Efficacy of CIDR, fluogestone acetate sponges and cloprostenol for estrous synchronization of Nadooshani goats during the breeding season

The objective of this study was to evaluate three methods of estrous synchronization, viz. controlled internal drug releasing device (CIDR), intravaginal sponges impregnated with fluogestone acetate (FGA), and cloprostenol (Estrumate; an analogue of prostaglandin F2α) in Nadooshani goats of Yazd province, Iran. The estrous synchronized does (n = 30 to 33 per treatment), after heat detection, were artificially inseminated (once) with diluted semen of fertile bucks. Pregnancy was determined by measuring blood serum progesterone levels on day 21 after insemination, followed by ultrasonography at mid-gestation. No significant difference was observed for the interval between the end of the synchronization protocol and the standing heat amongst treatments (range: 23 to 35 hrs). There was no significant difference in the interval between the time of standing heat and insemination among treatments (range: 15 to 27 hrs). Blood serum progesterone levels (overall mean: 4.80 ± 0.41 ng/ml; SEM), litter size (overall mean: 1.32 ± 0.05; SEM), non-return rate to estrus and the kidding rate were not significantly affected by the synchronization methods. Serum progesterone levels were significantly lower (P<0.01) in does that returned to estrus after artificial insemination (AI). Prolificacy and fecundity were not significantly affected by the synchronization methods; however, cloprostenol method was found to be more convenient and economical under the conditions of this experiment.