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Grillo GF, Couto SRB, Guerson YB, Ferreira JE, Teixeira EF, Silva AF, Palhano HB, Mello MRB. Neospora caninum is not transmissible via embryo transfer, but affects the quality of embryos in dairy cows. Vet Parasitol 2024; 331:110287. [PMID: 39173408 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2024.110287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2024] [Revised: 08/06/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate embryo transfer in cattle as a pathway of transmitting neosporosis and to quantitatively and qualitatively compare the embryo production from seropositive and seronegative donors. Superovulatory treatments were performed on eight Girolando donors (four seropositive and four seronegative for N. caninum), resulting in the recovery of ninety-one structures (embryos and non-fertilized structures). Embryos collected and classified as viable were transferred to seronegative recipients and analyzed by PCR to identify N. caninum. No difference was observed in the number of structures collected from seropositive and seronegative donors (40 and 51; P = 0.64). There was a significant difference in the percentages of freezable (25 % and 74 %, P = 0.04) and transferable (27.5 % and 78.4 %, P = 0.003) embryos. The recipients had similar pregnancy rates (60 % and 57.1 %, P = 0.97) and pregnancy loss (50 % and 43.8 %, P = 0.58). There was no change in the serological status of the recipients, and no protozoan DNA was identified in none of the samples. It was concluded that the embryo transfer technique is safe regarding the transmission of neosporosis; however, the quality of embryo production was compromised from donors seropositive for N. caninum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Fernandes Grillo
- Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Zootecnia, Departamento de Reprodução e Avaliação Animal, Estrada Rio São Paulo (BR - 465), Km 47, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Samuel Rodrigues Bonamichi Couto
- Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Zootecnia, Departamento de Reprodução e Avaliação Animal, Estrada Rio São Paulo (BR - 465), Km 47, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Yuri Barbosa Guerson
- Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Zootecnia, Departamento de Reprodução e Avaliação Animal, Estrada Rio São Paulo (BR - 465), Km 47, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil.
| | | | - Edwards Frazão Teixeira
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Avenida Brasil 4365, Laboratório de Biologia Estrutural, Pavilhão Carlos Chagas, 3º andar, sala 307 Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Andressa Ferreira Silva
- Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Instituro de Veterinária, Departamento de Medicina e Cirurgia Veterinária, Estrada Rio São Paulo (BR - 465), Km 07, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Helcimar Barbosa Palhano
- Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Instituro de Biologia, Departamento de Anatomia Animal, Estrada Rio São Paulo (BR - 465), Km 07, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Marco Roberto Bourg Mello
- Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Zootecnia, Departamento de Reprodução e Avaliação Animal, Estrada Rio São Paulo (BR - 465), Km 47, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil.
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2
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Seneda MM, Costa CB, Zangirolamo AF, dos Anjos MM, de Paula GR, Morotti F. From the laboratory to the field: how to mitigate pregnancy losses in embryo transfer programs? Anim Reprod 2024; 21:e20240032. [PMID: 39175993 PMCID: PMC11340798 DOI: 10.1590/1984-3143-ar2024-0032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy losses negatively affect the cattle industry, impacting economic indices and consequently the entire production chain. Early embryonic failure has been an important challenge in the embryo industry because proper identification of embryo death at the beginning of gestation is difficult. This review aimed to provide a better understanding on reproductive failure and the relationship between early embryonic loss and different reproductive biotechniques. This review also considers insights and possible strategies for reducing early embryonic loss. The strategies addressed are as follows: i) great impact of rigorous embryo evaluation on reducing embryo losses; ii) selection of recipients at the time of transfer, taking into account health and nutritional status, and classification of the corpus luteum using ultrasound, either in area or vascularization; and iii) paternal effect as one of the factors that contribute to pregnancy losses, with a focus on embryo transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo Marcondes Seneda
- Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Laboratório de Reprodução Animal, Londrina, PR, Brasil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia do Leite – INCT Leite, Londrina, PR, Brasil
| | | | | | | | | | - Fábio Morotti
- Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Laboratório de Reprodução Animal, Londrina, PR, Brasil
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3
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Rosales-Martínez F, Becerril-Pérez CM, Rosendo-Ponce A, Riaño-Gaya A, Cortez-Romero C, Gallegos-Sánchez J, Romo-García S. In Vitro Embryos of Romosinuano and Tropical Milking Cattle during Three Seasons in Veracruz, Mexico. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1922. [PMID: 38998034 PMCID: PMC11240306 DOI: 10.3390/ani14131922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
