Effect of copulation on estrus duration, LH response, and ovulation in Boer goats

The objectives of this investigation were to determine the effect of copulation on estrus duration, LH response and ovulation in Boer goats. A controlled randomized study, with two replicates, in which does were divided at each replicate in treatment (COP; n = 12) and control (CON; n = 12) groups was performed. All the does were pluriparous and estrus synchronized with CIDR (progesterone 300 mg) maintained in the vagina for seven days, and received 50 μg of GnRH at device insertion and 5 mg of natural prostaglandin F-2_α im at CIDR removal. The COP group received two copulas within the first 4 h of estrus onset, and the CON group was only permitted to be mounted. Estrus was detected twice a day during the first 24 h after pessary removal and then every 4 h by using bucks with canvas apron as teasers, led by leash for 96 h. Blood was collected during all the estrus period after each estrus detection and analyzed for LH by radioimmunoassay (RIA). In addition, at the second replicate ovulation time and number of ovulations were also monitored by transrectal ultrasonography using a linear 7.5 MHz probe beginning 24 h after estrus onset and repeated every 4 h until all the preovulatory follicles disappeared. Estrus onset was 36.7 ± 10.5 h and 35.5 ± 13.6 h for CON and COP groups, respectively (P = 0.82). Estrus duration for the same groups was 40.3 ± 9.9 h and 28.3 ± 4.7 h, respectively (P = 0.001). The LH peak time for the CON group was 17.7 ± 6.3 h, and for the COP group, it was 10.9 ± 2.6 h (P = 0.004). The LH peak magnitude for the same groups was 31.5 ± 16.2 ng/mL and 34.9 ± 20.7 ng/mL, respectively (P = 0.34). The LH peak duration was not different between groups (CON: 7.3 ± 1.6 h versus COP: 7.2 ± 2.4 h; P = 0.94). The first ovulation time for CON and COP groups was 33.7 ± 3.9 h and 29.1 ± 3.2 h (P = 0.05), and the last ovulation time for the same groups was 37.7 ± 3.9 h and 32.6 ± 2.5 h, respectively (P = 0.02). The overall time from LH peak to ovulation was 18.6 ± 4.8 h without differences between groups (CON: 16.3 ± 5.6 h versus COP: 20.6 ± 3.3 h; P = 0.15). The number of ovulations for the CON group was 2.2 ± 0.4, and for COP group, it was 2.1 ± 0.4 (P = 0.96). It was concluded that copulation reduced estrus duration and hastened LH peak and ovulation in Boer goats.