Synchromate 0.25mg/ml, Solution for Injection for Cattle and Horses

Therapeutic indications
Sub-oestrus (or non detected oestrus)
After diagnosing the presence of a corpus luteum - by rectal palpation - treat with the
product and inseminate those animals showing heat. Those animals which do not show
heat to be re-examined 11 days later and may receive a second injection and be bred at
oestrus or at fixed times; once at 72-84 hours or twice at 72 and 96 hours.
Induction of parturition
Induces parturition in the period around normal term. Induction should take place as close
to the predicted calving date as possible and not more than 10 days before. Induction
should not be attempted before day 270 of gestation measured from the confirmed day
of conception, except in pathological conditions. All treated animals must receive
adequate supervision. In common with other methods of shortening the gestation period
a higher than usual incidence of retention of the foetal membranes is to be expected.
Termination of normal pregnancy
Normal pregnancy can be terminated in cattle from one week after conception until the
150th day of gestation. Best results are obtained during the first 100 days. Treated
animals should be kept under observation until expulsion of the foetus and placenta is
complete.
Termination of abnormal pregnancy
- Mummified foetus - induction of luteolysis at any stage of pregnancy will result in the
expulsion of the mummified foetus from the uterus into the vagina from which manual
removal may be necessary. Normal cyclical activity should then follow.
- Hydrops of the foetal membrane - Pathological accumulation of placental fluids can
cause severe physiological complications and death. Surgical drainage is not usually
successful in alleviating the condition. In such cases, a single dose may be used to induce
parturition.
Chronic endometritis (Pyometra)
Treat with a single dose. In long-standing cases treatment may be repeated after 10-14
days.
Ovarian luteal cysts
Where cystic ovaries associated with persistent luteal tissue and absence of heat are
diagnosed, the product has proved to be effective in correcting the condition and bringing
about a return to cyclicity.
Other indications: Controlled breeding
Examples of programmes which have been used are:
i) A single treatment of cattle with palpable evidence of a corpus luteum, followed by
breeding on detection of the subsequent oestrus.
ii) Detection of oestrus for 6 days, breeding those animals seen in heat; a single treatment
is given to all non-served animals on the 6th day and these cattle are bred at subsequent
oestrus.
iii) Two injections 11 days apart, breeding at oestrus or at fixed times (see below).
iv) As iii) above, but breeding any animals showing oestrus before the second injection.
Thus the second dose is given only to those cattle not seen in oestrus during that time
and is followed by breeding either on signs of oestrus or at fixed times (see below).
Cattle which respond to a single prostaglandin injection will normally do so within 6 days
of treatment. The response time after two injections is more rapid. Animals may be
inseminated on detection of oestrus in any of the breeding programmes. However, fixed
time insemination should only be used following the second of a two injection programme
(i.e. examples iii) and iv)). In the latter case insemination should be performed either once
at 72-84 hours or twice at 72 and 96 hours after the second injection, as preferred.
Double ‘fixed-time’ insemination may give superior results to a single insemination.
However, economic factors in the particular herd may outweigh such a benefit.
For successful treatment, animals should be cycling normally. Rectal examination before
treatment should avoid the disappointment of treating noncycling (an-oestrus) or pregnant
animals.
Attention should be directed to the diet and condition of the treated animals. Sudden
changes in feeding levels, in feed constituents and in housing, etc should be avoided
around the time of the breeding programme, as should any other factor, such as
regrouping, which could reasonably be expected to lead to stress.
If artificial insemination is to be used, the quality of semen and insemination technique
should be assured beforehand.
A recommended guideline for use of the product in dairy cows would be as follows:
After the first injection, inseminate any cows showing signs of heat.
Animals that do not show signs of heat should be injected 11 days after the first injection
and then inseminated 72-96 hours later.
Horses
(Ponies and donkeys: single dose of 0.5-1.0 ml (equivalent to 125-250 mcg of
cloprostenol) by intramuscular injection. Thoroughbreds, hunters and heavy horses: 1-2
ml (equivalent to 250- 500 mcg cloprostenol) by intramuscular injection).
- Induction of luteolysis following early foetal death and resorption: about 8-10% of all
mares which conceive lose the conceptus during the first 100 days of pregnancy.
Persistence of luteal function in the ovary precludes an early return to oestrus.
- Termination of persistent dioestrus: non-pregnant mares frequently and spontaneously
go to and out of periods of prolonged dioestrus. A very high proportion of mares in this
category i.e. not cycling, are in prolonged dioestrus rather than anoestrus, particularly in
the latter part of the breeding season.
- Termination of pseudopregnancy: some mares which are covered at normal oestrus and
subsequently found to be empty (but not having lost or resorbed a conceptus) display
clinical signs of pregnancy. These animals are said to be “pseudopregnant”.
- Treatment of lactation anoestrus: failure of lactating mares to cycle again for several
months after exhibiting an early ‘foal heat’ can be avoided.
- Establishing oestrous cycles in barren/maiden mares: some of these animals will be
found, on examination, to have a functional corpus luteum and are suffering from
abnormal persistence of luteal function or are simply failing to exhibit normal oestrous
behaviour (“silent heat”) while ovarian cyclicity continues.