Anti-Mullerian hormone and its relationship to ovulation response and fertility in timed AI Bos indicus heifers

This study evaluated the association between plasma anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) concentration and fertility in Nelore (Bos indicus) heifers submitted to timed artificial insemination (TAI). At the onset of the synchronization protocol, heifers (n = 289) received a subcutaneous P4 ear implant (3 mg) and 2 mg of oestradiol benzoate. Eight days later, the P4 implant was removed and 0.5 mg of oestradiol cypionate, prostaglandin (0.265 mg, i.m.) and equine chorionic gonadotropin (300 UI, i.m.) was administered, and TAI was performed 48 hr after ear implant removal. Ovarian ultrasound evaluations were performed to measure number of ovarian follicles, dominant follicle size and ovulation response. Pregnancy diagnosis was performed by ultrasound 30 days after AI. Heifers with greater circulating AMH had more antral follicles, a smaller dominant follicle near timed ovulation and lower ovulation response to the timed AI protocol compared to heifers with lower circulating AMH. Although AMH and pregnancy outcome had a quadratic-shaped pattern, AMH was not significantly associated with fertility. In conclusion, heifers with lower AMH had larger follicles towards the end of the synchronization protocol and greater ovulation responses, whereas greater circulating AMH was unrelated to conception success.     

Ergebnisse der Anwendung von Gonave®"Berlin Chemie" zur Ovulationsinduktion in der Spontanbrunst beim Rind

Inhalt: Gonavet®“Berlin Chemie”, ein synthetisches Gonadotropin-Releasing-Hormon, wurde zur Ovulationsinduktion bei spontan brünstigen Rindern eingesetzt. Verabreicht wurden 0,1 mg Gonavet vor der Insemination in einer Zeitspanne von maximal vier Stunden. Die Erprobung umfaβte 935 Versuchs- und 911 Kontrolltiere in 12 Betrieben. Bei allen Tieren wurde ca. 24 Stunden nach der Insemination eine Ovulationskontrolle vorgenommen. Ovulations- und Trächtigkeitsrate dienten als Prüfparameter. Die Ovulationsrate konnte um 10,4% angehoben werden; in elf von zwölf Herden ging der Anteil an nicht termingerechten Ovulationen zurück. Die Trächtigkeitsrate wurde um 6,1% verbessert. Von den zwölf Herden trat eine Erhöhung der TR in acht ein (1,1 bis 17,5%), in einer Herde waren die Konzeptionsergebnisse bei Versuchs- und Kontrolltieren identisch und in drei Herden erzielte die Kontrollgruppe bessere Trächtigkeitsergebnisse (2,1 bis 9,7%). Die Anwendung des Praparates ist bei Tieren mit einer Ovulationsstorung angezeigt. Contents: The induction of ovulation in the spontaneous estrous in cattle by Gonavet “Berlin Chemie” Gonave®“Berlin Chemie”, a synthetic gonadotropinreleasing-hormone was used for induction of ovulation in spontaneously estrous cattle. 0.1 mg Gonavet were applied no more than 4 hours prior to insemination. A total of 935 experimental and 911 control animals of 12 farms were included into the study. Ovulation was assessed in all animals about 24 hrs following insemination. Rates of ovulation and pregnancy were used as endpoints. Ovulation rate was increased 10.4%; in 11 out of 12 farms, the number of on-time ovulations improved. Rate of pregnancy also improved for 6.1%. In about 8 out of the 12 herds pregnancy rate increased between 1.1 and 17.5%. In one herd conception rates were not different between experimental and control animals. In three herds the control groups had better conception rates (2.1 to 9.7% increase) when compared to experimental groups. Gonavet® ist indicated in cases of ovulatory problems.     

东北细毛羊发情和排卵规律的研究

本实验系统观察了东北细毛羊的繁殖季节开始时间、发情周期长度、发情持续时间、排卵时间及早期胚胎发育进程等。结果表明：（１）在黑龙江地区大多数（７０．３％）东北细毛羊于７月２１日至８月９日开始发情季节，也即于夏至后１个月至５０ｄ内开始发情；（２）发情周期平均长度１６．６３±０．８４ｄ，８０％的羊为１６～１７ｄ，方差组分估计和Ｆ检验判断，发情周期长度在羊个体间和个体内的差异均不显著；（３）平均发情持续时间３８．３４±１３．７３ｈ，８５％的羊为２４～４８ｈ，方差组分估计和Ｆ检验证明，发情持续时间的个体差异显著且个体间差异显著大于个体内差异；（４）发情开始后２６～３５ｈ排卵；（５）发情５１ｈ胚胎处２．细胞期，６６～７２ｈ处４～６细胞期，７６～８１ｈ处８－细胞期。     

