Trends in Biosciences 8(5), Print : ISSN 0974-8, 1203-1206, 2015
Anovulation, Delayed Ovulation and Luteal Insufficiency
PARMAR SANJAY C.
College of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry,
Anand Agricultural University, Anand – 388 001, Gujarat, India
email: dr.sanjayparmar@yahoo.in
ABSTRACT
Ovulation in the cow occurs 10 to 12 hours after the
end of behavioral estrus and 18 to 26 hours after the
ovulatory LH peak. During estrus and after the end of
estrus, several follicles undergo development but
usually only one, it ovulates & the other follicles
regress and become atretic. The consequences for
fertility of an ovulatory defect are two-fold; either the
oocyte is not liberated and hence cannot be fertilized,
or it is liberated too late so that the spermatozoa are
now incapable of fertilization, or the oocyte has aged
and is not capable of normal development. Ovulatory
defects occur due to endocrine deficiency or imbalance,
failure of the development of hormone receptors at
the target tissue or mechanical factors. If the quantity
of pituitary hormone released is insufficient, or its
timing is incorrect, then ovulation is delayed or fails
to occur. In a minority of cases, because of extensive
lesions involving adhesion of the ovarian bursa to the
surface of the ovary, the physical process of ovulation
is prevented.
Key words Anovulation, Corpus luteum, Estrus,
Follicle, Ovulation
Anovulation
Anovulation is failure of cows to ovulate.
These animals have abnormal follicular development
and abnormal estrous cycles. A syndrome that is
associated with those conditions that lead to both
true anoestrus or to cystic ovarian disease is that
of ovulation failure. Sometimes anovulation is
observed before the onset of a period of anovulatory
anoestrus, with the follicle regressing and becoming
atretic. Similarly, during the puerperium, before the
onset of normal cyclical ovarian activity, a similar
situation may arise, which is comparable with that
observed in seasonal polyestrous species at the start
of the breeding season (Jolly, et al., 1995; Beam
and Butler, 1999).
If cows are examined per rectum during the
first few weeks after calving, a number of enlarged
anovulatory follicles can often be detected; they
are incorrectly described as being cysts but they
are transient and do not persist even if no treatment
is given (Webb, et al., 1999, 2004). Sometimes, a
follicle does not regress but, having reached its
maximum size of 2 to 2.5 cm in diameter, the wall
becomes luteinized. This structure functions in the
same way as a corpus luteum, either regressing
after 17 to 18 days or frequently much earlier so
that the cow returns to estrus at a shorter than
normal interval. After the demise of the luteinized
follicle, the subsequent estrus will probably be
followed by a normal ovulation (Butler, 2000, 2001).
Such a structure will be <2.5 cm in diameter and
fluid-filled, with a rim of luteal tissue lining the
follicle and with no evidence of a point of ovulation.
(Lucy, 2003; Wathes, et al., 2003).
Successful ovulation of a dominant follicle
during early lactation depends upon an appropriate
pattern of LH secretion with the re-establishment
of pulsatile LH secretion conducive to preovulatory
follicular growth and estradiol secretion being
recognized as a key element (Lamming, et al.,
1982; Canfield and Butler, 1991; Hampton, et al.,
2003). Both LH pulse frequency (Canfield and
Butler, 1990) and the ovarian responsiveness to LH
pulse signaling (Lamming, et al., 1982) increase
during the first 2 weeks post partum. The strong
suckling stimulus from a large litter suppresses
gonadotropin secretion in the lactating sow and
effectively blocks ovarian function and estrus until
after weaning (Britt, et al., 1985; Varley and
Foxcroft, 1990).
Ovulation failure may be classified into
three categories
1. Anovulation with Follicle Growth to
Emergence
2. Anovulation with Follicle Growth to Deviation
3. Anovulation with Follicle Growth to
Ovulatory or Larger Size
Anovulation with Follicle Growth to
Emergence
This condition is very rare. It may result as a
genetic problem with chromosomal abnormalities
1204 Trends in Biosciences 8 (5), 2015
or in severely malnourished animals. Complete
ovarian hypoplasia (underdevelopment or
incomplete development) may result from a single
recessive autosomal gene with incomplete
penetration. These animals have few primordial
follicles (Roberts, 1986). Ovarian hypoplasia is also
associated with freemartinism. The failure of
follicular growth beyond emergence may be due
to a deficiency of follicle stimulating hormone
(FSH).
