sharma and purohit vet pract

Vet Practitioner 10(2):132-35.

Efficiency of progesterone treatments for estrus induction and

conception in goats during the non-breeding season

Arvind Sharma# and Govind Narayan Purohit *

Department of Animal Reproduction Gynaecology and Obstetrics

College of Veterinary and Animal Science Bikaner, Rajasthan, India 334001

# Current address: Veterinary Officer Palsana, Sikar, Rajasthan, India.

ABSTRACT

Three progestagen treatments for the induction of out-of-season breeding in goats were

evaluated using 550 two to three year old goats of the Sirohi and Jamunapari breeds on a

commercial farm. The progestagen regimens were 1. 300 mg progestagen vaginal sponge

(P4 sponge) inserted for 18 days (n=150); 2. 300 mg P4 sponge inserted for 18 days plus

300 IU eCG administered i.m. on the day of sponge withdrawal (n=220); 3. 25 mg P4 in

oil administered i.m. daily for 10 days (n=130); and 4. Untreated control (n=50). Estrus

was detected by vasectomised males and confirmed by ultrasound visualization of a

mature ovarian follicle. Goats in estrus were inseminated with fresh semen. Pregnancy

diagnosis was by trans-rectal ultrasonography performed every 15 days from day 20 after

insemination until kidding. The estrus response was significantly (P<0.05) higher in the

P4 sponge (76%) and P4 sponge + eCG (80%) treatments than the P4 in oil treatment


(49%) which was significantly (P<0.05) higher than control (9%). The onset of estrus

was significantly (P<0.05) earlier in the P4 sponge (24.6 2.4 h) and P4 sponge + eCG

(22.7 1.8 h) treatments than in the P4 in oil treatment (46.9 3.2 h) and control (96.0

12.3 h) treatments. Pregnancy rate differed significantly (P<0.05) between the P4

sponge (36.0%) and P4 sponge + eCG (45.5%) treatments and they were significantly

higher (P<0.05) than for the P4 in oil treatment (32.3%) and control (4.0%) treatments.

There were 2 abortions in the P4 sponge treatment, 4 in the P4 sponge + eCG treatment, 4

in the P4 in oil treatment and none in the control. Consequently, the kidding rates

reflected the pregnancy rates. It was concluded that progesterone administered in

impregnated sponges or as i.m. injections successfully induce estrus during the non-

breeding season in goat.

Key words: Goat, progesterone, estrus, pregnancy, kidding.

* Corresponding author Tel: +91 151 2202396; fax: +91 151 2543419

E-mail address: [email protected] (G.N.Purohit).

mailto:[email protected]


Reproductive seasonality is a major limitation in goat production in sub-tropical and high

latitudes (Delgadillo et al., 2000). Various treatments have been suggested to control this

phenomenon, including hormonal treatments (Whitley and Jackson, 2004) male effect

and alternating photoperiodic cues (Chemineau et al., 1999). Estrus induction by altering

photoperiodic cycles usually involve a sequence of long days (2.5 months) followed by

short days (Chemineau et al., 1992) or a melatonin implant (Donavan et al., 1994).

Although photoperiodic alterations offer potential benefits in bringing goats to estrus

during the non-breeding season however, a long time is spent in these procedures.

Progesterone or progesterone analogues have generally been used to synchronize estrus

in goats during the breeding and non-breeding season (Ak et al., 1998). The most widely

used procedures for estrus synchronization are 12 to 21 days flurogestone acetate (FGA)

or medroxyprogesterone acetate (MAP) impregnated intra-vaginal sponge treatments

(Romano, 1996, 1998; Leboeuf et al., 1998; Romano et al., 2000) and an intramuscular

injection of PMSG at progestagen withdrawal (Ak et al., 1998; Greyling and Van der

Nest, 2000; Motlomelo et al., 2002). The application of photoperiodic alterations appears

to be difficult and costly under a farm situation. The effectiveness of different

progestagen treatments is known to be variable (Gordon, 1975; Smith et al., 1981). The

commercially marketed implants are not available at many locations, and their high cost

has led to development of sponges impregnated with progesterone powder (Naqvi et al.,

1996). The objective of the present study was thus; to compare the effectiveness of


progesterone impregnated sponges/progesterone injections for estrus induction and

conception in goats during the non-breeding season.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Animals

The study was carried out at a commercial goat farm (Madhu farms, NH-11, Balekhan,

PO Govindgarh, Teh. Chomu, Rajasthan, India) during the non-breeding season (April to

June 2006) using two breeds Sirohi and Jamunapari. Non-pregnant goats aged 2-3 years

and maintained on uniform conditions of feeding and management were randomly

allocated to progestagen treatments for estrus induction.

