Effects of orange peel extract () treatment on zebrafish oocytes () exposed to heat stress.

Background And Aim: Heat stress (HS) can negatively impact oocytes by disrupting mitochondrial activity, increasing the production of reactive oxygen species, and decreasing antioxidant levels. This study investigated the impact of orange peel (OP) exposure on zebrafish oocytes (ZOs) diameter, survival rate, and germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) during HS.

Material And Methods: We investigated the antioxidant effect of flavonoids (concentration = 328.

Oocyte developmental capacity is influenced by intrinsic ovarian factors in a bovine model for individual embryo production.

The ovary and its hormones may have major effects on the in vitro developmental capacity of the oocytes it contains. We related intrinsic ovarian factors namely the presence of corpus luteum (CL) and/or dominant follicle (>8 mm) and the follicular count to cumulus expansion (CE), embryo development, and blastocyst quality in a bovine model. Cumulus-oocyte-complexes (COCs) were aspirated from follicles between 4 and 8 mm in diameter.

Lycopene Supplementation to Serum-Free Maturation Medium Improves In Vitro Bovine Embryo Development and Quality and Modulates Embryonic Transcriptomic Profile.

Bovine embryos are typically cultured at reduced oxygen tension to lower the impact of oxidative stress on embryo development. However, oocyte in vitro maturation (IVM) is performed at atmospheric oxygen tension since low oxygen during maturation has a negative impact on oocyte developmental competence. Lycopene, a carotenoid, acts as a powerful antioxidant and may protect the oocyte against oxidative stress during maturation at atmospheric oxygen conditions.

The effect of season of birth on the morphometrics of newborn Belgian Blue calves.

Breed type and environmental factors such as breeding season may have a significant impact on neonatal morphometrics. We followed a total of 236 elective cesarean sections in Belgian Blue (BB) cows, from which neonatal calves were morphometrically assessed (in cm) within the first 72 h of delivery using a strictly standardized protocol. The effect of the season of birth on each calf measurement was analyzed using mixed linear regression models, including the farm of origin as a random effect.

The impact of elective caesarean section on colostrum characteristics in double-muscled Belgian Blue cows.

Identification of factors associated with the quality and quantity of colostrum production has always been a major challenge in cattle industry. In purebred double-muscled Belgian Blue (BB) cows, parturition is mainly performed by elective caesarean section (CS; >90%). However, the CS itself may influence colostrum production characteristics.

Practical methods to assess the effects of heat stress on the quality of frozen-thawed Belgian Blue semen in field conditions.

The increased exportation of semen and embryos of double-muscled beef breeds to tropical and developing countries makes it important to investigate the reproductive capacity of these breeds in adapting to tropical conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of Belgian Blue semen collected after there is heat-stress (HS; as a mimic of tropical condition) compared with non-heat stressed (NHS; as their comfort zone), using practical spermatozoa staining methods such that prevail in developing countries. There was screening of semen kinetics using CASA and evaluation of their DNA-, acrosome, plasma membrane-integrity, and mitochondrial activity.

Crossbreeding effect of double-muscled cattle on in vitro embryo development and quality.

Nowadays, several developing countries have started to breed double-muscled cattle to their autochthonous cattle to improve meat production. However, the developmental competence of the resultant crossbreeding embryos is unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of crossbreeding double-muscled (Belgian Blue; BB) semen with beef (Limousin; LIM) and dairy (Holstein-Friesian; HF) derived oocytes on embryo development and quality, using purebred BB as a control (BB oocytes fertilized by BB sperm).