One of the main factors that influences the fertility of cattle in grazing systems in hot tropical climates is heat stress. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of season, breed, hormonal and physiological condition on the quantity and quality of cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) and embryos produced in vitro, from Romosinuano (RM) and Tropical Milking (TM) donors. Three ovum pick-up and in vitro fertilization (OPU-IVF) were performed, one per season: hot dry (HD; 10, 10), hot humid (HH; 9, 9) and fresh dry (FD; 7, 10) in RM and LT donors. Serum levels of cortisol, insulin and glucose were measured, in addition to heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR) and rectal temperature (RT). Effect of season x genotype interaction (p ≤ 0.05) was observed in all COC variables and only in cleavage embryos (CLI) (p ≤ 0.05). Body weight (BW) affected all COC variables (p ≤ 0.01), except unviable (UNV) although affected degenerated embryos (DEG) (p ≤ 0.01) and total blastocysts (BLAST) (p ≤ 0.01). Cow age only affected viable COCs (VIAB) (p ≤ 0.05), code one blastocysts (BC1) and BLAST (p ≤ 0.01). Cortisol affected total COCs (COCsT), VIAB and total matured in vitro (TMIV) (p ≤ 0.01), as well as CLI, BC1 (p ≤ 0.01) and BLAST (p ≤ 0.05). Insulin affected COCsT (p ≤ 0.01), UNV (p ≤ 0.05), denuded oocytes (DE) (p ≤ 0.01), BC1 and code two blastocysts (BC2) (p ≤ 0.01). Glucose affected all COC variables (p ≤ 0.01), except UNV and all embryo variables except BC2. HR affected COCsT, DE, TMIV (p ≤ 0.01), CLI, BLAST and DEG (p ≤ 0.05). RR affected COCsT, UNV, VIAB, CLI (p ≤ 0.05), BC1, BLAST and DEG (p ≤ 0.01). RT only affected DE, VIAB (p ≤ 0.01) and BLAST (p ≤ 0.05). The seasonal climatic year variation of Veracruz and changes in physiological and hormonal variables have diverse effects on the cumulus-oocyte complexes and embryos produced by RM and TM donors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Froylan Rosales-Martínez
- Facultad Maya de Estudios Agropecuarios, Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas, Catazajá C.P. 29980, Chiapas, Mexico;
| | - Carlos Miguel Becerril-Pérez
- Colegio de Postgraduados, Programa de Agroecosistemas Tropicales, Campus Veracruz, Manlio Fabio Altamirano C.P. 94251, Veracruz, Mexico;
- Colegio de Postgraduados, Programa de Ganadería, Campus Montecillo, Texcoco C.P. 56230, Estado de México, Mexico;
| | - Adalberto Rosendo-Ponce
- Colegio de Postgraduados, Programa de Agroecosistemas Tropicales, Campus Veracruz, Manlio Fabio Altamirano C.P. 94251, Veracruz, Mexico;
| | - Alberto Riaño-Gaya
- Reproducción Genética Avanzada RGA In Vitro, Boca del Río C.P. 94299, Veracruz, Mexico;
| | - César Cortez-Romero
- Colegio de Postgraduados, Campus San Luis, Salinas de Hidalgo C.P. 78622, San Luis Potosí, Mexico;
| | - Jaime Gallegos-Sánchez
- Colegio de Postgraduados, Programa de Ganadería, Campus Montecillo, Texcoco C.P. 56230, Estado de México, Mexico;
| | - Salvador Romo-García
- Facultad de Estudios Superiores de Cuautitlán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuatitlán Izcalli C.P. 54714, Estado de México, Mexico;
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Tara A, Singh P, Gautam D, Tripathi G, Uppal C, Malhotra S, De S, Singh MK, Telugu BP, Selokar NL. CRISPR-mediated editing of β-lactoglobulin (BLG) gene in buffalo. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14822. [PMID: 38937564 PMCID: PMC11211398 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65359-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Milk is a good source of nutrition but is also a source of allergenic proteins such as α-lactalbumin, β-lactoglobulin (BLG), casein, and immunoglobulins. The Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)/Cas technology has the potential to edit any gene, including milk allergens. Previously, CRISPR/Cas has been successfully employed in dairy cows and goats, but buffaloes remain unexplored for any milk trait. In this study, we utilized the CRISPR/Cas9 system to edit the major milk allergen BLG gene in buffaloes. First, the editing efficiency of designed sgRNAs was tested in fibroblast cells using the T7E assay and Sanger sequencing. The most effective sgRNA was selected to generate clonal lines of BLG-edited cells. Analysis of 15 single-cell clones, through TA cloning and Sanger sequencing, revealed that 7 clones exhibited bi-allelic (-/-) heterozygous, bi-allelic (-/-) homozygous, and mono-allelic (-/+) disruptions in BLG. Bioinformatics prediction analysis confirmed that non-multiple-of-3 edited nucleotide cell clones have frame shifts and early truncation of BLG protein, while multiple-of-3 edited nucleotides resulted in slightly disoriented protein structures. Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) method was used to produce blastocyst-stage embryos that have similar developmental rates and quality with wild-type embryos. This study demonstrated the successful bi-allelic editing (-/-) of BLG in buffalo cells through CRISPR/Cas, followed by the production of BLG-edited blastocyst stage embryos using SCNT. With CRISPR and SCNT methods described herein, our long-term goal is to generate gene-edited buffaloes with BLG-free milk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aseem Tara
- Animal Biotechnology Division (ABTD), ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, 132001, India
| | - Priyanka Singh
- Animal Biotechnology Division (ABTD), ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, 132001, India
| | - Devika Gautam
