141 Effect of induction of an ipsilateral vs. contralateral accessory corpus luteum (CL) on pregnancy per AI and pregnancy loss in lactating dairy cows

Abstract Induction of accessory CL can increase circulating progesterone (P4) and potentially improve fertility; although, regression of accessory CL contralateral to the pregnancy can occur, potentially negating their benefit. In this study, primiparous (n = 377) and multiparous (n = 678) lactating Holstein cows (80.0 ± 3.3DIM, 43.2 ± 13.3 kg milk/d, and BCS = 2.85 ± 0.24) were enrolled in Presynch-Ovsynch (PGF-14d-PGF-12d-GnRH-7d-PGF-56h-GnRH-16h-AI) with AI at 81 ± 3 DIM. On d5 after AI, cows were randomly but unequally assigned as Control (n = 289) or GnRH (n = 641; 100 µg gonadorelin acetate). Blood samples were collected for P4 and ovaries evaluated by ultrasound on d5, d12, d19, d26, d33, d47, and d61. mRNA for ISGs (d19) and PSPB (d26) concentrations were evaluated and pregnancy diagnoses were done on d26, d33, d47 (also embryonic measurements), and d61. Statistical analyses were performed with PROC GLIMMIX of SAS 9.4. Ovulation to GnRH on d5 was 85.4% (577/676). Cows were designated as: Control (n = 289), Ipsilateral (n = 239), or Contralateral (n = 241). Overall P4 differed (P < 0.01) within groups (Control = 7.90 ± 0.35c, Ipsilateral = 10.5 ± 0.34a, and Contralateral = 9.55 ± 0.26a). Interestingly, 52.7% (78/148) of contralateral pregnant cows had accessory CL regression by d61 with decreases in P4 after contralateral CL regression (P < 0.001). There were no treatment differences for pregnant cows in ISG15 (P = 0.63) or Mx2 (P = 0.51) mRNA, circulating PSPB (P = 0.56), amniotic vesicle size (P = 0.89), or crown-rump length (P = 0.19) or in pregnancy/AI on d26 (P = 0.24), d33 (P = 0.67), d47 (P = 0.53), or d61 (P = 0.62; overall 50.3% [387/769]). Nevertheless, pregnancy losses between d26 and d61 were lower (P = 0.03) for ipsilateral (6.6 ± 2.3%) than contralateral (14.0 ± 3.0%) and from controls (P = 0.065; 13.7 ± 2.9%) With differences also from d26-33 (Control = 7.5 ± 2.1; Ipsilateral = 3.1 ± 1.5; Contralateral = 9.6 ± 2.5). Within contralateral group, early accessory CL regression was associated with greater pregnancy loss from d26-33 (P = 0.04) and d26-61 (P = 0.01). Thus, induction of accessory CL increases P4 and may reduce pregnancy loss, although these advantages are reduced for contralateral accessory CL, because many of these CL regress during pregnancy.

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Accessory CL regression during pregnancy I: Timing, physiology, and P4 profiles

Reproduction ◽

10.1530/rep-21-0167 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Pedro L. J. Monteiro ◽

Roberto Sartori ◽

Aurea M O Canavessi ◽

Leonardo F. Melo ◽

Jessica C. L. Motta ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dairy Cows ◽

Mrna Expression ◽

Corpus Luteum ◽

Experimental Model ◽

Pregnancy Loss ◽

Transrectal Ultrasound ◽

Blood Samples ◽

Interferon Stimulated Genes ◽

Luteal Tissue ◽

In Pregnancy

Inappropriate corpus luteum (CL) regression can produce pregnancy loss. An experimental model was utilized to investigate regression of accessory CL during pregnancy in dairy cows. Cows were bred (Day 0) and treated with GnRH 6 d later to form accessory CL. Transrectal ultrasound (every other d) and blood samples for progesterone (P4; daily) were performed until Day 56 of pregnancy. On Day 28, 13 cows were confirmed pregnant, and accessory CL were found contralateral (n=9) or ipsilateral (n=4) to previous ovulation. On Day 18, CL biopsy was performed to analyze mRNA expression for interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). Luteolysis occurred more frequently in cows that had contralateral accessory CL [88.9% (8/9)] than cows with ipsilateral accessory CL [0% (0/4)]. Luteolysis of contralateral accessory CL occurred either earlier (Day 19-23; 2/8) or later (Day 48-53; 6/8) in pregnancy and occurred rapidly (24 h), based on daily P4. After onset of earlier or later accessory CL regression, circulating P4 decreased 41.2%. There was no difference in luteal tissue mRNA expression for ISGs on Day 19 between accessory and original CL and between CL that subsequently regressed or did not regress. On Day 56, an oxytocin challenge dramatically increased PGFM in all cows but produced no pregnancy losses, although cows with previous accessory CL regression had greater PGFM. In summary, ipsilateral accessory CL did not regress during pregnancy, whereas most contralateral CL regressed by 63 d of pregnancy, providing evidence for local mechanisms in regression of accessory CL and protection of CL of pregnancy.

