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Chap 8 The Estrus Cycle in Cattle

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
115 views53 pages

Chap 8 The Estrus Cycle in Cattle

Uploaded by

munayam.4886
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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1

The Estrous Cycle in


Cattle
Khondoker Moazzem Hossain, PhD
Professor
Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Discipline
Khulna University
Overview
• Estrous cycle
• Synchronization and benefits
• Selecting hefers
– RTS
– Conditioning
• Products and prices
• Summation
2
Estrous Cycle

 Length of the estrous cycle


 Average 21 days (range 18 to 24 days)

 Estrus (standing heat)


 12 to 18 hours (range 8 to 30 hours)

 Ovulation
 Approximately 30 hours after the beginning of
standing heat (or 12 to 18 hours after the end
of
standing heat)
3
Estrous Cycle

 Major structures on the ovary

 Follicle: a blister-like structure containing the


egg (referred to as oocyte); produces hormone
“estrogen”
 High amount of estrogen causes “standing heat” and
“ovulation”

 Corpus luteum (referred to as “CL”): looks like a


hard yellow structure and produces hormone
“progesterone” that is responsible for
maintenance of pregnancy
Follicle Development 4
Follicular Wave

Dominan Regressi
ce on
Growt
h
Selectio
n Next
Recruitme Recruitme
nt nt

 Follicle development occurs as a wave-like pattern


consisting of
“Recruitment”, “Selection”, “Growth”, “Dominance”, and
“Regression” phases
 Usually 2 to 4 follicular waves occur during the estrous
cycle in
Follicle Development 5
Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)

Regressi
on

Next
Recruitme Recruitme
nt nt
FSH FSH

 FSH precedes recruitment of follicles (causes follicles to


start
growing)
 FSH is the same hormone used for superovulation and
embryo
Follicle Development 6
Luteinizing Hormone (LH)

Regressi
Dominan
on
ce
Growt
h
Selectio
n

LH pulses

 LH promotes further follicle growth and maturation of egg


Follicle Development and Ovulation 7
Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Estrogen

Dominan Ovulatio
ce n
Growt Estroge
h n
Selectio Estrus
n
LH
Surge

 LH stimulates follicle growth and a growing follicle


produces
high levels of estrogen
 High levels of estrogen, in turn, cause estrus and surge
release
Follicle Development During the Estrous
8
Cycle
Example for 3 Follicular Waves

Ovulatio Ovulatio
n n
Estrus

Estrus
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 0
Day of the Estrous Cycle
 Length of the estrous cycle in cattle with 3 follicular waves
is
typically 20 to 24 days
Follicle Development During the Estrous
9
Cycle
Example for 2 Follicular Waves

Ovulatio Ovulatio
n n
Estrus

Estrus
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 0
Day of the Estrous Cycle
 Length of the estrous cycle in cattle with 2 follicular waves
is
typically 18 to 20 days, slightly shorter than the estrous
cycle
10
Endocrinology During the Estrous Cycle
Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)

Ovulatio Ovulatio
n n
Estrus

Estrus
FSH

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 0
Day of the Estrous Cycle
 Example shown for cattle having 3 follicular waves during
a
21-day estrous cycle
11
Endocrinology During the Estrous Cycle
Luteinizing Hormone (LH)

Ovulatio Ovulatio
n n
LH Surge
LH Surge
Estrus

Estrus
LH pulses LH pulses

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 0
Day of the Estrous Cycle
 Example shown for cattle having 3 follicular waves during
a
21-day estrous cycle
12
Endocrinology During the Estrous Cycle
Estrogen

Ovulatio Ovulatio
n n
Estrus

Estrus
Estrogen

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 0
Day of the Estrous Cycle
 Example shown for cattle having 3 follicular waves during
a
21-day estrous cycle
13
Corpus Luteum (CL)
Growth and Regression

Ovulatio
n
Estrus

Estrus
Growt Regressi
h on

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 0
Day of the Estrous Cycle

 Corpus luteum develops from the ovulated follicle and


takes
approximately 10 days to reach mature size
14
Corpus Luteum (CL)
Progesterone

Growt Regressi
h on
Estrus

Estrus
Progesterone

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 0
Day of the Estrous Cycle
 Corpus luteum produces progesterone
 Progesterone is responsible for maintenance of pregnancy
after conception occurs
Corpus Luteum (CL) Regression 15
Prostaglandin F2 (PG)

