Effect of Vitamin E (Α-Tocopherol), Hcg, and Their Combinations on Live Weight, Pregnancy Rate, and Concentrations of Progesterone and Mda in Pregnant and Non-Pregnant Holstein Milking Cows

Vitamin E (VitE) is essential for milking cows because of the absence of its creation in ruminants. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) enhances CL to produce more progesterone (P4) for pregnancy maintenance. The goal is to investigate the effect of VitE, hCG, and their combination on live body weight (LBW), pregnancy rates (PR), and concentrations of P4 and MDA in cows synchronized with GPG protocol. Thirty-four cows with LBW 530±5.8 kg were divided randomly into four unequal number groups. Control (1.0 ml propylene glycol injection/animal), group II (1.39 ml VitE injection/animal) three times for ten days before mating, group III (2000 IU hCG injection) once after mating by one week, and group IV (VitE+hCG injection/animal) as same doses and dates as groups II and III. Blood collection was upon pre-mating, mating, 7, 15, and 45 d post-mating in all cows. Results revealed that LBW and PR increased (P<0.05) in VitE and VitE+hCG groups. P4 concentrations were <1.0 ng/ml at mating in all cows and reached >3.0 ng/ml at 7-DPM (days post-mating) in pregnant cows, with the highest concentrations of P4 in 15 and 45-DPM in VitE and combination groups. Total P4 concentrations at 7 and 15 DPM increased (P<0.05) by VitE and VitE+hCG groups. MDA concentrations decreased (P<0.05) in VitE and VitE+hCG groups in the 7, 15, and 45-DPM in all cows. Total MDA concentrations decreased (P<0.05) in VitE and VitE+hCG groups of pregnancy and non-pregnancy. In conclusion, VitE and VitE+hCG affected LBW, PR, P4, and MDA of Holstein milking cows.