Studies on the Use of Prostaglandin F2α and Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Analogs for Timed Artificial Insemination in Jennies

Donkey farming is expanding because of the rediscovery of nutritional properties of jennies’ milk for human consumption. In livestock, timed artificial insemination (TAI) allows to manage big herds without estrus detection, but there are very few studies on estrus synchronization in jennies. The aims of this study were to compare three different combinations of prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogs for TAI in jennies and to compare the estrus or diestrus status diagnosed by ultrasonography with serum progesterone concentration. Nine fertile jennies were submitted to three TAI protocols: PPG (PGF2α, PGF2α, and GnRH), PGPG (PGF2α, GnRH, PGF2α, and GnRH) and GPG (GnRH, PGF2α, and GnRH). Ovarian activity was monitored until ovulation, and blood samples were taken for progesterone determination. Artificial insemination was done with a fresh-diluted semen …