- Animal Biotechnology Division (ABTD), ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, 132001, India
| | - Gaurav Tripathi
- Animal Biotechnology Division (ABTD), ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, 132001, India
| | - Chirag Uppal
- Animal Biotechnology Division (ABTD), ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, 132001, India
| | - Shreya Malhotra
- Animal Biotechnology Division (ABTD), ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, 132001, India
| | - Sacchinandan De
- Animal Biotechnology Division (ABTD), ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, 132001, India
| | - Manoj K Singh
- Animal Biotechnology Division (ABTD), ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, 132001, India
| | - Bhanu P Telugu
- Division of Animal Science, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
| | - Naresh L Selokar
- Animal Biotechnology Division (ABTD), ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, 132001, India.
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Butkiewicz AF, Amaral A, Cerveira-Pinto M, Kordowitzki P. Assessing the Influence of Maternal Age in Bovine Embryos and Oocytes: A Model for Human Reproductive Aging. Aging Dis 2024:AD.2024.0305. [PMID: 38916737 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2024.0305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
In the first weeks after fertilization, embryo mortality in cattle is significantly higher. It is well known that the age of the dam is one of the crucial factors affecting the quality of embryos and oocytes in many mammalian species. In older cattle, there are several evidences that embryo quality decreases, due to a decrease in ovarian reserve, a decrease in mtDNA and ATP, a decrease in progesterone levels, and due to susceptibility to genetic mutations. Herein, we intend to provide an updated summary of recent research on the effects of maternal age on embryos and oocytes of domestic cattle which are a widely used model species for human oocytes and early embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksander Franciszek Butkiewicz
- Department of Basic and Preclinical Sciences, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Lwowska 1, 87-100 Toruń, Poland
| | - Ana Amaral
- CIISA-Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Marta Cerveira-Pinto
- CIISA-Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Pawel Kordowitzki
- Department of Basic and Preclinical Sciences, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Lwowska 1, 87-100 Toruń, Poland
- Department of Gynaecology, European Competence Center for Ovarian Cancer, Charité, Berlin, Germany
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6
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Zavaleta-Martínez A, Barrientos-Morales M, Medina VA, Rodríguez-Andrade A, Cervantes-Acosta P, Hernández-Beltran A, Avendaño-Reyes L, Domínguez-Mancera B. Evaluation of intrinsic and extrinsic factors affecting pregnancy rate in dual-purpose cows under tropical conditions. Trop Anim Health Prod 2024; 56:163. [PMID: 38740713 DOI: 10.1007/s11250-024-04016-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Embryo transfer (ET) in bovines was created with the purpose of increasing the pregnancy rate (PR) of animals with high genetic value; however, multiple factors have been found to affect the success of this reproductive biotechnology. These factors are frequently grouped in intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Thus, the objective of the present experiments was to assess the effect of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on the pregnancy rate under tropical conditions. To do this a total of 648 embryo transfer (ET) procedures were performed between January and December 2021. The intrinsic factors were size and location of the corpus luteum, body condition, genetic group, age and parity; while extrinsic factors were location of the farm, environmental comfort, season in which the ET was carried out, prevailing weather conditions, and the preservation, quality, and the development stage of embryos at the time of ET. A χi2 was used for analysis of main effects, and logistic regression analysis to calculate the probability of pregnancy and the association between intrinsic or extrinsic factors; additionally, a multivariate analysis of data clusters was used to find a linkage between the effects. While recipient female age had a negative effect (Odds ratio = 0.345-0.871) on PR (p < 0.05), being higher in younger cows, the rest of the intrinsic factors did not affect the PR. The significant (p < 0.05) extrinsic factors were THI category, season of year and type of embryo preservation, showing that the highest PR (p < 0.05) was obtained in the comfort THI category, during the winter season and using fresh embryos for transfer. The clustering analysis did not show any linkage between PR and intrinsic factors, while a linkage (p < 0.05) was found with season of the year and embryo preservation as extrinsic factors. It is concluded that age of the recipient cow and environmental conditions at the time of the embryo transfer are key factors to be considered for a successful pregnancy rate from in-vitro ET programs using dual-purpose cows under tropical conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Victor Abasalon Medina
- Department of Clinical Studies Section of Reproduction and Behavior, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania New Bolton Center, Kennett Square, 19348, USA
| | - Araceli Rodríguez-Andrade
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Tecnológico Nacional de México/Veracruz Institute of Technology, 91897, Veracruz, Mexico
| | | | | | - Leonel Avendaño-Reyes
