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Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

DOI

10.3906/vet-1609-42

Abstract

This study evaluated the effect of injecting vitamin C (VC) and E (VE) on size of the preovulatory follicle, volume of the corpus luteum, and pregnancy rates in Holstein cows under heat stress conditions (temperature humidity index > 74). Sixty-two cows were randomly assigned to one of four treatments: 1, control, n = 15: cows were not supplemented with vitamins; 2, VCG, n = 15: cows were simultaneously injected i.v. with 500 and s.c. with 2500 mg of VC before and after estrus; 3, VEG, n = 15: cows received an i.m. injection of 3000 IU of VE before estrus; 4, VCEG, n = 17: cows were injected with VC and VE in the same way and doses as in treatments 2 and 3. Treatment did not significantly affect any of the measured variables, despite a numerical increase in pregnancy rates in cows injected with vitamins (7.5 ± 7.3%, 9.6 ± 9.4%, 15.1 ± 10.0%, and 18.34 ± 9.9% for control, VCG, VEG, and VCEG, respectively). In conclusion, injections of vitamin C and E did not affect either the development of the preovulatory follicle and the corpus luteum or pregnancy rates in Holstein dairy cattle under heat stress conditions.

Keywords

Corpus luteum, dairy cattle, heat stress, pregnancy rate, vitamin C, vitamin E

First Page

345

Last Page

350

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