Vet World   Vol.18   May-2025  Article - 27 

Physiological, cytological, and reproductive hormone characterization of estrus in Pasundan heifers synchronized with double injection of prostaglandin F2α

Rini Widyastuti¹ , Nena Hilmia¹ , Diky Ramdani¹ , Rahmat Hidayat² , Iman Hernaman² , Andre Rivanda Daud³ , Ken Ratu Ghazirah Alhuur¹ , Matni Syifa Bayani¹ , Rangga Setiawan¹ , Sigit Prastowo⁴ , Santoso Santoso⁵ , and Vidi Wulandari⁶

Background and Aim: Pasundan cattle, a native Indonesian breed with valuable reproductive traits, face population decline due to limited conservation efforts. Estrus synchronization using prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) is a viable strategy to support genetic improvement and sustainable breeding. This study aimed to evaluate the physiological, cytological, and hormonal responses associated with estrus synchronization in Pasundan heifers following a double-injection protocol of PGF2α.

Materials and Methods: Eighteen healthy Pasundan heifers (2.0–2.5 years old; body condition score 3) received two intramuscular PGF2α injections 11 days apart. Estrus signs were assessed through vulva morphology, cervical mucus viscosity, and vaginal electrical resistance (VER) on days 0, 4, 5, 11–15. Vaginal cytology was conducted to classify epithelial cells, and blood samples were analyzed for follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), progesterone, and estradiol through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance with Tukey’s post hoc test (p < 0.05).

Results: The peak estrus response occurred on day 14 post-initial injection, marked by maximal vulvar swelling (7.27 ± 1.15 cm), highest mucus viscosity (14.9 ± 3.00 mm), and lowest VER (198.67 ± 29.61 Ohms). Cytologically, superficial and keratinized epithelial cells dominated (64.22%), indicating estrus. Hormonal assays revealed elevated FSH (5.08 mIU/mL) and estradiol (0.214 pg/mL), alongside a nadir in progesterone (0.162 ng/mL). Estrus was observed in 88.89% of heifers on day 14.

Conclusion: Double-injection PGF2α effectively synchronized estrus in Pasundan heifers, with day 14 being optimal for fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI). The synchronization protocol demonstrated clear correlations between physical, cytological, and hormonal parameters. This protocol provides a reliable basis for reproductive management in Pasundan cattle, facilitating conservation and productivity. Future studies should assess conception outcomes post-FTAI to validate long-term reproductive efficiency.

Keywords: estrus synchronization, fixed-time artificial insemination, Pasundan cattle, prostaglandin F2α, reproductive hormones, vaginal cytology.

How to cite this article: Widyastuti R, Hilmia N, Ramdani D, Hidayat R, Hernaman I, Daud AR, Alhuur KRG, Bayani MS, Setiawan R, Prastowo S, Santoso S, and Wulandari V (2025) Physiological, cytological, and reproductive hormone characterization of estrus in Pasundan heifers synchronized with double injection of prostaglandin F2α, Veterinary World, 18(5): 1357-1364.

Received: 16-12-2024   Accepted: 23-04-2025   Published online: 31-05-2025

Corresponding author: Rini Widyastuti    E-mail: r.widyastuti@unpad.ac.id

DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2025.1357-1364

Copyright: Widyastuti, et al. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.