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Journal of Animal Science Jun 2022The primary objective of this study was to determine if estrus activity and reproductive tract size and position score (SPS) are associated with pregnancy outcomes in...
The primary objective of this study was to determine if estrus activity and reproductive tract size and position score (SPS) are associated with pregnancy outcomes in Bos indicus (Nelore) and Bos taurus (Angus) beef cows. In study 1, multiparous Nelore cows (n = 1,280) were artificially inseminated at a fixed time (FTAI, day 0) using an estradiol and progesterone (P4)-based estrus synchronization protocol. In study 2, multiparous Angus cows (n = 764) were artificially inseminated at a fixed time (FTAI, day 0) using a gonadotropin-releasing hormone and P4-based estrus synchronization protocol. Estrus activity was assessed using Estrotect heat detector patches and scored on day 0 using the following scoring system: 0 (patch was lost, most likely due to repeated mounting), 1 (<25% activation), 2 (≥25%, <50% activation), 3 (≥50%, <75% activation), or 4 (>75% activation) where patch scores of 1 and 2 signified no or limited estrus activity, whereas scores of 0, 3, and 4 had increased estrus activity. Reproductive tract SPS were assigned on day 0 as SPS1: small and compact resting within the pelvic cavity; SPS2: intermediate, resting partially outside the pelvic cavity; and SPS3: larger and resting outside the pelvic cavity. Pregnancy diagnosis was performed by ultrasound on day 30 and 100 after FTAI. Cows were determined as undergoing pregnancy loss if a viable embryo with heartbeat was detected at day 30 but was no longer present at day 100. Pregnancy rate at day 30 was influenced by estrus activity and SPS in both Nelore (P = 0.004) and Angus (P = 0.009) cows. Specifically, cows with smaller reproductive tracts (SPS1) had greater (P < 0.001) pregnancy rate when estrus was expressed before FTAI. There was no effect of estrus activity nor reproductive tract size on pregnancy loss between day 30 and 100 for both breeds. In summary, estrus activity before FTAI may influence reproductive outcomes differently depending on size and position of the reproductive tract at time of breeding.
Topics: Animals; Cattle; Estrus; Estrus Synchronization; Female; Fertility; Insemination, Artificial; Pregnancy; Reproduction
PubMed: 35648125
DOI: 10.1093/jas/skac141 -
Animal : An International Journal of... May 2022Fertility is one of the most economically important traits in farm animals, due to the direct and indirect costs associated to low pregnancy rates. Thus, one of the...
Fertility is one of the most economically important traits in farm animals, due to the direct and indirect costs associated to low pregnancy rates. Thus, one of the priority goals in animal reproduction is to predict the performance that the semen doses will have in vivo based on the quality values obtained in laboratory assays. Attempts have been made for getting a predictive model of fertility of frozen-thawed sperm in dairy goats, but similar studies have not been conducted for chilled goat buck sperm doses that are mostly used for artificial insemination in many countries including Spain. We study how parameters of in vitro sperm quality and characteristics of Murciano-Granadina dairy goats may affect the in vivo fertility obtained after artificial insemination with semen doses chilled at 4 °C. Moreover, this information was used for obtaining predictive models of the fertility. Sixty-three ejaculates from 13 males were used to prepare chilled doses for the insemination of 495 goats over 13 sessions. Fresh and chilled sperm were evaluated for motility and plasma membrane integrity with a computer-assisted sperm analysis system and flow cytometry, respectively. Fertility was determined at parturition, according to the kidding goats. Overall fertility was 59.6%. Pearson's correlation coefficients between in vivo fertility and quality variables of fresh sperm were not significant and were low (below 0.34 in absolute value) for chilled sperm. Females' characteristics had a low negative impact on fertility (correlation coefficients of -0.19 with age, -0.20 with parturitions and -0.11 with total milk yield obtained in the best lactation). Fixed and mixed logistic regression procedures were used trying to explain the fertility results. None of the models accurately predicted fertility, but the best models included the percentage of total motile sperm or average path velocity from fresh semen, age of the females and the session effect (uncontrolled environmental effects). These analyses showed that primiparous goats were 2.42 times more likely to get pregnant than goats that had kidded four or more times. Our field assay data on fertility in Murciano-Granadina dairy goats highlighted the importance of making quality controls of sperm, of choosing the doses presenting high percentages of motile sperm exhibiting regular trajectories and of selecting the youngest goats for AI, after their first kidding. Efforts should continue to obtain better predictive models for improving fertility in goat dairy herds.
