Animal Reproduction Science 118 (2010) 182187

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Animal Reproduction Science

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/anireprosci

Equine chorionic gonadotropin improves the efcacy of a

progestin-based xed-time articial insemination protocol in Nelore
(Bos indicus) heifers
M.F. S Filho a , J.R.S. Torres-Jnior b , L. Penteado c , L.U. Gimenes a , R.M. Ferreira a , H. Ayres a ,
L.A. Castro e Paula a , J.N.S. Sales a , P.S. Baruselli a,
a
Departamento de Reproduco Animal, FMVZ-USP, Rua Prof. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, CEP 05508-000, So Paulo, SP, Brazil
b
Universidade Federal do Maranho, Centro de Cincias Agrrias e Ambientais, Boa Vista, CEP 65500-000, Chapadinha, MA, Brazil
c
FIRMASA-IATF, Rua Antonio Maria Coelho, 3443, CEP 790020-210, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: A total of 177 Nelore heifers were examined by ultrasonography to determine the presence
Received 30 May 2009 or absence of a corpus luteum (CL) and received a 3 mg norgestomet ear implant plus 2 mg
Received in revised form 5 October 2009
of estradiol benzoate i.m. On Day 8, implants were removed and 150 g of d-cloprostenol
Accepted 16 October 2009
i.m. was administered. At the time of norgestomet implant removal, heifers with or with-
Available online 29 October 2009
out CL at the time of initiating treatment were assigned equally and by replicate to be
treated with 0 IU (n = 87) or 400 IU (n = 90) eCG i.m. All heifers received 1 mg of EB i.m. on
Keywords:
Day 9 and were submitted to xed-time articial insemination (FTAI) 3034 h later. The
Corpus luteum
eCG addition of eCG increased the diameter of the largest follicle (LF) at FTAI (10.6 0.2 mm vs.
Follicular diameter 9.5 0.2 mm; P = 0.003; mean SEM), the nal growth rate of the LF (1.14 0.1 mm/day vs.
Heifers 0.64 0.1 mm/day; P = 0.0009), ovulation rate [94.4% (85/90) vs. 73.6% (64/87); P = 0.0006],
Norgestomet the diameter of the CL at Day 15 (15.5 0.3 mm vs. 13.8 0.3 mm; P = 0.0002), serum con-
Progesterone centrations of progesterone 5 days after FTAI (6.6 1.0 ng/ml vs. 3.6 0.7 ng/ml; P = 0.0009),
and pregnancy per AI [P/AI; 50.0% (45/90) vs. 36.8% (32/87); P = 0.04]. The absence of a CL
at the beginning of the treatment negatively inuenced the P/AI [30.2% (16/53) vs. 49.2%
(61/124); P = 0.01]. Therefore, the presence of a CL (and/or onset of puberty) must be con-
sidered in setting up FTAI programs in heifers. In addition, eCG may be an important tool
for the enhancement of follicular growth, ovulation, size and function of the subsequent
CL, and pregnancy rates in progestin-based FTAI protocols in Bos indicus heifers.
2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction ever, Bos indicus heifers do not respond as effectively to

Fixed-time articial insemination (FTAI) programs
using estradiol esters associated with intravaginal pro-
gesterone (P4) devices or norgestomet ear implants have
resulted in satisfactory pregnancy outcomes (around 50%
pregnancy rate) in suckled Bos indicus cows (Baruselli et al.,
2004a; Marana et al., 2006; Meneghetti et al., 2009). How-
Corresponding author. Tel.: +55 11 3091 7674; fax: +55 11 3091 7412.
E-mail address: barusell@usp.br (P.S. Baruselli).
an intravaginal P4 device compared to Bos taurus or cross-
bred heifers (Carvalho et al., 2008). The poor fertility may
be due to their poor ovulation response (around 3050%) at
the end of the protocol (Baruselli et al., 2004b; Carvalho et
al., 2008; S Filho et al., 2005a), resulting in less desirable
FTAI pregnancy outcomes (Dias et al., 2009; Marques et al.,
2005; Meneghetti and Miguel, 2008).
LH pulses are less frequent when greater concentrations
of P4 are present, regardless of the source (endogenous
or exogenous; Adams et al., 1992; Kojima et al., 1992;
Rathbone et al., 2001). However, exogenous progestins are

