1. Increasing AI Efficiency Using Ultrasound
Kevin McSweeney, DVM
Bovine Reproductive Specialists, LLC

2. Problems with Dairy Cattle Reproduction
Poor heat expression/detection
Genetics, housing, fewer employees
Poor conception rates to estrous bred cattle
Secondary signs, anovular/cystic cows, poor follicular turnover
Poor conception to timed AI
Compliance, refractory cysts/ pyometras,synch program not started at the right time during cow’s estrous cycle

3. Ways to Incorporate Ultrasound into Reproduction
Identify non-synchronized cows within timed AI and apply protocols to improve CR
Screen cows identified in estrus prior to breeding to eliminate mistakes and maximize CR

4. Benefits of Utrasound
Ultrasound provides complete visualization of uterus and ovarian structures
Gives better idea of where a cow is in her cycle
Allows us to identify cows that are not synchronized, in heat or pregnant

5. Timed Breeding Synchronization Programs
Allow 100% HDR for first service
Used with early open diagnosis can rebreed cows sooner
Compensate for fewer employees and poor heat detection/ heat expression
Resolve cysts
Ovulate old follicles/ old oocytes. Start new follicular wave

6. Ovsynch Protocol For Timed AI created in mid-90’s
7 days
48-56 hours
16 to 18 h
GnRH, 100 μg
PGF2 , 25 mg
GnRH, 100 μg
Timed AI

7. CIDR-Synch
Progesterone priming can induce cyclicity and resolve cysts

8. More Synchronization Programs
Presynch-Ovsynch
G6G
Double Ovsynch

9. Progesterone Levels at Prostaglandin
Only 3.6% (26/721) of the cows were truly acyclic when 2nd P4 was done 2 weeks later
31.3%
P4<2ng
68.7%
P4>2ng
N=721

10. Presence/Absence of Corpus Luteum at Prostaglandin and Conception Rate

11. Effect of Day of Estrous Cycle at Onset of Ovsynch on Pregnancy Rate
Vasconcelos, et al., J Dairy Sci. 80(Suppl 1):178 72 34

12. Day 32 Open Cow Findings
N=30,414

13. The Estrous Cycle in CattleLH
1st
Progesterone
2nd
Wave
Wave
Hormone Concentration
Estradiol
FSH 5 10 15
Estrus
Estrus
Days Relative to Estrus

14. THE OVSYNCH/TAI PROTOCOL8 6
P4, ng/ml 4 P4 2
d 5 to d 12
PGF2a
GnRH
TAI
GnRH
+7 d
+9 d
+9.75 d
HIGH

15. Cow Synchronized on the Day Of Prostaglandin

16. Initiation of the Ovsynch/TAI protocol at late diestrus (d 13-17 of the estrous cycle)8 P4 6
Plasma P4 (ng/ml) 4 2
PGF2a
Ovulation
d 0 GnRH
d 7 PGF2a
d 9
GnRH
d 10
TAI
HIGH
LOW

17. Cow Started in Later Diestrus on the day of Prostaglandin

18. Initiation of the Ovsynch/TAI protocol at metestrus (d 1 to d 4 of the estrous cycle)8 6
Plasma P4 (ng/ml) 4 P4 2
Ovulation
d 7 PGF2a
d 0 GnRH
d 9 GnRH
d 10 TAI
LOW
HIGH

19. The Estrous Cycle in CattleLH
1st
Progesterone
2nd
Wave
Wave
Hormone Concentration
Estradiol
FSH 5 10 15
Estrus
Estrus
Days Relative to Estrus

20. Size of Preovulatory Follicle Affects Conception Rates
Perry, et al., 2007

21. Follicle Size on Day of PGF2α and Conception Rate

22. Cow started in Metestrus on the Day of Prostaglandin

23. How can we use this information to make management decisions?

24. Ovsynch Protocols for First Service and Open Cows
Good CL/diestrus uterus
Give GNRH
No CL/Follicular Cyst
Give GnRH
Scan 7 days later
Scan 7 days later
No CL/Follicular Cyst
Insert CIDR
Start
CIDR-synch
Good CL/diestrus uterus
Give GNRH
Good CL &
Follicle-PGF
Give PGF
Good CL &
Follicle-PGF
Give PGF
No CL/Follicular Cyst
Give GnRH
Good CL &
Poor Follicle-PGF
Insert CIDR
Start
CIDR-synch
Continue in
Ovsynch to AI
Scan 7 days later
Scan 7 days later
No CL/Follicular Cyst
Insert CIDR
Start
CIDR-synch
Good CL-PGF
Give PGF
Follow same path as Good CL/diestrus uterus cows
Continue in
Ovsynch to AI
Continue in
Ovsynch to AI

25. Conception Rates to This Program

26. Alternative Protocols when Reproductive Exams Occur Less than Once a Week
Give GnRH injection to all cows week prior to pregnancy check
Open cows in diestrus and with at least one good follicle (13-20mm) are given PGF2α and continue in TAI
Open cows not in diestrus or without good follicle are started on CIDR-synch TAI

27. Incorporating Ultrasound into Heat Detection

28. Incorporating Ultrasound into Heat Detection
Eliminate breeding diestrus/pregnant cows
studies measuring P4 have found 5-30% chalk bred cows are not in estrous
Identify fertile heats more accurately (by using follicle size and dslh criteria)
Cows that fail to meet criteria for breeding, but are obviously open are started in TAI-synch program

29. Estrus Uterus

30. Estrus But Late

31. Diestrus Uterus

32. Summary of Ultrasound Benefits
Ultrasound can improve CR when used to screen cows for synchrony within TAI programs
Can reduce errors in heat detection and improve CR when used to screen cows prior to AI