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Incomplete luteal regression after treatment with a single dose of prostaglandin F2α (PGF) during an Ovsynch protocol decreases fertility to timed artificial insemination (TAI). To increase the proportion of cows with complete luteal regression and subsequently pregnancyper artificial insemination (P/AI), an increased dose of PGF or an additional treatment with PGF 24 h after the first have been recommended. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of a
second PGF treatment (500 µg Cloprostenol) or a double dose of PGF (1,000 µg Cloprostenol) during a 7 d Ovsynch protocol on P/AI in dairy cows. Lactating Holstein cows (n = 2,373) from 8 farms were randomly assigned to receive: 1) Ovsynch (Control: GnRH; 7 d, PGF; 56 h, GnRH); 2) Ovsynch with a second PGF treatment (GPPG: GnRH; 7 d PGF; 24 h, PGF; 32 h, GnRH); or 3) Ovsynch with a double dose of PGF (GDPG: GnRH; 7 d, 2xPGF; 56 h, GnRH).
All cows received TAI ~16 h after the second GnRH treatment. Pregnancy diagnosis was performed by transrectal palpation 38 ± 3 d after TAI. Data were analyzed using the GENLINMIXED procedure in SPSS. At 38 d after TAI, GPPG cows had more (P = 0.001) P/AI than Control cows [39.7 % (320/806) vs. 32.9 % (255/776)], whereas P/AI for GDPG cows [36.3 % (287/791)] tended to differ (P = 0.081) from Control cows. There was no difference (P = 0.115) in P/AI between GPPG and GDPG cows. We conclude that addition of a second PGF treatment during a 7 d Ovsynch protocol increased P/AI. We observed a tendency towards an increase in P/AI by doubling the dose of PGF in a 7 d Ovsynch protocol.