Effects of Alfaprostol and uterine palpation on postpartum interval and pregnancy rate to embryo transfer in Brahman influenced beef cows

THERIOGENOLOGY

EFFECTS OF ALFAPROSTOL AND UTERINE PALPATION ON POSTPARTUM INTERVAL AND PREGNANCY RATE TO EMBRYO TRANSFER IN BRAHMAN INFLUENCED BEEF COWS! D. R. Tolleson and R. D. Randel Texas Agricultural Experiment Station Texas A&M University Agricultural Research and Extension Overton, Tx 75684

Received

Center

for Publication: Devember 6, 1986 Accepted: December 9, 1987

ABSTRACT Two trials were conducted to determine the effects of Alfaprostol, a prostaglandin F2 alpha analogue, and uterine palpation on reproductive performance in postpartum beef cows. In Trial I, 143 multiparous and 132 primiparous Brahman crossbred embryo recipient cows were assigned to receive one 5 mg injection of Alfaprostol between 29 and 65 d postpartum or to serve as controls. Alfaprostol treatment between 29 and 42 d postpartum decreased (P < 0.05) postpartum interval in multiparous but not primiparous cows. Alfaprostol treatment increased pregnancy rate to embryo transfer. Trial II utilized 369 multiparous Brangus cows, 17 to 49 d postpartum, that were assigned to one of three groups: I) Alfaprostol plus uterine palpation (APP), 2) Uterine palpatien only (UP) or 3) Control. Completion of uterine involution was determined at treatment. Alfaprostol plus uterine palpation decreased postpartum interval regardless of uterine involution, while UP had a greater effect if uterine involution was not complete. Both APP and UP increased the number of cows which were detected in estrus by 80 d postpartum. Alfaprostol and uterine palpation, alone or in combination, can increase postpartum reproductive performance in Brahman crossbred and Brangus beef cows.

Key words:

prostaglandin, postpartum indicus, embryo recipient

interval,

pregnancy

rate, Bos

Acknowledgements ijournal Paper TA 22143, Texas Agr. Exp. Sta. This study was a contribution to the Western Regional Project W-II2, Reproductive Performance in Domestic Ruminants. The authors would like to thank McKellar Ranch, Granada Land and Cattle, Hoffmann-LaRoche and the staff of the Overton Experiment Station for their contributions to this project.

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INTRODUCTION There have been numerous management techniques developed to enhance p o s t p a r t u m reproduction in beef cattle. Such practices as restricted suckling (1-3), increased nutrition (4-9) or estrus synchronization programs (i0,II) have been effective. Prostaglandin F2e (PGF) or its analogues have been administered during the early postpartum period, resulting Jn either decreased p o s t p a r t u m intervals (PPI; 12) or increased first service conception (13,14). Randel et al. (12) and DelVecchio et al. (15) administered Alfaprostol (AP) on d 21, 32 or 21 and 32 postpartum. Alfaprostol on d 32 or d 21 and 32 decreased PPI in one study (12) and increased the cumulative frequency of return to estrus (CFE) in the other (15) study. If AP is effective only on these days, its usefulness would be greatly reduced in management situations where frequent handling of the cattle is undesirable or where exact calving dates are unavailable. Richardson et al. (16) have treated cows with a prostag]andin only once at various times during the PPI and reported minimal results. A one-time treatment regimen would be favored over a two-time regimen if the response to a single treatment was adequate. Examinations of the reproductive tract per rectum are utilized by some producers and clinicians to determine the reproductive status of p o s t p a r t u m cows. This practice may also serve to stimulate the reproductive organs and, thereby, enhance reproductive performance. Frequent palpation of the involuting uterus of beef cows may hasten uterine involution (17). The rate of uterine involution has been positively correlated with return to estrus in several studies (3, 18-21). It is not known what effect palpation of the uterus per rectum has on PPI in beef cows. The data presented here were collected from two separate trials. The objectives of Trial I were i) to identify a time period during the PPI in which a single injection of AP was most effective in reducing the PPI and 2) to determine the effect of AP on pregnancy rate to embryo transfer. The objectives of Trial II were i) to determine the effects of AP and uterine palpation or uterine palpation alone on PPI and 2) to determine the effect of complete versus noncomplete uterine involution at the time of treatment on the efficacy of these treatments. MATERIALS AND METHODS Trial