- Institute of Agricultural Sciences of the Autonomous University of Baja California, Mexicali, México
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7
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Alkan H, Tekindal MA, Demirel MA, Soyturk BI, Golbasi M, Deniz YE, Satilmis F, Alkan KK. Effect of strategies to increase progesterone levels on fertility of bovine embryo transfer recipients - A meta-analysis. Theriogenology 2024; 215:177-186. [PMID: 38086311 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2023.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
The pregnancy rate following embryo transfer (ET) is a very important factor in the success of embryo production programs. Different strategies were therefore developed to increase pregnancy rates. The aim of this meta-analysis was to investigate the effects of hormone treatments used to increase the success of embryo transfer programs on pregnancy rates. A meta-analysis was performed of 46 trials from 39 publications involving treated (n = 7856) and control (n = 6663) cattle. The meta-analysis explained the effect size with its 95 % confidence interval (CI) for pregnancy per embryo transfer (P/ET) after hormonal treatment under different moderators. Hormonal support was found to increase P/ET compared to the control group (P < 0.05). However, GnRH treatment was found to increase P/ET by approximately 4.3 % and hCG treatment by 8.0 %. Progesterone supplementation was not found to have a statistically significant effect on P/ET. In addition, GnRH treatment significantly increased P/ET when used to transfer in vitro or frozen-thawed embryos or in studies using cows as recipients. It was observed that hCG treatment had a positive effect on P/ET according to all moderators. Progesterone supplementation significantly increased P/ET when frozen embryos were transferred and reduced P/ET, especially in publications where fresh or in vitro produced embryos were transferred or cows were used as recipients. The results of this meta-analysis showed that the use of GnRH, and hCG, in bovine embryo transfer programs increased P/ET, whereas the use of progesterone had no effect on P/ET. However, it was found that P/ET could increase/decrease depending on the moderator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasan Alkan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey.
| | - Mustafa Agah Tekindal
- Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir Katip Çelebi University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Akif Demirel
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey
| | - Berrak Isik Soyturk
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey
| | - Maide Golbasi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, Muğla, Turkey
| | - Yunus Emre Deniz
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey
| | - Fatma Satilmis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey
| | - Kubra Karakas Alkan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey
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Tsopp E, Kilk K, Taalberg E, Pärn P, Viljaste-Seera A, Kavak A, Jaakma Ü. Associations of the Single Bovine Embryo Growth Media Metabolome with Successful Pregnancy. Metabolites 2024; 14:89. [PMID: 38392981 PMCID: PMC10890179 DOI: 10.3390/metabo14020089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
This study investigated whether metabolomic fingerprints of bovine embryo growth media improve the prediction of successful embryo implantation. In this prospective cohort study, the metabolome from in vitro-produced day 7 blastocysts with successful implantation (n = 11), blastocysts with failed implantation (n = 10), and plain culture media without embryos (n = 5) were included. Samples were analyzed using an AbsoluteIDQ® p180 Targeted Metabolomics Kit with LC-MS/MS, and a total of 189 metabolites were analyzed from each sample. Blastocysts that resulted in successful embryo implantation had significantly higher levels of methionine sulfoxide (p < 0.001), DOPA (p < 0.05), spermidine (p < 0.001), acetylcarnitine-to-free-carnitine ratio (p < 0.05), C2 + C3-to-free-carnitine ratio (p < 0.05), and lower levels of threonine (nep < 0.001) and phosphatidylcholine PC ae C30:0 (p < 0.001) compared to control media. However, when compared to embryos that failed to implant, only DOPA, spermidine, C2/C0, (C2 + C3)/C0, and PC ae C30:0 levels differentiated significantly. In summary, our study identifies a panel of differential metabolites in the culture media of bovine blastocysts that could act as potential biomarkers for the selection of viable blastocysts before embryo transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elina Tsopp
- Chair of Animal Breeding and Biotechnology, Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 51006 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Kalle Kilk
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Egon Taalberg
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Pille Pärn
- Chair of Animal Breeding and Biotechnology, Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 51006 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Anni Viljaste-Seera
- Chair of Animal Breeding and Biotechnology, Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 51006 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Ants Kavak
- Chair of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 51006 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Ülle Jaakma
- Chair of Animal Breeding and Biotechnology, Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 51006 Tartu, Estonia
