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The effects of estradiol-17beta (E-17beta) or estradiol benzoate (EB) on gonadotrophin release, estrus and ovulation in beef cattle were evaluated in two experiments. In experiment 1, 16 ovariectomized cows received a previously used CIDR insert from days 0 to 7 and 1mg of EB on day 8; they also received 5mg of E-17beta on days 0 or 1, or 5mg of E-17beta+100mg of progesterone on day 0. There was only an effect of time (P<0.0001) on plasma concentrations of progesterone, estradiol, FSH, and LH. Following treatment with E-17beta, plasma FSH concentrations were suppressed for approximately 36 h, whereas plasma LH concentrations were reduced (P<0.05) for 6 h, but surged within 24 h. Injecting 1mg of EB 24 h after CIDR removal decreased (P<0.02) plasma LH concentrations for 6h, followed by an LH surge at 18 h. In experiment 2, ovary-intact heifers (n=40) received a used CIDR and 5mg of E-17beta+100mg of progesterone on day 0. On day 7, CIDR were removed, PGF given, and heifers received nothing (control) or 1mg of EB 12, 24, or 36 h later. In these groups, plasma LH peaked (mean+/-SEM) 78.0+/-23.0, 37.8+/-8.5, 44.4+/-10.3, and 51.0+/-5.1 h after CIDR removal (means, P<0.001; variances, P<0.001) and intervals from CIDR removal to ovulation were 102.0+/-6.7, 63.6+/-3.6, 81.6+/-3.5, and 78.0+/-4.1h (P<0.05). The interval from CIDR removal to ovulation was shorter and less variable in EB-treated groups; the interval from EB to ovulation was shortest (P<0.05) in the 12-h group. In summary, E-17beta or EB decreased both FSH and LH, but LH increased after 6h (despite elevated progesterone concentrations). Following CIDR removal, 1mg of EB effectively synchronized LH release, and ovulation (in intact cattle), but the interval from CIDR removal to EB treatment affected the time of ovulation.

A study was designed to compare the effect of a prostaglandin-based synchronization protocol on ovarian follicular dynamics in sheep with the FecB (Booroola) mutation. Forty dry Romney sheep (57.6 ± 7.3 kg; 6.1 ± 1.1 years) were randomly selected from both Invermay Booroola (BB; n= 20) and commercial (non-FecB carriers, ++; n= 20) flocks. All ewes had their estrous cycles synchronized with 2 i.m. injections of PGF (150 μg of cloprostenol, Estrumate, Schering-Plough Coopers Animal Health Ltd., New Zealand) administered 7 days apart. Ewes were monitored by transrectal ultrasonography (Aloka 900-SSD and a 7.5-MHz linear-array transducer, Aloka, Tokyo, Japan) daily from Day -2 to the day of ovulation. Data were analyzed by Student''s t-test or Wilcoxon Rank Sum test. Variances were compared with Barlett''s test. Paired t-test compared the number of preovulatory follicles in each genotype after PGF treatments and intervals from PGF to ovulation after PGF. Data are presented as mean (± SEM). The number of corpora lutea (CL) and total CL area at the time of the first and second PGF treatment were 4.4 ± 0.6; 5.7 ± 1.4 and 672.1 ± 133.5 mm2; 999.0 ± 145.9 mm2in the BB and 2.1 ± 0.2; 2.1 ± 0.5 and 342.3 ± 60.7 mm2; 401.3 ± 68.6 mm2in ++ ewes, respectively. These 2 variables were higher (P 0.61) between BB (3.4 ± 0.2; 3.0 ± 0.3d) and ++ (3.5 ± 0.2d; 3.0 ± 0.1d) ewes. However, interval from the second PGF to ovulation was more variable (P= 0.002) in the BB than in the ++ ewes. Data of both groups were combined and a mean significant difference of 0.6 ± 0.2d (P< 0.003) was found between the first and second PGF-to-ovulation intervals. The interval from the first PGF to emergence of the next follicular wave was shorter (P< 0.02) and more variable (P< 0.03) in the BB (2.7 ± 0.4d) than in the ++ (3.5 ± 0.2 d) group. Preovulatory follicles were smaller in Booroola, but higher in number, than in ++ ewes, whereas the luteal area was similar. Within the BB ewes, the higher number of follicles that ovulated after the second PGF than after the first injection may be due to a higher follicular response to an elevated rebound in circulating FSH after the first PGF. A high number of growing follicles of the first follicular wave may also have contributed to this event. These findings warrant further research aimed at the study of the interaction between FSH and follicle dynamics in estrus synchronized sheep carrying the FecB mutation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]