Effect of Melatonin and Its Combination with CIDR on Reproductive Performance in Anestrus Lactating Iraqi Buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis)

Abstract

Because of the little studies about the reproductive performance in postpartum anestrus lactating Iraqi buffaloes, this study was designed to investigate the effect of melatonin alone or with progesterone control internal drug release (CIDR) for induction of fertile estrus in anestrus lactating Iraqi buffaloes. The present study was performed on 30 lactating Iraqi buffaloes suffered from ovarian inactivity, which was diagnosed by trans-rectal palpation during 60-90 days postpartum. The age of cows was between 3-6 years. The study was performed at Al-Thahab Al-Abiad village, Abu-Graib, Baghdad province during the period from February-June 2020. Animals were divided into three equal groups (10 buffaloes for each one). The 1st group was treated with melatonin implants (90 mg/animals/SC) for 30 days, the 2nd group was treated with melatonin implants conjugated with CIDR (1.38 gm) in day 20 for 10 days, and the 3rd group was kept without treatment (control group). The results reported animal responses of 90%, 100%, and 50% in the 1st 2nd, and 3rd groups, respectively, with a higher significance for treated groups compared with control group, and the readings of 8.26±1.33, 7.15±0.97 and 160.5±14.31 days represented the duration of response in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd groups, respectively with significant differences relative to the control. Moreover, the number of services per conception recorded insignificant findings in all groups, while the pregnancy rate recorded significant differences in the treated groups compared with the control group. Finally, the open days recorded 153.6±6.72, 142.8±7.45, and 217.3±19.56 in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd groups, respectively, with a higher significance seen in the treated group compared with control group. It can be concluded that the role of melatonin could improve the reproductive performance of anestrus lactating Iraqi buffaloes suffering from ovarian inactivity. Furthermore, the melatonin followed by CIDR protocol could be safe and effective.