Spatial relationships of ovarian follicles and luteal structures in dairy cows subjected to ovulation synchronization: Progesterone and risks for luteolysis, ovulation, and pregnancy

Objectives were to determine relative ovary location of follicles, GnRH-induced corpora lutea (CL), and older CL present in ovaries as part of ovulation synchronization and their associations with progesterone concentration and risk for luteolysis, ovulation, and pregnancy. Cows were exposed to a timed artificial insemination (AI) program [GnRH-1-7 d-PGF2α (1 dose or 2 doses 24 h apart)-56 h after first or only dose of PGF2α-GnRH-2-16 h-timed AI at 72 ± 3 d in milk]. Blood was collected to assess progesterone when ovarian structures were mapped in 694 cows before GnRH-1 and before and 48 h after PGF2α and, in a subset of cows, size of CL (n = 599) and progesterone (n = 380) at 6 d after AI. Dominant follicles and CL in single-ovulating cows were detected more often in right than left ovaries (follicles before GnRH-1: 60.6% right and GnRH-2: 61.2% right; and CL before GnRH-1: 58.6% right and GnRH-2: 66.4% right). Dominant follicles in single-ovulating cows before GnRH-1 tended to be ipsilateral to the CL more often than contralateral (54.8 vs. 45.2%) with co-dominant follicles identified in both ovaries (19.3%). In response to GnRH-1 or GnRH-2, more left-ovary follicles ovulated contralateral to CL (left to right, 54.7%; right to left, 34.7%) than right-ovary follicles, but fewer left-ovary follicles ovulated ipsilateral to CL (left to left: 45.3%) than right-ovary follicles ovulated ipsilateral (right to right: 65.3%). Preovulatory follicles in single-ovulating cows before PGF2α tended to be detected more often ipsilateral than contralateral to CL induced by GnRH-1 (younger CL; 56.5 vs. 43.6%), but were of equal frequency ipsilateral or contralateral to older CL present before GnRH-1. Luteolytic risk was less in cows bearing co-dominant follicles in both ovaries compared with those in either right or left ovaries. Luteolytic risk in single-ovulating cows did not differ between ovaries. Luteolytic risk was greater for cows bearing older CL (86.5%) than for cows bearing younger GnRH-1-induced CL (65.3%) or both (79.6%). Pregnancy risk at 60 d after AI was or tended to be greater in cows having both CL types compared with either younger or older CL, respectively, partly because of greater embryonic loss in the latter 2 cases. More female calves tended to be carried in right horns when conception occurred after first service, whereas the opposite greater female frequency occurred in left horns after repeat services. Right-ovary dominance is evident before and after GnRH treatment.