J Vet Sci.  2008 Mar;9(1):95-101. 10.4142/jvs.2008.9.1.95.

Luteal lifespan and fertility after estrus synchronization in goats

• Chao LM
• Takayama K
• Nakanishi
• Hamana K
• Takagi M
• Kubota C
• Kojima T

• KMID: 1102959
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4142/jvs.2008.9.1.95

Abstract

The present experiment aims to examine the efficiency of estrus synchronization using progesterone and equine chorionic gonadotrophin (eCG) and to look at luteal function. During the non-breeding and breeding season, 5 adult female Korean native goats were injected intramuscularly with 2.5 ml of physiological saline as the control. A progesterone impregnated intravaginal sponge was then kept in the same goats for 10 days followed, after a week, by an intramuscular injection of 500 IU eCG. Five adult female Nubian goats were mated with a fertile buck during the non-breeding season. During the non-breeding season 2 of the 5 goats showed a normal estrous cycle (ranging from 18 to 21 days) and 3 a short estrous cycle (ranging from 3 to 6 days). During the breeding season the equivalent figures were 1 and 2. The major axes of the corpus luteum (CL) were measured by means of calipers built into the ultrasonography system, and the concentrations of plasma progesterone (P(4)) were determined by double antibody radioimmunoassay. The mean major axes of the CL in goats showing the short cycle (6.1 +/- 0.5 mm) was significantly smaller than in those showing the normal cycle (8.9 +/- 0.5 mm; p < 0.01) and also the value of P4 in goats showing the short cycle (4.2 +/- 2.1 ng/ml) was significantly lower than for those showing the normal cycle (10.3 +/- 4.3 ng/ml; p < 0.05) at day 3 following ovulation. Three out of 5 Nubian goats became pregnant but only one goat carried to full term. The present experiment indicated that a combination of progesterone and eCG was effective in inducing estrus, although it resulted in a high incidence of short luteal lifespan. The low kidding rate and high incidence of embryonic loss may be due to the instability of the luteal lifespan.

Keyword

eCG; goats; luteal lifespan; progesterone

MeSH Terms

Animals
Chorionic Gonadotropin/*pharmacology
Corpus Luteum/*drug effects/*physiology
Estrus Synchronization/*drug effects/physiology
Female
Fertility/*drug effects
Fertility Agents, Female/pharmacology
Goats/*physiology
Horses
Pregnancy
Progesterone/blood/*pharmacology

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Major axes of CL and plasma progesterone concentrations (P4) in goats showing normal or short estrous cycles following estrus synchronization during the non-breeding season (day 0 = the day when ovulation occurred). *Solid lines: major axes of CL; Dotted lines: P4; ◆: #198, ▲: #183, ■: #587, ●: #913, -: #196.

• 

  Fig. 2 Plasma progesterone concentrations (P4) during gestation in 3 pregnant goats (day 0 = the day when estrus showed). *Goat #178 carried to full term, goat #179 aborted at day 46, and goat #200 aborted at day 54.

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  Fig. 3 The major axes of CL in goats showing normal or short estrous cycles following estrus synchronization during PIIS insertion and PIIS removal during the breeding seasons (day 0 = the day when PIIS was inserted).

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