The use of ultrasonography in the reproductive evaluation of boars

The objective was to study the use of ultrasound as a complementary test in the breeding soundness evaluation in male pigs and study the pattern of echogenicity of the testicular parenchyma in boars of different racial groups. Twenty‐six adult boars from four different racial groups were used, 10 from the Piau breed (group 1), four from the commercial and finishing group (group 2), six Pietrain breed (group 3) and six from the Duroc breed (group 4). All animals were evaluated for breeding soundness evaluation and the ultrasound examination of the testicles. The groups of animals that were evaluated showed no difference in the main semen parameters that were evaluated, except for the sperm volume, concentration of the ejaculated sperm and the supravital staining; the lowest figures were for the animals from the Piau breed (group 1). In relation to the testicular biometrics, Duroc animals (group 4) had a greater scrotal width compared to the other groups. But when we assessed the intensity of pixels of the testicles, there was a difference between groups. The groups 2 (finishing animals), 3 (Pietrain) and 4 had no difference between themselves. Group 3 had greater pixel intensity in relation to group 1. Of the 26 animals studied, five showed an abnormality during ultrasound evaluation, like hydrocele, hyperechoic mass in the testicular parenchyma, cyst in the head of the epididymis and the presence of fluid in the head and tail of the epididymis. The various animal groups studied did not differ in the principal reproductive parameters evaluated, showing that despite the great variability of reproductive traits between breeds and within the same breed, the breeding soundness evaluation, the more complete it is, is essential for the selection of breeders and the ultrasonography of the reproductive system becomes an important addition in this examination.     

Setaria digitata was the main cause of equine neurological ataxia in Korea: 50 cases (2015–2016)

This study was performed to examine and clarify the cause of hindlimb ataxia and neuropathy seen in the South Korean horse population. Fifty horses diagnosed with hindlimb ataxia and neuropathy were referred for this study. Neurological examination was performed on 47 horses while necropsy was performed in all 50 animals. The occurrence of neurological diseases increased rapidly in the summer and 47 out of 50 horses were referred after the end of July. The incidence of neurological diseases started from the southern part of Korea in July and proceeded northward in August and September. Although there was no correlation with age, Thoroughbred and Warmblood horses showed a higher incidence rate than Halla and Jeju horses. The incidence rate was 5 times higher in geldings than in mares and stallions. Of the 20 cases, 16 were diagnosed with eosinophilic meningoencephalomyelitis in 2015. The most common lesions observed in 2016 were parasitic meningoencephalomyelitis (10 cases, 33%) and eosinophilic meningomyelitis (7 cases, 23%). Histopathological analysis of the brain and spinal cord revealed nematodes of approximately 100–200 µm in diameter, microcavitation and infiltrates of eosinophils, and brown pigmented macrophage infiltrates. The nematodes were identified as Setaria digitata via DNA sequencing, performed subsequent to polymerase chain reaction using DNA isolated from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections of the spinal cord. These results show that aberrant migration of Setaria digitata larva in the brain and spinal cord was a major cause for neurological signs in horses.     

Cryopreservation of Piau‐Breed Wild Boar Sperm: Assessment of Cooling Curves and Centrifugation Regimes

This study aimed to assess the effects of different cooling curves and centrifugation regimes used in cryopreservation protocols on the post‐thaw viability of Piau‐breed wild boar (Sus scrofa) sperm using in vitro assessment tests. Two centrifugations (800  g for 10 min and 2400  g for 3 min) and two cooling curves (conventional cooling using nitrogen vapour – freezing 1 and automated cooling using a programmed freezing machine – freezing 2) were tested. Therefore, the treatments were divided into M3 – centrifugation at 2400  g for 3 min and freezing 2; M10 – centrifugation at 800  g for 10 min and freezing 2; R3 – centrifugation at 2400  g for 3 min and freezing 1; and R10 – centrifugation at 800  g for 10 min and freezing 1. No significant differences (p > 0.05) between treatments occurred post‐thawing regarding the total sperm motility means recorded. The mean values of the different treatments were not different from each other regarding the supravital staining (SV), hypo‐osmotic test (HO), sperm–egg binding assay or sperm morphology. This study showed that both the cooling curve and the centrifugation regime affected the quality of post‐thaw sperm, and centrifugation for shorter times and cooling curves using automated cooling are the most suitable for minimizing sperm injury.     