I

This trial utilized 143 multiparous and ]32 primiparous Brahman crossbred embryo recipient cows at McKellar Ranch, Mt. Pleasant, Texas. The cows were maintained in moderate to good body condition on forage and supplements common to that area. At 3- to 4-wk intervals, all 3-wk or older calves and their dams are normally dewormed and vaccinated. Alfaprostol (AP) was administered at tile time of these work periods during May, June and July. All cows in the experiment were randomly assigned on the day of treatment to receive 5 mg of AP (i.m.) or to serve as untreated controls (C). On the day of treatment, blood samples were collected via coccygeal veni-puncture.

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Serum was harvested from these samples and stored at -20"C until analyzed for progesterone (P4) by radioimmunoassay (22). Only those cows with a serum P4 concentration of less than 1.0 ng/ml were used in the statistical analysis. This was done to eliminate those animals which had possibly experienced an estrous cycle prior to treatment. Twice daily estrus detection, performed by trained individuals, began on the day of treatment. Fresh embryos were transferred nonsurgically 6 to 8 d post estrus. Estrous detection continued after embryo transfer until diagnosis of pregnancy. Pregnancy was determined by palpation per rectum 60 to 90 d post transfer. Postpartum interval was defined as that time period from calving to the first detected estrus. Pregnancy rate to the first embryo transfer and length of PPI were the principal data collected. Analysis of variance and Chi-square procedures were utilized (23) to determine treatment effects on postpartum interval and pregnancy rate, respectively. Trial II In this trial, 369 multiparous Brangus cows were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: I) 5 mg AP and uterine palpation (APP) (n = 82), 2) uterine palpation only (UP) (n = 52) or 3) control (C) (n = 46). These cows were located at Granada Land and Cattle Company, Wheelock, Texas. All cows calved in May and were maintained as a single herd in moderate to good body condition on Coastal bermudagrass pastures. Ten days prior to amd again at treatment, blood samples were collected and processed as decribed in Trial I. Again, only those cows with P4 concentratlons less than 1.0 ng/ml were utilized in statistical analysis. All cows were between 17 and 49 d p o s t p a r t u m at the time of treatment. Uterine palpation consisted of a complete examination of both uterine horns and the body of the uterus. Stage of uterine involution was determined at the time of treatment and recorded as being complete or noncomplete. A completely involuted uterus was defined as one which had returned to normal size, position and tone in the pelvic cavity (21). Twice daily estrus detection commenced after treatment. Data analysis was as described in Trial I with the following modifications: i) pregnancy rate was not considered and 2) cumulative frequency of return to estrus (CFE) was considered. RESULTS Trial I The data concerning PPI are p r e s e n t e d (Table I). There were no significant differences in PPI between groups of primiparous cows (P > 0.I). There was a trend toward increased PPI as day p o s t p a r t u m at treatment increased. There were significant differences in PPI between treatment groups of multiparous cows. The effectiveness of AP was dependent on days postpartum at treatment. The groups receiving AP between 29 and 42 d p o s t p a r t u m had a shorter PPI than C, and those treated with AP between 29 and 42 d p o s t p a r t u m had a shorter PPI than those treated at 56 d or greater (P < 0.05).

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Table I.

P o s t p a r t u m interval in B r a h m a n c r o s s b r e d females a d m i n i s t e r e d A l f a p r o s t o l at v a r i o u s days p o s t p a r t u m

