Effect of Oxytocin Treatment on Artificial Insemination with Frozen–Thawed Semen in Murciano–Granadina Goats

The site where the semen is deposited appears to be one of the most important factors affecting pregnancy of inseminated goats. In Murciano–Granadina (MG) goats, post-cervical insemination is achieved in a limited number of females. An effective way to increase fertility rate could be by increasing post-cervical inseminations. Effect of exogenous oxytocin application to facilitate the cervical penetration and its effect on kidding rate and prolificacy in MG goats were investigated. Oestrus was synchronized using progesterone-impregnated sponges for 11 days. Females were randomly divided into three groups (n = 190) and received either an i.v. injection of 100 or 200 IU of oxytocin or saline solution 15 min before being inseminated. Data on semen deposition depth were recorded for each animal using a catheter scaled in centimetres (up to 4 cm). Depth of semen deposition was affected by the oxytocin treatment (p < 0.05). Oxytocin enhanced cervical passage only with the dose of 200 IU compared with the control group, increasing the deposition depth (2.9 cm vs 1.9 cm). No significant effect of oxytocin treatment on kidding rate and prolificacy was detected. Depth of semen deposition affected kidding rate (p < 0.01). In conclusion, oxytocin treatment improved the depth of semen deposition in AI of MG goats, but kidding rate and prolificacy was not affected. More studies must be conducted to assess the minimal effective dose required for sufficient cervical dilation, and to determine the effects of such doses of oxytocin on uterine motility, sperm transport and fertility in goats.     

In Vitro assessment of the nutritive value of expanded soybean meal for dairy cattle

ABSTRACT: Little information is available about the nutritive value of expanded soybean meal, which is produced by expansion of soybeans prior to solvent extraction of the oil. During processing, expanded soybean meal is subjected to additional heat, which might increase the concentration of ruminally undegraded protein. Processing of soybeans with heat during oil extraction could affect lysine availability by increasing ruminally undegraded protein or by impairing intestinal digestion. Our objective was to compare solvent and expanded soybeans with regard to chemical composition and nutritive value for dairy cattle. Samples of expanded soybean meal (n = 14) and solvent-extracted soybean meal (n = 5) were obtained from People's Republic of China to study effects of the expansion process on nutritive value for dairy cattle. Solvent-extracted soybean meal (n = 2) and mechanically extracted (heated) soybean meal (n = 2) from the United States served as references for comparison. Samples were analyzed for crude fat, long-chain fatty acids, crude protein, amino acids, chemically available lysine, in situ ruminal protein degradation, and in vitro intestinal digestibility. No differences were found between solvent-extracted soybean meals from China and expanded soybean meals from China for crude fat, crude protein, amino acids, or chemically available lysine. In situ disappearance of nitrogen, ruminally undegraded protein content, and in vitro intestinal digestion of the ruminally undegraded protein were generally similar between solvent-extracted soybean meals made in China and expanded soybean meals made in China; variation among soybean meals was small. Results indicate that the additional heat from the expansion process was not great enough to affect the nutritive value of soybean meal protein for ruminants. Although expansion may improve the oil extraction process, the impact on the resulting soybean meal is minimal and does not require consideration when formulating ruminant diets.     

In Vitro assessment of the nutritive value of expanded soybean meal for dairy cattle

Little information is available about the nutritive value of expanded soybean meal, which is produced by expansion of soybeans prior to solvent extraction of the oil. During processing, expanded soybean meal is subjected to additional heat, which might increase the concentration of ruminally undegraded protein. Processing of soybeans with heat during oil extraction could affect lysine availability by increasing ruminally undegraded protein or by impairing intestinal digestion. Our objective was to compare solvent and expanded soybeans with regard to chemical composition and nutritive value for dairy cattle. Samples of expanded soybean meal (n = 14) and solvent- extracted soybean meal (n = 5) were obtained from People’s Republic of China to study effects of the expansion process on nutritive value for dairy cattle. Solvent-extracted soybean meal (n = 2) and mechanically extracted (heated) soybean meal (n = 2) from the United States served as references for comparison. Samples were analyzed for crude fat, long-chain fatty acids, crude protein, amino acids, chemically available lysine, in situ ruminal protein degradation, and in vitro intestinal digestibility. No differences were found between solvent-extracted soybean meals from China and expanded soybean meals from China for crude fat, crude protein, amino acids, or chemically available lysine. In situ disappearance of nitrogen, ruminally undegraded protein content, and in vitro intestinal digestion of the ruminally undegraded protein were generally similar between solvent-extracted soybean meals made in China and expanded soybean meals made in China; variation among soybean meals was small. Results indicate that the additional heat from the expansion process was not great enough to affect the nutritive value of soybean meal protein for ruminants. Although expansion may improve the oil extraction process, the impact on the resulting soybean meal is minimal and does not require consideration when formulating ruminant diets.     