Gaseous-diffusion porometer for continuous measurement of diffusive resistance of leaves

We describe a porometer that enables continuous monitoring of the stomatal diffusive resistance of leaves. The flux is measured of a gas-such as nitrous oxide-diffusing through a leaf that divides an enclosing chamber into two compartments. Nitrous oxide is added in known concentration to the airstream passing through the compartment on one side of the leaf and is recovered from the airstream passing through the opposite compartment. From measurements of the difference in concentration across the leaf and of the flux, the diffusive resistance of the leaf to N(2)O is calculated; this value, adjusted for resistance external to the leaf, gives a continuous record of internal diffusive resistance. This record can be made simultaneously with measurements of transpiration and photosynthesis.     

Effect of Early Postpartum Ovulation on Fertility in Dairy Cows

Our objectives were to determine the effects of early ovulation on fertility and uterine health of dairy cows. Four hundred and forty‐five Holstein cows (185 primiparous and 260 multiparous) from five herds were used. Blood samples were collected at 21, 35 and 49 days in milk (DIM) and cows were considered to be cyclic at 21 DIM (Cyc21) if serum progesterone (P4) concentration was above 1 ng/ml, cyclic by 49 DIM (Cyc49) if P4 concentration was above 1 ng/ml at 35 or 49 DIM, or not cyclic (NotCyc) if P4 concentration was below 1 ng/ml at all sample times. Endometrial cytology for diagnosis of subclinical endometritis was examined at 49 DIM in a subset of 414 cows. Cows in the group Cyc21 had increased hazard of insemination, for the first service, compared with cows in Cyc49 [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.40; 95% CI = 1.10–1.79; p = 0.006] and NotCyc (HR = 2.07; 95% CI = 1.52–2.82; p < 0.001). Cows in the Cyc49 group also had increased hazard of insemination compared with cows in the NotCyc group (HR = 1.47; 95% CI = 1.13–1.93; p = 0.005). Median days to insemination were, respectively, 71, 76 and 96 for cows in Cyc21, Cyc49 and NotCyc groups. Cows in Cyc21 had greater first service pregnancy per AI than Cyc49 [38.6 vs 28.1%; adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.67; 95% CI = 1.01–2.75; p = 0.04] and NotCyc (38.6 vs 23.6%; AOR = 2.08; 95% CI = 1.08–4.00; p = 0.03). Pregnancy per AI was similar in Cyc49 and NotCyc cows (28.1 vs 23.6%; AOR = 1.25; 95% CI = 0.70–2.24; p = 0.45). Cows in Cyc21 had increased hazard of pregnancy up to 300 DIM compared with Cyc49 (HR = 1.52; 95% CI = 1.17–1.96; p = 0.002) and NotCyc (HR = 1.98; 95% CI = 1.41–2.78; p < 0.001). Cows in Cyc49 tended to have increased hazard of pregnancy compared with NotCyc (HR = 1.31; 95% CI = 0.96–1.77; p = 0.09). Median days to pregnancy were, respectively, 103, 147 and 173 for cows in Cyc21, Cyc49 and NotCyc groups. Cows in the Cyc21 group had decreased prevalence of subclinical endometritis compared with cows in the NotCyc group (29.9 vs 43.7%; AOR = 0.53; 95% CI = 0.29–0.97; p = 0.04); however, the prevalence did not differ from the Cyc49 group (29.9 vs 39.1%; AOR = 0.68; 95% CI = 0.41–1.14; p = 0.15). Cyc49 cows had similar prevalence of subclinical endometritis compared with NotCyc cows (AOR = 0.77; 95% CI = 0.46–1.29; p = 0.32). Early postpartum ovulation was associated with improved uterine health and fertility.     