Treatments

Progestagen (P4) sponges were prepared as per previously described methods (Naqvi et

al., 1996). Briefly, a small sponge was cut round and a long silk thread was tied in the

centre. The same was autoclaved. Crystalline progesterone powder (Central Drug House,

New Delhi) was dissolved in ethanol (Merck, India) in a quantity so as to give a final

concentration of 300 mg progesterone per mL. The sponge was charged with 1 mL of the

progesterone solution and introduced in the vagina of a goat using a vaginal speculum

and a glass tube. After pushing the sponge deep in the vagina, the glass tube and

speculum were withdrawn. Progesterone in oil (P4 oil) was prepared by dissolving 250


mg of hydroxyprogesterone caproate (Inj P-Depot, Sarabhai-Zydus, India) in 9 mL of

vitamin A (Inj Vitamin A 600,000 units per mL, Virbac Animal Health, Mumbai, India)

so as to give a final concentration of 25 mg per mL. Goats were randomly allocated to

one of the following treatments 1. P4 sponge for 18 days; 2 . P4 sponge for 18 days and

an i.m. injection of 300 IU eCG (Inj Folligon, Intervet Holland) at sponge withdrawal;

3. P4 in oil 25 mg daily i.m. injection for 10 days and 4. Untreated control. Animals in

treatment 1, 2 and control were also administered 2 i.m. injections of 2 mL vitamin-A

given 3 days apart.

Estrus detection and breeding

Estrus was detected daily by parading a vasectomised buck twice daily starting from the

day of completion of the P4 treatments. Trans-rectal ultrasonography was done on the

day of estrus and at 15 days interval starting from day 20 of mating to record the

follicular growth and pregnancy by using a linear array 5.0 MHz trans-rectal (5.0L BPL,

India) ultrasound probe. Goats were inseminated twice at 12 h internal from 24-36 h of

estrus detection with liquid semen collected from South African Boehr bucks, diluted

with Tris- buffer and kept in a refrigerator (Used within 48 h of dilution) as per

previously described methods (Purohit, 2001). The pregnancy rates were calculated from

actual kiddings.

Statistical analysis


The estrus response percentage and pregnancy rates were compared by chi-square test.

The time to the onset of estrus was compared by analysis of variance.

RESULTS

The estrus response was significantly (P<0.05) higher in the P4 sponge (76%) and P4

sponge + eCG (80%) treatments than the P4 in oil treatment (49%) which was

significantly (P<0.05) higher than control (9%). Within the treatments, the combination

of P4 sponge and eCG treatment yielded the highest estrus response but, these were non-

significantly higher compared to P4 sponge alone but significantly higher compared to

daily P4 injections and control. The estrus onset took significantly (P<0.05) lower time in

P4 + eCG (22.7 1.8 h) treatment compared to P4 sponge alone (24.6 2.4 h) or P4 in oil

injections. The estrus onset was significantly (P<0.05) delayed in P4 in oil injection (46.9

3.2 h) treatments (Table 1). At estrus follicles of 6 to 9 mm were visible over either of

the ovaries. The estrus duration varied between 26.3 ± 2.4 to 28.3±2.5 h in the three

treatments but was non-significantly different.

Pregnancy could be diagnosed easily at day 20 post insemination by finding of the

hypo echoic fetus in an anechoic fluid within the uterine lumen. The sensitivity and

specificity of pregnancy diagnosis at this stage was low as a few of the goats diagnosed to

be either pregnant or non-pregnant were later found to be incorrect. However, all animals

that were diagnosed to be pregnant at 35 days of pregnancy by ultrasonography kidded

subsequently resulting into a positive and negative predictive value of 100% at this time.

The complete fetus and the cotyledons could be easily visualized at day 50 of pregnancy


The pregnancy rates were significantly (P<0.05) higher in the P4 + eCG treatments

(45.5%) compared to P4 alone (36.0%) or P4 in oil (32.3%). An exceptionally small

proportion of untreated control goats evidenced estrus and kidded subsequently during

the study period.