Factors Affecting Pregnancy Rate in Artificial Insemination with Frozen Semen During Non-Breeding Season in Murciano–Granadina Goats: a Field Assay

An artificial insemination programme was carried out to study the effect of factors such as depth of semen deposition, inseminator skill, farm, sire and expression of oestrus on pregnancy rate in Murciano-Granadina (MG) goats during non-breeding season and using frozen semen. Frozen-thawed semen from six males was applied by three technicians to inseminate a total of 551 goats in 17 farms distributed throughout the Mediterranean area of Spain. Pregnancy rate was determined at 6 weeks after insemination by transabdominal ecography. Overall pregnancy rate was 57%. Farm and depth of semen deposition affected pregnancy rate, whereas the sire and the technician had no effect. The deeper the semen was deposited in the genital tract, the higher was the rate of pregnancy obtained, being greater when the catheter reached the uterus. In spite of the relevant difference observed (48.2% vs 59.0%), pregnancy rate of females not coming into oestrus until 30 h after sponge removal was not significantly different, compared with those showing oestrus during the OD procedure. In conclusion, our field assay data on AI in MG goat with frozen-thawed semen showed that post-cervical insemination presented significantly greater pregnancy rate in comparison to when semen is deposited in the vagina or in the caudal part of the cervix.     

The effect of medetomidine and its antagonism with atipamezole on stress-related hormones, metabolites, physiologic responses, sedation, and analgesia in goats

Six 3‐year‐old goats (three males and three females) weighing 60.0 ± 18 kg (mean ± SD) were used to investigate the effect of medetomidine (MED; 20 µg kg^?1 IV) and its antagonism with atipamezole (ATI; 100 µg kg^?1 IV) on physiologic responses (heart rate (HR; beats minute^?1), respiratory rate (RR; breaths minute^?1), electrocardiogram (ECG), rectal temperature (T; °C), blood pressure (oscillometric; mm Hg), sedation (SED), posture (REC), analgesia (ALG), and stress‐related hormonal and metabolic responses (epinephrine and norepinephrine (high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection), cortisol (COR; µg dL^?1; radioimmunoassay), glucose (GLU; mg mL^?1; enzymatic colorimetric assay), and free fatty acids (modified enzymatic colorimetric assay)); each goat received ATI or SAL in random order separated by 1 week. Jugular catheters were placed for drug administration and blood sampling (10–12 mL sample^?1) using a lidocaine skin block (20 mg) 2 hours prior to beginning of each trial; during this trial, goats breathed room air. Physiologic parameters were measured, SED, REC, and ALG were scored, and blood samples were collected from jugular catheters at baseline (time = ?30 minutes), 5 minutes post‐MED administration (time = ?25 minutes), 25 minute post‐MED administration and immediately prior to antagonism (time = 0 minute), and at 5, 30, 60, and 120 minutes after administering ATI or SAL. ALG was tested by clamping the withers and metacarpus with hoof testers fitted with a force transducer to measure applied isometric force (lb) (a technique used previously in goats to evaluate analgesia). Continuous variables were analyzed by Repeated Measures analysis of variance (anova ); categorical data were analyzed using a Friedman Repeated Measures anova on ranks. A p‐value of <0.05 was considered significant. If a significant difference was found, a Dunnett's pair‐wise comparison of means was conducted. Differences between ATI and SAL were examined at 5, 30, 60, and 120 minutes using a paired t‐test with a Bonferroni correction. Administration of MED resulted in a decrease in T (38.7 ± 0.3 to 34.5 ± 0.4 °C), HR (78 ± 19 to 55 ± 9), and RR (31 ± 12 to 14 ± 5) over time; an increase in mean arterial blood pressure (90 ± 19 to 132 ± 23), COR (0.254 ± 0.125 to 4.327 ± 1.233), and GLU (82.0 ± 13.2 to 255.9 ± 38.9); and changes in SED (alert to marked sedation), REC (standing to recumbent), and ALG (metacarpus = 5 ± 2 to 14 ± 0; withers = 3 ± 2 to 14 ± 0). GLU was 62–70% higher at 60 and 120 minutes and COR was 336% higher after SAL than after ATI at 120 minutes; at 30, 60, and 120 minutes, T was 4–10% higher after ATI than SAL. There were no other significant differences. REC, SED, and ALG were antagonized after ATI. ATI did not antagonize the effect of MED on HR, RR, or MAP, but stabilized T and antagonized the increase in GLU and COR.     

