The timing of ovulation and insemination schedules in superstimulated cattle

The development of treatments that control follicular wave dynamics during the bovine estrous cycle has resulted in interesting possibilities for the precise control of follicular wave emergence and the time of ovulation. For superstimulation, follicular wave emergence can be controlled by ultrasound-guided follicle ablation with FSH treatments initiated 1 or 2 d later, or injection of estradiol combined with progesterone at the time of insertion of a progestogen releasing device and FSH treatments beginning 4 d later. These are the most widely used protocols for superstimulation of donor cows because they offer the convenience of being able to initiate treatments quickly and at a self-appointed time, without reducing the number of transferable embryos. However, these protocols still require precise estrus detection of donors following superstimulation in order to conduct AI at the most appropriate time. Recent studies have been designed to develop superstimulation protocols that involve fixed-time AI of donors, without regard to estrus detection. Results presented herein indicate that delaying the removal of a progestogen releasing device, combined with the administration of GnRH or porcine LH (pLH) 12 or 24 h later results in predictable, synchronous ovulations, permitting fixed-time AI without reducing the numbers or quality of embryos. These protocols facilitate the application of on-farm embryo transfer programs because they are practical, easy to administer by farm personnel, and more importantly, they eliminate the need for detecting estrus.