Effect of post-mating GnRH or TAK-683 (Kisspeptin analog) treatment on the reproductive performance and serum progesterone concentration in ewes during the non-breeding season

This study was designed to evaluate the effect of post-mating GnRH or TAK-683 (kisspeptin analog) treatment on serum progesterone (P₄) concentrations and fertility parameters of ewes during the non-breeding season. One hundred and twenty multiparous, lactating Awassi ewes were used. For estrus synchronization, vaginal sponges containing 60 mg of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MAP) were inserted into the vagina and kept there for nine days. On the day of sponge removal (day 0), 500 IU of eCG and 75 µg of d-cloprostenol were given intramuscularly. Rams were introduced in the flock 24 h after sponge removal and kept with the ewes for 26 days, allowing a second mating period after synchronized estrus. On the fourth day after mating (day 6) the ewes mated by the rams between the 24th and 72nd hours (n = 105) were randomly divided into three groups. Control group (n = 36) received 1 ml of saline solution subcutaneously; GnRH group (n = 34) received 4 μg of buserelin acetate intramuscularly; TAK-683 group (n = 35) received 5 μg of TAK-683 acetate subcutaneously. Blood samples were taken to measure serum P₄ concentrations (ng/ml) at sponge insertion and on the 6th, 9th, 12th, 15th, 19th, 35th, and 50th days after sponge removal. Pregnancy diagnosis was conducted via serum P₄ concentration measurement on the 19th day and transrectal ultrasonography on days 35 and 50. The results showed that GnRH treatment (4.823 ± 0.238; 2.151 ± 0.272) increased (P<0.05) the mean P₄ concentration (ng/ml) in pregnant and non-pregnant ewes during the first mating period compared to Control (3.708 ± 0.207; 1.515 ± 0.164), while TAK-683 treatment (4.457 ± 0.181; 1.967 ± 0.213) was not different between groups. GnRH (58.82 %) and TAK-683 (42.10 %) treatments increased the pregnancy rate in the second mating period in comparison to the Control group (17.39 %) (P<0.05). Cumulative pregnancy and fecundity rates were higher in GnRH (79.41 %; 120.58 %) and TAK-683 (68.57 %; 100.0 %) groups than in the Control group (17.39 %; 58.33 %) (P<0.05). There was no difference in late embryonic loss rate among the groups (P>0.05), whereas early fetal loss rate tended to be lower in the TAK-683 (0 %) and GnRH (0 %) groups than in the Control group (15.38 %) (P=0.07). The total pregnancy loss rate (from day 19 to day 50 post-mating) was lower in GnRH (0 %) and TAK-683 (0 %) groups relative to the Control group (21.42 %) (P<0.05). There were no statistical differences among the groups in terms of the first mating period pregnancy rate, twinning rate, and litter size (P>0.05). As a result, treatment with GnRH and TAK-683 on the fourth day after mating increased fecundity in lactating ewes outside the breeding season by preventing total pregnancy losses (from day 19 to day 50) and increasing second mating pregnancy rates.