Ethics in animal breeding.

Ethical breeding involves the use of healthy animals true to their species in behaviour and physical appearance, and when applicable, showing a sustainable performance. The concerns for the species/breed are essential parts of the breeding goals, including preservation of genetic resources within the species/breed, and the health and welfare of the individual animal. Ethical and welfare considerations were often not prioritized in developing new breeds of production or companion animals.

A two-step dilution tris-egg yolk extender containing Equex STM significantly improves sperm cryopreservation in the African wild dog (Lycaon pictus).

Conservation management of endangered African wild dogs (AWD; Lycaon pictus) can benefit greatly from development of sperm freezing and artificial insemination. Previous freezing attempts yielded nearly 0% motile sperm within 2 h of thawing. In this study, two canine freezing protocols were tested: Protocol 1: a one-step dilution in TRIS-20% egg yolk containing 8% glycerol; and Protocol 2: a two-step dilution in TRIS-20% egg yolk containing a final extender concentration of 5% glycerol and 0.

CAPTURE AND IMMOBILIZATION OF AFRICAN WOLVES ( CANIS LUPASTER) IN THE ETHIOPIAN HIGHLANDS.

:  We captured 14 individual African wolves ( Canis lupaster) a total of 16 times in the Ethiopian Highlands in April 2015 and March 2016 by using rubber-lined foothold traps and immobilized them with dexmedetomidine-ketamine. Traps were baited with sheep meat and surveyed every 2 h. Capture efficiency (number of captures per number of visits) was 0.

A retrospective cohort study on fertility in the Norwegian Coldblooded trotter after artificial insemination with cooled, shipped versus fresh extended semen.

Background: Pregnancy rates with cooled equine semen can be unsatisfactory and show great variation. Information about first cycle pregnancy rates and pregnancy rates per cycle are often lacking from publicly available records. This retrospective cohort study was performed to evaluate the fertility of the Norwegian Coldblooded trotter.

A serological study of canine herpesvirus-1 infection in a population of breeding bitches in Norway.

Background: Canine herpesvirus-1 (CHV1) causes a fatal hemorrhagic disease in neonatal puppies and is associated with infertility in female dogs. This study was conducted to assess the status of CHV1 infection in bitches in proestrus or estrus and to investigate possible risk factors by a detailed questionnaire. Blood samples were collected from healthy bitches (n = 193) not vaccinated against CHV1, aged one year or older and admitted for estrus control to the Canine Reproductive Clinical Unit, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science.

The physiology of cooperative breeding in a rare social canid; sex, suppression and pseudopregnancy in female Ethiopian wolves.

Ethiopian wolves, Canis simensis, differ from other cooperatively breeding canids in that they combine intense sociality with solitary foraging, making them a suitable species in which to study the physiology of cooperative breeding. The reproductive physiology of twenty wild female Ethiopian wolves (eleven dominant and nine subordinate) in Ethiopia's Bale Mountains National Park was studied non-invasively through the extraction and assaying of estradiol, progesterone and glucocorticoids in collected fecal samples using enzyme and radioimmunoassays. All dominant females showed increased estradiol concentrations and/or mating behavior during the annual mating season.

Postpartum deaths: piglet, placental, and umbilical characteristics.

The fetal growth of the piglet is highly dependent on its placenta, and the newborn piglet birth weight is highly associated with postpartum death. However, there is little information available in the literature on the assessment of the placenta in relation to postpartum death in piglets. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the placental area and placental weight, status of the umbilical cord, and piglet birth characteristics, such as blood parameters, vitality score, and birth weight on postpartum death.

Customizing semen preservation protocols for individual dogs and individual species: sperm preservation beyond the state of the art.

Sperm quality can be variable in morphometric and physiological attributes between males of different species, between males within species subtypes reared under different environmental conditions, between ejaculates of the same male or even between sperm populations within an ejaculate. Clinical semen evaluation is based on evaluation of whole ejaculates, which is not a chemically or physiologically well-defined entity, rather a collection of heterogeneous subpopulations giving different measurements and possessing different fertilizing potential. Identification of subpopulations with different motility patterns is important as well as characterizing the subtle structural changes underlying the motility differences observed.

The relationship between post-thaw sperm DNA integrity and non-return rate among Norwegian cross-bred rams.