Sexual Precocity of Nellore Bulls that are Offspring of Super Precocious,Precocious and Normal Cows in Extensive Farming Conditions

The objective of this work was to verify that mothers classified as super precocious (M1) and precocious (M2) produce more precocious bulls than females classified as normal (M3). This study included 21 186 animals with an average age of 21.29 ± 1.77 months that underwent a breeding soundness evaluation from 1999 to 2008. Of these animals, 2019, 6059 and 13 108 were offspring of M1, M2 and M3 females, respectively. In the breeding soundness examination, the animals were classified as sound for reproduction, sound under a natural mating regime, unsound for reproduction and discarded. To compare the averages obtained for each category of mother within the individual breeding soundness classes, a chi‐square test with a 5% error probability was used, considering the effects of year and month of birth and farm. For the three classes of mothers (M1, M2 and M3), 67.26, 67.22 and 64.16% of bull calves were considered sound for reproduction and 19.71, 19.46 and 21.90% were considered unsound for reproduction, respectively. There was no difference in the frequency of animals that were sound for reproduction under the natural breeding regime between the three classes of mothers (8.87, 9.31 and 9.19%, respectively). There was a difference between the numbers of precocious and normal females that were discarded, with frequencies of 4.01 and 4.75%, respectively (p < 0.05). There were differences in year and month of birth and farm between super precocious and precocious cows in relation to the breeding soundness classification of the animals. It was concluded that the bull offspring of super precocious and precocious cows presented a higher percentage of approval in the breeding soundness examination than the bull offspring of normal cows, demonstrating that the selection for precocity of females has contributed to an increase in the sexual precocity of the herd in relation to the sexual maturity of bulls.     

Testosterone serum profile,semen characteristics and testicular biometry of Mangalarga Marchador stallions in a tropical environment

This study was conducted to characterize the daily profile of testosterone secretion and its mean concentrations in the four seasons as well as to evaluate the semen characteristics and testicular biometry of Mangalarga Marchador stallions throughout the year in a tropical region. Three stallions were submitted to semen collections and evaluation of testicular biometry every 14 days along a year. Blood samples were collected once at the middle of each season, in a 20‐min interval during 24 hr in order to evaluate the testosterone secretion profiles among seasons. Testosterone concentrations along the day were higher at the beginning of the afternoon (from 12:00 to 15:00 hr), but a circadian secretion was not clearly observed. Mean testosterone concentrations did not differ among seasons (p > .05), but a pattern of secretion along the day showed variations with higher concentrations in the afternoon during the winter. Ejaculate volume was higher during summer; however, sperm motility decreased in summer and spring. Total sperm in ejaculate, sperm morphology and testicular biometry kept constant along the year showing no differences among the seasons. The results demonstrated that in a tropical region, reproductive aspects of stallions did not show a clearly defined seasonal variation, and months of autumn and winter were not unsuitable for reproduction of the males.     

Immotile Short‐Tail Sperm Defect in Nelore (Bos taurus indicus) Breed Bulls

This case study reported the presence of short tail sperm defect in the semen of three Nelore breed bulls. The sperm presented 0% of motility in the three animals evaluated and a total of 70%, 61% and 34% of pathologies of the intermediate piece of the tail respectively for animals 1, 2 and 3. It was identified that animals 2 and 3 had high degree of inbreeding, although no relationship was found with animal 1. Animal 2 was the only one that presented inbreeding coefficient (6.25%). His half‐sib (animal 3) and animal 1, from the same herd, had shown no inbreeding, showing that inheritance is not the only determinant factor for its incidence on Nelore males.     

Bilateral Sertoli and Interstitial Cell Tumours in Abdominal Testes of a Goat with Polled Intersex Syndrome (PIS)

An 8‐year‐old, mixed breed, polled goat was presented for evaluation of male‐like behaviour. Clinical findings included clitoromegaly, a heavily muscled neck, pronounced beard, and erect dorsal guard hairs, which are phenotypic characteristics commonly observed in intersex animals. Transrectal ultrasonography revealed the presence of two abdominal masses caudolateral to the uterine horns. Serum concentration of estradiol was elevated. Genetic evaluation was compatible with polled intersex syndrome defined by an XX karyotype without a Y chromosome or SRY gene. Based on gross and histologic evaluation, the abdominal masses were determined to be intra‐abdominal testes, each of which was effaced by Sertoli cell and interstitial (Leydig) cell tumours. The Sertoli cell tumours (SCTs) represented two unique histologic patterns. Regardless of pattern, neoplastic Sertoli cells were consistently lipid laden and positive for vimentin. Interstitial cell tumours (ICTs) were negative for vimentin. Clinical and histopathologic findings suggest that prolonged exposure to steroids secreted by neoplastic Sertoli cells contributed to virilization. In addition, results from immunohistochemistry indicated that vimentin may be a valuable immunodiagnostic tool for differentiation between interstitial and Sertoli cell tumours in goats.