Growt Regressi
h on
Estrus

Estrus
PG

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 0
Day of the Estrous Cycle
 Late in the estrous cycle, uterus produces PG which causes
regression of corpus luteum
 PG is the same or similar hormone in “Lutalyse®”,
“Estrumate®”,
“ProstaMate®”, and “In Synch®”
16
Corpus Luteum (CL) Maintenance
When cow becomes pregnant …

Growt
Maintena
h
nce
Estrus

Embry PG
o

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 0
Day of the Estrous Cycle

 Presence of embryo blocks uterus to produce PG late in the


estrous cycle which causes maintenance of corpus luteum
and
production of progesterone for pregnancy
17
Progesterone regulates LH Pulses
Luteinizing Hormone (LH)
LH pulses LH pulses
LH
Surge
Estrus

Estrus
Progesterone

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 0
Day of the Estrous Cycle
 Progesterone regulates secretion pattern of LH pulses and
hence, follicular development
18
Endocrinology of the Estrous
Cycle

Progesteron
Estroge e PG
n
Estrus

Estrus
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 0

Day of the Estrous Cycle

 Relationships among estrogen, progesterone, and PG


during the
21-day estrous cycle
Physiology and Endocrinology 19

of the Estrous Cycle


Estrus

Estrus
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 0
Day of the Estrous Cycle
 Relationships among structural and hormonal changes during
the
21-day estrous cycle (example shown for cattle having 3
20

Estrus
Synchronization
21

Effective Estrus Synchronization Programs

 Shorten the AI breeding season


 Cows or heifers are in estrus during a
predictable
interval that facilitates AI
 Reduce time and labor required to detect
estrus

 Result in more cows and heifers becoming


pregnant early during the breeding season
 Progestin-based programs can induce estrous
* Progestins are progesterone-like compounds that
cyclicity
act
in anestrous cows and prepubertal
heifers
like progesterone
22

Effective Estrus Synchronization Programs

 Result in older and heavier calves at


weaning

 Will have beneficial effects on the next


breeding season

 More cows and heifers calve early


 More days postpartum at the next breeding
season
 Replacement heifers will be older
23

Effective Estrus Synchronization Programs


 Consider what happens during a restricted breeding
season, based on the average 21-day estrous cycle:

 If cows or heifers are cycling when an estrus synchronization


treatment is implemented and they exhibit estrus during the
synchronized period, they would have 3 opportunities to
conceive
during a 45-day period or 4 opportunities during a 65-day
period

 If cows or heifers are cycling but no estrus synchronization


treatment is implemented, then they have only 2 (45-day) or
3 (65-day) opportunities to conceive

 If cows or heifers are not cycling at the beginning of the


breeding season, they have even less opportunity to
Points to Consider When Using 24

Estrus Synchronization

 Estrus synchronization is never a substitute for:

 Nutrition
 Herd health
 Proper management

 Estrus synchronization should not be used as a crutch


for poor management

 When administered appropriately, estrus


synchronization is an effective reproductive
management tool that can be used to facilitate AI
Points to Consider When Using 25

Estrus Synchronization

 Determine which females would make the


best candidates before beginning estrus
synchronization

 Successful application of estrus


synchronization is easier to accomplish
with
heifers (no calves to work with)
37
Selecting Heifers for Estrus
Synchronization

 Heifers should be of adequate age


(cycling or close to reaching puberty)

 Heifers should be of adequate weight


 Developed to 65 % of projected mature
weight
 Do you know the mature weight of your
cows?

 Utilize reproductive tract score (RTS) to


38

Timing of Puberty in Heifers

 Target weight:
Heifers reach puberty at
approximately 65% of their mature
body weight

 Determine your desired weight at


breeding, calculate the gain needed to
meet that weight, and feed to meet it
39

Management Considerations for Heifers

 DO NOT use growth promoting implants


in
replacement heifers

 Implants may disrupt or impair normal


development of reproductive organs
 Developing uterus is especially sensitive to
growth promoting implants
40

Management Considerations for Heifers

 Reproductive Tract Scores (RTS) are


determined by rectal palpation of the
ovaries and uterus

 The RTS should be performed


approximately 6 to 8 weeks prior to
breeding season and/or approximately
2 weeks prior to beginning an estrus
synchronization treatment
41

