Resynchronization strategies to improve fertility in lactating dairy cows utilizing a presynchronization injection of GnRH or supplemental progesterone: I. Pregnancy rates and ovarian responses

Objectives were to evaluate 3 resynchronization protocols for lactating dairy cows. At 32 +/- 3 d after preenrollment artificial insemination (AI; study d -7), 1 wk before pregnancy diagnosis, cows from 2 farms were enrolled and randomly assigned to 1 of 3 resynchronization protocols after balancing for parity, days in milk, and number of previous AI. All cows were examined for pregnancy at 39 +/- 3 d after pre-enrollment AI (study d 0). Cows enrolled as controls (n = 386) diagnosed not pregnant were submitted to a resynchronization protocol (d 0-GnRH, d 7-PGF(2 alpha), and d 10-GnRH and AI) on the same day. Cows enrolled in the GGPG (GnRH-GnRH-PGF(2 alpha)-GnRH) treatment (n = 357) received a GnRH injection at enrollment (d -7) and if diagnosed not pregnant were submitted to the resynchronization protocol for control cows on d 0. Cows enrolled in CIDR treatment (n = 316) diagnosed not pregnant received the resynchronization protocol described for control cows with addition of a controlled internal drug release (CIDR) insert containing progesterone (P-4) from d 0 to 7. In a subgroup of cows, ovaries were scanned and blood was sampled for P-4 concentration on d 0 and 7. After resynchronized AI, cows were diagnosed for pregnancy at 39 +/- 3 and 67 +/- 3 d (California herds) or 120 +/- 3 d (Arizona herds). Cows in the GGPG treatment had more corpora lutea than CIDR and control cows on d 0 (1.30 +/- 0.11, 1.05 +/- 0.11, and 1.05 +/- 0.11, respectively) and d 7 (1.41 +/- 0.14, 0.97 +/- 0.13, and 1.03 +/- 0.14, respectively). A greater percentage of GGPG cows ovulated to GnRH given on d 0 compared with CIDR and control cows (48.4, 29.6, and 36.6%, respectively), but CIDR and control did not differ. At 39 +/- 3 d after resynchronized AI, pregnancy per AI (P/AI) was increased in GGPG (33.6%) and CIDR (31.3%) cows compared with control (24.6%) cows. At 67 or 120 +/- 3 d after resynchronized AI, P/AI of GGPG and CIDR cows was increased compared with control cows (31.2, 29.5, and 22.1%, respectively). Presynchronizing the estrous cycle of lactating dairy cows with a GnRH 7 d before the start of the resynchronization protocol or use of a CIDR insert within the resynchronization protocol resulted in greater P/AI after resynchronized AI compared with control cows.