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Vertebrate reproductive science and technology
RESEARCH ARTICLE

New approaches to superovulation in the cow

Gabriel A. Bó A E , Daniel Carballo Guerrero A B , Andrés Tríbulo A B , Humberto Tríbulo A B , Ricardo Tríbulo A B , Dragan Rogan C and Reuben J. Mapletoft D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Instituto de Reproducción Animal Córdoba (IRAC), Zona Rural General Paz, 5145 Córdoba, Argentina.

B Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Avenida Valparaíso y Rogelio Martínez, Ciudad Universitaria, 5000 Córdoba, Argentina.

C Bioniche Life Sciences, 231 Dundas Street, East Belleville, ON K8N 5J2, Canada.

D Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4, Canada.

E Corresponding author. Email: gabrielbo@iracbiogen.com.ar

Reproduction, Fertility and Development 22(1) 106-112 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD09226
Published: 8 December 2009

Abstract

There is continuing need to simplify bovine superovulation protocols without compromising embryo production. The control of follicular wave emergence and ovulation has facilitated donor management, but the most commonly used treatment, oestradiol, cannot be used in many parts of the world and mechanical removal of the dominant follicle is difficult to apply in the field. Other alternatives include gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) or LH, but efficacy in groups of randomly cycling animals is variable. Another alternative is to increase the response to GnRH by inducing a persistent follicle and initiating FSH treatments following GnRH-induced ovulation. The number of transferable embryos following superovulation during the first follicular wave did not differ from that achieved 4 days after oestradiol benzoate and progesterone. To further simplify superovulation, FSH has been administered as a single intramuscular injection. Superovulation of beef donors with a single intramuscular injection of Folltropin-V (Bioniche Animal Health, Belleville, ON, Canada) diluted in a slow-release formulation resulted in embryo production comparable to that obtained using the traditional twice-daily protocol. The single intramuscular injection has the potential to reduce labour and handling and may be useful when handling stress is an impediment to success. These alternatives provide ways of facilitating widespread application of embryo transfer technologies.

Additional keywords: first follicular wave, FSH, GnRH, progesterone releasing device, slow release formulation.


Acknowledgements

The authors’ research reported herein was supported by the Instituto de Reproducción Animal Córdoba (IRAC) and Bioniche Animal Health (Canada). The authors thank Biotay SA (Argentina) for the provision on PGF and GnRH and for facilitating the importation of the other hormones used in these trials. The authors extend special thanks to colleagues at IRAC for technical assistance.


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