Delayed treatment with GnRH agonist, hCG and progesterone and reduced embryonic mortality in buffaloes

The present study examined the effect of delayed treatment with tropic hormones and progesterone (P-4) on embryomic mortality in buffaloes. Buffaloes with a conceptus on Day 25 after Al were assigned to the following treatments; Control (n = 41). i.m. physiological saline; GnRH agonist (n = 36), 12 mu g buserelin acetate; hCG (n = 33), i.m, 1500 IU hCG; P-4 (n = 38), i.m. 341 mg P-4 every 4 days on three occasions. Control buffaloes had an embryonic mortality of 4104% (17/41) between Days 25 and 45, and this was reduced (P < 0.01) by treatment wiht GnRH agonist (11.1%, 4/36), hCG (9.0%, 3/33) and P-4 (13.1%, 5/38). On Day 45, buffaloes treated with hCG and which ovulated had greater (P < 0.05) concentrations of P-4 in whey (453 +/- 41 pg/ml) than buffaloes in the same treatment that did not ovulate (297 +/- 32 pg/ml). A similar but non-significant treand was observed for buffaloes treated with GnRH agonist. It was concluded from the findings that the treatment of buffaloes on Day 25 after Al with tropic hormones or P-4 is beneficial to processes associated with embryonic implantation. (c) 2008 Published by Elsevier Inc.