Department of Animal Reproduction, Gynaecology and Obstetrics College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Anand Agricultural University, Anand - 388 001, India.
A study was carried out on 24 postpartum (> 4 months) anestrous Mehsana buffaloes during breeding season at a private dairy farm. The animals were randomly divided into four groups (six in each), one group served as control. The study included administration of three hormone protocols: i) Ovsynch ii) CIDR and iii) Ovsynch-CIDR combination with fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI). Examination per rectum on day 60 post-insemination revealed pregnancy rates of 50.00, 50.00 and 83.33 per cent, respectively, in three protocols. Plasma progesterone levels on day 7 of treatment and day 20 post-AI were significantly (P<0.01) higher than the levels at pre-treatment and on the day of induced estrous, which were at par, in all the three protocols and even in control group. In control group, all the six buffaloes remained in anestrum with plasma progesterone level <0.80 ng/ml throughout the study period. These results suggest that estrous synchronization in postpartum anestrous Mehsana buffaloes using above protocols, and Ovsynch-CIDR combination in particular, is beneficial to improve their reproductive efficiency.
Mehsana buffaloes, Postpartum anestrous, Estrous synchronization, CIDR, Ovsynch, Plasma progesterone
