Comparison of fertility of liquid or frozen semen when varying the interval from CIDR removal to insemination.

Cryopreservation allows for long-term storage of semen; however, it leads to damage of sperm that may result in complete loss of viability or changes that possibly decrease sperm functionality. Liquid semen is not exposed to these stressors and may result in a longer lifespan in the female reproductive tract, thus increasing the range in timing of insemination without affecting fertility. The objective of this study was to compare fertility of liquid and frozen semen when varying the interval from CIDR removal to AI using the 7-day CO-Synch+CIDR protocol for synchronization of time of estrus.

Expression of estrus before fixed-time AI affects conception rates and factors that impact expression of estrus and the repeatability of expression of estrus in sequential breeding seasons.

Expression of estrus after PG and before fixed-time AI has been reported to change the uterine environment, increase accessory sperm numbers, fertilization rates, and overall embryo survival. Thus, expression of estrus can strongly impact overall pregnancy success. Because of variation in percentage of beef females detected in estrus and number of animals per study, it can be difficult to detect a significant effect of estrus on pregnancy success.

Effects of BPA and BPS exposure limited to early embryogenesis persist to impair non-associative learning in adults.

Background: Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a polymerizing agent used in plastic bottles and several routinely used consumer items. It is classified among endocrine disrupting chemicals suspected to cause adverse health effects in mammals ranging from infertility and cancer to behavioral disorders. Work with the invertebrate lab model Caenorhabditis elegans has shown that BPA affects germ cells by disrupting double-stranded DNA break repair mechanisms.