This study was conducted to determine the effects of omega-3 (alinolenic acid) fatty acid supplementation to donor cow rations on superovulation performance, embryo number and quality, and blood-progesterone levels. The study was carried out with two groups, each consisting of 10 black-and-white breed dairy cows. Control group was fed with the basic ration prepared, and the experimental group was fed with the ration added with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) source at a level of 3.82% of the basic ration dry matter (DM) for 60 days training period. Thus, each of experimental group's cow consumed 900 g-day feed additives consisting 149.4 g omega-3 daily. The superovulation protocol was started at the 40th day of feeding period. According to the findings of the study, the difference between the groups in terms of the response to superovulation was found to be insignificant (P>0.05). Similarly, there was no significant difference in blood progesterone levels between the groups (P>0.05). However, the difference between the control group and the experimental group in terms of transferable and non-transferable embryo rates was found to be significantly important (P<0.05). The total number of transferred embryos was determined as 37 in the experimental group and 79 in the control group. The total number of non-transferable embryos was recorded as 78 in the trial group and 43 in the control group. At the end of the study, it was concluded that supplementation to donor cow rations with omega-3 fatty acid sources might have a negative effects on transferrable embryo number and quality.

The objective of the study was to determine the effect of three different PGF2α (PGF) treatments in the 5-day CO-Synch progesterone-based synchronization protocol on artificial insemination (AI) pregnancy rate (PR) in Holstein heifers in Turkey and the United States. We hypothesized that two doses of PGF administered concurrently or 6 hours apart would result in greater AI pregnancy compared with a single dose of PGF on Day 5 at controlled internal drug release (CIDR) removal. In Turkey, Holstein heifers (n = 450) from one farm in the province of Adana and another farm in the province of Bursa were included. In the US, Holstein heifers (n = 483) from two locations in the state of Idaho were included. Heifers within locations were randomly allocated to one of three protocol groups: 1PGF—received 25 mg IM of dinoprost at CIDR removal; 2Co-PGF—received 50 mg IM of dinoprost at CIDR removal, and 2PGF—received 25 mg IM of dinoprost at CIDR removal and an additional 25 mg IM of dinoprost 6 hours later. All heifers received a CIDR (1.38 g of progesterone) and GnRH (10 μg IM of Buserelin [Turkey] or gonadorelin hydrochloride [US]) on Day 0. The CIDRs were removed on Day 5, and each heifer was given PGF according to the assigned treatments. On Day 7, each heifer was given another dose of GnRH and concurrently inseminated at 56 hours after CIDR removal. Heifers in both experiments were examined for pregnancy status between 35 and 45 days after AI. Overall, controlling for age, the heifers in the 2PGF group had greater AI-PR (61.7% [192/311]) than heifers in 2Co-PGF (48.2% [149/309]; P < 0.001) or 1PGF (53.7% [168/313]; P < 0.05) groups. No difference was observed between 2Co-PGF and 1PGF groups (P > 0.1). In Turkey, the heifers in the 2PGF group had a greater AI-PR (60% [90/150]) than 2Co-PGF (45.3% (68/150); P < 0.01] group. No difference was observed between 2PGF and 1PGF (55.3% [83/150]) groups (P > 0.1). There was a trend for AI pregnancy between 1PGF and 2Co-PGF groups (P = 0.08). In the United States, the heifers in the 2PGF group had a greater AI-PR (63.4% [102/161]) than the heifers in 2PGF (50.9 [81/159]; P < 0.05) or 1PGF (52.1% [85/163]; P < 0.05) groups. Heifers that were 15- and 16-month old achieved greater AI-PR than 17- and 18-month-old heifers (59.2 [342/578] vs. 47.0% [168/355]; P < 0.01). In conclusion, administration of 2PGF at 6 hours apart on Day 5 at CIDR removal in a 5-day CO-Synch + CIDR protocol resulted in greater AI pregnancy. A greater number of 15- and 16-month-old heifers became pregnant compared with 17- and 18-month-old heifers.

Bu calisma, vucut kondusyon skorunun (VKS) embriyo kalitesine olan etkisini saptamak amaciyla yapilmistir. Calismada degisik VKS’de olan 65 bas Siyah Alaca inek kullanilmistir. Calismada Siyah Alaca inekler VKS’lerine gore 3 gruba ayrilmistir. Birinci Grup VKS≤3 olan (VKS = 3 dahil) 9 inekten, 2. Grup VKS 3 ile 4 (VKS =3 ve VKS = 4 dahil degil) arasinda degisen 29 inekten ve 3. Grup VKS≥4 (VKS = 4 dahil) olan 27 inekten olusmustur. Calismada VKS’nin transfer edilebilir kalitedeki embriyo sayi ortalamasi, transfer edilemez kalitedeki embriyo sayi ortalamasi, toplam embriyo sayi ortalamasi, transfer edilebilir embriyo orani ile transfer edilemez embriyo oranina olan etkisinin istatistiksel olarak onemsiz oldugu tespit edilmistir (P>0.05). Denemede ineklerde VKS ile transfer edilebilir kalite embriyolar arasinda (r = -0.156, P = 0.215), transfer edilemez kalite embriyo sayisi arasinda (r = 0.186, P=0.137), toplam embriyo sayisi arasinda (r = 0.007, P = 0.958), transfer edilebilir embriyo orani arasinda (r = -0.205, P = 0.101) ve transfer edilemez kalitedeki embriyo orani arasinda (r = 0.205, P = 0.101) dusuk ve onemsiz duzeyde bir iliski saptanmistir.

The relationship between milk production in donor cows (74) and quality of embryos was examined in the experiment. According to their milk production, the donors were divided into three groups. In the group 1 there were 18 donors with the milk yield lower than 5000 kg per lactation; in group 2, 32 donors, with milk yield between 5000 kg and 7000 kg, and in group 3, 24 donors with milk production over 7000 kg. Number of total embryos and percentage of transferable embryos in groups were statistically significant. The higher rate of non-transferable embryos was recorded in donors in group 3 with high milk production (48.91%). A positive correlation was recorded between the number of total embryos suitable for transfer decreased in cows with higher milk production (r =-0.267), and an important correlation was recorded (r = -0.070) between milk production and transferable embryo number.