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Feltes GL, Campos GS, Raidan FSS, Feres LFR, Ribeiro VMP, Cobuci JA. Comparing Bayesian models for the genetic evaluation of oocytes and embryo counts in Dairy Gir cattle. J Appl Genet 2024; 65:591-600. [PMID: 38570427 DOI: 10.1007/s13353-024-00862-3] [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: 12/02/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Count traits are usually explored in livestock breeding programs, and they usually do not fit into normal distribution, requiring alternatives to adjust the phenotype to estimate accurate genetic parameters and breeding values. Alternatively, distribution such as Poisson can be used to evaluate count traits. This study aimed to compare and discuss the genetic evaluation for oocyte and embryo counts considering Gaussian (untransformed variable - LIN; transformed by logarithm - LOG; transformed by Anscombe - ANS) and Poisson (POI) distributions. The data comprised 11,343 total oocytes (TO), viable oocytes (VO), cleaved embryos (CE), and viable embryo (VE) records of ovum pick-up from 1740 Dairy Gir heifers and cows. The genetic parameters and breeding values were estimated by the MCMCglmm package of the R software. The posterior means of heritability varied from 0.40 (LIN) to 0.49 (POI) for TO, 0.39 (LIN) to 0.49 (POI) for VO, 0.30 (LOG) to 0.41 (POI) for cleaved embryos, and 0.19 (LIN) to 0.32 (POI) for viable embryos. The posterior means of repeatability varied from 0.56 (LIN) to 0.65 (POI) for TO, 0.53 (LOG) to 0.63 (POI) for VO, 0.44 (LOG) to 0.60 (POI) for CE, and 0.36 (LOG) to 0.56 (POI) for VE. Deviance information criterion and mean squared residuals indicated that POI model should be used for the genetic evaluation of embryo and oocyte count traits. Spearman's rank correlation between estimated breeding value (EBV) for embryo and oocyte count traits computed by POI, LOG, and ANS models was high (ranging from 0.77 to 0.99), indicating little reranking among the best animals. The POI model is the most adequate for genetic evaluation, resulting in more reliable EBV of oocyte and embryo count traits for Dairy Gir cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovani Luis Feltes
- Departamento de Zootecnia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 7712 Agronomia, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 91509-900, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Soares Campos
- Departamento de Zootecnia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 7712 Agronomia, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 91509-900, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Jaime Araújo Cobuci
- Departamento de Zootecnia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 7712 Agronomia, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 91509-900, Brazil.
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Machado AF, Rocha RDFB, Dos Santos RM, Toral FLB, Netto DDSL, Guimarães JD, Gomez-Leon VE, Facioni Guimarães SE. Genetic parameters for oocytes and embryo production and their association with linear type traits in dairy Gyr Cattle. J Dairy Sci 2024:S0022-0302(24)01037-3. [PMID: 39067753 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2024-24926] [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: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
In vitro embryo production is one of the main reproductive techniques used in dairy Gyr cattle. In addition, linear type measures are well characterized and have been used in dairy Gyr breed selection for the last 4 decades. The estimation of genetic parameters for the number of aspirated oocytes and in vitro-produced embryos associated with the linear type measures would support genetic progress for animal breeding programs toward embryo production. This study aimed to estimate genetic parameters for aspirated oocytes, embryo in vitro production, and linear type traits, exploring the association between them. The repeatability model was applied to 14,251 ovum pick-up events from 1,916 Gyr donors. A subset of 604 donors from the same group had their body measurements taken. Single- and 2-trait analyses were carried out using the BLUPF90 family programs. Heritability estimates of 0.38, 0.34, and 0.20 were obtained for total oocytes, viable oocytes, and embryos, respectively,-and the heritability of the linear type traits ranged from 0.22 to 0.40. High genetic correlations between total oocytes and viable oocytes (0.99), and between oocytes (total and viable) and embryos (0.83) were obtained. Low to high genetic (-0.07 to 0.92) and phenotypic (0.32 to 0.86) correlations were obtained between the linear type traits. Moreover, low phenotypic correlations (0.01 to 0.13) were observed for oocytes (total and viable) and embryos with the linear type traits, whereas low to moderate genetic correlations (0.07 to 0.42) were observed between the same traits, especially for ilium width (0.42), rump area (0.38), and hip height (0.33). Thus, selection for in vitro production is achievable in Gyr dairy cattle, and superior genetic progress is associated with the selection of oocytes (total and viable). Furthermore, the moderate genetic association between oocytes and embryos with linear type traits, especially ilium width suggests that progress on in vitro embryo production may be achieved by accessing these measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andréia Ferreira Machado
- Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 36570-900; Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA, 66506
| | | | - Rafael Monteiro Dos Santos
- Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 31270-901
| | - Fabio Luiz Buranelo Toral
- Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 31270-901
| | | | - José Domingos Guimarães
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 36570-900
| | - Victor E Gomez-Leon
- Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA, 66506