Protected fatty acid supplementation during estrus synchronization treatment on reproductive parameters of dairy goats

This study evaluated the effect of the protected fatty acid inclusion during estrus synchronization on reproductive parameters. Goats (n = 32) received progestagen sponges for 6 days and 200 IU equine chorionic gonadotropin and 30 µg d‐cloprostenol were given on Day 5. No difference was found among control (C), 1% protected fatty acid inclusion (C + 1%) or 4% protected fatty acid inclusion (C + 4%) groups, respectively, in estrus (100.0, 100.0 or 90.9%), estrus duration (31.6 ± 12.3; 43.2 ± 12.9 or 40.8 ± 14.1 h), animals ovulating (100.0, 90.0 or 100.0%) or ovulation rate (1.3 ± 0.5; 1.1 ± 0.3 or 1.2 ± 0.4). The interval from sponge removal to ovulation and from estrus to ovulation, respectively, were shorter for C + 4% (45.2 ± 8.0 h; 18.3 ± 11.0 h) compared with C (56.3 ± 12.6 h; 30.6 ± 10.5 h) or C + 1% (57.7 ± 8.7 h; 30.3 ± 11.1 h). The average ovulatory follicle diameter was smaller for C + 4% (6.2 ± 0.7 mm) than C (7.5 ± 0.8 mm), but similar to C + 1% (7.0 ± 1.5 mm). Insulin, insulin‐like growth factor 1, glucose and progesterone concentrations were similar among groups. The inclusion of protected fatty acid during synchronization treatment promoted no benefits on ovulation rate, but 4% anticipated the ovulation time.     

Separation and Purification of Ovulation-inducing Factors in the Seminal Plasma of the Bactrian Camel (Camelus bactrianus)

Ovulation in the Bactrian camel depends upon ovulation-inducing factors in the seminal plasma. The present study was conducted to isolate and purify the bioactive fractions from the seminal plasma of these camels. The seminal plasma was fractionated by anion-exchange chromatography, and six fractions were obtained. The bioactive potential of each fraction was estimated from its effect on rat pituitary tissue cultured in vitro and by the effect of an intramuscular injection of the fraction into female camels in vivo. Both the third fraction (F3) and the fifth fraction (F5) stimulated the release of LH in vitro and in vivo. In addition, female camels ovulated within 48 h after intramuscular injection of F3. However, neither F3 nor F5 had any significant effect on the secretion of FSH, either in vitro or in vivo. When F3 was further fractionated into four subfractions, the third subfraction (F3-3) still stimulated the in vitro release of LH, but not of FSH. An attempt to further purify the ovulation-inducing factors in F3-3 failed owing to the similarity of the molecular characters.     

家猫非繁殖季节诱导发情配种后排卵时间的确定

作者尝试在非繁殖季节应用外源促性腺激素对家猫进行人工诱导发情,并判断其较为准确的排卵时间。试验采用PMSG两次注射法对雌性家猫进行诱导发情,注射总剂量为150 IU,PMSG处理后的第6 d肌肉注射hCG（100 IU/只）并合笼配种。分别于合笼后的24、30、36 h手术法摘除家猫卵巢及输卵管部,观察记录卵巢排卵情况并对排卵侧的输卵管进行冲胚。试验结果显示,利用外源性促性腺激素可使家猫在非繁殖季节发情,且排卵时间范围为合笼配种后30 h左右。     

促排卵卵泡大小与妊娠率及妊娠结局的关系

目的通过超声观察药物诱发排卵卵泡发育情况、卵泡大小与妊娠率、妊娠结局的关系,旨在探索促排卵正常成熟卵泡大小范围值及最易妊娠卵泡径线范围值。方法2005.03-2006.09广东医学院附属医院和湛江市霞山妇幼保健院对因排卵功能障碍所致不孕妇女190例进行药物诱发排卵治疗共476个促排卵周期,采用超声监测排卵,并按卵泡大小分组对照观察其周期妊娠率及妊娠结局。结果促排卵正常成熟卵泡直径范围为20~30 mm,平均直径(25.12±3.26)mm;正常排卵周期共373个,周期排卵率78.36%;妊娠172例,周期妊娠率46.11%;卵泡直径24~28 mm组、20~23 mm组2、9~30 mm组的周期妊娠率分别为65.52%、23.28%、20.37%,自然流产率分别为6.02%、40.74%、45.45%,周期妊娠率前组显著高于后两组(P<0.01);周期自然流产率前组显著低于后两组(P<0.01)。结论超声对促排卵正常成熟卵泡大小范围值及最易妊娠卵泡径线范围值的探索与研究,将有利于指导临床医生及时调整治疗方案及用药剂量,提高促排卵周期妊娠率及妊娠成功率,减少和预防并发症的发生。     

