Reproductive performance of female goats given progestagen associated with PMSG and/or HMG in deep anestrus

During deep anestrus and after a 21-day fluorogestone acetate (FGA) treatment, 200 pluriparous lactating Alpine goats were given randomly one of four treatments: (A) 500 IU of pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) 48 h before sponge removal; (B) 500 IU of PMSG 48 h before sponge removal and an ampoule of human menopausal gonadotropin (HMG) at sponge removal; (C) two ampoules of HMG at sponge removal; (D) four ampoules of HMG at sponge removal. All the goats were mated naturally during estrus. The percentage of goats kidding (fertility rate) was 6, 34, 40 and 36% for groups A, B, C, and D, respectively; the number of kids/pregnant female (prolificacy) averaged between 1.33 and 1.72. The accuracy of pregnancy diagnosis on the basis of plasma progesterone concentration 20 to 22 days after mating was not particularly satisfactory, mainly because many pregnant goats, and especially group A goats, showed abnormally prolonged luteal activity. The determination of total estrone 60 days after mating gave almost 100% overall accuracy.