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Machado AF, Facioni Guimarães SE, Lollobrigida de S Netto D, Guimarães JD, Alves Torres CA, Sanglard LP, Gomez-Leon VE. Phenotypic and genetic relationships among anogenital distance, anti-Müllerian hormone, and in vitro embryo production in Gyr dairy cattle. J Dairy Sci 2024; 107:2512-2523. [PMID: 37863293 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2023-23497] [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: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) concentration and number of recovered oocytes (ROOC) are phenotypic parameters associated with in vitro embryo production (IVEP). More recently, anogenital distance (AGD) has been proposed as a proxy for fertility in dairy cattle that is easy to collect at a low cost. The aim of this study was to characterize the AGD and its phenotypic and genetic associations with AMH and IVEP in Bos indicus Gyr dairy cattle. The hypothesis was that the number of ROOC, in vitro-produced embryos, and AMH concentration would increase as the AGD decreases. From July to December 2021, a single morphometrical measurement of AGD was collected in 552 donors from 6 herds in Brazil. A subset of donors had AMH assayed on the same day. Only ovum pick-up events that occurred up to 12 mo preceding and 7 mo succeeding the AGD measurement were used to assess the association between AGD, AMH, and IVEP. Thus, 472 donors (1,551 ovum pick-up events and 140 donors with AMH) were considered in the analysis. A raw average was calculated for each individual donor's ROOC, viable oocytes, total produced embryos, viability rate, and embryo rate (defined as total produced embryos/viable oocytes). Comparisons were conducted within the age categories of 3 to <6 yr or 6 to <10 yr. Phenotypic associations were performed in SAS software (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC). Genetic correlations were estimated using the BLUPF90 family of programs. The AGD (128.7 mm ± 14; mean ± standard deviation) had a normal distribution and was highly variable (83 to 172 mm) among the Gyr population. Our experimental hypothesis was partially supported by a phenotypic association of a greater number of total produced embryos (R2 = 0.023) as AGD decreased. Our results failed to support an increase in AMH concentration along with a decrease in AGD. In addition, positive and low genetic correlations were observed between AGD and viable oocytes (r = 0.08), and embryo rate (r = 0.20). A greater number of viable oocytes and embryos were observed in donors in the high compared with intermediate and low ROOC categories within both age categories. The age interval of 3 to <6 yr showed a greater number of recovered and viable oocytes for the high AMH compared with the low category, but no differences were observed among the AGD categories. In summary, for the Gyr breed, AGD was phenotypically inversely associated with a quantity-related parameter, such as the total number of produced embryos. In contrast, AGD showed a low genetic correlation with qualitative-related outcomes such as viable oocytes and embryo rate. Further studies should be performed to validate these retrospective analyses and to better understand the association between AGD and IVEP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andréia Ferreira Machado
- Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506; Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil 36570
| | | | | | - José Domingos Guimarães
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil 36570
| | - Ciro A Alves Torres
- Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil 36570
| | - Leticia P Sanglard
- Department of Animal Science, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583
| | - Victor E Gomez-Leon
- Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506.
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Feltes GL, Negri R, Raidan FSS, Viana AFP, Feres LFR, Ribeiro VMP, Cobuci JA. Impact of heat stress on genetic evaluation of oocyte and embryo production in Gir dairy cattle. Trop Anim Health Prod 2023; 56:7. [PMID: 38063913 DOI: 10.1007/s11250-023-03850-7] [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: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Identifying and selecting genotypes tolerant to heat stress might improve reproductive traits in dairy cattle, including oocyte and embryo production. The temperature-humidity index (THI) was used, via random regression models, to investigate the impact of heat stress on genetic parameters and breeding values of oocyte and embryo production in Gir dairy cattle. We evaluated records of total oocytes (TO), viable oocytes (VO), cleaved embryos (CE), and viable embryos (VE) from dairy Gir donors. Twenty-four models were tested, considering age at ovum pick-up (AOPU) and THI means as a regressor in the genetic evaluation. We computed THI in eight periods, from 0 to 112 days before ovum pick-up, which were adjusted by different orders of Legendre polynomials (second, third, and fourth). The best-fit model according to Akaike's information criterion (AIC) and Model Posterior Probabilities (MPP) considered Legendre polynomials of third order and THI means of 112 days for TO, fourth order and 56 days for VO, second order and 28 days for CE, and second order and 42 days for VE, respectively. The heritability (h2) estimates across AOPU and THI scales ranged from 0.34 to 0.62 for TO, 0.31 to 0.58 for VO, 0.26 to 0.39 for CE, and 0.15 to 0.26 for VE, respectively. The fraction of the phenotypic variance explained by the permanent environment in different AOPU and THI scales ranged from 0.03 to 0.25 for TO, 0.05 to 0.26 for VO, 0.09 to 0.36 for CE, and 0.15 to 0.27 for VE, respectively. Spearman's rank correlation between the estimated breeding values in different AOPU and THI scale from the top 5% sires and females ranged from 0.18 to 0.90 for TO, 0.31 to 0.95 for VO, 0.14 to 0.85 for CE, and 0.47 to 0.94 for VE, respectively. The h2 estimates for all evaluated traits varied from moderate to high magnitude across AOPU and THI scales, indicating that genetic selection can result in rapid genetic progress for the evaluated traits. There was a reranking among the best animals in different AOPU and THI. It is possible to select dairy Gir cattle tolerant to heat stress to improve oocyte and embryo production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovani Luis Feltes
- Departamento de Zootecnia, Faculdade de Agronomia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, no 7.712, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 91540-000, Brazil
| | - Renata Negri
- Associação Brasileira dos Criadores de Girolando, Uberaba, MG, Brasil
| | | | - Alexandra Fabielle Pereira Viana
- Departamento de Zootecnia, Faculdade de Agronomia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, no 7.712, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 91540-000, Brazil
| | | | | | - Jaime Araújo Cobuci
- Departamento de Zootecnia, Faculdade de Agronomia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, no 7.712, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 91540-000, Brazil.
