Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-mlc7c Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-03T05:28:45.708Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Predicting the time of ovulation in dairy cows using on-farm progesterone kits

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

B. J. McLeod ,
J. A. Foulkes ,
M. E. Williams  and
R. F. Weller
B. J. McLeod
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute for Grassland and Animal Production, Hurley, Maidenhead SL6 5LR
J. A. Foulkes
Affiliation:
MAFF Cattle Breeding Centre, Shinfield, Reading RG2 9BZ
M. E. Williams
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute for Grassland and Animal Production, Hurley, Maidenhead SL6 5LR
R. F. Weller
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute for Grassland and Animal Production, Hurley, Maidenhead SL6 5LR
Get access

Abstract

A protocol of infrequent, but strategically timed milk-sampling was established for predicting the time of ovulation, and thus the optimum time for insemination, in lactating dairy cows. In the experimental group (no. = 49), the time of ovulation was predicted on the basis of a fall in milk progesterone concentrations, which was identified by the use of ‘on-farm’ progesterone assay kits. Reproductive performance in these animals was compared with that in control cows (no. = 45) that were inseminated solely on the basis of oestrous detection by stockmen. The accuracy of ovulation prediction, and of oestrous detection, was assessed from progesterone profiles based on milk samples collected three times weekly from all 94 cows. These milk samples were analysed by laboratory enzyme-immunoassay after the end of the trial.

Over the period during which milk samples were monitored with ‘on-farm’ progesterone kits, a total of 88 ovulations occurred in the experimental group. The progesterone-testing protocol accurately predicted 87 (99%) of these. Over the same period, there was a total of 81 ovulations in the control group and 63 (78%) of these were associated with correct oestrous detection. Conception rates to correctly timed insemination did not differ significantly between groups, but by the end of the three-cycle experimental period, significantly more of the cows in the experimental group (21·8%) than in the control group (4·8%; P < 0·05). In contrast, the use of ‘on-farm’ progesterone results to confirm oestrus avoided any mistimed inseminations (13% of inseminations in the control group). By using the milk-sampling and ‘on-farm’ progesterone-testing protocol, only 1% of ovulations were not accompanied by a correctly timed insemination. This compared with 22% of ovulations in the control group not associated with an insemination because oestrus was not detected. By ensuring that all ovulations are associated with a correctly timed insemination, herd reproductive performance can be significantly improved.

Keywords

milk testingoestrusovulationpregnancyprogesterone
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 52 , Issue 1 , February 1991 , pp. 1 - 9
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1991

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Baillie, J. H. 1982. The influence of breeding management efficiency on dairy herd performance. Animal Production 34: 315–323.Google Scholar
Ball, P. J. H. and Jackson, N. W. 1979. The fertility of dairy cows inseminated on the basis of milk progesterone measurements. British Veterinary Journal 135: 537–540.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bloomfield, G. A., Morant, S. V. and Ducker, M. J. 1986. A survey on reproductive performance in dairy herds. Characteristics of the patterns of progesterone concentrations in milk. Animal Production 42: 1–10.Google Scholar
Bulman, D. C. and Lamming, G. E. 1978. Milk progesterone levels in relation to conception, repeat breeding and factors influencing acylicity in dairy cows. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 54: 447–458.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cooper, M. J. 1974. Control of oestrous cycles of heifers with a synthetic prostaglandin analogue. Veterinary Record. 95: 200–203.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Eddy, R. G. and CLARK, P. J. 1987. Oestrus prediction n i dairy cows using ELISA progesterone test. Veterinary Record 120: 31–34.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Esslemont, R. J. 1973. Oestrus behaviour in dairy cows. Veterinary Record 93: 252–253.Google Scholar
Esslemont, R. J., Baillie, J. H. and Cooper, M. J. 1985. Fertility Management in Dairy Cattle. Collins, London.Google Scholar
Esslemont, R. J. and Bryant, M. J. 1976. Oestrous behaviour in a herd of dairy cows. Veterinary Record 99: 472–475.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Esslemont, R. J., Eddy, R. G. and Ellis, P. R. 1977. Planned breeding in autumn calving dairy herds. Veterinary Record 100: 426–427.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Foulkes, J. A. 1986. Improving oestrous detection through milk progesterone testing. State Veterinary Journal 40: 31–39.Google Scholar
Foulkes, J. A., Cookson, A. D. and Sauer, M. J. 1982. Artificial insemination of cattle based on daily enzyme immunoassay of progesterone in whole milk. Veterinary Record 111: 302–303.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Foulkes, J. A. and Goodey, R. G. 1988. Fertility of Friesian cows after insemination on the second, third and fourth days of low milk progesterone concentrations. Veterinary Record 122: 135.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gordon, I. R. 1983. Problems of oestrus detection and techniques to overcome it. In Controlled Breeding in Farm Animals, pp. 15–19. Pergamon Press, Oxford.Google Scholar
Hoffmann, B., Gunzler, O., Hamburger, R. and Schmidt, W. 1976. Milk progesterone as a parameter for fertility control in cattle; methodological approaches and present status of application in Germany. British Veterinary Journal 132: 469–476.Google Scholar
Laing, J. A. and Heap, R. B. 1971. The concentration of progesterone in the milk of cows during the reproductive cycle. British Veterinary Journal 111: xix–xxii.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mcleod, B. J., Wilkinson, J. M., Fisher, W. J., Crocker, A. J. and Glencross, R. G. 1990. Reproductive performance in lactating dairy cows treated with bovine somatotropin. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility In press.Google Scholar
Mcmillan, K. L. and Curnow, R. J. 1976. The application of oestrus synchronization in NZ dairy herds. Proceedings New Zealand Society Animal Production 36: 50–57.Google Scholar
Milk Marketing Board. 1970. Report of the Breeding and Production Organization 20: 111–113.Google Scholar
Morant, S. V. 1983. The stochastic properties of calving patterns in dairy herds. Ph. D. Thesis, University of Reading.Google Scholar
Roche, J. F. 1974. Effect of short-term progesterone treatment on oestrous response and fertility in heifers. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 40: 433–440.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sauer, M. J., Foulkes, J. A. and O'Neill, P. M. 1982. Use of microtitre plate EIA for direct determination of progesterone in whole milk; application of heterologous systems for improved sensitivity. British Veterinary Journal 138: 522–532.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sauer, M. J., Foulkes, J. A., Worsfold, A. and Morris, B. A. 1986. Use of progesterone 11-gucoronide-alkaline phosphatase conjugate in a sensitive microtitre-plate enzymeimmunoassay of progesterone in milk and its application to pregnancy testing in dairy cattle. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 76: 375–391.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Der Lende, T., James, A. D. and Esslemont, R. J. 1979. The economics of calving intervals; application of two computerized simulation models. University of Reading. Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics Research Unit Report.Google Scholar
Warren, M. 1984. Understanding your herd fertility figures. Farmers Weekly, Milk Supplement, September 14th, pp. 5–6.Google Scholar
Waters, R. J. and Ball, R. 1978. Commercial ovulation control and fixed time artificial insemination i n cattle. Veterinary Record 103: 585–587.Google Scholar
Watson, E. D., Jones, P. C. and Saunders, R. W. 1987. Effect of factors associated with insemination on calving rate in dairy cows. Veterinary Record 121: 256–258.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed