Effects of human chorionic gonadotropin on the last day of a 5-day CIDR Synch protocol and 5 days later on circulating progesterone concentrations and luteal area in Holstein heifers

The objective was to determine the effect of replacing GnRH with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) on the last day of a 5-d CIDR Synch protocol (d 0) and inducing accessory corpus luteum (CL) formation with hCG 5 d later (d 5) on serum progesterone (P4) concentrations and luteal dynamics in dairy heifers. Holstein heifers (n = 207) were synchronized with a 5-d controlled internal drug release (CIDR) Synch protocol (d −8: used CIDR inserted; d −3: CIDR removed and PGF(2α)). Heifers were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments on d 0: control (G; n = 55), H (n = 50), GH (n = 53), and HH (n = 49). Heifers in G were treated with 100 μg of GnRH on d 0, while H heifers received hCG (3,300 IU) on d 0. Heifers enrolled in GH were treated with GnRH on d 0 and hCG on d 5, while HH received hCG on d 0 and 5. Ovaries were scanned by ultrasound on d 0, 5, and 12, and blood was collected on d 0, 5, 7, and 12. Heifers that ovulated before or after the hCG or GnRH d 0 treatment and had P4 ≤ 0.50 ng/mL on d 0 were considered as synchronized. Overall protocol synchronization response was 93.8%, with no differences among treatments. Only synchronized heifers (n = 193) were included in the analyses of luteal dynamics after d 0. Serum P4 concentration and original CL luteal area on d 5 in heifers treated with hCG on d 0 (H + HH) were greater than in heifers treated with GnRH on d 0 (G + GH). Almost all heifers treated with hCG on d 5 had ≥2 CL on d 12 (98.6%). Ovulatory response for d 5 hCG treatment did not differ for GH versus HH (97.2 vs. 94.7%). Heifers in HH had the highest serum P4 on d 7, and G had the lowest serum P4 on d 7 and 12. In contrast, serum P4 on d 7 did not differ for H versus GH. On d 12, serum P4 and total luteal area were not different for GH versus HH. In summary, heifers that received hCG on d 0 had a larger total luteal area and greater serum P4 concentration on d 5 than heifers treated with GnRH on d 0. Moreover, hCG on d 5 promoted a greater proportion of heifers with ≥2 CL on d 12 and a larger luteal area of the original CL, which resulted in a larger total luteal area on d 12. The HH treatment successfully increased serum P4 concentrations in heifers on d 7 compared with the other treatments.