Elecsys® AMH assay: Determination of Anti-Müllerian hormone levels and evaluation of the relationship between superovulation response in Holstein dairy cows

Background: Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) serves as a crucial parameter in assessing the reproductive herd life and ovarian reserve in cattle. Consequently, extensive research is conducted on AMH levels. Various measurement methods can be employed to determine AMH levels. However, to our knowledge, no study has been conducted on Holstein donors using the Elecsys (R) AMH kit. Objective: This study was designed to determine AMH levels in donors utilising the Elecsys (R) AMH kit and to evaluate the relationship between superovulation response parameters and AMH levels. Methods In this study, we measured the serum AMH levels of 36 cows using the Elecsys (R) AMH automated assay before the superovulation protocol (1st sample) and FSH injections (2nd sample). The cows were categorised into three groups based on their AMH levels: low, medium, and high AMH. Results: Positive correlations were identified between AMH and parameters associated with superovulation response. The high AMH level group exhibited significantly greater numbers of corpus luteum, total embryos, transferable embryos, and grade 1 embryos compared to the medium and low AMH groups (p < 0.05) There was no significant difference between AMH levels before the superovulation protocol and FSH injections(p > 0.05). Body condition score and parity did not significantly affect AMH levels in cows (p > 0.05). Also, AMH cut-off values for the number of corpus luteum, total embryo, and transferable embryos were detected as 234, 227, and 210 pg/mL, respectively. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that a high serum AMH level has a positive influence on the superovulation response. AMH can be used as a reliable marker for the selection of donors in Holstein cows.