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The study aimed to propose sensitive, specific and easy pregnancy diagnosis for American Bison. Trans-rectal Palpation and Ultrasonography (TRPUS), concentration of Pregnancy Associated Glycoproteins (PAG), Progesterone (P4), Estrone (E1), Estrone-Sulfate (E1S) in serum and P4 and E1S in feces were compared. Immunoassay was used for PAG, whereas steroids were assayed using Liquid Chromatography coupled to Mass Spectrometry. Pregnancy and its period were retrospectively assessed after calving. Animals included were distributed as follows: 40 were non-pregnant, 27 were in their second and 15 in their third trimester of gestation. Fisher's test was used to determine sensitivity and specificity of TRPUS. Thresholds leading to best sensitivities and specificities for hormonal assays were determined using Receiver Operating Characteristic Curves. Although TRPUS requires contention, palpation skills, it was conclusive in 70.63 % of cases and good sensitivity (97.50 %) and decent specificity (83.33 %) were observed. Concentrations of PAG, P4, E1S and E1 in serum were higher in Pregnant animals (P), with thresholds giving decent specificity and sensitivity (lower sensitivity for E1 and E1S: 92.11 %; lower specificity for P4: 93.48 %). In feces, P4 and E1S were higher in P: pregnancy diagnosis using E1S assay in feces showed 100 % of sensitivity and specificity. In conclusion, assaying E1S in feces during the two last trimesters of American Bisons pregnancy is a sensitive and specific gestation diagnosis. Pregnancy diagnosis using TRPUS can be useful in ranches but requires contention and skill adaptation. Serum hormonal assays can help evaluating the pregnancy period but also require contention., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest All authors of the paper entitled “Diagnosing American Bison pregnancy during its two last trimesters: comparison between rectal palpation associated with ultrasonography, assay of Pregnancy Associated Glycoproteins and of steroids in feces or serum” have no conflict of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

To the best of our knowledge, no studies in the literature have reported on the relationship between the pregnancy-associated glycoprotein (PAG) concentration and undernutrition during pregnancy in sheep. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of undernutrition on the blood concentration of PAGs in pregnant ewes carrying single and multiple fetuses, undergoing either dietary energy restriction or receiving 100% of their energy requirements during the period of maximal placenta growth. From d 24 to 100 of pregnancy, the ewes were fed ryegrass hay and two different iso-proteic concentrates, fulfilling either 100% of the ewes' energy requirements (control group; n = 30, 14 singleton pregnancies, 16 multiple pregnancies) or only 50% (feed-restricted group; n = 29; 11 singleton pregnancies, 18 multiple pregnancies). Blood samples were collected from all the ewes the day before intravaginal sponge insertion (T0) and, thereafter, every 30 days starting from d 24 of gestation (T1) until d 30 after parturition (T6), to determine the PAG, progesterone, NEFA, total protein, and glucose concentrations. Our results showed that PAG concentrations are not only influenced by the number of fetuses, but also by the ewe's diet. In particular, the PAG marginal means were higher in the feed-restricted group than in the control group (7.8 ± 0.6 and 10.8 ± 0.9 ng/mL for the control and feed-restricted groups, respectively; p = 0.040). This finding confirms that a dietary restriction between d 24 and d 100 of gestation leads to a growth in placental functions as inferred from the increase in the concentration of the PAG levels. Therefore, the measurement of PAG concentrations, in addition to serving as a marker of pregnancy, can also serve as a marker of placental functionality.

We hypothesized that in dairy cattle maternal energy restriction applied during two gestational windows (up to day 80 or 120 of gestation) impairs ovarian and cardiovascular development in juvenile female offspring. We also investigated the role of maternal leptin and testosterone in developmental programming in calves. Holstein-Friesian heifers were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups; starting 10 days before artificial insemination, they were individually fed at: (i) 0.6 of their maintenance energy requirements (M) up to day 80 (Nutrient Restricted, NR80) or (ii) day 120 of gestation (NR120); (iii) 1.8 M until day 120 of pregnancy (Control, CTR). Plasma leptin concentrations increased transiently in nutritionally restricted heifers pregnant with a single female calf, but maternal testosterone concentrations were not influenced by diet. Calves had similar body growth, but daughters of NR80 and NR120 had impaired ovarian development, as assessed by reduced gonadal weight, fewer surface antral & primary follicles and recovered COCs, as well as lower circulating AMH concentrations. Cardiovascular morphology and function in the offspring were not influenced by maternal diet, as determined by peripheral arterial blood pressure, echocardiography, post-mortem heart weight and aortic circumference. Regardless of its duration (until day 80 or 120 of gestation), nutritional restriction resulted in a similar alteration of ovarian development in juvenile progeny, but cardiovascular development was unaltered. Evidence suggests that the window of development that encompasses the peri-ovulatory period to the first 2.6 months of gestation is critical in ovarian programming and that maternal leptin may be involved., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Society for the Study of Reproduction.)

