REPEAT BREEDERS

DEFINITION

BRED 3 OR MORE TIMES

NORMAL ESTROUS CYCLE
FREE FROM PALPABLE ABNORMALITY
NO ABNORMAL VAGINAL DISCHARGE
CALVED ATLEAST ONCE
LESS THAN 10 YEARS OLD
 ETIOLOGY
ALL MAJOR CAUSES GROUPED INTO

FERTILIZATION FAILURE

EARLY EMBRYONIC DEATH

 FERTILIZATION FAILURE

Defective Ovum
Morphologic and functional abnormalities
– giant egg
– oval shaped egg
– lentil-shaped egg
– ruptured zone pellucida.
Inability of Sperm to Fertilize the Ovum
– Fertility of Bull
– High Sperm Ability
• Alterations in the acrosomal cap that may prevent
defective spermatozoa from fertilizing the egg.
• Leakage of vital intracellular constituents such as cyclic
AMP or the formation of lipid peroxides from sperm
plasmalogen
– Low Sperm Motility
– Inflammations of genital tract
– Very Early AI
Inability of the Gametes to Meet each Other
Anatomical defects
Congenital
– SEGMENTAL APLASIA
Acquired
– OVAROBURSAL ADHESIONS
– HYDROSALPHINX
– TUBAL BLOCK
– FAILURE OF OVA PICK-UP
Phytoestrogens
• More in sheep than in cattle
• Plants such as Subterranean clover and red
clover.
– The estrogenic activity is due to plant isoflavones and
related substance with hydroxyl groups.
• Cows and ewes fed estrogenic forage may suffer
– impaired ovarian function
– reduced conception rates
– increased embryonic loss. In cows, clinical signs
resemble those associated with cystic ovaries.
• The infertility is temporary, normally resolving
within one month after removal from the
estrogenic feed
 EARLY EMBRYONIC DEATH
 Embryonic mortality denotes the death of fertilized ova and embryos
up to the end of implantation.

 About 25 to 40% of embryos are normally lost in farm species.

 It is also noted in large litters of swine and during multiple

pregnancies in cattle and sheep.

 Most of the embryonic loss in cattle occurs between days 8 and 16

after insemination.
Endocrine Factors

 Accelerated or delayed transport of the egg,

as a result of estrogen – progesterone
imbalance - preimplantation death.

 An abnormally undersized conceptus might

not be able to counteract the uterine
luteolytic effect- regression of the CL and
termination of pregnancy.
Lactation

 Embryonic mortality occurs during lactation in cattle, sheep, and

horses

 characterized by prolonged estrous cycles after breeding.

 Mating of mares at foal heat - attributed to

 reduced effectiveness of uterine defence mechanisms,

 stress of lactation,

 incomplete regeneration of the endometrium.

 Sows bred after weaning at 7 days of lactation suffer high embryonic

losses between days 9 and 20 of pregnancy.
Nutrition of the Dam

 Caloric intake and specific nutritional deficiencies-affect ovulation rate and

fertilization rate, as well as cause embryonic death.

 Also extremes in the level of feeding are detrimental to embryo survival, so

too are extremes in the supply of specific dietary nutrients.

 In dairy cows, high intakes of rumen degradable protein may lead to

embryonic mortality.

 mediated through a reduction in the pH of the uterine environment during the luteal
phases of the cycle in which the embryo must grow.

 In swine, high caloric intake or continuous unlimited feeding increases

ovulation rate, thereby increasing the incidence of embryonic mortality
before implantation. However, following implantation, unlimited feeding
decreases fetal death.
Nutrition of the Dam …….

In ewes

 Poor body condition of ewes at mating increases the incidence of

embryonic mortality

 moderate feed restriction from day 20 to 100 of pregnancy is less

likely to reduce lambing percentages.

In mares

– critical period for embryonic resorption is between 25 and days

after ovulation.

– No resorption occurs if mares are maintained on an adequate

plane of nutrition until 35 days after service.
Age of the Dam

 A higher incidence of embryonic mortality is

observed in gilts and in sows after the fifth gestation.

 In the ewe, the incidence of late embryonic loss is

higher in ewe lambs and ewes over 6 years than it is
in mature ewes

 due to factors associated with the embryo rather

than the uterine environment.
Overcrowding in Utero

 Degree of placental development is primarily

influenced by the availability of space and vascular
supply within the uterus

 increasing the number of implantations decreases the

vascular supply to each site and restricts placental
development

 More common in twin rather than single ovulation.

