or follicular cysts are reported. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate recovery rate, recovery time and conception rate after treatment with buserelin (GnRH-analogue) in cows with ovarian luteal or follicular cysts. In a 5 years period, 150 cows with cysts out of a total of 990 animals, were detected and treated intravenously between 45 and 60 days PP with 20 μg buserelin. No statistically significant differences were found in recovery rates and in conception rates between the two types of cysts. Comparison of recovery times showed significantly shorter recovery for cows with luteal cysts. The results emphasise the usefulness of GnRH to treat ovarian cysts regardless of their type, in relation to both recovery and conception rates. Intervals from treatment to resumption of ovarian activity were affected by the characteristics of ovarian cysts, with a faster recovery for the luteal type.