DISCUSSION

The estrus response during the present study was significantly higher with the use of

prepared sponges used alone or with eCG compared to when P4 in oil was used as daily

injections for 10 days. Various forms of progestagens and different methods of

administration have been used in anestrus goats to induce estrus (Amoah and Gelaye,

1990; Wildeus, 1999). Similar to the present study when Mashona goats were treated

with norgestomet ear implants or natural progesterone sponges 92% and 83% were bred

within 21 days (Kusina et al., 2000). Similarly, treatment of goats with MAP vaginal

sponges in combination with 200 IU of PMSG at sponge withdrawal allowed 100% of

Damascus goats to be mated (Zarkawi et al., 1999). The proportion of Egyptian goats

expressing estrus when they were treated with norgestomet in combination with PGF2

alpha 24 h before implant withdrawal and GnRH 24 h after implant withdrawal, or the

same treatment without GnRH was 77.5 and 85% during the non-breeding season. High

estrus response (62.5%-100%) has previously been recorded with the use of FGA or

MAP during the breeding season (Romano, 1996, 1998, 2002; Greyling and Van der

Nest, 2000; Motlomelo et al., 2002). The estrus response to P4 in oil was significantly


lower and the estrus onset was also delayed in this treatment group compared to other

treatments, yet this was significantly higher compared to untreated controls. Researchers

have previously reported the onset of estrus to occur within 6-120 h following

progestagen withdrawal (Feritas et al., 1996b; Romano, 1998; Greyling and Van der

Nest, 2000; Leboeuf et al., 2003; Nur et al., 2005). The reasons for such differences have

been explained previously (Romano, 2002; Nur et al., 2005).

The pregnancy rates were significantly higher in P4 + eCG treatment compared to P4,

P4 in oil or control. However, the pregnancy rates were not significantly different for the

P4 and P4 in oil treatments. The pregnancy rates reported previously were 64 and 70% for

treatment with norgestomet and progesterone implants respectively (Kusina et al., 2000).

Likewise pregnancy rates varied between 65.2 to 73.7% for estrus induction using

combinations of FGA, MAP, PMSG and PGF2 alpha in Anatolian black does (Nur et al.,

2005). The pregnancy rates recorded in this study are comparatively lower compared to

previous studies that recorded conception rates of between 51.7 to 87.5% in goats

synchronized with intra-vaginal progestagen sponges during thee breeding and non-

breeding season (Feritas et al., 1996; Greyling and Van der Nest 2000; Motlomelo et al.,

2002; Nur et al., 2005). This could possibly be due to differences in breed, geographic

location or the detrimental effects of estrus synchronization on sperm transport and

survival in the female reproductive tract (Pearce and Robinson, 1985). The predictive

values of ultrasonography for pregnancy diagnosis and the sonographic features recorded

in the present study are similar to previous reports (Gearhart et al., 1988; Doize et al.,

1997; Gonzalez et al., 2004).


It was concluded that sponges impregnated with progesterone powder or progesterone

injections can be used for estrus induction in goats during the non-breeding season.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors are highly thankful to the management and owners of Madhu Farms,

Govindgarh, Chomu, Rajasthan, India for their permission to work on their farm.

REFERENCES

Ak K, Ozturkler Y. 1998. Ankara kecilerinde Farkli ostrus senkronzaryonu yontemleri ve

serum progesterone, LH seviyeleri uzerinde arastimalar. Journal of Faculty of

Veterinary Medicine University of Istambul 24: 367-377.

Amoah E A and Gelaye S. 1990. Superovulation, synchronization and breeding of does.

Small Ruminant Research 3: 63 -72.

Chemineau P, Baril G, Leboeuf B, Maurel M C, Ray F, Pellicer M, Rubio M, Malpaux

B and Cognie Y. 1999. Implications of recent advances in reproductive

physiology for reproductive management of goats. Journal of Reproduction and

Fertility (Suppl) 54: 129-142.

Chemineau P, Malpaux B, Delgadillo D A, Guerin Y, Revault J P, Thimonier J and

Pelletier J. 1992. Control of sheep and goat reproduction: use of light and

melatonin. Animal Reproduction Science 30: 157-184.


Delgadillo J A, Flores J A, Veliz F G, Poindron P, Perez-villanueva J A and Martinez

de la Escalera G. 2000. Photoperiodic treatment of bucks markedly improves the

responses of seasonally anovulatory goats to the male effect. In: Proceedings 7th

International Conference on goats, Tours, France, 396-399.

Doize F, Vaillancourt D, Carabin H and Belanger D. 1997. Determination of

gestational age in sheep and goats using trans-rectal ultrasonographic

measurement of placentomes. Theriogenology 48: 449-460.

Donavan A, Boland G P, Roche J F and Callaghan D O. 1994. The effect of

supplementary long days, a subcutaneous melatonin implant and exposure to a

ram on the onset of the breeding season in ewes. Animal Reproduction Science

34: 231-240.

Feritas V J F, Baril G and Saumande J. 1996. Induction and synchronization of estrus in

goats: the relative efficiency of one versus two flurogestone acetate impregnated

vaginal sponges. Theriogenology 46: 1251-1256.

Gearhart M A, Wingfield W E, Knight A P, Smith J A, Dargatz D A, Boon J A and

Stokes C A. 1988. Real-time ultrasonography for determining pregnancy status

and viable fetal numbers in ewes. Theriogenology 30: 323-327.

