Effect of treatment of Bos indicus heifers with progesterone 0, 3 and 6 days after follicular aspiration on follicular dynamics and the timing of oestrus and ovulation

Synchronisation of wave emergence is used to synchronise oestrus in cattle. The aim of this study was to determine if treatment with high concentrations of progesterone in Bos indicus heifers for 3 days would synchronise new wave emergence when treatment commenced at early, mid and late stages of follicular development. Heifers were treated with a sc silicone implant containing norgestomet from Days -7 to 9 and cloprostenol (IM) on Days -7 and -2. All follicles > 4 mm in diameter were removed by transvaginal follicular aspiration either on Days 0 (Experiment 1), 3 (Experiment 2) or 6 (Experiment 3). From Days 6 to 9 every heifer was treated with two intravaginal progesterone releasing inserts that each contained either no progesterone (Control, n = 8/experiment) or 3.12 g of progesterone (n = 8/experiment). Ovarian follicular development was monitored at least once daily following aspiration until oestrus and ovulation. In each experiment, treatment with progesterone significantly increased concentrations of progesterone in plasma from Days 6 to 9 compared to Control heifers. It also significantly delayed the day of emergence of the ovulatory follicle (1.6 ± 0.6 vs 8.6 ± 0.3; 4.1 ± 0.1 vs 8.6 ± 0.2; 7.0 ± 0.0 vs 9.3 ± 0.4, for Control vs progesterone treated heifers, respectively in Experiments 1 to 3) and the interval from implant removal to oestrus and ovulation. In conclusion, treatment with high concentrations of progesterone can synchronise wave emergence in Bos indicus heifers when administered at early, mid and late stages of follicular development.