Proceedings of the 15th AAAP Animal Science Congress

26-30 November 2012, Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus, Thailand

Study of Reproductive Performance of Crossbred Ewes Treated with GnRH

and PMSG during Breeding Season
G. H. Moghaddam and A. Olfati
Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

A completely randomized design experiment was conducted on 120 crossbred ewes during
breeding season to compare different hormonal treatments. The ewes were randomly allocated
in three treatment groups. After estrus detection ewes and 2 hours prior to mating, 2.5 ml of
distilled water and 2.5 ml of GnRH were injected intramuscular in the female of the first
(control) and second groups, respectively. In the third group, the ewes were pretreated with
CIDR for 14 days and received 400 IU PMSG 48 hours after CIDR withdrawal. Immediately
after injection of PMSG, fixed-time artificial insemination (Transcervical) with 0.5 ml of
fresh diluted semen in skim milk was performed in this animal. The results of this experiment
showed that GnRH treatment had a significant effect on lambing (92.5 in GnRH vs. 75% in
control) and fecundity rates (117.1 in GnRH vs. 106.7% in control, p<0.05), pregnancy rate
did not differ significantly (97.5 vs. 82.5%). The twinning birth rate was higher in ewes
administered GnRH than synchrony and control groups (18.18, 4, and 6.5% respectively,
p<0.05). In the third group, pregnancy, lambing and fecundity rates were 77.5, 65, and 104%,
respectively. In conclusion, the results showed that; treatment of ewes with GnRH at the time
of estrus and prior mating, improved the conception and twinning birth rates.
Key Words: Crossbred ewes, Lambing rate, GnRH, PMSG
INTRODUCTION
The most economically important trait in sheep production is reproduction and it can be
manipulated using hormonal treatments. Gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH), follicle
stimulating hormone (FSH), and pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin (PMSG) increase the
number of growing follicles, ovulation rate and litter size (Dogan and Nur, 2006). The
application of the GnRH reduced the variation in the timing of the LH surge for goats,
improving the synchrony of ovulation (Pierson et al., 2003). Injection of eCG after
progesterone treatment, increase estrous response, conception rate and percentage of multiple
births from the induced ovulation (Moradi kor et al., 2012). In Iranian fat-tailed ewes,
injections of GnRH and eCG, especially in high dosage (500 vs. 350 IU at the time of CIDR
withdrawal) increase twinning and lambing rates (Zare Shahneh et al., 2006). Therefore, the
main objective of this study was to evaluate hormonal treatments on reproductive
performance of crossbred ewes in northeast Iran during breeding season.

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Proceedings of the 15th AAAP Animal Science Congress

26-30 November 2012, Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus, Thailand

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This experiment was conducted during the breeding season (June/September, 2011) at the
agricultural research station, University of Tabriz, East Azerbaijan province, Iran (38 07 N
and 46 29 E). 120 non-lactating crossbred ewes (Arkhar-MerinoGhezel and ArkharMerinoMoghani) body weighing 47.94.6 kg with a body condition (2.60.2) and 2-5 year
old were allocated into three groups. After estrus detection ewes and 2 hours prior to mating,
2.5 ml of distilled water and 2.5 ml of GnRH (CinnaRelin; CinnaGen Biopharma Co, Tehran,
Iran) were injected intramuscular in the females of the first (control) and second groups,
respectively. After estrus detection ewes were subjected to fertile rams for mating. In the third
group, the ewes were pretreated with CIDR (0.3 g of progesterone, InterAg, Hamilton, NewZealand) for 14 days and received 400 IU PMSG (folligon; Intervet International B.V.,
Boxmeer, Holland) 48 hours after CIDR withdrawal. Immediately after injection of PMSG,
fixed-time artificial insemination (Transcervical) with 0.5 ml of fresh diluted semen in skim
milk (approximately 2108 spermatozoa/ml) was performed in these animals. The present
experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design. The mean values for estrus
response, duration of pregnancy, Lamb birth weight, pregnancy, lambing, and fecundity rates
were analyzed by ANOVA (SAS, 2003). A chi-square test was used to analyze the pregnancy,
lambing, twinning and fecundity rates among the groups at the 5% and 1% level of
significance.
RESULTS
All of the pregnancy parameters in the control and treatment groups have been presented in
Table 2. The lambing and twinning rates in the current study between a control and GnRH
groups was significantly different (P<0.05). The mean pregnancy rate in GnRH group was
higher than the control group but this difference was not statistically significant (Table 1).
Table 1 Effects of GnRH and PMSG treatment on pregnancy parameters in crossbred ewes
Treatment

Pregnancy rate (%)

Lambing rate (%)

Twinning birth
(%)

Control
GnRH
AI-PMSG

40
40
40

82.5
97.5
77.5

75 b
92.5 a
65 b

6.5 b
18.18 a
4b

a, b

Fecundity
(%)
106.7 b
117.1 a
104 b

values within a column having different superscripts differ significantly (P<0.05).

DISCUSSION

The results obtained in this study showed that injection of GnRH at the time of estrus and
prior mating increased lambing and twinning rates in crossbred ewes during breeding season.
These results are in line with previous reports in ewes (Turk et al., 2008; Zare Shahneh et al.,
2006). In contrast, Naohisa et al. (1991) reported that a single injection of GnRH or hCG at
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Proceedings of the 15th AAAP Animal Science Congress

26-30 November 2012, Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus, Thailand

Day 12 after CIDR withdrawal did not improve fertility in Suffolk ewes during non-breeding
season. A dose of GnRH can increase the number of gonadotropin dependent follicles, which
grow up until pre-ovulatory phase in response to FSH (Lopez-Alonso et al., 2005). GnRH
surge making simultaneous control the FSH and LH surge due to ovulation, but the second
FSH surge was not affected (Turk et al., 1998). The response to GnRH depends on the
moment of the cycle at which the hormone is administered (Geary et al., 2000). Zeleke et al.
(2005) reported that, the administration of PMSG 24 hours prior to or at progestagen sponge
withdrawal was essential to obtain better fertility rates in ewes with induced estrus following
AI. Hence, to obtained better results, the present study used injection of PMSG 48 hours after
CIDR withdrawal as an aid to synchronization of ovulation, our findings in agreement with
the results of Zeleke et al. (2005) in Dorper ewes during the transition period. There are
several possible mechanisms by which eCG increases the number of large follicles. It may
enhance the entry rate of small and medium follicles into larger sized follicles and it may also
prevent the occurrence of natural follicular atresia (Mandiki et al., 2000). In conclusion results
obtained in the present study indicated that the administration of GnRH at the moment of
estrus detection and prior mating improved their lambing and twinning birth rates in crossbred
ewes during breeding season.
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Proceedings of the 15th AAAP Animal Science Congress

26-30 November 2012, Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus, Thailand

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