Reproductive Tract Scores (RTS)


Ovarian Measurement (mm)
Ovarian
RTS Uterine horns Length Height Width Structures Description
Immature
1 < 20 mm diameter No palpable Infantile
15 10 8
follicles
No tone
8 mm Prepubertal
2 20-25 mm diameter 18 12 10 (more than 30
No tone follicles days to puberty)

8-10 mm Peripubertal
3 20-25 mm diameter 22 15 10 (within 30 days
Slight tone follicles to puberty)

30 mm diameter Cycling
4 30 16 12 > 10 mm
Good tone (Follicular Phase)
follicles
CL possible Cycling
5 > 30 mm diameter > 32 20 15 (Luteal Phase)
CL present
Adapted from Anderson et al.,
42

RTS Measurements
Pelvic Pelvic Pelvic
No. of Weight Height Width Area Estrous
RTS Heifers (lb) (cm) (cm) (cm2) Response
1 61 594a 13.9a 10.9a 152a 54 %a
2 278 620b 14.1a 11.2a 158a 66 %b
3 1103 697c 14.5b 11.4b 166b 76 %c
4 494 733d 14.7c 11.7c 172c 83 %d
5 728 755d 14.7c 11.7c 172c 86 %d
a, b, c, d
= P < 0.05
 Note the relationship between increasing RTS, weight, and skeletal
development determined by pelvic area
 Estrous response increased among heifers that were more
reproductively
mature at the beginning of estrus synchronization and/or breeding
Adapted from Patterson et al.,
43

Relationship Between RTS and Pregnancy

No. of Pregnanc
RTS Heifers Pregna Open y Rate
nt
1 53 22 58 %
31
2 762 152 80 %
610
3 3458 444 87 %
3014
4 3398 392 89 %
3006
5 2613 282 89 %
 Higher pregnancy rates at 2331
the end of the breeding season were
achieved among heifers that were more reproductively mature
at
the beginning of estrus synchronization and/or breeding season
Randle et al., 2001
53

Prepubertal Anestrus

 Timing of puberty is controlled by …

 Age
 Weight Many factors
 Breed involved
 Season

 Develop heifers to approximately 65%


of
mature weight by the breeding season
 This will help them to attain puberty at
55
Nutritional Anestrus

 Nutritionally stressed cattle will


experience delays in return to
estrus after calving

 Can be “managed” through

 Improvement in BODY CONDITION


 Proper feeding management
56
Postpartum Anestrus
Induction of Estrous Cyclicity

 Bull exposure
 Prepubertal heifers
Exposure of prepubertal heifers to sterile bulls (for
example, vasectomized, epididyectomized etc.) for 60 to
80 days before the breeding season may hasten the
onset of puberty (ranges from no effect to 70 days
earlier) Izard and Vandenbergh, 1982; Berardinelli et al.,
1978;
MacMillan et al., 1979; Roberson et al., 1991

 This procedure also shortens the postpartum period in


anestrous cows however my concentration is on heifers

Foote, 1974; MacMillan et al., 1979;


Zalesky et al., 1984; Gifford et al.,
Products Currently Utilized in Protocols to Synchronize 28
Estrus
*** Price may vary depending on suppliers ***

 Prostaglandin F2 (PG)


Lutalyse®, Estrumate®, ProstaMate®, In Synch®
 Approximate cost is $3.00/dose (range $2.50-$4.00)

 Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH)


Cystorelin®, Factrel®, Fertagyl®
 Approximate cost is $5.00/dose (range $4.00-$6.00)

 Melengestrol Acetate (MGA® Premix)


 Approximate cost ranges $0.14 - $0.40/day/head including
carrier
 14 days ($2.00-$5.60/head) or 7 days ($1.00-$2.80/head)

 EAZI-BREED™ CIDR® Cattle Insert (CIDR)


60

Prostaglandin F2
(PG)
Prostaglandin F2 61
(PG)

 PG causes CL regression

 No effect on anestrous cattle

 No induction of estrous cyclicity


No Jump-start

 Only effective during Days 6 (6 days


after estrus) to 16 of the estrous
cycle
Lauderdale, 1972
Prostaglandin F2 62
(PG)

