Oestrus synchronization and superovulation in the red Sokoto doe (RSD) in Sokoto, Nigeria

Abstract

A dose determination study for the prostaglandin analogue cloprostenol and the gonadotrophic hormones; equine chronic Gonadotrophin (ECG) and human chorionic Gonadotrophin (HCG) was conducted in the Red sokoto doe (RSD). 24 RSD were divided into 4 groups of 6 animals. Each group was synchronized with cloprostenol, a two dose, 11 days a part regimen was used; the first group is the untreated control receiving 0µg of the cloprostenol, the second, third and fourth groups were given 50µg, 75µg and 100µg of the drug respectively. No oestrus response was observed in the control. All the animals in group 2, 3 and 4 were seen to come on heat between the 48^th and 96^th hours after the second injection, all the Does in these groups manifested heat (100% response). In the superovulation experiments; 12 doses were divided into 3 groups of 4 animals each. Group I was given 1000i.u. of eCG and 25i.u. HCG. Group II was given 1000 i.u. eCG only, while the third group (III) was given 250 i.u. HCG only, all following cloprostenol treatment, the fourth group (IV) was the untreated control. Superovulatory response was estimated from corpora lutea count on the ovaries. A total of 59, 40, 15 ovulations were recorded for group I, II and III respectively. This study demonstrates that 50µg, 75µg and 100µg of cloprostenol are effective doses for the synchronization of oestrus in the RSD. It has also demonstrated that the combination of eCG and HCG produce quantitatively more ovulations than either eCG or HCG alone. These findings above were discussed in the paper.