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Accessory corpus luteum regression during pregnancy II: reproductive outcomes

Reproduction ◽

10.1530/rep-21-0168 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 162 (6) ◽

pp. 483-495

Author(s):

Pedro L J Monteiro ◽

Caio A Gamarra ◽

Rodrigo S Genari ◽

Alexandre B Prata ◽

Rafael V Barletta ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dairy Cows ◽

Corpus Luteum ◽

Artificial Insemination ◽

Pregnancy Loss ◽

Hormone Treatment ◽

Treatment Control ◽

Abrupt Decrease ◽

Gonadotrophin Releasing Hormone ◽

To Receive ◽

In Pregnancy

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of accessory corpus luteum (CL) induction on fertility in dairy cows. On day 5 after artificial insemination (AI), lactating Holstein cows were assigned unequally to receive gonadotrophin-releasing hormone treatment (GnRH) (n = 641) or no treatment (control; n = 289). Cows had their blood sampled for progesterone (P4), and ovaries were scanned by ultrasound on days 5, 12, 19, 26, 33, 47, and 61 after AI. Pregnancy diagnosis was performed on days 26, 33, 47, and 61. On day 12, cows treated with GnRH were allocated to ipsilateral (n = 239) or contralateral (n = 241) groups based on the side of accessory CL formation relative to previous ovulation. Accessory CL cows had greater P4 than controls. In total, 52.7% (78/148) of pregnant cows in contralateral group had accessory CL regression earlier (<day 33; 30.8%) or later (days 33–61; 69.2%) in pregnancy with coincident decrease in P4. No cows with ipsilateral accessory CL underwent regression. There was no difference in pregnancy/AI among groups. Cows with contralateral accessory CL that underwent early regression had greater pregnancy loss (30%) than controls (10%), or cows with ipsilateral CL (3%) or contralateral CL with either later or no regression (12%). Cows with ipsilateral accessory CL had lower pregnancy loss than controls. In conclusion, elevating circulating P4 by the induction of accessory CL, particularly ipsilateral CL, increases P4 and reduces pregnancy loss. However, contralateral accessory CL that undergoes regression before day 33 of pregnancy has increased pregnancy loss, possibly due to an abrupt decrease in P4 at a pivotal period of pregnancy (days 26–33).

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Effect of Hot and Humid Conditions on Cortisol Levels m Lactating Dairy Cows

Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences [JAMS] ◽

10.24200/jams.vol2iss0pp21-25 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 2 ◽

pp. 21

Author(s):

M. Younas ◽

J. W. Fuquayz ◽

A.B. Moorez ◽

S.M. I. Hussain

Keyword(s):

Dairy Cows ◽

Luteal Phase ◽

Blood Sampling ◽

Holstein Cows ◽

Diurnal Pattern ◽

Forced Ventilation ◽

Blood Samples ◽

Treatment Groups ◽

Lactating Dairy Cows ◽

Ambient Data

Fourteen lactating, non-pregnant Holstein cows were heat synchronized for estrus and assigned randomly to pens in a free stall barn with (Fan) or without (Control) a fan to observe the effect of forced ventilation on cortisol concentrations. After a 21-day adjustment period, Jugular cannulae were inserted for blood sampling before PGF2a injection. All animals were in their luteal phase at the time of injection as determined by previous observations for estrus and palpation. After PGFZa, blood samples were collected at 6-h intervals from 0 to 36h, 4-h intervals from 36 to 88h and 3 times weekly for three weeks thereafter. Blood samples were assayed for cortisol. Daily rectal temperatures and ambient data were recorded. Average daily rectal temperatures were lower (P<0.05) in the Fan (39.1“C) than in the Control (39.5“C). Cortisol did not show a diurnal pattern and the values did not differ (P >0.05) between treatment groups.

