Endocrinological and Metabolic Profile in Relation to Pregnancy at the First Insemination in Cows Housed Under Cold Conditions

Abstract

This study was performed to investigate the relationship between endocrinological and meta- bolic profiles and the pregnancy rate at the first insemination in peripartum dairy cows housed under cold conditions. Temperature inside the barn was recorded hourly during the periparturi- ent period. Blood samples were collected before (last 14 day), on the day (0 day), and after par- turition (3, 4, 6, 8, 15, 22, and 29 days) from 26 peripartum Simmental cows and analyzed for anti-Müllerian hormone, β-hydroxybutyric acid, insulin-like growth factor 1, insulin, cortisol, malo- ndialdehyde, progesterone, thyroid-stimulating hormone, tri-iodothyronine, and thyroxine con- centrations. The cows were divided into 2 groups: pregnant and non-pregnant based on results at the first insemination. The average ambient temperature ranged from −7°C to +11°C in the tent barn. Serum anti-Müllerian hormone (2.00 ± 0.04 vs. 1.89 ± 0.04 mU/L; P < .006), insulin (2.10 ± 0.03 vs. 2.51 ± 0.05 ng/mL; P < .0001), malondialdehyde (49.0 ± 1.30 vs. 44.0 ± 1.2 ng/mL; P < .001), and progesterone (44.1 ± 2.2 vs. 41.7 ± 2.1 pg/mL; P < .002) concentrations were differ- ent between pregnant and non-pregnant cows. In conclusion, anti-Müllerian hormone and insulin have a determinative role on pregnancy rate in peripartum cows housed under cold condition.