With the aim of investigating the relationship between sperm DNA integrity and non-return rate (NRR) among Norwegian cross-bred rams, semen from 15 individuals was examined by flow cytometry. Sperm Chromatin Structure Assay (SCSA) quantifies the proportion of spermatozoa with denatured DNA after in situ acid treatment, and the four parameters % DFI, % HDS, MEAN DFI and SD DFI are all different measures of DNA denaturation and maturation. Field fertility, reported as NRR 25 days after insemination was based on all inseminations from a large-scale breeding programme and supplied by the Norwegian Association of Sheep and Goat Farmers.

Associations between intrapartum death and piglet, placental, and umbilical characteristics.

Intrapartum death in multiparous gestations in sows (Sus scrofa) is often caused by hypoxia. There is little information in the literature on the assessment of the placenta in relation to intrapartum death in piglets. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the placental area and weight upon piglet birth characteristics and intrapartum death.

Blood variables and body weight gain on the first day of life in crossbred pigs and importance for survival.

Improving survival is a continuous objective in swine breeding. The aim of this study was to record 22 blood variables and BW gain on the first day of life in Landrace-Yorkshire-Duroc crossbred piglets and to find associations between these variables and survival at weaning. All live piglets from 18 litters were weighed and blood sampled at birth and on d 1 and were monitored to weaning at the age of 5 wk.

In utero and lactational exposure to PCB 118 and PCB 153 alter ovarian follicular dynamics and GnRH-induced luteinizing hormone secretion in female lambs.

The effects of in utero and lactational exposure to two structurally different polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners on follicular dynamics and the pituitary-gonadal axis in female lambs were investigated. Pregnant ewes received corn oil, PCB 118, or PCB 153, and offspring was maintained until 60 days postpartum. Ovarian follicles were quantified using stereology.

Three structurally different polychlorinated biphenyl congeners (Pcb 118, 153, and 126) affect hormone production and gene expression in the human H295R in vitro model.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) are ubiquitous environmental pollutants that have been linked to adverse health effects including endocrine disruption. This study compared the mono-ortho-substituted PCB 118 and di-ortho-substituted PCB 153 with the non-ortho-substituted PCB 126, for possible effects on steroid hormone production and on the expression of 10 genes encoding proteins involved in steroidogenesis. The H295R human adenocarcinoma cell line was used as an in vitro model.

Vaginal deposition of frozen-thawed semen in Norwegian Dairy goats: comparison of single and double insemination with equal total number of spermatozoa.

In a field trial, a total of 472 Norwegian Dairy goats showing natural estrus were artificially inseminated with frozen-thawed semen. The farmers themselves performed vaginal deposition of 400 x 10(6) spermatozoa; one half of the does received two straws (200 x 10(6) spermatozoa/straw) at the same time (single AI), while the other half received two straws (200 x 10(6) spermatozoa/straw) 12 h apart (double AI). The commercially available extender Andromed was used for dilution.

Cryopreservation of canine semen - new challenges.

Egg yolk (EY) protects cell membranes against cold shock, and it prevents or restores the loss of phospholipids from the membrane. EY has been widely used in semen extenders. It has been added to Tris-Glucose buffer and has been widely used for cooling and cryopreservation of canine semen.

Alterations of sperm DNA integrity during cryopreservation procedure and in vitro incubation of bull semen.

An association between sperm DNA integrity and fertility was recently shown for frozen-thawed Norwegian Red (NRF) bull semen diluted in skimmed milk egg yolk (SMEY). In general the fertility of NRF cattle is high, however, in comparison with NRF semen in SMEY, NRF semen diluted in Tris EY based extenders has shown reduced fertility. The aim of the present study was to do a split-sample comparison of sperm DNA integrity of NRF bull semen (n=20) in SMEY and Triladyl (Tris EY based) during routine cryopreservation procedure and during in vitro incubation of frozen-thawed semen in modified synthetic oviduct fluid (mSOF).

Artificial insemination in canids: a useful tool in breeding and conservation.

Artificial insemination (AI) and semen freezing have become services available to dog owners worldwide, and the demand for services to freeze semen is increasing. In other canids such as the fox, the fur industry utilizes fresh or frozen semen to artificially inseminate vixens to produce pelts. Clearly, AI facilitates the use of a male to sire several females by diluting the ejaculate, increases breeding hygiene, and allows crossing between species with slightly different breeding seasons.

