231 SUPEROVULATORY RESPONSE AND EMBRYO YIELD OF SANTA INES EWES SUBMITTED TO FOLLICLE STIMULATING HORMONE TREATMENTS STARTED NEAR THE TIME OF EMERGENCE OF THE FIRST AND LAST FOLLICULAR WAVE OF A PROGESTERONE-BASED PROTOCOL
M. E. F. Oliveira A , C. C. D'Amato A , L. G. Oliveira A , S. D. Bicudo B , J. F. Fonseca C and W. R. R. Vicente AA University of Sao Paulo State, UNESP-FCAV, Jaboticabal - SP, Brazil;
B University of Sao Paulo State, UNESP-FMVZ, Botucatu - SP, Brazil;
C EMBRAPA, CNPC, Sobral - CE, Brazil
Reproduction, Fertility and Development 24(1) 228-228 https://doi.org/10.1071/RDv24n1Ab231
Published: 6 December 2011
Abstract
This study was designed to investigate if the superovulatory response and embryo yield in Santa Ines ewes are influenced by the time that FSH treatments are inititiated: near the emergence of the first or last follicular wave of a progesterone-based (P4) protocol. Days of emergence of the follicular waves was defined in a previous study that evaluated follicular dynamics in oestrus synchronization treatments (Oliveira et al. 2011 Acta Sci. Vet. 40). Twenty Santa Ines cyclic ewes were submitted to 2 superovulatory protocols according to the time that FSH treatments were initiated (G-first wave, n = 10 and G-last wave, n = 10). Thus, the FSH treatment started on Day 4 and 10 of protocol for G-first and G-last, respectively (Day 0 = onset of protocol). Ewes were treated with a P4 device (CIDR®; Pfizer-New Zealand) for 6 and 12 days for G-first and G-last, respectively. Additionally, in G-last, the CIDR was replaced by a new one on Day 7. All ewes received 2 injections of 37.5 μg of D-cloprostenol (Prolise®, Arsa-Argentina) on Day 0 and at CIDR removal. The superovulatory regimen consisted of 8 IM injections of pFSH (Folltropin®; Bioniche Animal Health, Belleville, Ontario, Canada) administrated twice daily (40, 40, 30, 30, 20, 20, 10 and 10 mg of porcine FSH). A single IM dose of 200 IU of eCG (Novormon®, Syntex, Buenos Aires, Argentina) was given concurrently with CIDR removal. Ewes were mated by a fertile ram. Embryo collections were accomplished 7 days after CIDR removal. The superovulatory response was classified in scores: (0) 4 or fewer corpora lutea (CL); (1) between 5 and 10 CL and (2) 11 or more CL. Means (± SD) were compared using Kruskal-Wallis test and percentages using Chi-square (P < 0.05). Most donors (70%, 7/10) from G-last had a superovulatory response classified as score 2 and the remainder (30%, 3/10) as score 1, whereas half of ewes from G-first were classified as score 2 and half as score 1 (P > 0.05).There was no effect between treatments (P > 0.05) for ovulation rate (G-first: 90.7 ± 10.2% vs G-last: 93.0 ± 7.2%), number of ovulations (G-first: 13.1 ± 7.3 vs G-last: 14.0 ± 5.8), or number of luteinized unovulated follicles (G-first: 1.4 ± 1.3 vs G-last: 0.9 ± 1.0). Furthermore, there was no effect between G-first and G-last (P > 0.05) in the rate of ova/embryos recovered (55.1 ± 27.1% vs 67.0 ± 19.4%), mean number of ova/embryos recovered (7.0 ± 5.5 vs 9.1 ± 3.8), number of viable embryos (3.9 ± 6.1 vs 5.7 ± 4.4), or viability rate (49.1 ± 43.7 vs 58.5 ± 34.6). In conclusion, superovulatory response and embryo yield did not differ between FSH treatments initiated during the first or last follicular wave of a progesterone-based treatment in Santa Ines ewes.
Financial support of FAPESP is acknowledged.
