Effect of additional PGF2 alpha dose on pregnancy rate in Nellore females subjected to FTAI

This study examined the effect of administering an additional dose of prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha), in a fixed-time artificial insemination protocol (FTAI), on the fertility of female Nellore cattle. Two experiments were carried out: the first (Experiment I) took place in the state of Tocantins and the second (Experiment II) in the state of Para, Brazil. In Experiment I (E1), 80 cows were used in three treatments (T1, T2 and T3) in which all received the same FTAI protocol. In T1 (n = 29), the cows received 12.5 mg of Dinoprost on day 9; in T2 (n = 28), they received the additional dose on day 10; and in T3 (n = 23; control group), the animals did not receive the additional PGF2 alpha dose. Experiment II consisted of 147 bovine females distributed into two treatment groups, namely, T1 - 72 animals receiving the same protocol as T1 of E1; and T2 - 75 animals receiving the same protocol as T3 of E1. Statistical analysis was performed using SAS software, applying the PROC NPARWAY procedure for E1, and means were compared by the Wilcoxon test at the 5% significance level. In Experiment II, the data were subjected to analysis of variance by PROC GLIMMIX and means were compared by the T test at the 5% significance level. The following pregnancy rates were obtained in Experiment I: T1 - 62.06% (18/29); T2 - 57.14% (16/28); and T3 - 52.17% (12/23), with no significant difference observed between treatments. In Experiment II, pregnancy rate in T1 was 66.67% (48/72), whereas in T2 it was 41.33% (31/75), with a significant difference detected (P < 0.05). An additional dose of PGF2 alpha provides an increase in pregnancy rate in Nellore females.