Ovarian response, embryo production and hormonal profile in superovulated goats treated with insulin

The influence of insulin on ovarian response and embryo production was investigated in 30 mixed breed goats, divided randomly into three equal ( n=10) groups. Goats in Group 1 (control) were superovulated using 20 IU FSH i.m. in six divided descending doses, i.e. 4/4, 3/3 and 3/3 IU at 12 h interval for three consecutive days and were not given insulin treatment. Goats in Group 2 (insulin pretreatment) were pretreated with long acting purified bovine insulin 0.2 IU/kg body weight per day s.c. on Days 7, 8 and 9 of the estrous cycle prior to initiation of superovulatory treatment as in Group 1. Animals in Group 3 (insulin cotreatment) were treated as in Group I, but in addition received long acting purified bovine insulin 0.2 IU/kg body weight per day s.c. as a cotreatment along with the first, third and fifth FSH treatments on three consecutive days. Total ovarian response (corpus luteum and unovulated large follicle (UOLF)) was significantly ( P