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Park J, Lee W, Saadelin IM, Bang S, Lee S, Yi J, Cho J. Improved pregnancy rate and sex ratio in fresh/frozen in vivo derived embryo transfer of Hanwoo ( Bos taurus coreanae) cows. JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 2023; 65:779-791. [PMID: 37970502 PMCID: PMC10640948 DOI: 10.5187/jast.2023.e69] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to assess the effects of embryonic developmental stage, quality grade, and fresh or frozen/thawed conditions on the pregnancy rate and sex ratio of live offspring in Hanwoo (Bos taurus coreanae) cows. The quality and developmental stage of in vivo-derived (IVD) transferred embryos were evaluated using the standard criteria of the International Embryo Technology Society. The recipient cows were synchronized using conventional (estradiol benzoate and progesterone) protocols before embryo transfer. Embryos were transferred to 297 cows, and pregnancy was monitored for 60-70 days after embryo transfer. The pregnancy rates of fresh and frozen/thawed embryos were 56.90% and 52.49%, respectively. Pregnancy rates varied according to embryo quality (56.18% for grade 1 vs. 36.67% for grade 2). Pregnancy rates also varied by developmental stage and cryopreservation (67.86% vs. 63.49% for stage 4-1, 64.00% vs. 54.72% for 5-1, and 50.00% vs. 47.83% for 6-1, in fresh embryos vs. frozen/thawed embryos, respectively). For stage 7-1, the pregnancy rates were 72.73% for fresh embryos and 20.00% for frozen/thawed embryos. In 66 fresh embryos, the sex ratio of live offspring was 5:5, whereas it was 4(female):6(male) for frozen/thawed embryos among the 95 frozen/thawed embryos. The miscarriage rate was approximately 3% higher for frozen/thawed embryos than for fresh embryos (18.1% for fresh vs. 21.1% for frozen). Seasonal fertility rates were 33.3% in spring, 55.67% in summer, 52.8% in autumn, 60.0% in winter. The following male-to-female ratios were observed in different seasons: 6.7:3.3 in spring, 4.0:6.0 in summer, 5.5:4.5 in autumn, and 3.3:6.7 in winter. The current data revealed no significant differences in pregnancy rates between fresh and frozen/thawed IVD embryos. However, there was a lower pregnancy rate with advanced-stage frozen/thawed embryos (stage 7-1). The current study provides comprehensive results for the better optimization of embryo transfer in Hanwoo cattle to obtain the desired fertility rate, pregnancy rate, and sex ratio of calves. These results provide important insights into the factors that influence the viability and success of IVD embryo transfer in Hanwoo cows and may have practical applications for improving breeding programs and reducing production costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihyun Park
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam
National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
| | | | - Islam M. Saadelin
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam
National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
| | - Seonggyu Bang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam
National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
| | - Sanghoon Lee
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam
National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
| | - Junkoo Yi
- School of Animal Life Convergence Science,
Hankyong National University, Anseong 17579, Korea
- Gyeonggi Regional Research Center,
Hankyong National University, Anseong 17579, Korea
| | - Jongki Cho
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam
National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
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10
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Guo Y, Bai J, Zhang Z, Liu Y, Lu S, Liu C, Ni J, Zhou P, Fu X, Sun WQ, Wan P, Shi G. Pregnancy of Cryopreserved Ovine Embryos at Different Developmental Stages. CRYOLETTERS 2022. [DOI: 10.54680/fr22510110512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Developmental stage and cryopreservation method have significant impact on the pregnancy rate after transfer of embryos produced in vivo. OBJECTIVE: To determine the pregnancy outcomes from ovine embryos cryopreserved at different developmental stages. MATERIALS
AND METHODS: Embryos at different developmental stages were obtained from donor ewes through simultaneous estrus treatment and laparoscopic artificial insemination. Embryos, either cryopreserved via vitrification or slow freezing method, were implanted into recipient ewes. The pregnancy
rate was determined 35 days after transfer. RESULTS: The pregnancy rate of developing embryos increases after transfer from the morula stage, early blastocyst to expanded blastocyst stages (64.9%, 73.9% and 81.3%, respectively). However, cryopreservation significantly decreases the
pregnancy rate of embryos at all three developmental stages, and there is no significant difference among developmental stages (43.9%, 43.7%, 52.9%, respectively). There is also no significant difference in the pregnancy rate between slowly-frozen embryos and vitrified embryos. CONCLUSION:
The pregnancy outcomes of embryo transfer is better at the expanded blastocyst stage than at earlier stages. However, no difference is observed in the pregnancy rate of embryos at different developmental stage after cryopreservation, either by slow freezing and vitrification. Cryopreservation
methods for ovine embryos, both slow freezing and vitrification, need further improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanhua Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Sheep Genetic Improvement and Healthy Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi, Xinjiang, P.R. China
