Melatonin Administration Prior to Doublesynch Protocol Enhances Pregnancy Rates in Postpartum Water Buffalo (Bubalus Bubalis)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48165/ijar.2026.47.01.12Keywords:
Buffalo, Corpus luteum, Doublesynch, Melatonin, ProgesteroneAbstract
A total of thirty normally calved buffaloes were divided into group 1 -melatonin plus doublesynch and group 2 -dou blesynch alone. Group 1 inserted with subcutaneous melatonin implants (@ 18 mg per 50 kg body weight) on day 15 postpartum whereas group 2 did not receive melatonin. On day 60 postpartum both groups were subjected to dou blesynch protocol i.e. prostaglandin F2α (500 µg Cloprostenol) on day -2 and 7, buserelin acetate (20 µg, GnRH ana logue) on day 0 and 9 intramuscularly, followed by timed AI at 16 and 24 hrs. Day of first appearance of CL was earlier (p<0.05) in group 1 (29.53 ± 1.47 days) than group 2 (36 ± 1.87 days). On day 29 postpartum, group 1 revealed higher (p<0.05) progesterone than group 2 (1.61±0.38 vs 0.24±0.07 ng/ml). Group 1 had larger (p<0.05) preovulatory follicle (13.66±1.00 mm) on the day of AI that developed larger (p<0.05) CL (14.28±0.67mm) on day 12 post-AI as compared to group 2 (10.93±0.68 mm and 11.23±0.75 mm). Ovulation, first service pregnancy and overall pregnancy rates were higher (p<0.05) in group 1 (100%, 73.3% and 86.66%) versus group 2 (60%, 26.67% and 53.33%), respectively. Melatonin implants proved beneficial for enhancing pregnancy rates following doublesynch protocol in postpartum buffalo.References
Abecia, J. A., Forcada, F., & Zuniga, O. (2002). The effect of melatonin on the secretion of progesterone in sheep and on the development of ovine embryos in vitro. Veterinary Research Communications, 26, 151–158.
Campo, E., Alonso, J. C., Hincapie, J. J., Libertad, G., Faure, O., & Fernandez, O. (2002). Seasonal influence on uterine involution and postpartum ovarian activity in river buffaloes. Buffalo Bulletin, 3, 59–63.
Dhindsa, S. S., Honparkhe, M., Dadarwal, D., Grewal, R. S., Singh, M., & Brar, P. S. (2016). Economic impact of double synch protocol in buffaloes during summer season. International Journal of Science Environment and Technology, 5, 2907–2911.
Esposito, L., Campanile, G., Di Palo, R., Si Meo, C., & Zicarelli, L. (1992). Seasonal reproductive failure in buffaloes bred in Italy. In Proceedings of the 12th International Congress on Animal Reproduction (p. 599). Netherlands.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2014). FAOSTAT database. Rome, Italy. http://faostat.fao.org/
Forcada, F., Abecia, J. A., Cebrian-Perez, J. A., Muino-Blanco, T., Valares, J. A., Palacin, I., & Casao, A. (2006). The effect of melatonin implants during the seasonal anestrus on embryo production after superovulation in aged high prolificacy Rasa Aragonesa ewes. Theriogenology, 65, 356–365.
Forcada, F., Abecia, J. A., Zuniga, O., & Lozano, J. M. (2002). Variation in the ability of melatonin implants inserted at two different times after the winter solstice to restore reproductive activity in reduced seasonality ewes. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, 53, 167–173.
Ghuman, S. P. S., Singh, J., Honparkhe, M., Dadarwal, D., Dhaliwal, G. S., & Jain, A. K. (2010). Induction of ovulation of ovulatory size non-ovulatory follicles and initiation of ovarian cyclicity in summer anoestrous buffalo heifers using melatonin implants. Reproduction in Domestic Animals, 45, 600–607.
Ghuman, S. S., Honparkhe, M., & Singh, B. (2023a). Assessment of plasma melatonin profile in summer anestrous buffaloes exhibiting differential fertility following melatonin implants treatment. Buffalo Bulletin, 42(3), 407–415.
Ghuman, S. S., Honparkhe, M., & Singh, B. (2023b). Effect of melatonin implantation prior to Ovsynch plus CIDR protocol on subsequent ovarian activity and pregnancy rate in summer anestrous Murrah buffaloes. Buffalo Bulletin, 42(2), 263–269.