0378-4320/$ see front matter 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.anireprosci.2009.10.004
 M.F. S Filho et al. / Animal Reproduction Science 118 (2010) 182187
less suppressive of LH pulse frequency than endogenous
P4 (Kojima et al., 1992; Rathbone et al., 2001). S Filho
et al. (2005a) compared ovarian responses to norgestomet
implants and intravaginal P4 devices during protocols for
FTAI in Bos indicus heifers. Growth rate of the dominant fol-
licle was more rapid in heifers treated with norgestomet
implants than those treated with intravaginal P4 devices,
and this resulted in a larger ovulatory follicle size and
greater ovulation rates. Two other experiments conrmed
greater ovulation rates in both peripubertal (S Filho et al.,
2005b) and estrous cyclic (Torres-Jnior et al., 2005) Bos
indicus heifers treated with norgestomet implants.
Administration of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG)
can improve the efcacy of FTAI protocols (Baruselli et
al., 2004a,b; Dias et al., 2009; Marques et al., 2005;
Meneghetti and Miguel, 2008). The use of eCG at the time
of P4-releasing intravaginal device removal has been an
alternative to increase ovulatory responses (Baruselli et al.,
2004b) and pregnancy rates (Dias et al., 2009; Marques
et al., 2005; Meneghetti and Miguel, 2008) in Bos indicus
heifers submitted to FTAI programs. However, no stud-
ies have been conduced aiming to evaluate the effect of
eCG treatment in Nelore heifers treated with norgestomet
auricular implant. Therefore, the aim of the present study
was to evaluate the effect of eCG on ovarian response, luteal
function and pregnancy outcomes in Nelore (Bos indicus)
heifers treated with norgestomet ear implant plus estra-
diol benzoate in a FTAI program. Our hypothesis was that
eCG treatment would effectively increase ovulation rates,
circulating concentrations of P4 in the subsequent diestrus
and pregnancy per AI.
2. Material and methods
2.1. Animals and management
The experiment was conducted at a com-
mercial beef cattle farm in west-central Brazil
(19 57 30 S/54 01 04 W) on January, 2005. The heifers
were maintained on Brachiaria brizantha pasture with free
access to mineralized-salt and water. Nelore (Bos indicus;
n = 180) heifers ranging between 24 and 32 months of age
were examined by transrectal ultrasonography for pres-
ence or absence of a corpus luteum (CL). All procedures,
including injections, FTAI, and ovarian ultrasonography
were performed preserving the animal welfare state.
2.2. Experimental design
The FTAI protocol was initiated on random days of
the estrous cycle, designated as Day 0, when all animals
received a 3 mg norgestomet ear implant (Crestar , Inter-
vet, Netherlands) plus 2 mg of estradiol benzoate i.m. (EB;
Estrogin , Farmavet, Brazil). On Day 8, the implant was
removed and 150 g of d-cloprostenol i.m. (Preloban ,
Intervet, Netherlands) was administered. On Day 0, heifers
with (n = 124) or without CL (n = 53) at the beginning of the
estrous synchronization protocol were randomly assigned
to treatments with 0 IU (n = 87) or 400 IU (n = 90) of eCG
i.m. (Folligon , Intervet, The Netherlands). Thus, half of the
heifers with CL on Day 0 were treated with either 0 IU
183
(n = 61) or 400 IU (n = 63) of eCG and half of the heifers
without CL received 0 IU (n = 26) or 400 UI (n = 27) of eCG.
All heifers received 1 mg of EB 24 h after implant removal
and were xed-time articial inseminated 3034 h later.
A single batch of semen from a single sire with proved
fertility (satisfactory pregnancy outcomes in previous FTAI
programs) was used in all inseminations.
2.3. Ultrasonographic examinations
Transrectal ultrasonography of both ovaries was rst
performed on the day of norgestomet ear implant insert
to determine the presence or absence of a CL. Then,
ovaries were evaluated ultrasonically at the time of implant
removal (Day 8) and immediately before FTAI (Day 10) in
order to measure the diameter of the largest follicle (LF),
and 5 days later (Day 15) to determine the presence and the
diameter of the resulting CL. A real-time ultrasonic scanner
equipped with a 6.0 MHz/8.0 MHz linear transducer (Falco
Vet, Pie Medical, The Netherlands) was used.
The growth rate of the LF from the time of implant
removal until FTAI (mm/day) was dened as the difference
between the diameter of the LF on Days 10 and 8, divided
by the number of days (two). Ovulation was considered
as the appearance of a CL on the same ovary where the
LF was detected on Day 10. Pregnancy diagnosis was per-
formed by ultrasonography 30 days after FTAI. Pregnancy
per AI (P/AI) was dened as the number of pregnant heifers
divided by the total number of heifers submitted to FTAI in
each treatment (eCG or no eCG).
2.4. Blood sampling and progesterone assay
Blood samples were collected by jugular venipuncture
5 days after FTAI (Day 15). The samples were refriger-
ated (4 C) during the rst 45 h and then were centrifuged
(3000 g for 20 min) and stored at 20 C until assayed
for concentrations of P4. Serum concentrations of P4
were evaluated from unextracted sera using an antibody-
coated-tube RIA kit (Coat-A-Count , Diagnostic Products
Corporation, Los Angeles, CA, USA), previously validated by
Garbarino et al. (2004). Intra-assay coefcient of variation
was 2.8% and the assay sensitivity was 0.006 ng/ml.
2.5. Statistical analyses
Statistical analyses were performed using the SAS Sys-
tem for Windows (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA, 2000).
Explanatory variables considered for inclusion in the sta-
tistical models were eCG, presence of a CL at norgestomet
implant insert, and interactions. Dependent variables (i.e.
diameter of the LF on Day 8, diameter of the LF at FTAI,
growth rate of the LF from the time of implant removal
(D8) until FTAI (D10), diameter of the CL 5 days after FTAI,
and serum concentrations of P4 5 days after FTAI) were
analyzed by two-way ANOVA using PROC GLM. Response
variables were tested accordingly to their homogeneity and
normality of variances using Guide Data Analysis from SAS.
The concentration of P4 and the diameter of the LF at FTAI
went through log and exponential transformation, respec-
tively. The effect of the diameter of the LF on Day 8 (x) on
184 M.F. S Filho et al. / Animal Reproduction Science 118 (2010) 182187