Anovulation with Follicle Growth to
Deviation
Anovulation with follicular growth to
deviation but not ovulatory size is a common
occurrence, especially in prepubertal animals and
in the postpartum period. The characteristic signs
of this condition are small ovaries caused by the
absence of a corpus luteum (CL) or ovulatory size
follicles. However, daily ultrasound evaluation of
the small ovaries of these anovulatory cows has
demonstrated the presence of follicular waves.
Heifers as young as two weeks have follicular
waves. Follicular waves occur throughout
pregnancy, and the first postpartum wave begins
approximately four days postpartum. Although in
dairy cows the first postpartum dominant follicle
may ovulate, more commonly the first ovulation
occurs approximately 33 days postpartum.
Malnutrition, suckling or peripartum disease can
prolong the time to first ovulation (Wathes, et al.,
2003).
In prepubertal animals the hypothalamus is
extremely sensitive to the negative feedback effect
of estradiol, resulting in inhibition of luteinizing
hormone (LH) pulses. As puberty approaches, the
number of hypothalamic estradiol receptors
decreases, reducing the negative feedback effect
of estradiol. The subsequent LH increase supports
the growth of the follicle to ovulatory size resulting
in sufficient estradiol to induce an LH surge and
ovulation (Lucy, 2003).
The postpartum dairy cow is in negative
energy balance until approximately eight weeks.
The time to first ovulation is variable but is related
to the timing of the nadir in negative energy balance
for the individual cow. A return to positive energy
balance allows an increased maximal size of the
dominant follicle, increased follicular estradiol and
an increase in pulsatile LH secretion resulting in
ovulation. The state of negative energy balance may
be similar to that of the prepubertal animal in which
low estradiol level is inhibitory to hypothalamic
GnRH secretion (Hampton, et al., 2003).
Anovulation with Follicle Growth to
Ovulatory or Larger Size
Cystic Ovarian Disease (COD) is a common
and economically significant condition of dairy cattle
(Johnson and Coates, 2004). The condition is
expressed as two syndromes. Follicular cysts are
anovulatory follicles that persist for a minimum of
10 days, have a diameter greater than 2.5 cm and
are characterized by either continuous estrus or
anestrus. Luteal cysts are anovulatory follicles over
2.5 cm in diameter that are partially luteinized and
persist for a prolonged period, and are usually
characterized by anestrous. Both follicular and luteal
cysts occur in the absence of a CL. However,
approximately 40% of cows diagnosed with cysts
may also have a CL. This definition has limitations
as a cyst is seldom monitored for 10 days prior to
diagnosis and the presence of a CL is difficult to
determine without the use of ultrasonography.
Recent ultrasound data indicates that follicles
normally ovulate at approximately 17 mm diameter,
suggesting that follicles that persist and have a
diameter greater than 17 mm be considered cysts.
Follicles destined to become cysts grow at the same
rate as those destined to regress or ovulate until
approximately 16 mm, following which the cysts
continue to increase in size.
Diagnosis of anovulation can only be made
retrospectively, by noting on trans rectal palpation
or ultra sonography that a follicle persists longer
than one would have suspected. In the case of the
luteinized follicle it will remain for 17–18 days
before regressing; the ovary containing it will be
rounded, smooth and fluctuating, rather than
irregular and solid as it is with a corpus luteum.
Treatment is directed towards ensuring that
ovulation occurs at the next oestrus, hence hCG
or GnRH administered.
Delayed ovulation
Delayed ovulation is generally assumed to be
one of the causes of failure of conception. Certain
cows have prolonged estrus. However, this is
opined to be related to a delay in corpus luteum
(CL) assuming normal steroidogenesis rather than
to the delayed ovulation. Conception rate is reduced
in cows that ovulated by the second day after estrus
(Singh, et al., 2005). Ovulatory defects may be
due to endocrine deficiency or imbalance and
mechanical factors.