| | - Jiachen Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Sheep Genetic Improvement and Healthy Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi, Xinjiang, P.R. China
| | - Zhenliang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Sheep Genetic Improvement and Healthy Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi, Xinjiang, P.R. China
| | - Yucheng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Sheep Genetic Improvement and Healthy Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi, Xinjiang, P.R. China
| | - Shouliang Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Sheep Genetic Improvement and Healthy Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi, Xinjiang, P.R. China
| | - Changbin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Sheep Genetic Improvement and Healthy Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi, Xinjiang, P.R. China
| | - Jianhong Ni
- State Key Laboratory of Sheep Genetic Improvement and Healthy Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi, Xinjiang, P.R. China
| | - Ping Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Sheep Genetic Improvement and Healthy Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi, Xinjiang, P.R. China
| | - Xiangwei Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Sheep Genetic Improvement and Healthy Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi, Xinjiang, P.R. China
| | - Wendell Q. Sun
- Institute of Biothermal Science and Technology, School of Health Science and Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Pengcheng Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Sheep Genetic Improvement and Healthy Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi, Xinjiang, P.R. China
| | - Guoqing Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Sheep Genetic Improvement and Healthy Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi, Xinjiang, P.R. China
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11
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Gutiérrez-Reinoso MA, Aguilera CJ, Navarrete F, Cabezas J, Castro FO, Cabezas I, Sánchez O, García-Herreros M, Rodríguez-Alvarez L. Effects of Extra-Long-Acting Recombinant Bovine FSH (bscrFSH) on Cattle Superovulation. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12020153. [PMID: 35049777 PMCID: PMC8772581 DOI: 10.3390/ani12020153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the last few years, several commercial FSH products have been developed for cattle superovulation (SOV) purposes in Multiple Ovulation and Embryo Transfer (MOET) programs. The SOV response is highly variable among individuals and remains one of the main limiting factors in obtaining a profitable number of transferable embryos. In this study, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) from different origins was included in two SOV protocols, (a) FSH from purified pig pituitary extract (NIH-FSH-p; two doses/day, 12 h apart, four consecutive days); and (b) extra-long-acting bovine recombinant FSH (bscrFSH; a single dose/day, four consecutive days), to test the effects of bscrFSH on the ovarian response, hormone profile levels, in vivo embryo production and the pluripotency gene expression of the obtained embryos. A total of 68 healthy primiparous red Angus cows (Bos taurus) were randomly distributed into two experimental groups (n = 34 each). Blood sample collection for progesterone (P4) and cortisol (C) level determination was performed together with ultrasonographic assessment for ovarian size, follicles (FL) and corpora lutea (CL) quantification in each SOV protocol (Day 0, 4, 8, and 15). Moreover, FSH profiles were monitorised throughout both protocols (Day 0, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 15). In vivo embryo quantity and quality (total structures, morulae, blastocysts, viable, degenerated and blocked embryos) were recorded in each SOV protocol. Finally, embryo quality in both protocols was assessed by the analysis of the expression level of crucial genes for early embryo development (OCT4, IFNt, CDX2, BCL2, and BAX). P4 and cortisol concentration peaks in both SOV protocols were obtained on Day 15 and Day 8, respectively, which were statistically different compared to the other time-points (p < 0.05). Ovarian dimensions increased from Day 0 to Day 15 irrespective of the SOV protocol considered (p < 0.05). Significant changes in CL number were observed over time till Day 15 irrespective of the SOV protocol applied (p < 0.05), being non- significantly different between SOV protocols within each time-point (p > 0.05). The number of CL was higher on Day 15 in the bscrFSH group compared to the NIH-FSH-p group (p < 0.05). The number of embryonic structures recovered was higher in the bscrFSH group (p = 0.025), probably as a result of a tendency towards a greater number of follicles developed compared to the NIH-FSH-p group. IFNt and BAX were overexpressed in embryos from the bscrFSH group (p < 0.05), with a fold change of 16 and 1.3, respectively. However, no statistical differences were detected regarding the OCT4, CDX2, BCL2, and BCL2/BAX expression ratio (p > 0.05). In conclusion, including bscrFSH in SOV protocols could be an important alternative by reducing the number of applications and offering an improved ovarian response together with better embryo quality and superior performance in embryo production compared to NIH-FSH-p SOV protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel A. Gutiérrez-Reinoso
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Animal, Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción (UdeC), Chillán 3780000, Chile; (M.A.G.-R.); (C.J.A.); (F.N.); (J.C.); (F.O.C.)
- Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias y Recursos Naturales, Carrera de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Técnica de Cotopaxi (UTC), Latacunga 050150, Ecuador
| | - Constanza J. Aguilera
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Animal, Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción (UdeC), Chillán 3780000, Chile; (M.A.G.-R.); (C.J.A.); (F.N.); (J.C.); (F.O.C.)
| | - Felipe Navarrete
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Animal, Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción (UdeC), Chillán 3780000, Chile; (M.A.G.-R.); (C.J.A.); (F.N.); (J.C.); (F.O.C.)
| | - Joel Cabezas
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Animal, Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción (UdeC), Chillán 3780000, Chile; (M.A.G.-R.); (C.J.A.); (F.N.); (J.C.); (F.O.C.)
| | - Fidel O. Castro
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Animal, Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción (UdeC), Chillán 3780000, Chile; (M.A.G.-R.); (C.J.A.); (F.N.); (J.C.); (F.O.C.)
| | - Ignacio Cabezas
- Departamento de Ciencias Clínicas, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción (UdeC), Chillán 3780000, Chile;
| | - Oliberto Sánchez
- Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Victor Lamas 1290, Concepcion 4070386, Chile;
| | - Manuel García-Herreros
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária (INIAV), 2005-048 Santarém, Portugal
- Correspondence: (M.G.-H.); (L.R.-A.); Tel.: +56-42-220-8835 (L.R.-A.); Fax: +351-24-3767 (M.G.-H.) (ext. 330)
| | - Lleretny Rodríguez-Alvarez
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Animal, Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción (UdeC), Chillán 3780000, Chile; (M.A.G.-R.); (C.J.A.); (F.N.); (J.C.); (F.O.C.)
- Correspondence: (M.G.-H.); (L.R.-A.); Tel.: +56-42-220-8835 (L.R.-A.); Fax: +351-24-3767 (M.G.-H.) (ext. 330)
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12
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Madureira AML, Burnett TA, Marques JCS, Moore AL, Borchardt S, Heuwieser W, Guida TG, Vasconcelos JLM, Baes CF, Cerri RLA. Occurrence and greater intensity of estrus in recipient lactating dairy cows improve pregnancy per embryo transfer. J Dairy Sci 2021; 105:877-888. [PMID: 34656349 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2021-20437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the association between occurrence and intensity of estrous expression with pregnancy success in recipient lactating dairy cows subjected to embryo transfer (ET). Two observational studies were conducted. Holstein cows were synchronized using the same timed ET protocol, based on estradiol and progesterone in both experiments. At 9 d after the end of the timed ET protocol only animals that had ovulated were implanted with a 7-d embryo [experiment 1 (Exp. 1); n = 1,401 ET events from 1,045 cows, and experiment 2 (Exp. 2); n = 1,147 ET events from 657 cows]. Embryos were produced in vivo (Exp. 1 and Exp. 2) and in vitro (only Exp. 2), then transferred to recipient cows as fresh or frozen-thawed. Pregnancy was confirmed at 29 and 58 d after the end of timed ET protocol. In Exp. 1, animals had their estrous expression monitored through a tail chalk applied on the tail head of the cows and evaluated daily for chalk removal (no estrus: 100% of chalk remaining; estrus: <50% of chalk remaining). In Exp. 2, cows were continuously monitored by a leg-mounted automated activity monitor. Estrous expression was quantified using the relative increase in physical activity at estrus in relation to the days before estrus. Estrous expression was classified as no estrus [<100% relative increase in activity (RI)], weak intensity (100-299% RI), and strong intensity (≥300% RI). Data were analyzed by analysis of variance using mixed linear regression models (GLIMMIX) in SAS (SAS Institute Inc.). A total of 65.2% (914/1,401) and 89.2% (1,019/1,142) of cows from Exp. 1 and Exp. 2, respectively, displayed estrus at the end of the ovulation synchronization protocol. In Exp. 1, cows expressing estrus before to ET had greater pregnancy per ET than those that did not [41.0 ± 2.3% (381/914) vs. 31.5 ± 2.9% (151/487), respectively]. Similarly, in Exp. 2, cows classified in the strong intensity group had greater pregnancy per ET compared with cows in the weak intensity and no estrus groups [41.3 ± 2.2% (213/571) vs. 32.7 ± 2.7% (115/353) vs. 11.3 ± 3.5% (26/218), respectively]. There was no effect of ET type on pregnancy per ET in Exp. 1. However, in Exp. 2, cows that received an in vivo-produced embryo, either fresh or frozen, had greater pregnancy per ET compared with cows that received in vitro-produced embryo. Cows receiving embryos in the early blastocyst and blastocyst stage had greater fertility compared with cows receiving embryos in the morula stage. There was an interaction between the occurrence of estrus and the stage of embryo development on pregnancy per ET, cows which displayed estrus and received a morula or early blastocyst had greater pregnancy per ET than cows that did not display estrus. In conclusion, the occurrence and the intensity of estrous expression improved pregnancy per ET in recipient lactating dairy cows and thus could be used as a tool to assist in the decision making of reproduction strategies in dairy farms.
