Implementing Reproductive Implementing Reproductive ProgramsPrograms

Jeffrey S. Stevenson, Ph.D.Jeffrey S. Stevenson, Ph.D.

Ontario Association ofOntario Association ofBovine PractitionersBovine Practitioners

Reproductive SymposiumReproductive Symposium

Department of Animal Sciences

and Industry

Heat DetectionHeat Detection

• Challenges of detecting estrus

• Short duration of estrus

• Detection errors

• Lack of expressed estrus

Active AI-Breeding PeriodActive AI-Breeding Period

Heat Detection is a Lost ArtHeat Detection is a Lost Art

• Cow problems• Poor footing; sore and wet feet; hairy warts• Inadequate space for sexual behavior

• People problems• Limited visual detection in large herds!• Chalking tail heads = heat detection• Occasional visual heat is detected• Inaccurate and inefficient!• A.I.-breeding pregnant or luteal phase cows

Characteristics of Various Characteristics of Various Heat Detection AidsHeat Detection Aids

Device

Accuracy (%)

Efficiency (%)

Amount of labor

Visual observation Tail chalk or paint Heat mount patches HeatWatch

Pedometers

66-98 66-98 36-80 70-85

22-100

20-95 44-96 56-94 >95

60-100

High Moderate

Slight Moderate Moderate

Nebel, Virginia Tech

Heat Detection ErrorsHeat Detection Errors

13

5

0

10

20

30

40

1 3 5 7 9 11 13

%

California New York

Means

Timing of Timing of InseminationInsemination

0 +30

Normal fertile Normal fertile sperm lifesperm life

Hours+10 +20

Cell DeathCapacitation

+20 +40

Fertile egg life

Ovulation

Standing heat

0

27 h

2040

Secondary heat signs

Timing of Estrus and OvulationTiming of Estrus and Ovulation

+20 +40

Fertile egg life

OvulationStanding

heat

0

27 h

2040

Secondary heat signs

Normal fertile sperm life

AI

Correct Timing Correct Timing of AIof AI

+20 +40

Fertile egg life

OvulationStanding

heat

0

27 h

2040

Secondary heat signs

Decreased fertile sperm life

AI

Correct Timing Correct Timing of AI - Careless of AI - Careless semen handlingsemen handling

Semen Placement by Semen Placement by Professional AI TechniciansProfessional AI Technicians

Technician ability

Site of semen placement

Below average

Above average

Vagina-cervix Body of uterus Right horn Left horn

23.5 29.7 42.4 4.4

0.0 85.7 14.3 0.0

Increasing conception rates . . .

Protocol ComplianceProtocol Compliance

Week 1

M

T W Th F S S

2

M T W Th F S S

3

M T W Th F S S

4

M T W Th F S S

5

M T W Th F S S

6

M T W Th F S S

PGFPGF

PGFPGF

PGFPGF GnRHGnRH TAITAI

GnRHGnRH

Presynch + Ovsynch ProgramPresynch + Ovsynch Program

12 days

0.95 0.95 × × 0.95 × 0.95 × 0.95 × 0.95 × 0.95 = 77.4% Compliance0.95 × 0.95 × 0.95 × 0.95 × 0.95 = 77.4% Compliance

PGF GnRHGnRH

TAI

PGFECP

TAIGnRH

PGF

Experimental ProtocolExperimental Protocol*

PGF

Ovsynch

Heatsynch

Detect estrus + tail chalking

Insemination

*Conducted on 2 of the 5 Foster Dairy

Farms, Hickman, CA

41 55 67 74 75 76 77 DIM

Conception RatesConception Rates

AI ScenarioAI after Estrus Timed AI

DIM at AI

% (no. of cows)

1 PGF*

2 PGF**

2 PGF + GnRH PGF**

Heatsynch

Ovsynch

23 (145)

33 (727)

32 ( 96)

45 (212)

49 ( 43)

21 (154)

24 (271)

54

59

74

76

77

*Noncompliance (7.9% of 1,846 inseminations).

**(727 + 96) = 823/1846 – 145 = 48.8% inseminated.

Compliance to ProtocolCompliance to Protocol

1,503 of 1,846 inseminations were performed according to protocol (81.4%; CR = 32%)

Noncompliant AI during 14 d after 1st Presynch injection

(n= 145; 7.9% of total;CR = 23%)

All other noncompliant AI(n = 198; 10.7% of total;

CR = 22.2%)

Noncompliant AI at estrus(n = 130; CR = 26%)

Noncompliant TAI(n = 68; CR = 15%)

Protocol ApplicationProtocol Application

Feedline Clothespin Technology

Pink = Prostaglandin

Green = GnRH

Blue = Breed

Protocol Protocol ApplicationApplication

RFID Technology• Record-keeping packages

integrated ability to read RFID tags using Bluetooth wand that transmits to a Pocket PC.