PG regresses CL

NO NO

YES
Estrus Estrus

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 0

Day of the Estrous Cycle


Estrous Response 77
Double Injection PG Program
Example shown is 14-day interval for PG injections

50
2 x PG
% of cows in estrus

40

30

20

10
PG
0
0 < 24 36 48 60 72 84 96 108 120 > 120

Hours following second PG injection

Modified from Stevenson et al.,


Single or Double Injection PG 74
Programs

 Advantages:
 Cost effective ($3.00 or $ 6.00)
 Easy to use
 Good fertility
Single or Double Injection PG 75
Programs

 Disadvantages:
 No effect between days 0 to 4 or 16 to 21 of the
estrous cycle
 Improved effectiveness after day 10 of the
estrous cycle
 Require heifers and cows to have CL (cycling)
 Require extensive estrus detection (minimum
7 days)
 No induction of estrous cyclicity
(No Jump-start)
Possible Outcomes 76
Single or Double Injection PG
Programs
 Estrous response:
 Varies depending on the degree of estrous cyclicity
in the herd and the stage of the estrous cycle of
an individual animal
 Single injection of PG … up to 40 to 60 %
 Double injection of PG … up to 50 to 80 %

 Timing of estrus:
 Before PG injection to 7 to 10 days after PG
injection
 Peak response ranges from 48 to 96 hours after PG
injection
98

Melengestrol Acetate
(MGA )
®

MGA is a registered trademark of Pfizer Animal Health


99

Melengestrol Acetate (MGA)

 Orally active progestin, administered as a


feed
additive
 Blocks estrus and ovulation
 Acts similar to progesterone from CL
 MGA can induce estrous cyclicity in
peripubertal
(within 30 days to attain puberty) heifers and
postpartum anestrous cows
 Currently, MGA and CIDR are the only
Patterson et al.,
10
0
Intake Considerations
What type of carrier to use?
 Mix with grain source (example: cracked or ground
corn)
For example: MGA with ground corn
 Top dressing does not work well

 If cattle are on lush pasture, remove salt from pasture


and include salt in MGA carrier
0.5 oz. Salt per cow and MGA in carrier)

 Pellet form (very palatable)


For example: MFA Cattle Charge® with MGA
10
1
Intake Considerations
 Need to provide adequate bunk space
(18 inches per heifer, and 24 inches per cow)
 Make sure cattle come to bunk before start
of
feeding MGA
 If cattle are not used to bunk feeding, 1-2
weeks
of warm-up bunk feeding is recommended
 MGA should be fed one time per day at
approximately the same time every day
 Separate heifers from cows for MGA feeding
 Late-term pregnant cows should not be fed
• MGA can be combined with PG to improve
results
10
6
Distribution of Estrus
3-5 days

% of 7-10
herd in days
estrus

MGA- MGA only


PG (for Natural service)
(for AI)
 Adding the PG injection to the MGA program results in a much
tighter synchronization of estrus
Adapted from Patterson et al., 2000
Management Considerations 10
Why Not Introduce Bulls Right After MGA 7
Withdrawal?
Less fertile
estrus after
MGA 2nd estrus for 2nd estrus for
7-10 days anestrous most of cows
cows after (more fertile)
short estrous
% of
cycle (more
herd in fertile)
estrus
Suggested timing of introducing
bulls
(see page 104 and 105)
0 5 10 15 20 25
30
Days
 If bulls were introduced to theafter
herd MGA
right feeding
after MGA
withdrawal,
they may be overworked during the less fertile estrous period
after MGA withdrawal, but before cows express fertile estrus
Natural Service with MGA 10
9
Program

 Advantages:
 Easy to use
 Shortens the next calving season
(ideal way to start AI program in the following
year)
 MGA can induce estrous cyclicity in postpartum
anestrous cows (Jump-start)
 Does not require cattle to be handled
Natural Service with MGA 11
0
Program

 Disadvantages:
 Must have adequate bull-power
 At least 1:15 to 20 bull:female ratio for
2-year or older bulls
 Yearling bulls … consider decreasing the
bull:female ratio
 Resulting calves may be of inferior quality and
provide less genetic improvement for the herd
compared to AI calves (depends on the genetic
quality of the clean-up bulls)

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