160 PREGNANCY RATES AFTER USING THE CIDR-G DEVICE AND FIXED-TIMED ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION IN WHITE-TAIL DEER

Abstract

Two synchronization protocols for fixed-timed AI (FTAI) in White-tail deer were evaluated over a 2-year period. InYear 1, White-tail does (n = 38), with a mean body weight of 55 kg and mean age of 2.4 years, were stratified by weight, age, and last fawning date randomly across 2 estrous cycle synchronization treatment groups. Does received either a CIDR-G device for 14 days (CIDR 14) and underwent AI 60 h post-CIDR removal, or received a CIDR-G device for 7 days (CIDR 7) with 1 mg of estradiol benzoate (i.m.) at CIDR insertion (Day 0), 25 mg of prostaglandin F_2α (PGF_2α; Dinoprost) on Day 6 and 1 mg of estradiol benzoate (i.m.) on Day 7 with AI occurring 52 h post-CIDR removal. In Year 2, White-tail does (n = 36), with a mean body weight of 60 kg and mean age of 3.9 years, were stratified as described for Year 1 and allotted to 2 treatments. Does received a CIDR-G device for 14 days and were inseminated 60 h post-CIDR removal (Treatment A) or were synchronized in the same way as does inTreatment A but also received 200 IU (i.m.) of eCG (Sigma, St. Louis, MO) at CIDR removal (Treatment B). All does received 1 mg of Domosedan (i.v.) before initiating the AI procedure. In both years, electroejaculated semen was collected from a single buck and frozen for AI. In both years, clean-up bucks were introduced into the pen with does for natural cover at no less than 14 days following AI. A gestation length of 195 ± 7 days was used to determine whether the fawn(s) resulted from AI or from natural mating. In Year 1, FTAI pregnancy rates were not different between the CIDR 14 (56%) and CIDR 7 (24%) treatment groups. Likewise, pregnancy rates were not different between CIDR 14 FTAI (56%) and clean-up bucks (75%). However, the FTAI pregnancy rate was lower (P < 0.001) for the CIDR 7 treatment group (24%) compared with the clean-up bucks (100%). Treatments did not affect fecundity rates; however, those females pregnant from FTAI had lower (P < 0.001) fecundity rates compared with those females pregnant from natural cover (1.2 v. 1.9 fawns/doe). In Year 2, treatment did not affect FTAI pregnancy rates across treatments (33% for Treatment A and 55% Treatment B); however, fewer (P = 0.024) does in Treatment A were pregnant following FTAI (33%) compared with those pregnant from clean-up bucks (75%). There was no difference in FTAI fecundity rates across treatment groups (1.3 v. 1.7 for Treatments A and B, respectively) or between FTAI treatments and natural cover (1.3, 1.7, and 1.5 for Treatments A, B, and clean-up bucks, respectively). These results indicate that the use of a 14-day CIDR synchronization protocol with FTAI occurring 60 h after CIDR removal yields acceptable pregnancy rates of White-tail does following transcervical AI.