Abstract
This study aimed to emphasize if the inclusion of progesterone vaginal insert into the traditional ovsynch synchronization protocol could improve conception rate (CR) in cystic ovarian diseased cows. Two hundred and twenty six Cows (175 Holstein and 51 Simmental) diagnosed with cystic ovarian disease (COD) were included in this study and divided into two groups. The first group received Ovsynch treatment protocol and named Ovsynch (On Day 0, cows received 3ml Receptal®, 7 days later, cows received 2 ml Estrumate®. 56 hours later, cows received 3ml Receptal®. The cows in the second group (Ovsynch+CIDR) received a CIDR vaginal insert at the 0 day and removed at the 7th day, then received 2 ml Estrumate® one day before CIDR removal. The treated cows in both groups were timed artificially inseminated 6-18 h after the second GnRH dose of ovsynch. The results of this study revealed numerically good fertility results of cystic ovarian diseased cows that received Ovsynch+CIDR treatment protocol compared with cystic ovarian affected cows that received Ovsynch protocol alone. The conception rate (CR) recorded for cows diagnosed with COD and received Ovsynch+CIDR treatment protocol (39.06%) was numerically higher (P=0.139) than that recorded for diseased cows and received only the traditional Ovsynch (29.59%). Simmental cows respond better (52.38%) than Holstein cows (23.38%) subjected either to Ovsynch or to Ovsynch + CIDR (56.67% vs 33.67%) treatment protocol. Cows with good BCS (≥3) recorded higher CRs either treated with Ovsynch alone (38.46%) or treated with Ovsynch+CIDR (44.44%) compared to cows with low BCS (<3) (19.56% vs 26.32% for good vs low BCS resp.). The CRs recorded for cows treated during cold months (36.50%) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than that recorded for cows treated during hot months (17.14%) when treated with Ovsynch alone or with Ovsynch+CIDR (45.36% vs 19.35%). Primiparous cows recorded significantly (P<0.05) higher CR (41.03%), compared to pleuriparous cows (22.03%) when treated with ovsynch alone or treated with Ovsynch+CIDR (49.12% vs 30.98% for primiparous vs multiparous cows). High yielder cows treated with Ovsynch alone showed high CR (33.85%), compared with low producers (21.21%). Cows treated before 90 DIM had significantly (P<0.05) higher CRs (40.48% & 46.67%), in comparison to those treated after 90 DIM (21.43% and 28.30%) either treated with Ovsynch or with Ovsynch+CIDR respectively. In conclusion, integration of CIDR vaginal insert device into the traditional ovsynch protocol can be successfully used as a treatment supplementary strategy for lactating dairy cows affected with ovarian cysts as it resulted in acceptable conception rates that are significantly influenced by breed, BCS, season, parity, milk yield and days in milk.

Key words: Cystic, Ovaries, Cows, Ovsynch, Progesterone, Vaginal, Insert