Sperm DNA damage is related to field fertility of semen from young Norwegian Red bulls.

Flow cytometry was utilised for the first time to independently measure five sperm parameters of individual spermatozoa of bull ejaculates to differentiate between outcome successes after artificial insemination (AI). These parameters included plasma membrane and acrosome integrity, mitochondrial functionality and DNA damage measured by sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) and terminal deoxynucleotide transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) assays. For each parameter, results of 142 ejaculates (30 bulls) were ranked into three groups according to their flow cytometric measures: (1) ejaculates with the 25% lowest measures; (2) the 50% middle measures; and (3) the 25% highest measures.

Effects of bovine oviduct epithelial cells, fetal calf serum and bovine serum albumin on gene expression in single bovine embryos produced in the synthetic oviduct fluid culture system.

In this study the synthetic oviduct fluid (SOF) system with bovine oviduct epithelial cell (BOEC) co-culture is compared with an SOF system with common protein supplements. One thousand six hundred bovine embryos were cultured in SOF media supplemented with BOEC, fetal calf serum (FCS) and bovine serum albumin (BSA). Eight different culture groups were assigned according to the different supplementation factors.

Artificial insemination with frozen semen in dogs: a retrospective study of 10 years using a non-surgical approach.

From 1994 to 2003, a total of 526 bitches of 99 different breeds were artificially inseminated in 685 estrus cycles with domestic (n = 353) or imported (n = 332) frozen-thawed semen from 368 males. The overall whelping rate was 73.1% and mean (+/- S.

Comparative aspects of sperm membrane fatty acid composition in silver (Vulpes vulpes) and blue (Alopex lagopus) foxes, and their relationship to cell cryopreservation.

Cryogenic protocols have been developed for the storage of farmed silver fox (Vulpes vulpes) spermatozoa. However, these same protocols and modifications of these protocols have failed to satisfactorily preserve spermatozoa collected from farmed blue foxes (Alopex lagopus). Because cryogenic success has been linked to membrane composition, the plasma membrane lipid composition of farmed blue fox and silver fox spermatozoa was studied.

Non-invasive faecal steroid monitoring of ovarian and adrenal activity in farmed blue fox (Alopex lagopus) females during late pregnancy, parturition and lactation onset.

In the semi-domesticated blue fox, handling stress may influence reproductive performance and increase perinatal pup loss. Ovarian and adrenal steroids were analysed in faecal samples collected from mid-gestation through the first week of lactation in 40 female blue foxes to characterize hormone patterns during this important reproductive period. Daily faecal samples were collected from 40 foxes during 30 pregnancies, one late abortion and nine bred-matched non-pregnancies.

Mapping of the bovine genes of the de novo AMP synthesis pathway.

Summary The purine nucleotides adenosine monophosphate (AMP) and guanosine monophosphate (GMP) are critical for energy metabolism, cell signalling and cell reproduction. Despite their essential function, little is known about the regulation and in vivo expression pattern of the genes involved in the de novo purine synthesis pathway. The complete coding region of the bovine phosphoribosylaminoimidazole carboxylase gene (PAICS), which catalyses steps 6 and 7 of the de novo purine biosynthesis pathway, as well as bovine genomic sequences of the six other genes in the pathway producing inosine monophosphate (IMP) and AMP [phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate amidotransferase (PPAT), phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase (GART), phosphoribosylformylglycinamidine synthase (PFAS), adenylosuccinate lyase (ADSL), 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide formyltransferase/IMP cyclohydrolase (ATIC) and adenylosuccinate synthase (ADSS)], were identified.

Effects of in vitro storage time and semen-extender on membrane quality of boar sperm assessed by flow cytometry.

The Norwegian AI company Norsvin has used the short-term semen-extender BTS to extend and store boar semen since the late 1980s. Fertility results have been consistent when extended semen has been used for AI within 3 days after collection, however, from a production and economic point of view it is preferable that semen stored for up to 5 days can be used. The aim of this study was to compare membrane quality of sperm stored in BTS for 3 days with sperm stored in the long-term semen-extenders Androstar, Mulberry III and X-cell for 5 days.