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Sows from three university research facilities ( n = 245) were stratified by parity and initial body weight (BW), and within outcome groups, randomly assigned to fortified corn- and soybean meal-based control or organic trace mineral-supplemented, gestation (3,339 kcal/kg ME; 0.62% standradized ileal digestible [SID] lysine), and lactation (3,374 kcal/kg ME; 0.97% SID lysine) diets. Control gestation and lactation diets were supplemented with inorganic trace minerals (120 ppm Zn from ZnO, 30 ppm Cu from CuSO 4 , and 50 ppm Mn from MnSO 4 ), and the experimental diets contained the same total level of minerals but complexed organic trace minerals replaced 50% of the inorganic trace minerals. Sows were fed to condition during gestation and on an ad libitum basis during lactation. Sow BW (breeding, d 110 of gestation, 48 h post-farrowing, and weaning) and feed consumed were recorded. During gestation, control sows tended to gain less weight (60.4 vs. 64.6 kg, P = 0.06) and consumed less feed (263.5 vs. 264.8 kg, P = 0.05), and had poorer Gain:Feed (G:F) (0.27 vs. 0.29, P = 0.04) than sows fed the organic trace minerals. Sow average daily feed intake (ADFI) during lactation was similar ( P = 0.28) between groups (4.93 vs. 4.74 kg for control and treated sows, respectively). Number of pigs born alive (11.4 vs. 10.9, P = 0.24) and weaned (10.2 vs. 9.8, P = 0.18), and pig pre-weaning average daily gain (ADG) (0.27 vs. 0.27 kg/d, P = 0.77) and mortality (13.1 vs. 12.9%, P = 0.92) were similar for control and treated sows, respectively. Results of the current study demonstrate that sows fed diets supplemented with organic trace minerals displayed similar reproductive performance, but improved weight gain and G:F during gestation compared with sows fed inorganic trace minerals., (© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society of Animal Science.)

Aim: The present study evaluates the effect of different concentrations of antioxidants (catalase - CAT and alpha lipoic acid - ALA) on the follicular activation and morphology, DNA damage, ROS production, and mitochondrial activity in vitrified sheep ovarian tissue., Methods: This experiment was divided into two steps. First, ovarian fragments were distributed into the following treatments: fresh tissue or control (CTR), incubation (INC), vitrification without antioxidant (VWA), with CAT (10, 20, or 40 IU mL -1 ) or ALA (25, 50, or 100 μM mL -1 ). After vitrification/warming, the fragments were additionally incubated for 24 hours and evaluated for morphology and follicular activation, as well as reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in the culture medium. For the second step, other ovarian fragments were submitted to CTR, VWA, CAT40, and ALA100. After vitrification/warming, the fragments were incubated for 24 hours and evaluated by cell density of ovarian stroma, DNA damage, and mitochondrial and intracellular ROS levels., Results: The percentage of morphologically normal follicles in vitrified ovarian tissue in the presence of ALA in all concentrations did not differ (p > 0.05) from fresh tissue or CTRs. The percentage of activated follicles was higher in ALA100 μM mL -1 than those observed for the treatments INC, CAT (40 IU mL -1 ), or ALA (25 or 50 μM mL -1 ). The use of CAT affected (p < 0.05) the density of stromal cells (40 IU mL -1 ), ROS levels (10 and 20 IU mL -1 ), as well as DNA damage revealed by ©H2AX (40 IU mL -1 )., Conclusions: Although 100 μM/mL of ALA did not alter intracellular ROS, this concentration reduced the levels of ROS in the culture medium, preserved both the follicular morphology, as well as the mitochondrial activity, promoted follicle activation, and protected the follicles from DNA damage.

The vitrification of preantral follicles followed by in vitro growth (IVG) could be valuable to produce fertilizable oocytes. However, the meiotic resumption rates of oocytes cultured from vitrified secondary follicles (SF) have been reported as suboptimal. This study aimed to verify two base media (alpha modification of minimum essential medium, α-MEM, and tissue culture medium 199, TCM199) on vitrified SF regarding different requirements during IVG. Sheep ovarian fragments were divided in six groups: (1) Fresh groups (Control α-MEM and TCM199): SF without vitrification; (2) Follicle-Vitrified (Follicle-Vit α-MEM and TCM199): SF vitrified after isolation; and (3) Tissue-Vitrified (Tissue-Vit α-MEM and TCM199): SF vitrified enclosed in ovarian fragments and, subsequently, isolated. The isolated SF were submitted to IVG for 18 days. Thereafter, the recovered cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) underwent in vitro maturation (IVM) and evaluation of chromatin configuration. Follicular granulosa cells were analyzed for their gene expression of Bax, Bcl2, and Connexins (CX) 37 and 43. COCs from in vivo antral follicles were used as in vivo control. Data were analyzed by analysis of variance, Tukey, and chi-square tests. Differences were considered significant if p-value is <0.05. Follicle-Vit groups had higher (p < 0.05) percentage of antrum formation compared with Tissue-Vit groups. Vitrification did not affect (p > 0.05) oocyte diameter postmaturation. Oocytes from Follicle-Vit in α-MEM reached metaphase II stage after IVM. Gene expression for CX37, CX43, and Bax was lower in Tissue-Vit groups. For Bcl2, the gene expression was the opposite. In conclusion, during IVG for 18 days, maximal oocyte meiotic resumption was not negatively impacted by vitrification and was greatest for isolated SF using α-MEM as a medium.

The knowledge about ovarian reserve is essential to determine the reproductive potential and to improve the methods of fertility control for overpopulated species, such as white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of age on the female reproductive tract of white-tailed deer, focusing on ovarian features. Genital tracts from 8 prepubertal and 10 pubertal females were used to characterize the preantral follicle population and density, morphology, distribution of follicular classes; stromal cell density; and apoptosis in the ovary. In addition, uterus and ovary weights and dimensions were recorded; and the number and the size of antral follicles and corpus luteum in the ovary were quantified. Overall, fawns had a greater (P < 0.05) preantral follicle population, percentage of normal follicles, and preantral follicle density than does. The mean stromal cell density in ovaries of fawns and does differed among animals but not between age groups. The apoptotic signaling did not differ (P > 0.05) between the ovaries of fawns and does. However, apoptotic ovarian cells negatively (P < 0.001) affected the preantral follicle morphology and density, and conversely, a positive correlation was observed with stromal cell density. As expected, the uteri and ovaries were larger (P < 0.002) and heavier (P < 0.001) in does than in fawns. In conclusion, this study has shown, for the first time, the preantral follicle population and distribution of classes, rate of morphologically normal follicles, and density of preantral follicles and stromal cells in white- tailed deer. Therefore, the findings herein described lead to a better understanding of the white-tailed deer ovarian biology, facilitating the development of new methods of fertility control.