This study examined the effects of extruded linseed and algae Padina pavonica extract on the reproductive performance, milk production, and gastrointestinal health of female rabbits. Thirty-six nulliparous New Zealand White female rabbits were randomly assigned to three groups ( n = 12) with different diets. The control group (CNT) received a standard diet, while the other two groups received modified isoenergetic diets in which part of the CNT diet ingredients were replaced with 5% extruded linseed (L5%) and 5% extruded linseed plus 0.2% Padina pavonica algae extract (L5%PP). The rabbits were monitored from artificial insemination until the weaning of the rabbit kits, evaluating different reproductive parameters. Our results indicate that extruded linseed and alga Padina pavonica extract did not affect the feed intake or body weight of female rabbits. Additionally, no clinically significant histological changes were observed at the gastrointestinal level. The reproductive parameters, including litter size, litter weight, and milk yield, showed no significant differences among groups. Notably, perinatal and pre-weaning mortalities were reduced in litters born to females receiving omega-3 integrated diets ( p < 0.05). While these findings are promising, further studies are needed to confirm these results and explore the specific mechanisms by which omega-3 affects reproductive function and litter health.

The aim of this study was to investigate the interferon tau (IFNt) concentration in the peripheral maternal blood during the early phase of pregnancy in buffalo cows and improve the knowledge on the physiological importance of circulating IFNt, evaluating the possible interaction with pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (PAGs) and progesterone (P4). Blood samples were taken from buffalo cows on day 0 (day of AI), 7, 14, 18, 28, and 40 post insemination for the IFNt, PAG, and P4 analysis and to determine the IFNt mRNA expression. The animals were categorized ex post into Pregnant, Non-pregnant and Embryo mortality groups. The interferon value was influenced by group ( p = 0.003), being always higher in pregnant buffalo cows than in non-pregnant ones, while the embryo mortality group showed intermediate values between those for pregnant and non-pregnant animals. The mRNA expression of IFNt was not influenced by groups or any time points. The regression analysis that included IFNt as the independent variable showed that PAGs, from day 18 ( p < 0.01), and P4, from day 28 ( p < 0.05), were positively associated with IFNt values. The close associations among IFNt, PAGs and P4 demonstrate that all three molecules work together for fetal-placental well-being and pregnancy support. Unfortunately, the great individual variability in circulating IFNt makes this analysis unsuitable for early pregnancy diagnosis.

Autochthonous breeds of livestock are considered a pivotal genetic resource for agriculture, rural development, and food and nutrition security. In the Italian Alps, local livestock breeds are maintained using the traditional alpine farming system based on vertical transhumance, with the use of alpine pastures from late spring to autumn and indoor housing with a hay-based diet for the remaining part of the year. Because of their tight link with the territory of origin, local breeds could be used to biomonitor environmental contaminations. Moreover, animal welfare should also be monitored during transhumance in animals, which are exposed to a sudden farming system change and different types of stressors. For these reasons, this investigation hypothesized that the content of trace elements, heavy metals, and cortisol in the hair of goats changes during vertical transhumance, possibly reflecting different dietary contents and activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This study aimed to assess the response of an Italian local goat breed to the change from indoor housing to alpine pasture in summer in terms of hair concentrations of (i) trace elements and heavy metals and (ii) cortisol. The regrown hair of Frisa goats was monthly collected for 2 consecutive years ( n = 10 for heavy metals and trace elements and n = 6 for cortisol in 2021, n = 17 for both analyses in 2022), once before vertical transhumance and twice after that event. Hair was then analyzed for trace elements, heavy metals, and cortisol by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrophotometer (ICP-OES) and enzyme immunoassay (EIA), respectively. Data were analyzed by multilevel models. The results showed an increase in As content during alpine pasture ( p < 0.01), probably reflecting the soil and water As contents of the grazing area, while Mg, Zn, and Al ( p < 0.01) followed the opposite trend, decreasing in the second month after vertical transhumance. Hair cortisol concentrations increased during 2 months of alpine pasture ( p < 0.001), indicating an increase in the activation of the HPA axis, in agreement with previous studies. Future investigations can consider a longer study period and the development of ad hoc animal welfare indicators., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Agradi, Munga, Barbato, Palme, Tarhan, Bilgiç, Dokuzeylül, Ercan, Or, Brecchia, Curone, Draghi, Vigo, Marongiu, González-Cabrera and Menchetti.)

