193 EVALUATION OF A NOVEL ELECTRONIC ESTRUS DETECTION DEVICE IN RECIPIENTS SYNCHRONIZED FOR EMBRYO TRANSFER

Abstract

The ability to detect estrus in cattle is an important aspect for both successful artificial insemination (AI) and successful embryo transfer (ET). The use of estrus detection devices has allowed producers to more precisely determine when to breed their cattle. There have been many types of devices including chin-ball marking harnesses, dye patches, and even electronic devices that monitor the animal's activity. With the growing popularity in timed AI and ET, these devices have again become of great interest. The latest tool for estrus detection is the multi-use TattleTale" Heat Detector (Microdyne Co., LLC., St. Joseph, MO, USA). The TattleTale" is an electronic device that is placed in a patch and affixed to the tail head. It is activated by a 3-s mount with subsequent mounts recorded per h through 12 h. Twelve hours after activation the device flashes indicating that the animal is ready for breeding. Such devices may allow breeders to determine exactly when estrus began as well as identify the peak estrus period, resulting in more accurate determination of optimal time for AI or ET. The objective of this study was to compare the accuracy of estrus detection devices when analyzing detection records and pregnancy rates. Cows from the Dixon Springs Agricultural Center (Simpson, IL, USA) were randomly separated into two groups based on estrus detection devices, one group receiving Kamar^® patches (Kamor, Inc., Steamboat Springs, CO, USA) and the other receiving TattleTales. Both groups were synchronized using the OvSynch protocol (Syntex, Buenos Aires, Argentina). Cows were checked twice each day for four consecutive days, with a fifth day occurring a week later when the embryos were transferred. Estrus results were analyzed using a PROC UNIVARITE and GLM analyses with differences between treatment means determined by the LSD method of SAS (SAS Institute, Inc., Cary, NC, USA). The TattleTale detected a higher percentage (P < 0.05) of the cows in estrus (92 vs. 70%) than the Kamar^® patch. Further, the TattleTale detected more asynchronous recipients (in estrus >48 h before expected) and synchronous recipients (in estrus <24 h than expected), although not significant with this sample size. In the present study, the TattleTale was more accurate in detecting estrus (i.e. fewer pregnancies were observed without estrus detected). Using the TattleTale information, a breeder would be able detect more animals in estrus and determine the most accurate time to breed or transfer embryos. Practically, the use of estrus detection devices in combination with timed AI and ET could allow for the exclusion of animals not in estrus in the optimal time windows for AI or ET, thus saving valuable semen and embryos that would be otherwise wasted on asynchronous females. The advantages of this device to producers include improved pregnancy rates based on timed breeding, lower herd management costs due to reduced quantities of wasted semen or embryos and fewer cows being resynchronized. This device also records any mounting activity missed by visual observation alone.

This work was supported by USDA RRF W-1171.