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Abstract: This study was designed to evaluate in suckling early pregnant beef cows with and without eCG-pre-stimulation: (i) the influence of day gestation (from 40 to 101 days) and the consecutive eCG treatments on the follicular growth induced by means of ultrasound-guided transvaginal follicle ablation (FA; all follicles≥5mm) and the number and quality oocytes recovered by ovum pick-up (OPU) and (ii) the possible effects of repeated hormonal stimulation and FA/OPU on pregnancy outcome. Twelve suckling early pregnant Angus cows (40 days post fixed-time artificial insemination) were randomly assigned to each of two groups (n =6group−1). Group 1 treatments included: FA (Day 0), eCG (1600IU; Day 1) and OPU (Day 5). Group 2: as cited Group 1 with no eCG treatment. In both groups, OPU was repeated five times (Days 45, 59, 73, 87 and 101 of gestation). The numbers (mean±SEM) of class II (5–9mm; 4.3±0.9) and class III (≥10mm; 2.5±0.4) follicles visualized per cow per OPU session in eCG-treated cows were greater (P <0.05) than for non-treated cows (0.9±0.1 and 0.9±0.1, respectively). In contrast, the number (mean±SEM) of class I (<5mm) follicles per cow per OPU session was lower for cows with eCG treatment (2.8±0.4) than for non-treated cows (5.7±0.5). The mean number of aspirated follicles was not significantly different (P <0.05) between eCG-treated cows and non-treated cows at 45 and 59 days of pregnancy. However, the mean number of aspirated follicles was greater (P =0.03) in eCG-treated cows than non-treated cows from 73 day of pregnancy onwards. The numbers (mean±SEM) of recovered oocytes and viable oocytes/cow/session were greater (P <0.05) for eCG-treated cows (2.2±0.2 and 1.6±0.4, respectively) than for non-treated cows (1.0±0.2 and 0.9±0.2, respectively). No donor pregnancies were lost either during or following OPU procedure. We can conclude that (1) eCG-treated pregnant suckled cows can be a source of oocytes for IVF at least to 100 days of gestation and (2) repeated FA/eCG treatment/OPU procedures did not affect the pregnancy outcome. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study was conducted to investigate in early postpartum suckled beef cows with and without FSH pre-stimulation: (i) the influence of the postpartum period on the number and quality of oocytes recovered by ovum pick-up (OPU), (ii) the overall efficiency of the OPU/IVP embryos from days 30 to 80 postpartum and (iii) if repeated OPU negatively affect fertility following a fixed-time artificial insemination protocol. After parturition suckled Angus cows (n =30) were divided in three groups (n =10group−1). All cows were anestrous at the commencement of experimental treatments (30.0±3.2 days postpartum, mean±SD; range 25–34 days). Group 1 treatments included: dominant follicle ablation (DFA), FSH treatment and OPU procedure 5 days after DFA. A total of 9mg FSH (Ovagen™) was administered s.c. once a day over 2 days at equal doses (4.5+4.5mg). For fertility test the cows received an intravaginal progesterone treatment from Days 78 to 86 postpartum and were fixed-time artificially inseminated (FTAI) at 56 and 72h after device removal. Group 2: as cited for Group 1 with no FSH treatment. In both groups, OPU was repeated four times (Days 35, 49, 63 and 77 postpartum) and the collected oocytes classified as viable were in vitro matured, fertilized and presumptive embryos cultured for 8 days. Group 3 (Control FTAI): cows that had not previously aspirations were FTAI as Groups 1 and 2. Pregnancy was diagnosed by means ultrasonography 39 days after FTAI. The numbers (mean±SEM) of follicles visible and aspirated at the time of OPU in FSH-treated cows were greater (P <0.05) than in non-treated cows (10.6±0.6 and 8.4±0.4 vs. 8.0±0.5 and 4.6±0.3, respectively). Following FSH treatment, the number (mean±SEM) of recovered oocytes per cow per OPU session and percentage of viable oocytes were greater in the treated (P <0.05) than in non-treated animals (3.0±0.1 and 39.5% vs. 1.5±0.1 and 30.0%). The cleavage and embryo development rates were similar (P >0.05) for both groups (14.8 and 6.4% vs. 16.6 and 5.5%). After FTAI the pregnancy rates were not different (P >0.05) among groups (70, 60 and 90% for Groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively). We can conclude that (1) FSH-treated suckled postpartum cows can be a source of oocytes for in vitro fertilization and (2) repeated DFA/OPU applied during postpartum period did not affect the subsequent fertility following FTAI. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The aim of the present research was to develop a low cost and easy to perform vitrification method for in vitro-produced cattle embryos. Effect of container material was evaluated (plastic straw compared to glass capillary, experiment 1), two volume sample (1 compared to 0.5μL, experiment 2) and warming solution composition medium (Tissue Culture Medium 199 (TCM-199) compared to phosphate buffered saline (PBS), experiment 3) as modifications of the open pulled straw (OPS) system in order to reduce embryo damage caused by exposure to cold. In all experiments, day 7 and expanded blastocysts of cattle were exposed to the vitrification solution 1 for 3min and 30s in solution 2. After this, embryos were placed in a droplet and loaded in a narrow end container, and immediately submerged into liquid nitrogen. For warming, vitrified embryos were plunged into warming solution 1 for 3min, and transferred into warming solution 2 for 1min. Fresh embryos kept in culture were used as control group. Hatching rates were recorded in all cases at day 13. In experiment 1 there was no significant effect of container material on hatching rates. Postwarming survival rate of vitrified embryos was lower than control (27.5% plastic straws, 18.9% glass capillary and 80.5% control, P <0.05). In experiment 2, there was no significant effect of volume in hatching rates (58.3% 1μL, 61.3% 0.5μL and 80.5% control, P <0.05). In experiment 3, the composition of the holding medium of warming solution influenced hatching rates (84.1% TCM-199, 74.8% PBS and 91.1% control P <0.05). These data suggest that neither glass capillaries nor reduced sample volume could improve hatching rates after vitrification–warming with open pulled straw (OPS) procedure, and that PBS can replace TCM-199 in warming solutions, but lesser hatching rates should be expected. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The aim of this study was to study the effect of Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus on the reproductive female tract by means of analyzing the ovarian follicular population of persistently infected (PI) heifers, and evaluating the performance of oocytes procured form those heifers in in vitro fertilization procedures. Seven BVDV PI Aberdeen Angus and British crossbred heifers ranging from 18 to 36months of age were spayed and their ovaries used for viral isolation, microscopic examination, and in vitro fertilization procedures. Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus was detected from the follicular fluid and sera of all PI heifers. Microscopic examination of the ovaries from PI heifers showed a significant drop in the number of follicles cortical regions, compared with controls. A comparative analysis of the stages of follicular development showed a significant decrease in the number of primordial and tertiary follicles in the cortical regions of ovaries from PI heifers. Viral antigen was detected by immunohistochemistry, and was widely distributed throughout the ovarian tissues. There were differences in the rate of cleavage and embryo development between oocytes obtained from the ovaries of control animals and PI heifers. Furthermore, two developed embryos obtained from oocytes from one of the PI heifers were positive to BVDV, as well as two media from in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures. The results of this study demonstrate that BVDV PI heifers exhibit alterations in follicular population through of the early interaction between the virus and germ cell line affecting directly the mechanisms involved in the ontogenesis of the ovary. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]