 This loss may be due to overcrowding and intrauterine

competition for nutrients.
Thermal Stress

 Fertilized eggs of sheep and cattle, when subjected to high temperatures

either in vitro or in vivo are damaged but continue to develop, only to die
during the critical stages of implantation.

 Reduced fertility of summer heat-stressed dairy cows- decreased viability

and developmental capacity of 6 - 8 day-old embryos.

 Heat stress between days 8-17 of pregnancy may also alter the uterine
environment as well as growth and secretory activity of the conceptus.
Apparently heat stress antagonizes the inhibitory effects of the embryo on
the uterine secretion of PGF2a.

 A greater incidence of embryonic deaths was noted among gilts exposed to

high temperatures 8 to 16 days post breeding than among those exposed
during 0 to 8 days post breeding.
Semen

 Genetic factors that are transmitted by the male to the embryo

 may be inherited

 may arise from testicular tissue

 may occur in spermatozoa after they are released from the testis

 Infertile matings by highly fertile bulls are primarily due to

embryonic mortality, while those of bulls with low fertility are due to
fertilization failure and embryonic deaths

 In swine, semen stored for 3 days before insemination produced

zygotes much more susceptible to early embryonic death,
presumably owing to the reduced DNA content in aged spermatozoa
Incompatibility

 incompatibility

 between spermatozoa and mother

 between spermatozoa and egg,

 between zygote and mother.

Immunologic incompatibilities

May block fertilization or cause embryonic, fetal, or

neonatal mortality.
 Sequel to Embryonic or Fetal Death
 Embryonic tissue are usually resorbed, Return to estrus if there is no other conceptus in the
uterus.

 If death occurs before there has been maternal recognition of pregnancy the estrous cycle is
not prolonged.

 If it occurs after recognition has taken place, the estrous cycle will be prolonged.

 If death of the embryo is due to an infection then, even though the embryonic material may
be absorbed, a pyometra may follow.

 In cattle characterized by

– persistence of the corpus luteum,

– closed cervix

– pus accumulation in the uterine body and horns.

– If fetal death occurs after ossification of the bones has begun, complete resorption of
fetal material cannot take place, instead, fetal mummification occurs.
 DIAGNOSIS
REPRODUCTIVE HISTORY
– PROBLEM AT PREVIOUS CALVING
– DATES & NO. OF AI
– LENGTH OF CYCLE
– DURATION OF ESTRUS
– NATURE OF DISCHARGE
 RECTAL EXAMINATION
CERVIX-SIZE,POSITION
UTERUS
– TEXTURE
– TONE
– MOBILITY OF HORNS
– ABSENCE OF ADHESIONS
OVARIAN BURSA-ADHESIONS
OVARIES
– POSITION
– MOBILITY
– SIZE
 VAGINAL EXAMINATION
SPECULUM
– MUCOSA
– DISCHARGE
– CERVIX
 TREATMENT
SPECIFIC TREATMENTS
– ENDOMETRITIS
– DELAYED OVULATION
CAUSE NOT KNOWN
BRING THE ANIMAL INTO +VE BALANCE
– ADDITIONAL CONCENTRATE RATION,GREENS
– MINERAL SUPPLEMENT
AI
• DO AI TWICE AT EACH ESTRUS
• CHECK THE SEMEN QUALITY
• 3 SEC. STIMULATION OF CLITORIS AT AI
• I/UT. ADM. 1 MILLION UNITS OF PROCAINE PENICILLIN
DILUTED IN SALINE 3 TIMES AT ONSET OF ESTRUS, 8 hr
AFTER AI AND 24 hr LATER
 TREAT….
• 100 g OF GnRH OR 1000-1500 IU OF LH

• 500 mg OF DEPOT PROGESTERONE ON 4th or 5th DAY OF

CYCLE OR 1000-1500 IU OF LH ON 6TH DAY OF CYCLE
NO AI
• SKIP AI, ADM.PGF2 AFTER 9-10 DAYS AND DO FIXED
TIME AI
• CIDR,EAR IMPLANT OR PRID APPLICATION AND FIXED
TIME AI
 TREAT….
• Skip AI, i/ut. Infusion of 1-1.5 million units of
procaine penicillin in 20 ml saline daily 3-4 days

• Skipping of AI and intrauterine infusion of 2 ml of

Lugol’s solution diluted in 8 ml of sterile saline.
• Flushing of the uterus with normal saline - under
moderate pressure as being done in embryo transfer
(to remove cellular debris and also mild block in the
uterine tubes).
• Administration of different hormones and antibiotics
may preferably be tried at separate estrus.