Table 1
Effects of eCG treatment at implant removal on follicular dynamics, luteal function, and pregnancy per AI in Nelore (Bos indicus) heifers treated with
norgestomet implant and estradiol benzoate.

eCG treatmenta P-valueb

No eCG eCG eCG

Number of heifers 87 90
Diameter of the largest follicle on Day 8 (mm) 8.2 0.2 8.6 0.2 0.22
Diameter of the largest follicle on Day 10 (mm) 9.5 0.2 10.6 0.2 0.003
Growth rate of the LF from the time of implant removal until FTAI (mm/day) 0.6 0.1 1.1 0.1 0.0009
Ovulation rate (%) 73.6 (64/87) 94.4 (85/90) 0.0006
Diameter of the CL on Day 15 (mm) 13.8 0.3 15.5 0.3 0.0002
Concentration of P4 on Day 15 (ng/ml) 3.6 0.7 6.6 1.0 0.0009
Concentration of P4 in heifers that ovulated (ng/ml) 4.8 1.0 6.9 1.0 0.02
Overall pregnancy per AI (%) 36.8 (32/87) 50.0 (45/90) 0.04
Pregnancy per AI in heifers that ovulated (%) 50.0 (32/64) 52.9 (45/85) 0.62
a
Heifers received a 3 mg norgestomet ear implant and 2 mg of estradiol benzoate i.m. at implant insertion on the rst day of the protocol for synchro-
nization of ovulation. The implant was removed eight days after and heifers received or not eCG (equine chorionic gonadotropin = 400 IU).
b
eCG = effect of eCG treatment (eCG vs. no eCG).

Table 2
Effects of eCG treatment at implant removal according to the presence of CL at the beginning of the synchronization protocol on follicular dynamics, luteal
function, and pregnancy per AI in Nelore (Bos indicus) heifers synchronized with norgestomet implant and estradiol benzoate.