Topics: Animals; Cryopreservation; Female; Fertility; Goats; Insemination, Artificial; Male; Plant Breeding; Pregnancy; Semen Preservation; Sperm Motility; Spermatozoa
PubMed: 35468505
DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2022.100525 -
Journal of Dairy Science Jan 2018Identifying cows in estrus remains a challenge on dairy cattle farms, and tools and technologies have been developed and used to complement or replace visual detection... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
Performance of automated activity monitoring systems used in combination with timed artificial insemination compared to timed artificial insemination only in early lactation in dairy cows.
Identifying cows in estrus remains a challenge on dairy cattle farms, and tools and technologies have been developed and used to complement or replace visual detection of estrus. Automated activity monitoring (AAM) systems and timed artificial insemination (TAI) are technologies available to dairy farmers, but many factors can influence their relative performance. The objective of the present study was to compare reproductive performance of cows managed with an AAM system combined with TAI, or with a TAI program (Double Ovsynch) for insemination before 88 DIM. From April 2014 to April 2015, 998 cows from 2 herds were randomly assigned either to be inseminated at 85 ± 3 DIM exclusively using the Double Ovsynch protocol for TAI, or to be inseminated based on estrus detection by AAM without hormonal intervention between 50 and 75 DIM; if no alarm was detected by 75 DIM, cows were inseminated following the single Ovsynch protocol (AAM + Ovsynch). The herds used different AAM systems. Parity, hyperketonemia at wk 1 and 2 postpartum (PP), purulent vaginal discharge at wk 5 PP, body condition score at wk 7 PP, and anovulation to wk 9 PP were recorded. These health indicators did not significantly differ between treatments, but did between herds. The effect of treatment on pregnancy at first insemination and by 88 DIM were assessed using logistic regression models. Time to pregnancy was assessed using survival analysis. Results are reported from intention-to-treat analyses. Treatment did not affect pregnancy at first insemination or pregnancy by 88 DIM, but we found significant interactions between treatment and herd for both outcomes. In herd 2, marginal mean pregnancy at first AI was greater with Double Ovsynch (38%) than AAM + Ovsynch (31%), but no difference was observed in herd 1 (Double Ovsynch = 31%; AAM + Ovsynch = 34%). By 88 DIM, a smaller proportion of cows in herd 1 were pregnant in Double Ovsynch (31%) than AAM + Ovsynch (49%), but there was no difference in herd 2 (Double Ovsynch = 38%; AAM + Ovsynch = 38%). We observed a treatment by herd interaction for median (95% confidence interval) time to pregnancy, which were, in herd 1, 110 (106 to 129) and 98 (88 to 113) d, and, in herd 2, 126 (113 to 139) and 116 (105 to 131) d for the Double Ovsynch and AAM + Ovsynch treatments, respectively. The relative performance of AAM-based reproductive management compared with TAI only is likely influenced by herd-specific variables, in particular related to insemination rate when estrus detection is employed.
