The objective of the experiment was to study the effect of pretreatment with 500 mg of sometribove (rbST) on superovulatory response, on number and embryos quality of twenty six crossbred holstein-zebu heifers, allocated into two treatments: T1 -- treated with rbST (n=13) and T2 - control (n=13). Thirteen superovulations were done between september and december of 1997 (period 1), and thirteen superovulations between the end of december 1997 and february of 1998 (period 2). For each period seven animals were injected with 500 mg SC sustained-release formulated rbST (T1) on day 3 of estrous cycle, while six animals (T2) did not receive any medication. The animals were superovulated with FSH on day 10, and the embryo collection were performed on day 7 or 8 after the artificial insemination (A.I.). Pretreatment of heifers with rbST did not increase the superovulatory response, total number of structures recover, viable and non viable embryos and ova per collection. The average of total number of structures recovered, viable and non viable embryos and ova per collection were: 15.3 ± 9.5 and 17.4 ± 10.9; 8.5 ± 8.3 and 11.5 ± 10.0; 4.6 ± 4.7 and 3.4 ± 1.3; 2.2 ± 2.8 and 2.8 ± 4.0, respectively, for T1 and T2. The morulae and initial blastocists were recovered in greater percentage on day 7 or 8 after A.I.
embryos; FSH; growth hormone