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Huang Y, Zhang H, Mei C, Yang M, Zhao S, Zhu H, Wang Y. Phenotypic and Genetic Analyses of In Vitro Embryo Production Traits in Chinese Holstein Cattle. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3539. [PMID: 38003156 PMCID: PMC10668646 DOI: 10.3390/ani13223539] [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: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Ovum pick up and in vitro embryo production (OPU-IVEP) is an essential technique in the dairy industry. The production efficiency of OPU-IVEP is significantly influenced by various factors, and phenotypic and genetic characteristics are highly variable in different populations. The objectives of this study were (1) to reveal the phenotypic characteristics, including population distribution, and impacts of donor age and month on in vitro embryo production and (2) to estimate genetic parameters for five in vitro embryo production traits in Chinese Holstein cattle. A total of 7311 OPU-IVEP records of 867 Holstein heifers from August 2021 to March 2023 were collected in this study. Five in vitro embryo production traits were defined, including the number of cumulus-oocyte complexes (NCOC), the number of cleaved embryos (NCLV), the number of grade I embryos (NGE), and the proportion of NCLV to NCOC (PCLV) and NGE to NCOC (PGE). A univariate repeatability animal model was employed to estimate heritability and repeatability, and a bivariate repeatability animal model was employed to estimate the genetic correlations among five in vitro embryo production traits. It was found that the in vitro embryo production traits were significantly influenced by season, as the NGE and PGE were significantly decreased from June to August. In addition, the production efficiency of OPU-IVEP was also influenced by donor age. On the observed scale, the estimates of heritability were 0.33 for NCOC, 0.24 for NCLV, 0.16 for NGE, 0.06 for PCLV, and 0.10 for PGE, respectively. On the log-transformed scale, the estimates of heritability of NCOC, NCLV, and NGE were 0.34, 0.18, and 0.13. The genetic correlations among NCOC, NCLV, and NGE ranged from 0.61 (NCLV and NGE) to 0.95 (NCOC and NCLV), considering both scales. However, there were low genetic correlations between NCOC and proportion traits (PCLV and PGE) on both the observed scale and the log-transformed scale. In the end, the variation in Chinese Holstein cattle was found to be considerable. The EBV value and average NCOC, NGE, and PGE for the top 10% donors presented extreme differences to those for the bottom 10% donors for NCOC (24.02 versus 2.60), NGE (3.42 versus 0.36), and PGE (30.54% versus 3.46%). Overall, the results of this study reveal that in vitro embryo production traits are heritable with low to high heritability, and the count traits (NCOC, NCLV, and NGE) and proportion traits (PCLV and PGE) reflect different aspects of in vitro embryo production and should be incorporated into genetic selection for improving the embryo production efficiency of dairy cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuechuan Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Farm Animal Biotech Breeding, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproductive of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (Y.H.); (H.Z.)
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China
| | - Hailiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Farm Animal Biotech Breeding, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproductive of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (Y.H.); (H.Z.)
| | - Cheng Mei
- Dongying Auatasia Modern Animal Husbandry Co., Ltd., Dongying 257300, China; (C.M.); (M.Y.)
| | - Minglu Yang
- Dongying Auatasia Modern Animal Husbandry Co., Ltd., Dongying 257300, China; (C.M.); (M.Y.)
| | - Shanjiang Zhao
- Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China;
| | - Huabin Zhu
- Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China;
| | - Yachun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Farm Animal Biotech Breeding, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproductive of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (Y.H.); (H.Z.)
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Bayesian estimation of genetic parameters for superovulatory response traits in Japanese Black donor cows using count data models. Theriogenology 2022; 190:38-45. [DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2022.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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