Factors associated with fertility outcomes in cows treated with protocols to synchronize estrus and ovulation in seasonal-calving, pasture-based dairy production systems

Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with fertility outcomes in cows treated with protocols to synchronize estrus and ovulation. Lactating dairy cows (n=1,538) were enrolled in a completely randomized block design study to evaluate synchronization treatments. Within each herd (n=8), cows were divided into 3 calving groups: early [≥ 42 d in milk (DIM) at mating start date (MSD); n=1,244], mid (21 to 41 DIM at MSD; n=179), and late (0 to 20 DIM at MSD; n=115), based on DIM at MSD. Cows in the early-, mid-, and late-calving groups were synchronized to facilitate estrus or timed artificial insemination (TAI) at MSD (planned breeding 1; PB1), 21 d (PB2), and 42 d (PB3) after MSD, respectively. For each PB, cows in the relevant calving group were stratified by parity and calving date and randomly assigned to (1) d -10 GnRH (10 μg i.m. of buserelin) and CIDR [controlled internal drug release insert, 1.38 g of progesterone (P4)]; d -3 PGF(2α) (25mg i.m. of dinoprost); d -2 CIDR out and AI at observed estrus (CIDR_OBS); (2) same as CIDR_OBS, but GnRH 36 h after CIDR out and TAI 18 h later (CIDR_TAI); (3) same as CIDR_TAI, but no CIDR (i.e., Ovsynch); or (4) untreated controls (CTRL). Use of a CIDR-based ovulation synchronization protocol (i.e., CIDR_TAI) increased synchronization rates in anovular cows. Both CIDR_OBS and CIDR_TAI animals without a corpus luteum (CL) had increased likelihood of conception at first service compared with Ovsynch animals without a CL. Animals with low body condition score (BCS) treated with CIDR_OBS had an increased likelihood of conceiving at first service compared with low-BCS animals treated with CIDR_TAI, Ovsynch, or CTRL. Animals60 d in milk (DIM) treated with CIDR_OBS and CIDR_TAI had increased likelihood of conceiving at first service compared with animals treated with Ovsynch. Treatment with CIDR_TAI increased synchronization rate in cows categorized as low BCS, anovulatory, and60 DIM compared with both CIDR_OBS and Ovsynch, and increased submission rate compared with CIDR_OBS. Conception rate in cows within these categories, however, was greatest for CIDR_OBS, resulting in minimal differences in actual pregnancy rates between CIDR_OBS and CIDR_TAI treatments, both of which were superior to Ovsynch. Treatment differences in the response variables investigated were minimal in cows categorized as medium or high BCS, ovulatory, and60 DIM, indicating that CIDR-based protocols could be targeted at particular cows, and all other cows could be synchronized using Ovsynch.