Reproductive Challenges in Cow-calf Operations · Gestation Conception Fertilization Failure Lactation Parturition Abortion Early & late Embryonic Death Estrous Activity Ovarian &

Reproductive Challenges in Cow-calf Operations

Mario Binelli, PhDDepartment of Animal Sciences

([email protected])

68th Florida Beef Cattle Short CourseMay 10th 2019

She is in estrus.

This is an Ovulation: release of an oocyte (egg) to be fertilized.

This is an Ovulation: release of an oocyte (egg) to be fertilized.

Oocyte + sperm = embryo fetus calf MEAT

Pre-ovulatory follicle Ovulation Formation of corpus luteum



28-30 h after the beginning of

estrus


28-30 h after the beginning of

estrus

Birth

Puberty

Ovarian

Activity

Postpartum

Quiescence

Insemination

Gestation

Conception

Fertilization

Failure

Lactation

Parturition

Abortion

Early & late

Embryonic

DeathEstrous

Activity

Ovarian &

Estrous

Cyclicity

Schematic of Bovine Reproductive Cycle (Female)

Birth

Puberty

Ovarian

Activity

Postpartum

Quiescence

Insemination

Gestation

Conception

Fertilization

Failure

Lactation

Parturition

Abortion

Early & late

Embryonic

DeathEstrous

Activity

Ovarian &

Estrous

Cyclicity


OVULATION REQUIRED

Birth

Puberty

Ovarian

Activity

Postpartum

Quiescence

Insemination

Gestation

Conception

Fertilization

Failure

Lactation

Parturition

Abortion

Early & late

Embryonic

DeathEstrous

Activity

Ovarian &

Estrous

Cyclicity


OVULATION REQUIRED

Birth

Puberty

Ovarian

Activity

Postpartum

Quiescence

Insemination

Gestation

Conception

Fertilization

Failure

Lactation

Parturition

Abortion

Early & late

Embryonic

DeathEstrous

Activity

Ovarian &

Estrous

Cyclicity


OVULATION REQUIRED

Birth

Puberty

Ovarian

Activity

Postpartum

Quiescence

Insemination

Gestation

Conception

Fertilization

Failure

Lactation

Parturition

Abortion

Early & late

Embryonic

DeathEstrous

Activity

Ovarian &

Estrous

Cyclicity


OVULATION REQUIRED

Birth

Puberty

Ovarian

Activity

Postpartum

Quiescence

Insemination

Gestation

Conception

Fertilization

Failure

Lactation

Parturition

Abortion

Early & late

Embryonic

DeathEstrous

Activity

Ovarian &

Estrous

Cyclicity


OVULATION REQUIRED

OVULATION REQUIRED

OVULATION REQUIRED

OVULATION REQUIRED

Breeding Season

Take home points:

1. Estrus – ovulation – embryo – fetus – calf – meat.

Birth

Puberty

Ovarian

Activity

Postpartum

Quiescence

Insemination

Gestation

Conception

Fertilization

Failure

Lactation

Parturition

Abortion

Early & late

Embryonic

DeathEstrous

Activity

Ovarian &

Estrous

Cyclicity

1

1. The challenge: the yearling heifer has +/- one year from birth to first conception.

The evaluation: ultrasonography, reproductive tract score (RTS).

Reproductive Tract Score

Birth

Puberty

Ovarian

Activity

Postpartum

Quiescence

Insemination

Gestation

Conception

Fertilization

Failure

Lactation

Parturition

Abortion

Early & late

Embryonic

DeathEstrous

Activity

Ovarian &

Estrous

Cyclicity

1

1. The challenge: the yearling heifer has +/- one year from birth to first conception.

The evaluation: ultrasonography, reproductive tract score (RTS).The strategy: induction of cyclicity using progesterone (CIDR, MGA).