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Factors affecting pregnancy loss from gestation Day 38 to 90 in lactating dairy cows from a single herd

Theriogenology ◽

10.1016/s0093-691x(01)00715-4 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 57 (4) ◽

pp. 1251-1261 ◽

Cited By ~ 116

Author(s):

F López-Gatius ◽

P Santolaria ◽

J Yániz ◽

J Rutllant ◽

M López-Béjar

Keyword(s):

Dairy Cows ◽

Pregnancy Loss ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Lactating Dairy Cows

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Identification of stable genes in the corpus luteum of lactating Holstein cows in pregnancy and luteolysis: Implications for selection of reverse-transcription quantitative PCR reference genes

Journal of Dairy Science ◽

10.3168/jds.2019-17526 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 103 (5) ◽

pp. 4846-4857 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

M.A. Mezera ◽

W. Li ◽

A.J. Edwards ◽

D.J. Koch ◽

A.D. Beard ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Corpus Luteum ◽

Quantitative Pcr ◽

Reverse Transcription ◽

Reference Genes ◽

Holstein Cows ◽

Reverse Transcription Quantitative Pcr ◽

Selection Of ◽

In Pregnancy

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Associations between early lactation milk protein concentrations and the intervals to calving for Holstein cows of differing parity

Animal Production Science ◽

10.1071/an15777 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 57 (10) ◽

pp. 2100 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Jack Fahey ◽

John M. Morton ◽

Martin J. Auldist ◽

Keith L. Macmillan

Keyword(s):

Dairy Cows ◽

Reproductive Performance ◽

Milk Protein ◽

Holstein Cows ◽

Breeding Period ◽

Gestation Length ◽

Calving Interval ◽

Early Lactation ◽

Average Interval ◽

Lactating Dairy Cows

High milk protein concentrations (MP%) have been positively associated with the reproductive performance of lactating dairy cows. No studies have measured the effects of this association on subsequent calving dates in multiparous cows, nor assessed whether the underlying causal mechanisms are present in nulliparous heifers. Holstein cows (primiparous = 918; multiparous = 4242) were selected from herds that had seasonally concentrated calving patterns resulting from seasonally restricted breeding periods. In seasonally calving herds, the date of a herd’s planned start of calving (PSC date) is the average gestation length of 282 days after the date that the preceding breeding period commenced, so that the interval from the herd’s PSC date to each cow’s actual calving date (PSC-to-calving interval) primarily reflects the time to conception from the start of the breeding period in the previous year. This measure was used to compare associations between the average MP% during the first 120 days of lactation and time to the calving that initiated that lactation in primiparous and multiparous cows. Early lactation MP% was negatively associated with PSC-to-calving interval. A 1% difference in MP% was associated with an 8-day difference in the average PSC-to-calving interval in primiparous cows and a 31–35-day difference in the average interval in multiparous cows. The observed associations between early lactation MP% and PSC-to-calving interval are likely to involve determinants present during a cow’s breeding period that affect the probability of conception. Some of these determinants are not restricted to early lactation as the association between MP% and PSC-to-calving interval in primiparous cows is a reflection of the reproductive performance in nulliparous heifers at ~15 months of age.

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Short communication: Blood samples before and after embryonic attachment accurately determine non-pregnant lactating dairy cows at 24 d post-artificial insemination using a commercially available assay for pregnancy-specific protein B

Journal of Dairy Science ◽

10.3168/jds.2018-15961 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 102 (8) ◽

pp. 7570-7575 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

E.L. Middleton ◽

J.R. Pursley

Keyword(s):

Dairy Cows ◽

Artificial Insemination ◽

Short Communication ◽

Specific Protein ◽

Blood Samples ◽

Lactating Dairy Cows ◽

Before And After ◽

Protein B

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Effect of Metabolisable Protein on intake of grass silage and milk protein yield in dairy cows.

Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Production (1972) ◽

10.1017/s030822960002660x ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 1994 ◽

pp. 113-113 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

J.R. Newbold ◽

B.R. Cottrill ◽

R.M. Mansbridge ◽

J.S. Blake

Keyword(s):

Dairy Cows ◽

Milk Protein ◽

Live Weight ◽

Protein Yield ◽

Holstein Cows ◽

Grass Silage ◽

Lactating Dairy Cows ◽

Ad Libitum ◽

Few Data

Few data are available to evaluate the Metabolisable Protein (MP) System (AFRC, 1992) as an aid to ration formulation for dairy cows. Responses of lactating dairy cows to MP were evaluated in two experiments.In Experiment One, groups of 10 Holstein cows were offered grass silage ad libitum and 7kg DM/d of one of six (treatments 1-6) compound foods from 39d after calving, for eight weeks. All rations were isoenergetic, assuming silage intake of 11kg DM/d (typical for the herd). Ratios between MP supply (calculated from in situ protein degradability measurements) and requirement (calculated for a standard cow: 565kg live weight, 281 milk/d, 40g/kg butterfat, 33g/kg milk protein, liveweight change =0kg/d) were 1.00, 1.02, 1.06, 1.06, 1.1 and 1.17 for treatments 1-6, respectively.

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