eCGa No eCGa P-valueb

With CL Without CL With CL Without CL eCG CL eCG CL

Number of heifers 63 27 61 26
Diameter of the largest follicle on Day 8 (mm) 8.3 0.3 9.2 0.3 8.1 0.3 8.6 0.4 0.22 0.05 0.53
Diameter of the largest follicle on Day 10 (mm) 10.6 0.3 10.8 0.4 9.4 0.3 9.6 0.5 0.003 0.57 0.99
Growth rate of the LF from the time of implant 1.25 0.1 0.86 0.2 0.68 0.1 0.53 0.1 0.0009 0.04 0.38
removal until FTAI (mm/day)
Ovulation rate (%) 92.1 (58/63) 100.0 (27/27) 72.1 (44/61) 76.9 (20/26) 0.0006 0.97 0.98
Diameter of the CL on Day 15 (mm) 15.8 0.4 14.9 0.6 14.1 0.3 13.2 0.4 0.0002 0.04 1.00
Concentration of P4 on Day 15 (ng/ml) 6.6 1.3 6.6 1.6 3.7 1.0 3.4 0.9 0.0009 0.73 0.67
Concentration of P4 in heifers that ovulated 7.1 1.4 6.6 1.6 5.0 1.3 4.3 1.0 0.02 0.81 0.99
(ng/ml)
Overall pregnancy per AI (%) 55.6 (35/63) 37.0(10/27) 42.6 (26/61) 23.1 (6/26) 0.04 0.02 0.83
Pregnancy per AI in heifers that ovulated (%) 60.3 (35/58) 37.0 (10/27) 59.1 (26/44) 30.0 (6/20) 0.62 0.005 0.72
a
Heifers with or without a CL received a 3 mg norgestomet ear implant and 2 mg of estradiol benzoate i.m. at implant insertion on the rst day
of the protocol for synchronization of time of ovulation. The implant was removed 8 days after and heifers received or not eCG (equine chorionic
gonadotropin = 400 IU).
b
eCG = effect of eCG treatment (eCG vs. no eCG); CL presence on the implant insertion effect = effect of CL (with CL vs. without CL); eCG CL = interaction
between eCG and CL presence.