n

P o s t p a r t u m Interval (Days; x ± SEM) a multiparous n primiparous

---

31

78.8 ±

4.2

Alfaprostol

29-35

13

53.5 ±

2.7

Alfaprostol

36-42

18

59.7 ±

3.0

Alfaprostol

43-49

21

67.5 ±

3.1

Alfaprostol

50-56

6

69.5 ±

4.8

Alfaprostol

>56

13

90.2 ±

7.3

Treatment Control

Day of treatment after calving

a

102

b

22 c c

bc bc b

76.1 ±

4.1

7

78.4 ± 17.0

i0

88.2 ± 15.0

20

81.6 ±

b b b b

4.4

7

91.2 ± ]2.0

6

99.1 ±

b

7.0

b

72

a

b,c Includes only those cows w i t h less than 1.0 ng/ml of P4" Means with different superscripts d i f f e r P < 0.05. Due to differences in the number of available r e c i p i e n t s versus the number of embryos to be transferred on a given day, there were only 131 animals w h i c h r e c e i v e d an embryo at the first p o s t p a r t u m estrus (Ist ET). For this analysis, data from all cows treated on or after day 50 were pooled, as were data from p r i m i p a r o u s and m u l t i p a r o u s cows as p a r i t y did net s i g n i f i c a n t l y affect p r e g n a n c y rate. P r e g n a n c y rate data are also p r e s e n t e d (Table 2). Pregnancy rate was h i g h e r for cows treated w i t h AP b e t w e e n 29 and 42 d p o s t p a r t u m and for all AP treated cows than for C (P < 0.05). A n y animal w h i c h w a s not d e t e c t e d in estrus by 9C d after treatment was considered to be nonresponsive. There was a g r e a t e r number of n o n r e s p o n s i v e p r i m i p a r o u s than m u l t i p a r o u s cows (31.1 vs 8.4%; P < 0.005). A l f a p r o s t o l treatment did nct affect the n u m b e r of p r i m i p a r o u s or m u l t i p a r o u s cows w h i c h were not d e t e c t e d Jn estrus (P > 0.i0). Trial II The PPI for each treatment g r o u p is p r e s e n t e d (Figure i). Both APP and UP had significantly shorter PPI than C (47.0 ± 1.6, 52.1 ± 2.3 and 63.6 ± 2.1, respectively) (P < 0.05). The CFE b e t w e e n 25 and 105 d p o s t p a r t u m for each combination of groups is likewise p r e s e n t e d (Figure 2). To compare the p r o p o r t i o n of cows w i t h a p o t e n t i a l calving interval of less than one year, CFE at 80 d p o s t p a r t u m was analyzed (Figure 2). These values were 98.8, 96.1 and 82.6% for APP, UP and C, respectively. Both APP and UP had an increased CFE by 80 d d p o s t p a r t u m (P < 0.001 and 0.05, respectively). There were no diffezences in either PPI or CFE between APP and UP. The PPI of the

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THERIOGENOLOGY

Table 2.

E f f e c t of A l f a p r o s t o l on p r e g n a n c y rate in embryo recipient Brahman crossbred females

Day of Treatment After Calving

Treatment

Control

a n

P r e g n a n c y Rate

---

53

40

Alfaprostol

29-35

20

72

Alfaprostol

36-42

28

67

Alfaprostol

43-49

41

56

Alfaprostol

>50

32

43

A]faprostol

ALL

121

59

(%)

b c c bc b c

a

Includes only those cows w h i c h have r e c e i v e d an embryo after the first p o s t p a r t u m estrus. b,c V a l u e s w i t h different superscripts d i f f e r P < 0.05.

~75 "~ 70 ~65u., 60I--Z 55-

÷

J_

so-

2

2 APP UP C TREATMENT GROUPS

Figure i.

E f f e c t s of treatments on p o s t p a r t u m interval in B r a n g u s cows. * Differs from C P < 0.05..

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559

THERIOGENOLOGY I

,oo~

~7'--

~ 1/-:-~:

/n-i-

..Y

5o-I-

/"

.4-

--~ 41I~

"

~'

/

'//

t

/

I

/,,,

I.~'?",,,

I! ~ ~, i I i a , 25 3() 4'0 4'5 5'0 5~) ~:) 6'5 70 75 80 8'5 90 95 I00105

DAYS POSTPARTUM

-C - - UP - . - A P P Figure 2.

Table 3.

Treatment effects estrus in Brangus * Differs from C ** Differs from C

on cumulative frequency of return to cows. All treatment groups. P < 0.05. P < 0.001.

