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Lecture 10 - Repeat Breeding

This document discusses fertilization failure and repeat breeding in cattle. It explains that repeat breeding occurs when a cow has normal estrous cycles but fails to conceive after being bred two or more times. This failure can be due to fertilization failure or early embryonic death. Common causes of repeat breeding include genetic or anatomical defects of the reproductive tract, genetic or acquired defects of eggs or sperm, infectious or inflammatory processes in the genital organs, endocrine dysfunction, and managerial/nutritional issues. The line of treatment involves taking a detailed history, clinical examination, identifying infectious versus non-infectious causes, using specific therapies for infections, and making managerial/nutritional corrections or using hormone therapy.

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72 views2 pages

Lecture 10 - Repeat Breeding

This document discusses fertilization failure and repeat breeding in cattle. It explains that repeat breeding occurs when a cow has normal estrous cycles but fails to conceive after being bred two or more times. This failure can be due to fertilization failure or early embryonic death. Common causes of repeat breeding include genetic or anatomical defects of the reproductive tract, genetic or acquired defects of eggs or sperm, infectious or inflammatory processes in the genital organs, endocrine dysfunction, and managerial/nutritional issues. The line of treatment involves taking a detailed history, clinical examination, identifying infectious versus non-infectious causes, using specific therapies for infections, and making managerial/nutritional corrections or using hormone therapy.

Uploaded by

kushal Neupane
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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K. P.

Paudel
Sem VIII
VOG 421

Fertilization Failure and Repeat Breeding


Genetic, congenital or acquired defects or obstructions may be present either in male
gametes, or in female gamets or in the female reproductive tract that prevent union of the
spermatozoa and the ovum for successful fertilization. Failure of fertilization may be
associated with the defects of the gametes including chromosomal abnormalities (genetic
defects), their age ((aged sperm or egg: i. e. asynchronization of gametes transport, caused by
untimely insemination and/ or defects of ovulation and any obstruction in the female tract.).

A repeat breeder cow is one that has normal to nearly normal estrous cycle and estrus periods
and has been bred two or more than two times to a fertile bull yet has failed to conceive. The
clinical examination of the animal may not reveal any definite lesion or condition to explain
the failure of conception. Two broad conditions that lead an animal to become a repeat
breeder are:
 Failure of fertilization
 Early embryonic death (on or before the day of maternal recognition of pregnancy, i.e.
before day 16 after conception so that the animal comes into heat within the same
estrous cycle duration. Embryonic death after the maternal recognition of pregnancy
leads to long estrous cycle).

These two conditions arise due to several causes. Repeat breeding is one of the major
conditions of infertility in Nepal too. Some of the pathological causes of repeat breeding
include:
1. Genetic or congenital anatomical defects of the female genital tract: these
defects principally include the abnormalities of the female genital tract such as
segmental aplasia of the oviduct, of the uterus or cervix or even that of vagina.
These anomalies largely cause failure of fertilization by preventing the union of
the sperm cell and the ovum. Bilateral defects lead to complete sterility. In some
conditions such as lack of normal endometrium, even early embryonic death
occurs as fertilized ovum cannot survive and form attachments. The genetic or
congenital defects of the genital tract are infrequent causes of repeat breeding,
however, if detected it is desirable to avoid these animals from breeding.
2. Genetic, congenital or acquired defects of the ova, spermatozoa or early
zygote: A low incidence of about 5% gross abnormality of ovum is possible. The
incidence of abnormal spermatozoa may also be in the range of about 10 – 15 %
even in proven bulls. The lowered fertility of older cows may well be related to
defective ova. Post ovulatory aging of ova often results in failure of fertilization,
polyspermy and/or even early embryonic death. This situation may occur by
breeding cows too late following the end of estrus. Defective chromosomal
constitution has been reported in Guernsey and Brahman (ova with defective
chromosome), and Swedish red and white breed of cattle (Defective translocation
of chromosome). Similarly aging of spermatozoa in the female reproductive tract
occurs in matters of hours and are lost before major changes occur in its genetic
material due to aging. The genetic, congenital and acquired defects of the ova or
spermatozoa thus may result in failure of fertilization or early embryonic death
and repeat breeding.
3. Infectious or traumatic inflammatory processes affecting the genital organs:
A growing zygote seldom can survive in a diseased uterine environment. Similarly
inflammatory process of cervix, uterus and oviduct may obstruct sperm and egg
transport. Some of the specific infections known to cause repeat breeding in farm
animals include:
 Vibriosis due to V. fetus
 Trichomoniasis due to Tritrichomonas fetus
 IBR – IPV virus infection
 Brucellosis due to Brucella abortus

Besides these specific infections non-specific infections from various mycoplasma, and
opportunistic bacteria like E. coli, corynebacterium, Streptococcus etc. are also known to
cause repeat breeding. Neospora infections is an emerging cause of abortions and repeat
breeding.

4. Endocrine Dysfunction: Hormonal imbalance is general should not be the cause


of repeat breeding as repeat breeders have normal estrus cycle and estrus periods.
However, delayed ovulation and anovulation is associated with insufficient LH
surge, which ultimately lead to repeat breeding. These defects both lead to cystic
ovarian degeneration or atresia and subsequent repeat breeding.
5. Managerial causes including nutritional deficiencies: The managerial causes of
repeat breeding have increased with widespread use of artificial insemination.
Right time of breeding is key to successful fertilization. Similarly stressful
conditions may produce hormonal imbalance leading to fertilization failure / early
embryonic death. Increased body core temperature due to heat stress may also
cause repeat breeding due to failure in conception/embryonic death.

Line of Treatment of Repeat breeder cows:


 Take the detail history of the herd and individual cow
 Assess the cause based on clinical examination and per rectal investigation.
 Ascertain whether the cause is infectious or non-infectious one.
 Go for specific therapy based on culture and sensitivity tests for infectious causes.
 Depending on the cause proceed for managerial/nutritional corrections or hormonal
therapy for non-infectious causes.

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