Can annual synchronization of females cause fertility problems in beef cows?
Synchronizing estrus in cows and heifers is an effective way to maximize the use of time and labor required to detect standing estrus in cattle. In addition, by using estrous synchronization more cows can conceive and become pregnant early in the breeding season with no decrease in fertility. Some estrous synchronization protocols can even induce estrous cycles and shorten the anestrous postpartum period allowing cows to conceive earlier in the breeding season. However, when estrous synchronization is used together with artificial insemination, one of the largest factors that influences fertility is efficiency and accuracy of estrous detection. When fertility is defined as the percentage of cows that conceive in the first few days of the breeding season, synchronized cows will have increased fertility compared to non-synchronized cows. When fertility is defined as the percentage of cows that conceive during the first cycle (first 21 to 25 days) of the breeding season, estrous synchroni
