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Effect of sexed semen, puberty and breeding ages on fertility of Holstein dairy heifers treated with double Ovsynch protocol

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Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the fertility of sexed semen compared with conventional semen with regard to the puberty and breeding ages of Holstein dairy heifers subjected to double Ovsynch protocol with fixed time of artificial insemination. A total of 468 Holstein heifers were divided into two groups. The first group was 122 dairy heifers inseminated via conventional semen, while the second group was 346 heifers inseminated with sexed semen. The puberty and breeding ages of heifers were determined from the farm records. Estrus was synchronized using the double Ovsynch protocol. Numbers were estimated for pregnancy at 40 and 60 days post insemination, embryonic loss, and abortion. The results revealed that the heifers inseminated with sexed semen had a significantly lower first-service pregnancy rate (51.45%) than those inseminated with conventional semen (61.47%). Heifers achieving puberty before 350 days old had a higher pregnancy rate. Embryonic losses and abortion rates did not differ between the two types of semen. Holstein heifers subjected to Ovsynch protocol with sexed semen had an acceptable first-insemination pregnancy rate. Even the applications of sexed semen reduce the reproductive fertility and pregnancy rate in Holstein heifers.

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Acknowledgments

The researchers acknowledge the owner of the dairy farm, Giza, Egypt, for letting us conduct our trials and collect the data. Also, the authors much appreciated the excellent help and efforts of herd veterinarians and the head manager of the farm.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Husbandry and Animal Wealth Development Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Menofia, 32958, Egypt

    Ahmed Dawod

  2. Theriogenology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Menofia, Egypt

    Hamed T. Elbaz

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  1. Ahmed Dawod
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  2. Hamed T. Elbaz
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Correspondence to Ahmed Dawod.

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Highlights

• The sexed semen with double Ovsynch estrus synchronization protocol could be used to efficiently inseminate nulliparous Holstein heifers with an acceptable first-insemination pregnancy rate.

• The first-insemination pregnancy rate after artificial insemination with sexed semen significantly increased in heifers that had early puberty and breeding ages.

This article belongs to the Topical Collection: Dairy Science and Health in the Tropics

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Dawod, A., Elbaz, H.T. Effect of sexed semen, puberty and breeding ages on fertility of Holstein dairy heifers treated with double Ovsynch protocol. Trop Anim Health Prod 52, 2925–2930 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-020-02306-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-020-02306-6

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