Effects of treatment group and completion of uterine involution on p o s t p a r t u m interval in Brangus cows

a Treatment

Alfaprostol plus Uterine palpation

Uterine Involution

Complete

n

Postpartum Interval (days; x ± SEbl)

58

51.4 ± 2.4

Alfaprostol plus Uterine palpation

Noncomplete

24

43.7 ± 2.1

Uterine palpation only

Complete

19

53.2 ± 3.7

Noncomplete

33

50.4 ± 3.1

....

46

63.6 ± 2.1

Uterine palpation only Control

bc

b c

a

b,c

560

Includes only those cows with less than 1.0 ng/ml P4" Means with different superscripts differ P < 0.05.

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THERIOGENOLOGY

aforementioned groups partitioned into complete uterine involution (UI) or noncomplete uterine involution (NUI) is presented (Table 3). Only UPUI had a PPI which was not significantly shorter than C (P > 0.05). Alfaprostol plus uterine palpation affected PPI regardless of stage of involution, while UP was not effective in those cows which had completed uterine involution. DISCUSSION Trial I The range of 29 to 42 d p o s t p a r t u m was the most effective time period for AP treatment with respect to decreasing the PPI of multiparous cows and increasing the pregnancy rate to Ist ET in both primiparous and multiparous embryo recipient cows. Alfaprostol treatment in previous studies yielded the greatest results when given on Day 32 or on Days 21 and 32 after calving (12,15). Day 32 p o s t p a r t u m lies within the most effective time span encountered in this study; thus, our results are in agreement with those of Randel et al. (12) and DelVecchio et al. (15). Randel et al. (12) reported a higher luteinizing hormone release in Brahman cows that had received AP at 32 d postpartum than in controls. Other prostaglandins have been shown to be effective in the treatment of uterine infections (24-26) and have expedited uterine involution (27). It is possible that other physiologic events associated with resumption of estrous activity are accentuated by prostaglandins during this time period. It is also unclear why AP was not effective in reducing the PPI in primiparous animals. DelVecchio et al. ( 1 5 ) reported similar findings, in that CFE by 90 d p o s t p a r t u m in primiparous cows was increased over that of controls, but PPI was not affected. Though there were insufficient numbers for independent analysis, pregnancy rates in this study appeared to be similar between multiparous and primiparous animals. Trial II It would appear that manual stimulation of reproductive tract, either alone or in combination with AP, decreased PPI in mature Brangus cows. ~t would seem logical to postulate that since various types of stimuli have been reported to cause PGF releese from the uterus (28), and since UP had a similar effect to APP, that an endogenous release of PGF may be responsible for the similarity. Even more interesting are the results obtained when completion of uterine involution is considered. These results are that APP affected PPI regardless of stage of involution, while UP was not effective in those cows which had completed uterine involution. The involuted uterus may be less responsive to physical stimulation or may produce less PGF following stimulation. This could be a function of less available tissue or of differences in the ability of the uterus to mobilize membrane arachidonic acid and convert it to PGF. It is possible that the beneficial effects of uterine palpation may be mediated by prostaglandins other than PGF or by some other unidentified factor or factors. Alternatively, cows that have undergone involution may be in a physiologic state ~uch that the effects of AP or endogenous PGF are

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THERIOGENOLOGY

attenuated. Cows with NUI at the time of treatment tended to have the shortest PPI in response to the treatments imposed in this study. It appears that AP treatment between 29 and 42 d p o s t p a r t u m has the most promise for use in beef cattle production situations. It consists of a two-week interval in which AP treatment could be administered. Thus, a bimonthly schedule would be suggested at which time all cows in the appropriate range would be treated. The regimen would require knowledge of calving dates and the possibility of more handling of the animals than is desired or practical in some situations. It is, however, more flexible than treatment of each animal on a specific day. The results of this study, in light of w o r k p r e v i o u s l y reported (12-15), would seem to implicate PGF or analogues of PGF such as Alfaprostol in the communication system between the uterus and the brain-pituitary-ovarian axis. This system functions to initiate resumption of viable estrous cyclicity in the p o s t p a r t u m cow. Additional work in this area should help elucidate mechanisms by which the p o s t p a r t u m cow returns to functional reproductive ability.

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562

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THERIOGENOLOGY

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