The effect of carprofen treatment on reproductive parameters following progestagen administration in lactating German Fawn x Hair crossbred goats during the transitional period

Abstract

The aim of this study was determine the effects of carprofen treatment on some reproductive parameters in German Fawn (75%) x Hair (25%) Crossbred goats during the transitional period. The 60 adult goats were treated with an intravaginal sponge containing progestagen (60 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate, Esponjavet((R)), Hipra, Spain) for 17 days in the transitional period (June) (day -18). Two days before the sponge removal (day -3) all animals received 12.5 mg dinoprost tromethamine (Dinolytic High Concentration((R)), Zoetis, Spain) intramuscularly, while PMSG 400 IU (Oviser((R)), Hipra, Spain) was administered intramuscularly on the day of removal of the sponge (day -1). Goats in estrus were mated with a proven bucks (all goats:buck ratio of 7:1). Then animals were randomly divided into two groups. Goats in Control Group (n = 30) were not administered any nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug. Goats in Carprofen Group (n = 30) were given 1.4 mg/kg carprofen (Rimadyl XL (R), Zoetis, Germany) on day 14 post mating (day of estrus = day 0). Pregnancies were determined with transabdominal real time B Mod ultrasonography (Hitachi EUB - 405) with convex prob (3.5 MHz) on day 40-42 post-mating. All goats showed estrus and estrus rate was 100% in all goats. The results showed that there were no statistical differences between the Control Group and Carprofen Group in pregnancy rates (90% and 93.3%), kidding rates (100% and 100%), multiple birth rates (66.6% and 78.5%) and litter sizes (2.03 and 2.32). The serum progesterone concentration on day 16 post mating of Carprofen Group (9.36 ng/ml) were significantly higher than those of Control Group (7.96 ng/ml) (p <= 0.05). It is concluded that, after long term (17 day) progesterone administration during the transitional period, carprofen treatment increased P4 concentration but the increased P4 concentrations did not have a remarkable effect on the pregnancy rate.