Improving ovulation in gilts using anti-inhibin serum treatment combined with fixed-time artificial insemination

For successful batch farrowing, porcine oestrus and ovulation must be synchronized using fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI). However, exogenous gonadotropins, which are currently used in FTAI, negatively affect gilt ovulation. Here, we aimed to improve sexually mature gilt superovulation efficiency using passive immunization against inhibin during FTAI. Altrenogest-treated gilts were challenged with 10 ml anti-inhibin serum (AIS group, n = 6), 1,000 IU pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG group, n = 6), or 10 ml goat serum (control group, n = 6). Gilts in the AIS and PMSG groups were inseminated according to the FTAI protocol, and gilts in the control group were inseminated during natural oestrus. When PMSG was replaced by AIS during FTAI of gilts, ovulation rate and embryos recovered were significantly greater in the AIS group as compared to the other two groups (p < .05). Especially the average number of 6–8-cell embryos in the AIS group was significantly higher than that in the PMSG group (p < .01). Moreover, the blastocyst number in the AIS group was significantly higher than that in the PMSG group and the control group (p < .05). But there was no significant difference in the blastocyst number between the PMSG group and the control group (p > .05). Besides, plasma levels of estradiol-β (E2) and progesterone (P4) were significantly greater in the AIS group as compared to the other two groups on Day 23 and D 27, respectively (p < .01). In summary, we devised an improved high-yield FTAI protocol for sexually mature gilts using AIS; this protocol had a greater superovulation efficiency than the FTAI using PMSG.     

应用胚胎移植技术加速安哥拉山羊的繁殖

应用促卵泡素(FSH)配合促黄体素(LH)对17只安哥拉母羊进行超排处理。用药后2.5～3.5天全部发情,17只均有超排反应,平均排卵点13.56个,得到可用的胚胎9.76枚。用PG、PG组合、孕酮+PG3种处理,对受体进行同期发情处理,发情率分别为88.8％、96.6％和85.1％,利用率分别为65.1％、84.4％和63.8％。3年共移植102只,怀孕55只,受胎率53.9％,产羔52只,平均每只供体胚移产羔3.06只。17只供体采胚后还发情配种15只,当年产羔17只。供体年平均产羔率406％。     

The use of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone analogue for ovulation induction in black sea bass (Centropristis striata)

Interest in commercial production of black sea bass has increased in recent years, but reliable spawning methods remain problematic. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of oocyte size and luteinizing hormone releasing hormone analogue (LHRHa) dosage and delivery systems on ovulatory success for in vitro fertilization. Vitellogenic females with maximum oocyte diameters of 400–625 μm were implanted with a 95% cholesterol–5% cellulose pellet containing 50 μg of LHRHa. Fish with maximum oocyte diameters < 450 μm failed to ovulate. In contrast, 90% of fish with 500 μm oocytes spawned within 36 h and 40% of this group ovulated a second time. All of the females containing oocytes > 550 μm ovulated. In a second experiment, females with uniformly vitellogenic oocytes (> 500 μm) and implanted with 50 μg LHRHa ovulated substantial numbers of eggs (45,000–192,000 eggs/kg body weight (BW), but fertility was consistently low (0–15%). In a third experiment, 19 of 39 females receiving implants containing 6.3–23.6 μg LHRHa/kg BW during the spawning season ovulated, but fecundity (17,000–339,000 eggs/kg) and fertilization (0–98%) were highly variable. When fish were grouped by developmental index, calculated as the number of oocytes with diameters > 400 μm/total number of oocytes measured, there were no statistical differences among groups with respect to the number of spawns, fecundity or fertilization success. In a fourth experiment, 11 of 13 females with a clutch of fully vitellogenic oocytes that were injected with 20 or 100 μg/kg BW LHRHa ovulated between 1 and 2 times on consecutive days. Five of seven given an implant containing 12.5 μg LHRHa ovulated one or more times. Fish implanted with shams or injected with vehicle alone did not ovulate in any of the experiments. No differences were found in the number of spawns, fecundity or fertilization success from fish receiving different doses of injected or implanted LHRHa. Incubation of pooled eggs produced 155,000 larvae (60% hatch) and 95,000 one-gram juveniles. These results demonstrate that injected or implanted LHRHa is effective for inducing ovulation in black sea bass with maximum oocyte diameters > 500 μm.