Topics: Animals; Cattle; Dairying; Estrus; Estrus Detection; Estrus Synchronization; Female; Insemination, Artificial; Lactation; Logistic Models; Monitoring, Physiologic; Parity; Postpartum Period; Pregnancy; Reproduction; Time Factors
PubMed: 29055551
DOI: 10.3168/jds.2016-12256 -
The Western Journal of Medicine Dec 1996
Topics: Cytoplasm; Female; Fertilization in Vitro; Humans; Insemination, Artificial; Male; Microinjections; Oocytes; Pregnancy; Spermatozoa
PubMed: 9000859
DOI: No ID Found -
Fertility and Sterility Sep 1978
Topics: Female; Freezing; Humans; Insemination, Artificial; Male; Preservation, Biological; Spermatozoa
PubMed: 710607
DOI: No ID Found -
Journal of Dairy Science Jan 2010Field data were collected over a period of 2 yr by artificial insemination technicians for the purpose of evaluating differences among bulls in their fertility when...
Field data were collected over a period of 2 yr by artificial insemination technicians for the purpose of evaluating differences among bulls in their fertility when synchronization and semen sorting were involved. First, main effects of synchronization and semen sorting were found to reduce bull fertility by 1.5 and 12.7%, respectively. Second, the interaction of both factors with bull fertility significantly enhanced the evaluation models. Differences between 2 sets of adjusted conception rates for synchronized and nonsynchronized services ranged from 0.5 to 2.9%, whereas differences between 2 sets of adjusted conception rates for sorted and conventional semen ranged from -1.8 to 15.2%. This implies that using conventional fertility models that ignore these effects may not be sufficiently accurate in situations where synchronization or semen sorting are involved. Accounting for synchronization and especially for semen sorting to evaluate bulls on their fertility and the production of separate sets of conception rates under each situation are essential.
Topics: Animals; Cattle; Estrus Synchronization; Female; Fertility; Insemination, Artificial; Male; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Rate; Semen
PubMed: 20059941
DOI: 10.3168/jds.2009-2342 -
Theriogenology Jul 2018Recent research has indicated that the interval between inseminations in modern dairy cattle is often longer than the commonly accepted cycle length of 18-24 days. This...
Recent research has indicated that the interval between inseminations in modern dairy cattle is often longer than the commonly accepted cycle length of 18-24 days. This study analysed 257,396 inseminations in 75,745 cows from 312 herds in England and Wales. The interval between subsequent inseminations in the same cow in the same lactation (inter-service interval, ISI) were calculated and inseminations categorised as successful or unsuccessful depending on whether there was a corresponding calving event. Conception risk was calculated for each individual ISI between 16 and 28 days. A random effects logistic regression model was fitted to the data with pregnancy as the outcome variable and ISI (in days) included in the model as a categorical variable. The modal ISI was 22 days and the peak conception risk was 44% for ISIs of 21 days rising from 27% at 16 days. The logistic regression model revealed significant associations of conception risk with ISI as well as 305 day milk yield, insemination number, parity and days in milk. Predicted conception risk was lower for ISIs of 16, 17 and 18 days and higher for ISIs of 20, 21 and 22 days compared to 25 day ISIs. A mixture model was specified to identify clusters in insemination frequency and conception risk for ISIs between 3 and 50 days. A "high conception risk, high insemination frequency" cluster was identified between 19 and 26 days which indicated that this time period was the true latent distribution for ISI with optimal reproductive outcome. These findings suggest that the period of increased numbers of inseminations around 22 days identified in existing work coincides with the period of increased probability of conception and therefore likely represents true return estrus events.
Topics: Animals; Bayes Theorem; Cattle; Female; Insemination, Artificial; Logistic Models; Pregnancy; Time Factors
PubMed: 29684810
DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2018.03.029 -
Fertility and Sterility Feb 1981Whenever male infertility is resistant to therapy, artificial donor insemination (AID) may be employed as a very efficient tool to provide the infertile couple with the...