Ghuman, S. S., Singh Cheema, R., & Honparkhe, M. (2024). Assessment of oxidative stress parameters in summer anestrous buffaloes exhibiting differential fertility following melatonin implants treatment. Buffalo Bulletin, 43(1), 85–94.
Guerin, M. V., Deed, J. R., Kennaway, D. J., & Matthews, C. D. (1995). Plasma melatonin in the horse: Measurements in natural photoperiod and in acutely extended darkness throughout the year. Journal of Pineal Research, 19, 7–15.
Guillaume, D., & Palmer, E. (1991). Effect of oral melatonin on the date of the first ovulation after ovarian inactivity in mares under artificial photoperiod. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility, 44, 249–257.
Kandiel, M. M., Gad, B. A., Sosa, G. A., & El-Azab, A. I. (2013). Follicular dynamics and uterine status after synchronization of ovulation in early post-parturient Egyptian buffaloes. Buffalo Bulletin, 32(3), 165–181.
Kavita, Phogat, J. B., Pandey, A. K., Balhara, A. K., Ghuman, S. S., & Gunwanta, P. (2018). Effects of melatonin supplementation prior to Ovsynch protocol on ovarian activity and conception rates in anestrous Murrah buffalo heifers during out of breeding season. Reproductive Biology, 18, 161–168.
Kumar, A. K., Mehrotra, S., Singh, G., Maurya, V. P., Narayanan, K., & Mahla, A. S. (2016). Supplementation of slow-release melatonin improves recovery of ovarian cyclicity and conception in summer anestrous buffaloes. Reproduction in Domestic Animals, 51, 10–17.
Lochan, S., Honparkhe, M., Cheema, R. S., Kumar, A., Ghuman, S. P. S., & Brar, P. S. (2020). Ameliorating postpartum reproductive cyclicity using exogenous melatonin implant in water buffalo. Indian Journal of Animal Sciences, 90(2), 181–184.
Manca, M. E., Maria, L. M., Antonio, S., Laura, T. R., Antonio, G. B., Valeria, P., & Peter, P. (2014). Melatonin deprival modifies follicular and corpus luteal growth dynamics in a sheep model. Reproduction, 147, 885–895.
Mirmahmoudi, R., & Prakash, B. S. (2014). Temporal changes in endogenous estrogens and expression of behaviors associated with estrus during the periovulatory period in doublesynch treated Murrah buffaloes. Iranian Journal of Applied Animal Science, 4, 499–504.
Misztal, T., Romanowicz, K., & Barcikowski, B. (2002). Melatonin—A modulator of the GnRH/LH axis in sheep. Reproductive Biology, 2, 267–275.
Nanda, A. S., Brar, P. S., & Prabhakar, S. (2003). Enhancing reproductive performance in dairy buffalo: Major constraints and achievements. Reproduction Supplement, 61, 27–36.
Papachristoforou, C., Koumas, A., & Photiou, C. (2007). Initiation of the breeding season in ewe lambs and goat kids with melatonin implants. Small Ruminant Research, 73, 122–126.
Perera, B. M. A. O. (2011). Reproductive cycles of buffalo. Animal Reproduction Science, 124, 194–199.
Ramadan, T. A., Sharma, R. K., Phulia, S. K., Balhara, A. K., Ghuman, S. S., & Singh, I. (2014). Effectiveness of melatonin and controlled internal drug release device treatment on reproductive performance of buffalo heifers during out-of-breeding season under tropical conditions. Theriogenology, 82, 1296–1302.
Takasaki, A., Nakamura, Y., Tamura, H., Shimamura, K., & Morioka, H. (2003). Melatonin as a new drug for improving oocyte quality. Reproductive Medicine and Biology, 2, 139–144.
Terzano, G. M., Barile, V. L., & Borghese, A. (2012). Overview on reproductive endocrine aspects in buffalo. Journal of Buffalo Science, 1, 126–138.
Viguie, C., Caraty, A., Locatelli, A., & Malpaux, B. (1995). Regulation of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone secretion by melatonin in the ewe. Biology of Reproduction, 52, 1114–1120.
Wang, S. J., Liu, W. J., Wu, C. J., Ma, F. H., Ahmad, S., Liu, B. R., Han, L., Jiang, X. P., Zhang, S. J., & Yang, L. G. (2012). Melatonin suppresses apoptosis and stimulates progesterone production by bovine granulosa cells via its receptors (MT1 and MT2). Theriogenology, 78, 1517–1526.