Nelore, 20-22 months, 100% pre-pubertal

CL on D20:

Control: 0/8 (0%)

PI: 3/10 (30%)

UPI: 5/9 (55%)

7d

CIDR®

RTS: 3.4 +

Estrotect +

PGF2aBulls in (1:10)

34d

Induction

5d

Heat

14d 90 d 15 d

105 d

Scenario 1: San Marino Ranch, Okeechobee, FL (2018-2019)

Yearling Brangusheifers, n=65

Bulls out (1:25)

7d

CIDR®

PGF2a Bulls in (1:10)

34d

Induction

5d

Heat

14d

Bulls out (1:25)

90 d 15 d

105 d

Heat: 88.9% (56/63)


7d

CIDR®

PGF2a Bulls in (1:10)

34d

Induction

5d

Heat

14d

Bulls out (1:25)

90 d 15 d

105 d

Heat: 88.9% (56/63)

Preg at 60d of BS78.5% (51/65)

Preg at 105d of BS92.3% (60/65)


98

.5%

58

.5%

52

.3%

50

.8% 43

.1%

43

.1%

36

.9%

35

.4%

33

.8%

33

.8%

33

.8%

29

.2%

21

.5%

21

.5%

16

.9%

16

.9%

15

.4%

15

.4%

15

.4%

10

.8%

9.2

%

7.7

%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

-1 0 5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

85

90

95

100

105

Perc

enta

ge o

f ope

n he

ifers

Days of breeding season


RTS RTS7 - 10d 10d 4d 6dCIDR® CIDR®

3.5d

TAI

Estrotect+ PGF2a GnRH

RTS +PGF2a

Evaluation Induction Synchron

UF Puberty induction protocol (under testing)

AI at heat + TAI + bulls

Preg. Check

RTS RTS7 – 10 d 10 d 4 d 6 dCIDR® CIDR®

3.5 d

TAI

Estrotect+ PGF2a GnRH


4 d

Bulls in

28 d 48 d

Bulls out

76 d

17 d 15 d

Scenario 2: Pelaez and Sons Ranch, Okeechobee, FL (2018-2019)


RTS + Estrotect+ PGF2a

AI at heat + TAI

RTS RTS7 – 10 d 10 d 4 d 6 dCIDR® CIDR®

3.5 d

TAI

PGF2a GnRH PGF2a


4 d

Bulls in

28 d 48 d

Bulls out

76 d

17 d 15 d



Heat: 59.1% (91/154)

Heat: 63.6% (98/154)

61

.4%

57

.5%

56

.2%

50

.3%

39

.9%

35

.3%

34

.6%

25

.5%

24

.8%

24

.2%

24

.2%

20

.3%

18

.3%

15

.7%

15

.0%

13

.1%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

-1 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75

Perc

enta

ge o

f ope

n he

ifers

Days of breeding season


44.2%

81.7%86.9%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Pregnancy at TAI(n= 68/154)

Pregnancy at 60dof BS (n=125/153)

Pregnancy at 76dof BS (n=133/153)

Pre

gnan

cy r

ate


Take home points:


2. Reproductive management of heifers should aim tomaximize pregnancies early in the breeding season.

Birth

Puberty

Ovarian

Activity

Postpartum

Quiescence

Insemination

Gestation

Conception

Fertilization

Failure

Lactation

Parturition

Abortion

Early & late

Embryonic

DeathEstrous

Activity

Ovarian &

Estrous

Cyclicity

2

2. The challenge: poor control of timing of ovulation.The evaluation: heat detection.The strategy: a synchronization protocol + AI based on heat

Estrus distribution in heifers (Pelaez & Sons, Marianna and BRU)o Proportion of estrus by TAI (59.3% [192/324])

1.6%

31.3% 30.2%

37.0%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

36 h (3/192) 48 h(60/192)

60 h(58/192)

72 h(71/192)

Prop

ortio

n of

est

rus

Time to estrus from CIDR removal

Pregnancy rates to AI in heifers (heat vs. non-heat)

55.7%

23.5%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Estrus (107/192) Non-estrus (31/132)