• Pocket PC (Dell Axim® or Palm OS) contains entire herd database and accesses each individual cow record—provides audible commands through headphones (“pass”, “GnRH”, “prostaglandin”, “bST”, “wrong pen”, etc.)

$600-$700

$1120-$1357

25 RFID tags/$56.25

Practical TipsPractical Tips

• Needle sizes:– No larger than a 18 to 20-g needle for

injection solutions in saline– Preferably a 1.5 inch single-usesingle-use needle

• Injection sites:– Neck vs. upper hind leg

• Syringe sizes:– 6 cc for Lutalyse, Prostamate, and In-Synch– 3 cc for Estrumate and for administering

GnRH products

Pregnancy Pregnancy SurvivalSurvival

Clinical Mastitis and AbortionClinical Mastitis and Abortion

• Cows having mastitis during the first 45 d of pregnancy are 2.7 at greater risk for abortion during the next 90 days.

• Abortions are related to gram () and gram (+) pathogens isolated from udder

• Mechanism:– Increase in prostaglandins, thromboxane B2,

and cortisol– Resulting decrease in progesterone output

Embryonic Losses in Dairy Cows Embryonic Losses in Dairy Cows Producing >11,000 kg of MilkProducing >11,000 kg of Milk

Stage of pregnancy,

days

Loss of Embryos

(%)

28 to 42 43 to 56 57 to 70 71 to 98

10.5 6.3 1.7 1.7

Vasconcelos et al., 1999

Pregnancy Losses in Dairy Cows Pregnancy Losses in Dairy Cows 30 to 58 days of Pregnancy30 to 58 days of Pregnancy

Status Pregnancy loss Adjusted OR P value

Cyclic

Anovular

14.5 (249/1716)

18.6 (63/339)

Referent

1.3 (0.95,1.79)

0.09

Q1: 34.5 kg/d

Q2: 41.4 kg/d

Q3: 45.7 kg/d

Q4: 51.6 kg/d

14.9 (73/491)

13.7 (73/533)

14.4 (79/550)

18.1 (87/481)

Referent

0.91 (1.64, 1.30)

0.94 (0.66, 1.35)

1.20 (0.84. 1.72)

NS

Lost ≥1 BCS

Lost <1 BCS

No change

22.5 (29/129)

16.8 (176/1047)

12.2 (107/879)

Referent

0.66 (0.41, 1.04)

0.50 (0.30, 0.81)

0.01

Timed AI

Estrus

15.2 (227/1493)

15.1 (85/562)

Referent

1.00 (0.75, 1.33)

0.99

Santos, 2006

Pregnancy TestsPregnancy Tests

Early Pregnancy Factor (EPF)Early Pregnancy Factor (EPF)

• EDP/ECF (Biotech Corp., Knoxville, TN) www.EDPbiotech.com– Foremilk or blood serum 7-8 days after AI– Claim 94-95% accurate detection of open

cows and 1-4% of pregnant cows test open (false negatives)

Non-AI controls: 96% false positives (open cows called pregnant) at day 6 samples

18 with viable embryos: 14% false negatives

Fricke et al., 2001

Interferon-tau Directed Interferon-tau Directed Uterine Protein SynthesisUterine Protein Synthesis

• Bovine trophoblast cells produce bIFN- 13-21 days after conception

• bIFN- is not luteotropic like eCG or hCG• bIFN- interferes with endometrial production of

PGF2 - no luteolysis• bIFN- stimulates uterine production of a protein• Protein appears in blood stream of pregnant cow• SurBred on day 18 after AI (AspenBio Pharma

Inc., Castle Rock, CO) www.aspenbioinc.com/rdproduct/bovine/surbred.html

Pregnancy-Specific Protein B or Pregnancy-Specific Protein B or Pregnancy-Associated GlycoproteinPregnancy-Associated Glycoprotein

• BioPRYN™ (BioTracking, LLC, Moscow, ID) www.biotracking.com

• Pregnant Ruminant Yes/No• Product of binucleate giant cells of placenta

that is detectable about 28-30 days• Collect blood 30 after AI (no sooner than 90

DIM)• Claim 99% accuracy with 27-hr turnaround

($2.25 per cow).

Thank you!

Department of Animal Sciences

and Industry

Ontario Association ofOntario Association ofBovine PractitionersBovine Practitioners

Reproductive SymposiumReproductive Symposium