Effect of biostimulation and social organization on the interval from calving to resumption of ovarian cyclicity in postpartum Angus cows

The objective was to assess the effect of biostimulation by the male presence and social organization on the interval from calving to resumption of ovarian cyclicity (ICR). Thirty Angus cows were allocated according parity into three groups (10 per group); two groups were exposed to bulls, and a third group not exposed to bulls served as a control. Dominance values (with subsequent arc-sin transformation) were calculated from daily recorded agonistic interactions and later organized into dominance order comprising three social categories as follows: dominant (D), intermediate (I), and subordinates (S). The ICR was established by determining presence of luteal tissue and a rise of blood progesterone concentration above 1 ng/mL using ultrasonography and a solid-phase, nonextraction radioimmunoassay (Coat-a-Count; Diagnostics Products Corporation, Los Angeles, CA, USA), respectively. The effect of biostimulation, dominance order, and treatment by dominance order on ICR was statistically analyzed applying ANOVA using PROC GLM of SAS (2010). The ICR was influenced by biostimulation (P < 0.002) and dominance order (P < 0.004). The ICR increased as dominance order decreased (D = 34.5 ± 6 days; I = 45.0 ± 6; S = 53.1 ± 4 days; P < 0.01). However, when comparing cows within social categories, ICR was reduced in the group exposed to bulls (D = 26.3 ± 8.2 days; I = 42.0 ± 6.4 days; S = 46.1 ± 4.1 days) compared with those not exposed to bulls (D = 43.0 ± 8.2 days; I = 48.0 ± 10.1 days; S = 60.2 ± 6.4 days) cows. In conclusion, biostimulation and social dominance influenced the ICR. © 2013 Elsevier Inc.