probability of ovulation (y) was detected. Logistic regres-
sion curves were created using the coefcients provided
by Interactive Data Analysis from SAS and the formula
y = exp ( x + b)/[1 + exp ( x + b)]. Binomial distribution
was assumed for variables such as ovulation rate and
P/AI. These variables were analyzed using the procedure
GLIMMIX of SAS. Results are presented as means SEM.
Differences with P-value 0.05 were considered signi-
cant.
3. Results
There were 180 heifers pre-selected for the present
study, but 177 heifers were used in data analysis because
three lost their norgestomet implants. There were effects
of treatment with eCG, and presence or absence of CL at
the time of initiating treatment on specic end-points, but
there were no interactions between eCG treatment and
the presence or absence of CL for any end-points (P > 0.05;
Tables 1 and 2).
The effects of eCG treatment are summarized in Table 2.
The eCG treatment increased the growth rate of the LF
from the time of implant removal until FTAI (P = 0.0009),
the diameter of the LF at FTAI (P = 0.003) and ovulation
rate (P = 0.0006; Table 1). The administration of eCG also
increased the probability of ovulation at the end of the pro-
tocol when only small- or medium-sized LF (48 mm in
diameter) were observed in the ovaries at implant removal
(Fig. 1). In addition, the diameter of the CL (P = 0.0002)
was larger and circulating P4 concentrations on Day 15 (5
days after FTAI) were greater in heifers treated with eCG
(P = 0.02; Table 1). The P/AI was also greater in eCG-treated
heifers (P = 0.04). However, when P/AI was analyzed con-
sidering only heifers that had ovulated, no difference was
found among treatments (P = 0.62; Table 1).
The diameter of the LF at the time of implant removal
(Day 8) was larger in heifers that did not have a CL at the
time of initiating treatment (Day 0; P = 0.05), but did not
differ from those with a CL at the time of FTAI (Day 10;
P = 0.57). Conversely, the growth rate of the LF from the
time of implant removal until FTAI was greater (P = 0.04)
and the diameter of the CL 5 days after FTAI (P = 0.04) larger
in heifers with CL than in heifers without a CL on Day 0
(Table 2). Heifers with CL on Day 0 also had more P/AI when
 M.F. S Filho et al. / Animal Reproduction Science 118 (2010) 182187
Fig. 1. Plot of the probability of ovulation in heifers treated (solid line) or not treated (dashed line) with eCG, according to the diameter of the largest
follicle on the day of eCG treatment (Day 8). The administration of eCG increased the probability of ovulation at the end of the protocol when only small-
or medium-sized follicles (48 mm in diameter) were observed in the ovaries at implant removal (P < 0.05).
compared to heifers without CL (P = 0.02). When ovulation
did not occur in heifers following FTAI were removed from
the data set, the presence of CL on Day 0 also resulted in
more P/AI (P = 0.005; Table 2).
4. Discussion
This study provides important information concerning
the effectiveness of the use of eCG in FTAI programs for
beef Bos indicus heifers, conrming the hypothesis. The
present results demonstrated that Nelore heifers treated
with eCG achieved greater ovarian responses and P/AI than
heifers without eCG treatment. In addition, the administra-
tion of eCG on Day 8 of the estrous synchronization protocol
necessitated no changes in animal handling, management
or labor. However, it is important to emphasize that the
efcacy of progestin-based protocols can be inuenced
by the ovarian status at the beginning of the treatment.
In the present study, heifers without CL on the day of
progestin-implant insert had a lesser growth rate of the
LF from the time of implant removal until FTAI (Days
810), smaller CL diameter 5 days after FTAI and reduced
P/AI.
The underlying physiology by which eCG increases fer-
tility seems to be related to changes in the follicular
growth pattern and CL function (Baruselli et al., 2004a,b;
Meneghetti et al., 2009; Souza et al., 2009). In the present
study, eCG-treated heifers had a greater growth rate of the
LF from the time of implant removal until FTAI, larger fol-
licle diameter at FTAI, larger diameter of the CL 5 days
after FTAI, a greater ovulation rate and increased proba-
bility of ovulation at the end of the protocol when only
small- or medium-sized LF (48 mm in diameter) were
observed at implant removal. These results corroborate
data obtained in lactating crossbred Bos indicus beef cows,
when increased growth rate of the ovulatory follicle was
detected in cows treated with eCG (1.1 0.1 mm/day) com-
pared to those not treated (0.6 0.1 mm/day; Marana et
al., 2006). Increased ovulation rate in eCG-treated Bos indi-
185
cus heifers [no eCG = 50.0% (10/20) vs. eCG = 76.2% (16/21)]
have also been previously reported when P4-releasing
intravaginal devices were used (Baruselli et al., 2004b).
A positive correlation between serum concentrations
of P4 and pregnancy rates have been described in cattle
(Binelli et al., 2001; B et al., 2002; Thatcher et al., 2001)
and several authors considered the use of eCG as a potential
tool to improve plasma concentrations of P4 in the sub-
sequent estrous cycle (Baruselli et al., 2000; Fuentes and
De la Fuente, 1997). Accordingly, Marques et al. (2003)
and Baruselli et al. (2004a) have suggested that the ben-
et was due to the luteotropic effect of eCG. As expected
in the present study, eCG treatment enhanced both over-
all concentrations of P4 and concentrations of P4 only
in heifers that had ovulations as a result of treatments,
similar to observations by Baruselli et al. (2004b) in Bos
indicus heifers. However, when only heifers having ovula-
tions were considered, pregnancy was not inuenced by
the eCG treatment. Thus, the effects of eCG on follicular
growth rate, follicular diameter at FTAI and ovulation rate
seem to be more important than its luteotropic effect to
increase pregnancy outcomes in Bos indicus heifers.
In the present study, the diameter of the LF present in
the ovaries at FTAI was larger in eCG-treated heifers than