Whenever male infertility is resistant to therapy, artificial donor insemination (AID) may be employed as a very efficient tool to provide the infertile couple with the desired child. Two hundred and seventy cases of AID were reviewed for the following information: indication for AID, age of the female partner, length and type of infertility, socioeconomic state, ovulatory pattern prior to and following initiation of the AID program, acceptance of the procedure by the male partner, and outcome of pregnancies. The over-all pregnancy rate was 85.2%. There were 159 live births, 2 perinatal deaths, 38 spontaneous abortions, 1 ectopic pregnancy, and 1 therapeutic abortion due to rubella infection. Forty patients discontinued treatment with or without notification. Treatment success was significantly affected by age of the woman, duration of infertility, socioeconomic state of the couple, and the husband's acceptance of the AID procedure. Of all pregnancies, 86.5% occurred within six treatment cycles. Repeated pregnancies required similar numbers of treatment courses per pregnancy.
Topics: Abortion, Incomplete; Adult; Female; Humans; Infertility, Female; Insemination, Artificial; Insemination, Artificial, Heterologous; Male; Ovulation; Pregnancy; Socioeconomic Factors; Time Factors
PubMed: 7202742
DOI: 10.1016/s0015-0282(16)45319-7 -
Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 1998After describing the site of fertilisation and that of the functional sperm reservoir in the female tract, proposals are made concerning a modified site of sperm... (Review)
Review
After describing the site of fertilisation and that of the functional sperm reservoir in the female tract, proposals are made concerning a modified site of sperm deposition in cattle. By means of a deep pre-ovulatory insemination into the ipsilateral uterine horn, the chances should be raised of establishing viable spermatozoa in the isthmus where they would undergo a form of physiological encapsulation and storage. Release and activation of such spermatozoa would be prompted by imminent ovulation. Potential advantages of this approach include those of raising the overall fertility of genetically valuable bulls whose non-return rates are sub-optimal; reducing the number of spermatozoa in each insemination dose; using effectively the limited numbers of sex-selected sperm cells (X and Y chromosome bearing spermatozoa) currently available from flow cytometry. Putative disadvantages might include rectal palpation of the ovaries to locate the pre-ovulatory follicle; perforation of the uterine wall by the deep insemination catheter; risk of polyspermic fertilisation; and the inappropriateness of the technique for non-clinically qualified inseminators. Each of these reservations is responded to in a rational manner. Given a change of attitude, a modified technique of insemination would be feasible under commercial conditions and might give a welcome boost to a sagging artificial insemination industry.
Topics: Animals; Cattle; Female; Genitalia, Female; Insemination, Artificial; Male
PubMed: 9787479
DOI: 10.1186/BF03547788 -
Zoo Biology Mar 2020All extant species in the Rhinocerotidae family are experiencing escalating threats in the wild, making self-sustaining captive populations essential genetic reservoirs...
All extant species in the Rhinocerotidae family are experiencing escalating threats in the wild, making self-sustaining captive populations essential genetic reservoirs for species survival. Assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) will become increasingly important for achieving and maintaining ex situ population sustainability and genetic diversity. Previous reports have shown that a large proportion of captive southern white rhinoceros (SWR) females are irregularly cyclic or acyclic, and that cycling females display two different estrous cycle lengths of approximately 30 or 70 days. It has been suggested that the longer estrous cycle length is infertile or subfertile, as no term pregnancies have been observed following long cycles. Here we report the achievement of two pregnancies following long luteal phases, using ovulation induction and artificial insemination with either fresh or frozen-thawed semen. One female SWR conceived on the first insemination attempt and gave birth to a live offspring. A second female conceived twice in consecutive long cycles although the first embryo was resorbed by 33 days post-insemination. A pregnancy from this female's second insemination is ongoing with expected parturition in November 2019. Whether prolonged estrous cycles in SWR are subfertile or infertile in natural breeding situations remains unclear. However, our findings demonstrate that the application of ARTs following prolonged cycles can result the successful establishment of pregnancies in SWR. Therefore, with ARTs, female SWR otherwise considered nonreproductive due to long estrous cycles may still have the potential for representation and contribution to the ex situ population.
Topics: Animals; Estrous Cycle; Female; Insemination, Artificial; Luteal Phase; Male; Ovulation Induction; Perissodactyla; Pregnancy
PubMed: 31797432
DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21529