Goji berry (GB) shows beneficial effects on human health, although its effects on the male rabbit have been little investigated. This study examines the impact of GB dietary supplementation on the semen traits, antioxidant capacity of seminal plasma, and histological features of the reproductive tract of rabbit buck. Eighteen rabbits were distributed into two dietary groups: one receiving a commercial feed (Control), and the other a feed supplemented with 1% of GB (Goji). After a nutritional adaptation period of 60 days, the animals were subjected to semen collection every 15 days. The semen traits, libido, antioxidant, and inflammatory parameters were collected and analyzed. The rabbits were sacrificed after 60 days, and tissues of the genital tract were analyzed. Compared to the Control group, the Goji group showed higher spermatozoa concentration, motility, and vitality ( p < 0.05), as well as fewer abnormal spermatozoa and a higher libido ( p < 0.1). Histological features such as functional activity and hyperplasia were improved by GB and correlated with some semen traits ( p < 0.05). Conversely, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory parameters were unaffected by the diet. These findings suggest that GB acts on the tissues of the reproductive tract positively influencing semen quality, although further studies are needed to understand the effect on oxidative stress.

Background: Omics technologies represent a new analytical approach that allows a full cellular readout through the simultaneous analysis of thousands of molecules. The application of such technologies represents a flourishing field of research in human medicine, especially in transfusion medicine, while their application in veterinary medicine still needs to be developed., Summary: Omics technologies, especially proteomics, metabolomics, and lipidomics, are currently applied in several fields of human medicine. In transfusion medicine, the creation and integration of multiomics datasets have uncovered intricate molecular pathways occurring within blood bags during storage. In particular, the research has been directed toward the study of storage lesions (SLs), i.e., those biochemical and structural changes that red blood cells (RBCs) undergo during hypothermic storage, their causes, and the development of new strategies to prevent them. However, due to their challenges to perform and high costs, these technologies are hardly accessible to veterinary research, where their application dates back only to the last few years and thus a great deal of progress still needs to be made. As regards veterinary medicine, there are only a few studies that have focused mainly on fields such as oncology, nutrition, cardiology, and nephrology. Other studies have suggested omics datasets that provide important insights for future comparative investigations between human and nonhuman species. Regarding the study of storage lesions and, more generally, the veterinary transfusion field, there is a marked lack of available omics data and results with relevance for clinical practice., Key Messages: The use of omics technologies in human medicine is well established and has led to promising results in blood transfusion and related practices knowledge. Transfusion practice is a burgeoning field in veterinary medicine, but, to date, there are no species-specific procedures and techniques for the collection and storage of blood units and those validated in the human species are univocally pursued. Multiomics analysis of the species-specific RBCs' biological characteristics could provide promising results both from a comparative perspective, by increasing our understanding of species suitable to be used as animal models, and in a strictly veterinary view, by contributing to the development of animal-targeted procedures., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (© 2023 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Rabbit breeding has many critical aspects related to reproduction, production, and animal welfare, which reduce its profitability as well as consumer attractiveness. Dietary supplementation with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) seems to be a good nutritional strategy to improve several aspects of rabbit breeding, enhance animal welfare and produce a new functional food considered healthy for human consumption. For this reason, the main available scientific research regarding the physiological effects of n-3 PUFA rich products supplemented to the rabbit diet will be reviewed. In particular, consequences on the reproductive performances of both doe and buck, the productive parameters, and the meat quality will be analysed., Competing Interests: We declare that we have no financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that can inappropriately influence our work, and there is no professional or other personal interest of any nature or kind in any product, service and/or company that could be construed as influencing the content of this paper., (© 2023 The Authors. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of KeAi Communications Co. Ltd.)

This study investigated the effects of dietary linseed and physiological state on blood concentrations of some metabolic hormones and indicators, in transition dairy ewes. From 21 d before lambing to 60 d post-partum, ewes were provided with one of three isoenergetic and iso‑nitrogenous pelleted concentrates, without (CTR, n = 21), or with 100 (EL-10, n = 22) or 200 g/kg (EL-20, n = 22) of extruded linseed. Animals were fed alfalfa hay ad libitum and had access to mixed pasture. Plasma thyroid hormones and insulin concentrations were not affected by diet and significantly changed by time. The last week of pregnancy T3 (2.27 ± 0.15 ng/mL) and T4 (102.63 ± 2.85 ng/mL) were lower than at 4 weeks before lambing (T3: 3.27 ± 0.27 ng/mL; T4: 125.89 ± 2.63 ng/mL). After lambing, T3 rose to be highest at 4 and 8 weeks of lactation (3.41 ± 0.22). Mean insulin peaked 2 weeks after lambing (0.31 ± 0.02 ng/mL) vs. late pregnancy (0.22 ± 0.01 ng/mL) and progressing lactation (0.18 ± 0.01 ng/mL). Plasma Leptin concentration (2.43 ± 0.03 ng/mL) was not affected by diet nor time. All the blood metabolites and enzymes investigated showed significant time x treatment interaction. Differences of several haematological parameters were found in EL vs. CTR (cholesterol, triglycerides, total protein, bilirubin, ALP, ALT), however, in most cases the values were fairly within the reference physiological ranges. Metabolic hormones are confirmed to be mainly linked to the different physiological states, energy intake and variations of energy balance, without clear effects by different sources of energy and quality of dietary lipids., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)