OBSERVATIONS ON FERTILITY PARAMETERS FOLLOWING SUPEROVULATION IN JERSEY CATTLE

Observations were recorded regarding various fertility parameters on 26 Jersey donor cows following superovulation under tropical conditions. These cows, in their mid-luteal phase were treated with 2,500-3,000 i.u. PMSG or 28-40 mg FSH followed by $500{\mu}g$ $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ injection 48-60 hours later, to induce oestrus. The cows were bred artificially twelve hours following standing oestrus. Embryo collection was carried out 7 days after oestrus. $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ was injected to each donor cow after embryo recovery to regress the corpora lutea. Fertility data($PGF_{2{\alpha}}$-Oestrus interval, services per conception, days between embryo collection and successful service and any pathololgical condition) were recorded. $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$-Oestrus interval and correlation (r) between number of corpora lutea and $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$-Oestrus interval were $30.9{\pm}6.3$ and 0.17, respectively. Of 26 treated donors, 19 conceived within a period of $91.7{\pm}18.8$ days after embryo recovery. Average services per conception were $2.3{\pm}0.3$. Only two cows developed metritis which conceived after treatment with antibiotics. These observations indicated no profound adverse effect of superovulation on subsequent reproduction of donor cows, except some effect on services per conception, under tropical conditions.