EFFICACY OF PROGESTERONE TREATMENTS FOR OESTRUS INDUCTION AND CONCEPTION IN GOATS DURING NON-BREEDING SEASON

To induce oestrus out of the season in breeding goats maintained at a commercial farm were randomly treated with three regimes of progestagen treatments- i) 300 mg prepared progesterone(P-4) sponges (n=150) for 18 days, ii) 300 mg prepared progesterone (P-4) sponges for 18 days followed by 300 IU eCG on the day of implant withdrawl (n=220) iii) P-4 in oil 25 mg given daily i/m for 10 days (n=130) and iv) untreated control (n=50). Oestrus was detected by vasectomised males and validated by the presence of a mature follicle on either of the ovary seen ultrasonographically. Goats in oestrus were inseminated with liquid semen collected from bucks. Pregnancy diagnosis was done by trasnsrectal ultrasonography done every 15 days from day 20 and followed up to kidding, In treatment with P-4 Sponges, 76% (114/150) of the goats responded, 36% (54/150) became pregnant and 52 kidded normally (2 abortions). In P-4 sponges and eCG treatment, 80% (176/220) of the goats responded, 45.5% (100/220) became pregnant and 4 goats aborted whereas 96 kidded normally. In P-4 in oil treatment, 49% (64/130) goats responded, 32.3% (21/64) became pregnant and with 4 abortions 38 goats kidded. In untreated control, only 9% goats came in oestrous but only 9% goats became pregnant. The oestrous response was significantly higher (P<0.05) in P-4 and P-4 + eCG treatments as compared to P-4 in oil treatment or untreated control. The pregnancy rate at induced oestrus was significantly higher (P<0.05) in P-4 + eCG treatment as compared to P-4, P-4 in oil treatment and control. Although, the oestrous response and pregnancy rates were lower in P-4 in oil treatment as compared to P-4 sponge treatments. However. they were significantly higher (P<0.05) as compared to untreated control. It was concluded that progesterone powder impregnated sponges and progesterone injections can be used for oestrous induction in goats during the non-breeding season.