in non-treated heifers. As previously reported, the diam-
eter of the ovulatory follicle appears to be an indicator of
follicle maturity and fertility in Bos taurus (Mussard et al.,
2007; Perry et al., 2007; Vasconcelos et al., 2001) and Bos
indicus females (Dias et al., 2009; Meneghetti et al., 2009;
S Filho et al., 2008a,b). In Bos indicus cattle, this relation-
ship between follicular diameter at FTAI and pregnancy
rates was observed in both lactating cows and heifers (S
Filho et al., 2008a,b). Similar results were described by Dias
et al. (2009) and Meneghetti et al. (2009) for heifers and
suckled Nelore cows, respectively. Therefore, the positive
effect of eCG treatment on pregnancy rates found in the
present study may be explained by its inuence on fol-
licular growth, increasing the diameter of the dominant
follicle at FTAI, the ovulation rate, the diameter of the CL
186 M.F. S Filho et al. / Animal Reproduction Science 118 (2010) 182187
and the circulating P4 concentration 5 days after FTAI in
Nelore heifers.
Differences on the ovarian responses and pregnancy
outcomes were observed in the current trial according to
the presence or absence of a CL at the beginning of the treat-
ment. Interestingly, heifers without CL on Day 0 had a larger
diameter of the LF at implant removal and growth rate of
the LF from the time of implant removal until FTAI was
less and the resulting CL 5 days after FTAI was smaller than
in heifers with a CL at the beginning of the treatment. It
was likely that in heifers without CL on Day 0 (i.e. pubertal
heifers during a specic phase of the estrous cycle without
CL or peripubertal heifers), the absence of endogenous pro-
duction of P4 by the CL lead to lesser control of the LH pulse
frequency. Thus, the differences observed regarding the fol-
licular diameter at implant removal among heifers with or
without a CL at the beginning of the treatment might be due
to the differences in LH pulse frequency on the presence of
luteal (with CL) or sub-luteal (without CL) concentrations
of P4 during the treatment, as suggested by Rathbone et al.
(2001).
It is possible to speculate that a considerable number
of heifers without CL were peripubertal, justifying their
different responses concerning follicular growth and CL
development. Accordingly, some experiments have con-
rmed that circulating LH frequency was lower during
the prepubertal phase and gradually increased in heifers
during several weeks immediately prior to puberty (Day
et al., 1987; Kinder et al., 1996). Furthermore, exogenous
progesterone/progestin supplementation may promote an
important priming function increasing endogenous LH
secretion in prepubertal heifers and inducing puberty as
consequence (Anderson et al., 1996). If in the present study
the heifers without CL on Day 0 were in fact peripuber-
tal, their increased follicular growth during the period
of norgestomet implant treatment could be explained by
norgestomet priming effect. However, in spite of having
increased follicular growth during norgestomet treatment,
heifers without CL might have had reduced endoge-
nous gonadotropic support after the implant withdrawal,
explaining their compromised nal follicular development
and CL formation.
In the present study, overall P/AI and P/AI in heifers with
ovulations were greater in those with a CL at the beginning
of the treatment, regardless of eCG treatment. Conversely,
studies with melengestrol acetate (MGA ; Patterson et
al., 1990; Wood-Follis et al., 2004) and intravaginal P4-
releasing device (Lucy et al., 2001) in Bos taurus heifers have
shown no differences on estrous response and concep-
tion rate at rst service in cyclic and noncyclic (1 ng/ml)
heifers. Nevertheless, there are other reports that concep-
tion rates and embryonic survival were greater in the third
than in the rst estrous cycle after heifers achieved puberty
(Byerley et al., 1987; Hare and Bryant, 1985). Byerley et
al. (1987) reported a 19% reduction in pregnancy rate in
heifers bred at their pubertal estrus vs. contemporane-
ous heifers bred at their third estrus, and discussed that
the greater fertility at the third estrus may be related
to maturational changes associated with estrous cycling
activity (i.e. changes in the hypothalamus, pituitary and
uterus related to accumulative episodes of greater pro-
gesterone followed by phases with less progesterone and
greater estradiol concentrations). Furthermore, Souza et al.
(2005) described lesser conception rates in lactating dairy
cows with smaller endometrial thickness ( 8 mm) near
ovulation. Therefore, in the current experiment, the occur-
rence of satisfactory ovulatory responses followed by low
P/AI in heifers without CL on Day 0 may be due to their
poor uterine maturation, suggesting an important relation-
ship between uterus and ovaries in Nelore heifers treated
with progestin-based xed-time AI protocol. This nding
provides additional evidence that reproductive maturation
continues beyond the rst pubertal estrus, as previously
described by Del Vecchio et al. (1992).
5. Conclusion
The treatment with eCG at norgestomet implant with-
drawal increased the growth rate of the LF from the time of
implant removal until FTAI, the diameter of the LF at FTAI,
ovulation rate, the probability of ovulation at the end of
the protocol when only small- or medium-sized LF were
observed in the ovaries at implant removal, the concentra-
tions of P4 in the subsequent estrous cycle, and pregnancy
outcomes in Nelore (Bos indicus) heifers submitted to FTAI
programs. Also, the presence of a CL at the beginning of the
protocol affected the fertility in response to FTAI and may
be an important variable to be evaluated in progestin-based
FTAI programs in Nelore heifers.
Acknowledgements
Authors are grateful to Camila A. Nascimento, Smia L.
Barbosa and employees of Fazenda Riata, Bandeirantes/MS
for their assistance with animal management. This research
was supported by Carlos Massa Group and Intervet-Brazil.
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