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Affiliation(s)
- A M L Madureira
- Applied Animal Biology, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4
| | - T A Burnett
- Applied Animal Biology, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4; Ridgetown Campus, University of Guelph, Ridgetown, ON, Canada, N0P 2C0
| | - J C S Marques
- Applied Animal Biology, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4
| | - A L Moore
- Applied Animal Biology, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4
| | - S Borchardt
- Clinic of Animal Reproduction, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Berlin, Germany, 14163
| | - W Heuwieser
- Clinic of Animal Reproduction, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Berlin, Germany, 14163
| | - T G Guida
- Department of Animal Production, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil 18168-000
| | - J L M Vasconcelos
- Department of Animal Production, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil 18168-000
| | - C F Baes
- Centre for Genetic Improvement of Livestock, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada, N1G 2W1; Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3002 Bern, Switzerland
| | - R L A Cerri
- Applied Animal Biology, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4.
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13
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Karasahin T, Alkan H, Satilmis F, Dursun S, Erdem H. Effect of flunixin meglumine treatment during and after embryo transfer on the pregnancy rate in cattle. Reprod Domest Anim 2021; 56:1555-1561. [PMID: 34523163 DOI: 10.1111/rda.14019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to determine the effect of flunixin meglumine treatment during and after the transfer of in vivo produced embryos to Angus (cows) and Holstein (cows and heifers) breeds of cattle on pregnancy rate. Holstein cows were used as donors in the study. A double dose of prostaglandin F2α was administered to the recipient animals for synchronization. Uterine flushing was performed in donors on day 7 after artificial insemination. A total of 295 transferable embryos were obtained. These embryos were transferred to Angus cows (n = 85), Holstein heifers (n = 80) and Holstein cows (n = 130). After the transfer, these animals were divided into three subgroups. The first subgroup (TI) was administered flunixin meglumine during embryo transfer, and the second subgroup (TII) was administered flunixin meglumine both during embryo transfer and on days 8 and 9 after the transfer. The third subgroup (TIII) was not administered anything and it was considered the control group. Pregnancy examination of the recipients was performed on days 30-35 after the transfer using real-time ultrasonography. The pregnancy rates after embryo transfer were found to be 43.52% in Angus cows, 42.5% in Holstein heifers, and 24.61% in Holstein cows (p < .05). When the animals were not classified according to breed, the pregnancy rates in subgroups TI, TII and TIII were found to be 29.29%, 45.10% and 29.79%, respectively (p < .05). In addition, the pregnancy rates were higher in TII and TIII subgroups of Angus cows and Holstein heifers compared to that of Holstein cows (p < .05). As a result, the pregnancy rates obtained after embryo transfer in Angus cows and Holstein heifers were found to be higher than that in Holstein cows. In addition, it was concluded that the administration of flunixin meglumine during and during/after embryo transfer has a positive effect on pregnancy rates in Angus cows and Holstein heifers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tahir Karasahin
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aksaray University, Aksaray, Turkey
| | - Hasan Alkan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey
| | - Fatma Satilmis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey
| | - Sukru Dursun
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aksaray University, Aksaray, Turkey
| | - Huseyin Erdem
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey
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