 PARMAR, et al., Anovulation, Delayed Ovulation and Luteal Insufficiency
Delayed ovulation is one of the major causes
of repeat breeding in cattle. Delayed ovulators have
longer interval from onset of estrus to ovulation
(Bage, et al., 2002 and Singh, et al., 2005).
Therefore the importance of insemination timing
with respect to ovulation has repeatedly been
emphasized for ensuing fertilization (Rodriguez-
Martinez, 2001). Asynchrony in timing of
insemination with ovulation results in low
pregnancy rate due to fertilization failure (Hunter,
1994). Therefore single insemination following AM-
PM rule may lead to poor conception due to
shortage of motile/ fertile spermatozoa. This
problem might be alleviated if high numbers of
fertilizable spermatozoa are available at ovulation.
Under this condition, either re-inseminations during
estrus (Stevenson, et al., 1990) or single
insemination with hormonal therapy to induce
ovulation may marginally improve fertility in repeat
breeder cow. Diagnosis is difficult and requires
sequential rectal palpation of the ovaries. Graafian
follicle over one the ovary and same ovary 24 hrs
later if same follicle persist then diagnosed as delayed
ovulation. In the treatment, give repeated AI at 24
hr interval for two or three times.
Luteal insufficiency
Luteal defects could result from an
abnormality inherent to the follicle that ovulate
(DiZerega and Hodgen, 1981). For example,
Follicular maturity is not synchronized with the
ovulatory hormonal signal. To the same extent, the
nature of the gonadotropic stimulus provided for
ovulation could be of relevance to luteal function.
Corpora lutea formed by LH-stimulated ovulation
secreted progesterone normally, whereas corpora
lutea induced by FSH did not secrete progesterone.
Premature stimulation of ovulation with either
gonadotropin was followed by suppressed luteal
function. Corpora lutea of gonadotropin treated
animals appeared older (further developed) which
secrete low progesterone. Premature induction of
follicular rupture in the ewe is followed by an
insufficient luteal phase.
Two distinct irregularities of corpus luteum
function are known to occur, The short luteal phase
and The inadequate or insufficient luteal phase
(Inskeep and Murdoch, 1980; DiZerega and
Hodgen, 1981). Secretion of progesterone from the
corpus luteum is aberrantly reduced, while the
interval to the next ovulation (unlike the shortened
luteal phase) is normal. Ovulation attendant with
an insufficient luteal condition which leads to the
1205
improper development of corpora lutea and due to
either under developed or over developed corpora
lutea secrete low amount of progesterone than the
normal.
The luteal insufficiency mostly occurs due to
follicle destined to ovulate undergoes dramatic
maturational changes during the period of time
immediately preceding the pre ovulatory surge of
gonadotropins (Richards, 1980; Webb and England,
1982). Follicle lacked its potential maturity (i.e. Did
not have a complete complement of gonadotropin
receptors and follicular cells). Follicular maturity
is most critical to the subsequent level of function
of the corpus luteum. Hence, the necessity of
enhanced follicular maturity, that taking place during
the immediate pre ovulatory period, in terms of a
requirement for ovulation. This condition is very
difficult to diagnose by clinical examination because
all such cases they show irregular cycle. Diagnostic
method is estimation of milk (12-18 ng/ml) or blood
plasma (4-6 ng/ml) progesterone level (usually low
level). Treatment is directed towards use of
luteotropic drugs.
It could be concluded that the anovulatory
estrus rate in dairy cattle is closely connected to
parity, breed, and quartile of the year. It may also
be concluded that inappropriate release of GnRH
at the time of estrus. Once diagnosed, anovulatory
estrus can be successfully treated using GnRH
analogues. Delayed ovulation is a significant
component of the repeat-breeder syndrome in
animals. Thus, treatments or management practices
oriented toward preventing delayed ovulation in
animals. Luteal insufficiency has been associated
with decreased fertility in domestic farm animals.
Luteal insufficiency is most commonly found at
puberty and during resumption of ovarian activity
following seasonal or postpartum anestrous.
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Received on 03-02-2015 Accepted on 07-02-2015