Effect of post-insemination supplementation with PRID on pregnancy in repeat-breeder Holstein cows

Embryonic mortality contributes to repeat-breeding in dairy cows; luteal insufficiency is a known cause of embryonic mortality. The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of supplementation with exogenous progesterone for 14 days on pregnancy maintenance in inseminated repeat-breeder dairy cows. On Day 5 after insemination, treated cows (n=143) received a modified PRID (i.e. without estradiol capsule), which was removed on Day 19. Control cows (n=148) did not receive any treatment. Overall there was no effect of PRID supplementation on pregnancy rates. However, when the study population was stratified by parity and stage of lactation, PRID supplementation significantly improved pregnancy rate in first and second parity late lactation cows (risk ratio=3.26; 95% CI 1.22, 8.69). Pregnancy rates did not differ between PRID-treated cows with (n=81) and without vaginitis. Control cows tended (P=0.077) to have a higher proportion of abortions than PRID-treated cows (7/50 versus 2/51, respectively). In conclusion, young late lactation repeat-breeder cows benefited from progesterone supplementation, in terms of maintaining pregnancy until traditional time of pregnancy diagnosis.