Superovulation and embryo production in tropical adapted Bos taurus (Caracu) and Bos indicus (Nelore) cows

• Main Authors: Rafael Herrera Alvarez, Antônio Campanha Martinez, Rita Maria Ladeira Pires
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Instituto de Zootecnia 2011-01-01
• Series: Boletim de Indústria Animal
• Subjects: caracu; raças bovinas adaptadas; superovulação; transferência de embriões
• Online Access: http://revistas.bvs-vet.org.br/bia/article/view/7204
• ISSN: 0067-9615; 1981-4100

The aim of this study was to compare ovarian response and embryo production of superovulated Bos indicus and Bos taurus cows adapted to the environmental conditions from São Paulo State, Brazil. Ninety non-lactating cows from Caracu ( Bos taurus, n=40) and Nelore (Bos indicus, n=50) were treated with an intravaginal device containing progesterone (1.38 mg; CIDRB ®, Pfizer Animal Health, Montreal, Québec, Canada) and 2.5 mg, intramuscularly (IM), of estradiol benzoate (Estrogin®, Farmavet, São Paulo, Brazil). Four days later, all animals were treated with multiple IM injections of 400 IU of FSH (Pluset®, Calier, Spain) in decreasing doses (75–75; 75–50; 50–25, and 25–25 IU) at 12-h intervals over 4 days. On the seventh day, CIDR-B device was removed and cows received, IM, 150 ìg of cloprostenol (Veteglan®, Calier, Spain). Cows were then inseminated 48 and 62 h after cloprostenol treatment and embryos were recovered non-surgically seven days after first insemination. Differences in the number of corpora lutea (CL) number, total number of structures (ova/embryos), and number of transferable embryos were analyzed by Student t test. There was no difference (P > 0.05) in the average number of CL, total ova/embryos and transferable embryos of Caracu (11.4 ± 3.3; 8.6 ± 2.6 e 6.0 ± 2.4) and Nelore (12.0 ± 4.1; 9.0 ± 4.3 e 5.1 ± 2.9) cows, respectively. These results suggest that Caracu and Nelore cows superovulated in tropical climate had similar ovarian responses and embryo production.