Calving rates of Brahman and Brahman-cross cows to fixed-time insemination after treatment with pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin and intravaginal progesterone

In 2 experiments involving 151 non-lactating and 107 lactating Brahman or Brahman-cross cows, the effects of progesterone treatments (PRID) of 2 durations (7 v 14 days) and injections of pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) at 3 doses (O v 375 v 750 IU) were examined. All cows were inseminated with frozen/thawed semen 54 to 58 and 70 to 74 hours after PRID removal. Calving rates of non-lactating cows (38%) were unaffected by breed or treatment but were higher in previously cyclic than acyclic cows (44% v 19%, P less than 0.025) and in cows which exhibited oestrus after treatment (52% v 23%, P less than 0.001). Calving rates of lactating cows were not affected by these factors but were affected by treatment; PMSG produced no significant effect after a 7-day PRID treatment (33% overall) but increased calving rates after 14-day PRID treatments (22% v 46% v 37% for 0, 375 and 750 IU respectively, P less than 0.10). Comparisons of calving rates of lactating cows treated with 14-day PRID and PMSG and artificially inseminated, and untreated naturally mated cows, showed that treatment significantly increased the proportion of cows conceiving in the first 35 days of the mating period (50% v 23%, P less than 0.025). The results show that treatment with PRID for 14 days and PMSG can overcome post-partum anoestrus in lactating Brahman and Brahman-cross cows leading to significant reductions in the calving to conception interval.