Gonzalez F, Cabera F, Batista M, Rodriguez N, Alamo D, Sulon J, Beckers J F and

Garcia A. 2004. A comparison of diagnosis of pregnancy in the goat via

transrectal ultrasound scanning, progesterone and progesterone associated

glycoprotein assays. Theriogenology 62: 1108-1115.

Gordon I. 1975. The use of progestagens in sheep bred by natural and artificial

insemination. Annales de Biologie Animale Biochemie Biophysique 15: 303-315.


Greyling J PC and Van der Nest M. 2000. Synchronization of estrus in goats: dose effect

of progestagen. Small Ruminant Research 36: 201-207.

Kusina N T, Tarwirei F, Hamudikuwanda H, Agumba G and Mukwena J. 2000. A

comparison of the effects of progesterone sponges and ear implants, PGF2α and

their combination on efficiency of estrus synchronization and fertility of Mashona

goat does. Theriogenology 53: 1567-1580.

Leboeuf B, Manfredi E, Boue P, Piacere A, Brice G, Baril G, Broqua C, Humblot P and

Terqui M. 1998. Artificial insemination of dairy goats in France. Livestock

Production Science 55: 193-203.

Leboeuf B, Forgerit Y, Bernclas D, Dougnard J L, Senty E and Driancourt M A. 2003.

Efficacy of two types of vaginal sponges to control onset of estrus, time of

preovulatory LH peak and kidding rate in goats inseminated with variable

numbers of spermatozoa. Theriogenology 60: 1371-1378.

Motlomelo K C, Greyling J P C and Schwalbach L M J. 2002. Synchronization of estrus

in goats: the use of different progestagen treatments. Small Ruminant Research

45: 45-49.

Naqvi S M K, Gulyani R and Pareek S R. 1996. Estrus synchronization in ewes with

progesterone impregnated vaginal sponges during the summer season. Indian

Journal of Animal Reproduction 17: 15-16.

Nur D Z, Gunay U, Sagirkaya H, Soylu M K and Sonmez C. 2005. Estrus

synchronization during the natural breeding season in Anatolian black does.

Veterinary Medicine 1: 33-38.


Pearce D T and Robinson T J. 1985. Plasma progesterone concentrations, ovarian and

endocrinological responses and sperm transport in ewes with synchronized estrus.

Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 75: 49-62.

Purohit G N. 2001. Assisted reproductive technologies in farm animals. A manual. Kanta

Publications, Bikaner, Rajasthan, India. Pp 45-52.

Romano J E. 1996. Effect of service and oxytocin on estrus duration in goats. Small

Ruminant Research 23: 213-216.

Romano J E. 1998. The effect of continuous presence of bucks on hastening the onset of

estrus in synchronized does during the breeding season. Small Ruminant Research

30: 99-103.

Romano J E, Carbo B G and Christians C J. 2000. Effect of sterile service on estrus

duration, fertility and prolificacy in artificially inseminated dairy goats.

Theriogenology 53: 1345-1353.

Romano J E. 2002. Does in proestrus-estrus hasten estrus onset in does estrus

synchronized during the breeding season. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 77:

329-334.

Smith P A, Borland M P and Gordon I. 1981. Effect of type of intra-vaginal progestagen

treatment on the outcome at fixed time artificial insemination. Journal of

Agriculture Science 96: 243-245.

Whitley N C and Jackson D J. 2004. An update on estrus synchronization in goats. A

minor species. Journal of Animal Science 82: 270-276.

Wildeus S. 1999. Current concepts in synchronization of estrus: sheep and goats.

Proceedings American Society of Animal Science pp 11-14.


Zarkawi M, Al-Merestani M R and Wardah M F. 1999. Technical note. Induction of

synchronized estrus in indigenous Damascus goats outside the breeding season.

Small Ruminant Research 33: 193-197.

Table 1. The estrus response (%) time (h) to onset of estrus after the end of the estrus

induction treatment and pregnancy rate in goats treated with different

progestagen regimens during the non-breeding season.

Treatment Number of

animals treated

Estrus response Estrus onset Pregnancy rate

(Percent)

P4 sponge 150 114 (76%)a 24.6±2.4a 36.0a

P4 sponge +

eCG

220 176 (80)%)a 22.7±1.8a 45.5b

P4 in oil 130 64 (49%)b 46.9±3.2c 32.3a

Control 50 04 (09%)c 96.012.3d 4.0c

Figures in parentheses represent percentage. Figures with different superscripts in the

same column differ significantly (P<0.05).

sharma and purohit vet pract

Documents