Osteopetrosis in a neonatal donkey

Osteopetrosis is a rare disorder characterised by a defect in osteoclastic bone resorption. This report describes osteopetrosis in a neonatal donkey that suffered a displaced tibial fracture. Radiographic examination identified generalised reduction in medullary cavity size, thickened mid‐diaphyseal cortices and conical metaphyseal bone extending toward the mid‐diaphysis of long bones. Postmortem examination identified additional fractures and brittle bones. Histologically, osteoclasts were absent in multiple bone sections. Diaphyseal cortices consisted of concentric bone lamellae with marrow tissue infiltration. Large wedges of secondary spongiosa extended from the metaphyseal growth plate. Clinical and histopathological features were similar to an osteoclast‐deficient, autosomal recessive form of osteopetrosis in humans.     

The Recipients' Parity Does Not Influence Their Reproductive Performance Following Non‐Surgical Deep Uterine Porcine Embryo Transfer

With the development of the non‐surgical deep uterine (NsDU) embryo transfer (ET) technology, the commercial applicability of ET in pigs is now possible. There are, nevertheless, many factors that influence NsDU‐ET effectiveness that need to be addressed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the weaned recipients' parity on fertility and prolificacy following NsDU‐ET. The recipients (n = 120) were selected based on their reproductive history and body condition and grouped into three categories according to their parity: primiparous sows, sows of parity 2 and sows of parities from 3 to 5. Thirty fresh embryos (morulae and unhatched blastocysts) were non‐surgically transferred into one uterine horn of each recipient. It was possible to insert the NsDU‐ET catheter through the cervix along a uterine horn in 98.3% of the recipients. The parity had no influence on the difficulty grade of the insertions or on the percentage of correct insertions. The cervix and uterine wall were not perforated during the insertions, and vaginal discharge was not observed after transfer in any of the recipients. There were no differences in the pregnancy rates (74.8%), farrowing rates (71.2%) or litter sizes (9.6 ± 3.3) between groups. Also, there were no differences between groups regarding to the piglets' birthweights or piglet production efficiency. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that weaned sows from parity 1 to 5 are appropriate to be used as recipients in NsDU‐ET programs, which increase the possibilities for the utilization of ET in the recipient farms.     

The Effect of Oxidative Stress on Thawed Bulk‐Sorted Red Deer Sperm

The aims of this study were to assess the effects of the sex‐sorting process on post‐thaw sperm quality as well as on induced oxidative stress damage (H₂O₂ 0 mm  = H000; H₂O₂ 50 mm  = H050; H₂O₂ 100 mm  = H100) and the protective action of reduced glutathione (GSH) and Trolox, when comparing sorted (BSS) and non‐sorted (NS) red deer spermatozoa incubated at 37°C. Sperm samples from three stags were collected by electroejaculation and frozen. Immediately after thawing, sperm motility was higher (p < 0.05) for NS (59% ± 3.3) than BSS (36.9% ± 5.8) sperm. Furthermore, the percentage of apoptotic sperm was higher (p < 0.05) for BSS (21.6% ± 5.0) than NS sperm (14.6% ± 1.2). The presence of H₂O₂ increased DNA damage in NS (H000 = 4.1% ± 0.9; H050 = 9.3% ± 0.7; and H100 = 10.9% ± 2.3), but not in BSS sperm. However, in the presence of oxidant, GSH addition improved (p < 0.05) sperm motility in both groups of sperm samples as compared to their controls (NS: 44.5 ± 4.8 vs 21.1 ± 3.9 and BSS: 33.3 ± 8.1 vs 8.9 ± 1.8). These results demonstrate that the sperm‐sorting process induces sublethal effects, albeit selecting a sperm population with a chromatin more resistant to oxidative stress than that in non‐sorted sperm. Moreover, addition of GSH at 1 mm may be a good choice for maintaining the quality of stressed sperm samples, unlike Trolox, which inhibited sperm motility.     

Endometrial Explant Culture to Study the Response of Equine Endometrium to Insemination

Mating‐induced endometritis (MIE) is ubiquitous in the horse after natural mating and artificial insemination with frozen/thawed semen causing the most aggressive response. The majority of mares eliminate MIE 24–48 h after insemination. An endometrial explant culture was tested as a potential in vitro exemplar for sperm‐induced MIE. Endometrial prostaglandin F_2α (PGF_2α) secretion and expression of interleukin‐8 (IL‐8) were used as markers of inflammation. Endometrial explants were cultured from uteri collected from follicular phase mares. Explants were challenged with 1 or 10 × 10⁶ sperm/ml frozen/thawed semen, chilled semen, washed sperm or seminal plasma. Medium was collected 24 and 72 h after challenge and assayed for PGF_2α by radioimmunoassay. Treatment of endometrial explants with frozen/thawed, chilled semen or washed sperm did not change the secretion of PGF_2α compared with untreated controls. However, 24 h after challenge cultured explants expressed IL‐8. The in vitro endometrial explant system did not represent the in vivo response to semen when PGF_2α was used as a marker of inflammation, yet the use of gene expression as an inflammatory marker warrants further investigation.