Estrus Synchronization Protocols for Cows, Cliff Lamb, University of Florida, NCBA Convention, January 28, 2010, session on Applied Reproductive Strategies in Beef Cattle

1. Estrus Synchronization Protocols for
Cows
Cliff Lamb
University of Florida
Applied Reproductive Strategies in Beef Cattle
NCBA Convention
January 28, 2010
US Beef Semen Sales and Custom
Estrous Synchronization Protocols
Collected Semen
Hybrid Synch
Two shot PGF
MGA/PGF 4 x 106 units
7-11 Synch Select Synch
MGA Select Hybrid Synch+CIDR
Ov-synch
Presynch
Resynch
One shot PGF CIDR/PGF
CO-synch
CO-synch+CIDR Heat Synch
http://www.naab-css.org/sales/table_list.html

2. Percentage of Semen Sold and Collected
US Beef Cow Inventory Compared to Beef Cow Inventory
11%
http://www.nass.usda.gov
Definitions
!Synchronization Rate:
% of females detected in estrus compared to total
number synchronized.
!Conception Rate:
% of females pregnant compared to number of
females inseminated.
!Pregnancy Rate:
% of females pregnant compared to total number
synchronized.
2 ! Prostaglandin (PGF2!) System Select Synch
PGF PGF Heat detect GnRH PGF Heat detect
and AI and AI
-14 0 144 -7 0 144
Days from PGF Hours from PGF
Days from PGF Hours from PGF

3. Ovsynch CO-Synch
GnRH PGF GnRH AI GnRH
GnRH PGF & AI
-7 0 48
-7 0 48 60-66
Days from PGF Hours from PGF
Days from PGF Hours from PGF
Select Synch & TAI 2!PGF2! vs. Select Synch
PGF PGF Heat detect
GnRH and AI
GnRH PGF Heat detect & AI 2!PGF2!
& AI
-7 0 72-84
GnRH PGF Heat detect
and AI
Days from PGF Hours from PGF
Select Synch
(Stevenson et al., 2000)
2!PGF2! vs. Select Synch Select Synch vs. CO-Synch
GnRH PGF Heat detect
and AI
Item 2!PGF2! Select Synch
Select Synch
No. of Cows 294 289
Synchronization rate, % 142/294 (48) 175/289 (61)
GnRH
Conception rates, % 86/142 (61) 115/175 (66) GnRH PGF & AI
Pregnancy rates, % 86/294 (28) 115/289 (38)
CO-Synch
(Stevenson et al., 2000) (Grieger et al., 2001)

4. Select Synch vs. CO-Synch CO-Synch vs. Ovsynch
GnRH
GnRH PGF & AI
Item Select Synch CO-Synch CO-Synch
No. of Cows 237 223
Synchronization rate, % 130/237 (55) - GnRH PGF GnRH AI
Conception rates, % 93/130 (72) 106/223 (48)
Ovsynch
Pregnancy rates, % 93/237 (39) 106/223 (48)
-7 0 48 72
Days relative to PGF Hours relative to PGF
(Grieger et al., 2001)
(Geary et al., 2001)
CO-Synch vs. Ovsynch CO-synch vs. CO-synch+CIDR
TAI &
GnRH PGF GnRH
CO-Synch
TAI &
GnRH PGF GnRH
CIDR
CO-Synch+CIDR
-7 0 48
Days relative to PGF Hours relative to PGF
(Lamb et al., 2001)
(Geary et al., 2001)
First Service Pregnancy Rates Effect of BCS on Pregnancy Rates
Body condition score
Treatments
(Lamb et al., 2001) (Lamb et al., 2001)

5. PGF
TAI &
GnRH Effect of Location on Pregnancy Rates
CIDR
CIDR-PG & TAI Detect estrus & AI
TAI &
GnRH PGF GnRH
CO-Synch
TAI &
GnRH PGF GnRH
CIDR
CO-Synch+CIDR
TAI &
GnRH PGF GnRH
Select Synch & TAI Detect estrus & AI
TAI &
GnRH PGF GnRH
CIDR
Select Synch+CIDR & TAI Detect estrus & AI
-18 to -16 -7 0 60 84 Locations
B B (Larson et al., 2006)
Days relative to PGF Hours relative to PGF
Pregnancy Rates after Estrus
Detection Alone vs TAI
5-day CO-Synch + CIDR
58
53 54 53 TAI &
GnRH PGF PGF GnRH
43 CIDR
a b c a,b b
-5 d 0 8±2h 72h
Treatment
P < 0.05 (Day et al., 2008)
(Larson et al., 2006)
7-day CO-Synch + CIDR 5-day CO-Synch + CIDR
TAI &
GnRH PGF GnRH
CIDR TAI &
GnRH PGF PGF GnRH
CIDR
-7 d 0 60-66h
-5 d 0 8±2h 72h

6. Distribution of Estrus for 5-day and
7-day CO-Synch + CIDR protocols
7-day CO-Synch+CIDR
TAI &
GnRH PGF GnRH
CIDR
-7 d 0 60-66h
5-day CO-Synch+CIDR
TAI &
GnRH PGF PGF GnRH
CIDR
-5 d 0 8±2h 72h
(Wilson et al., 2010)
Pregnancy rate to 7-day Pregnancy rate to 5-day
CO-Synch + CIDR protocol CO-Synch + CIDR protocol
n > 7,000 n > 2,600 n > 2.100 n > 2,000
Calving Distribution of Cows Calving
Effects of a fixed-time AI system on after TAI or Bull breeding
calving distribution
44.1%
vs.
24.7%
Control Natural mating
n = 285
TAI +
GnRH
GnRH PGF
TAI CIDR Natural mating
n = 263
(Rodgers, 2007) (Rodgers, 2007)

7. Calving Distribution after
Synchronization of Estrous
Does the use of the CO-Synch + CIDR
Protocol delay return to estrus?
438 suckled cows were estrous synchronized using
the 7-day CO-Synch + CIDR Protocol.
TAI &
GnRH PGF GnRH
CIDR
(Larson et al., 2006) (Mercadante et al., 2010)
Estrus response of cows following the
Calving Distribution 7-day CO-Synch+CIDR protocol
n=275
97.5% return to
90% Overall pregnancy rate estrus rate!!
Average Interval
to estrus = 20.9
days
?? n=85
n=37 n=34
(Mercadante et al., 2010) (Mercadante et al., 2010)
Acknowledgements
People Funding and Product
Support
Dr. Carl Dahlen ABS Global, Inc.
Dr. Jamie Larson Blandin Foundation
Intervet Animal Health
Mr. Guilherme Marquezini
IVX/Teva Animal Health
Dr. Jeff Stevenson
Merial Animal Health
Graduate Students
MN-AURI
Technical staff
NAAB
Support staff Pfizer Animal Health
Collaborators Select Sires, Inc.
Co-authors U of FL
Beef cattle producers U of MN
USDA-CSREES

8. Thank You!
Contact Information:
Cliff Lamb
University of Florida
3925 HWY 71
Marianna, FL 32446
Tel: 850-394-9124
Email: gclamb@ufl.edu