Preg

nanc

y pe

r AI

Expression of estrus

o Pelaez & Sons, Marianna and BRU

7 d

CIDR®

PGF2a Bulls in

45 dSynchron

3 dHeat

14 d

Bulls out

16 d

GnRH

49 d

65 d

TAI

Scenario 3: UF – Beef Research Unit, Gainesville, FL (2018-2019)

AI at heat + TAI

13.4%

37.4%

29.1%

20.1%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

36 h (24/179) 48 h (67/179) 60 h (52/179) 72 h (36/179)

Prop

ortio

n of

est

rus

Time to estrus from CIDR removal

Estrus distribution in cows from BRU

Pregnancy rates to AI in cows from BRU (heat vs. non-heat)

62.4%

30.2%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Estrus (n= 111/178) Non-estrus (n= 57/189)

Preg

nanc

y pe

r AI


Take home points:



3. Use of a protocol + AI at estrus maximizes chances of pregnancy.

Birth

Puberty

Ovarian

Activity

Postpartum

Quiescence

Insemination

Gestation

Conception

Fertilization

Failure

Lactation

Parturition

Abortion

Early & late

Embryonic

DeathEstrous

Activity

Ovarian &

Estrous

Cyclicity

3

3. The challenge: 40-50% embryonic mortality during the first 30 days after AI.The evaluation: preg check 30 days after AI and 30 days after end of the breeding

season.The strategy: a synchronization protocol + AI based on heat

Pregnancy rates to AI in cows from BRU (heat vs. non-heat)

62.4%

30.2%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Estrus (n= 111/178) Non-estrus (n= 57/189)

Preg

nanc

y pe

r AI


Diameter of the pre-ovulatory follicle is associated positively with P/TAI

Follicle diameter at TAI

P/TA

I

Sá Filho et al. (2010)

Diameter of the pre-ovulatory follicle is associated positively with P/TAI of ovulated cows

Take home points:



3. Use of a protocol + AI at estrus maximizes chances of pregnancy (because of a synchronous ovulation).

4. Use of a protocol + AI at estrus maximizes chances of pregnancy (because of lower embryonic loss).

Birth

Puberty

Ovarian

Activity

Postpartum

Quiescence

Insemination

Gestation

Conception

Fertilization

Failure

Lactation

Parturition

Abortion

Early & late

Embryonic

DeathEstrous

Activity

Ovarian &

Estrous

Cyclicity

4*

4. The challenge: the post-partum cow has 75 days to get pregnant again.(This challenge is accentuated for primiparous heifers)The evaluation: ultrasonography.The strategy: induction of cyclicity using progesterone (CIDR, MGA), associated

with a protocol.

breed

Year 1 Year 2

gestation

breed

gestation

calving

65-75 d to get pregnant

calving

30 d uterine involution 35-45 days to get pregnant

12 mo. calving interval

There is a 30-45 days window to get a cow pregnant in a 90-day breeding season, to keep a 12 mo. calving interval

Proportion of cows with a corpus luteum at the beginning of the synchronizationprotocol (>45 days post-partum; BRU)

7%

55%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

3-year-old Prim (n = 5/76) Multiparous (n= 102/187)

Prop

ortio

n of

CL

36.8%

44.0%

51.6%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

2-year-old Prim. (n=39/106)

3-year-old Prim. (n=33/75)

Mult. (n= 96/186)

Preg

nanc

y/A

IPregnancy rates to AI in cows from BRU (according to category)

Take home points:



3. Use of a protocol + AI at estrus maximizes chances of pregnancy (because of a synchronous ovulation).

4. Use of a protocol + AI at estrus maximizes chances of pregnancy (because of lower embryonic loss).

5. Use of a protocol (+ AI at estrus) maximizes chances of pregnancy (because of induction of cyclicity).

Mr. D. Driver Dr. Rae Mr. R. Pelaez Mr. L. Barthle Dr. A. Diaza

Mrs. L. Butler

([email protected])

Thank you!

Documents

Reproductive Challenges in Cow-calf Operations · Gestation Conception Fertilization Failure Lactation Parturition Abortion Early & late Embryonic Death Estrous Activity Ovarian &