Unveiling the Role of IGF-I in Fertility: Effect of Long-Acting Bovine Somatotropin (bST) on Terminal Follicular Development and Fertility during an Annual Reproductive Cycle in Sheep. | LitMetric
Department of Medicine and Animal Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cordoba, Campus Rabanales, 14014 Cordoba, Spain.
Published: April 2024
AI Article Synopsis
Article Abstract
The study aimed to assess the effect of long-acting bST treatment, in a dose that only increases IGF-I plasma concentrations, on ovarian and fertility markers of estrous synchronized ewes that were fed to keep their bodyweight. Three experiments were designed to evaluate this effect: in Experiment 1, 18 ewes were distributed in groups (bST 0, 30, 50 mg) to measure plasma IGF-I and insulin for 15 days; in Experiment 2, 92 ewes (5 replicates) in two groups (0 and 30 mg bST) were synchronized using a 6-day progesterone protocol during the breeding season to assess the effect of bST on follicular and luteal performances, estrous and ovulation, and fertility after mating. In Experiment 3, 50 ewes (3 replicates) were used to repeat the study before but during anestrus. Results indicate that 50 mg bST increased IGF-I and insulin plasma concentrations, but 30 mg bST only increased IGF-I concentrations; and that only during the breeding season did 30 mg bST increase the number of lambs born and the reproductive success of ovulatory-sized follicles compared to controls. This occurred without it affecting any other reproductive marker. In conclusion, 30 mg bST treatment may improve oocyte competence for fertility during the breeding season.
Background: Imbalanced diet and exogenous gonadotrophins affect uterine function and morphology. In sheep, FSH-induced superovulation alters implantation-related gene expression, influenced by both treatment and diet. In this study, we used deep RNA sequencing (NGS, RNA-Seq) to expand our understanding of these effects on the caruncular endometrium.
Background: General anesthesia during pregnancy is not uncommon, for example, for trauma surgery, cerclage, or cesarean delivery. Current recommendations are to maintain maternal partial pressure of carbon dioxide in arterial blood (paCO2) at 30 mm Hg, which is based solely on the average maternal paCO2 in awake pregnant women. However, there is no evidence that this target, compared to other targets, would enable optimal conditions for the fetus during general anesthesia.
The objective of the current experiment was to evaluate the effects of supplementation with different dietary fatty acid profiles on the dam during the first third of gestation and on the offspring during growth on the offspring's cognitive behavior. Seventy-nine postweaning lambs were blocked by body weight and sex using a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. The first factor (maternal supplementation; ) was supplementation to the ewes in the first third of gestation with 1.
Background: The efficiency and profitability of animal farming systems are closely linked to the reproductive success of livestock, which requires effective management through biological, hormonal, and nutritional strategies. The "male effect," referring to the influence of male pheromones on female reproductive hormones, offers several benefits. This leads to improved reproductive management, better timing of breeding, and increased fertility rates.
The (PT) plays an important role in the photoperiodic regulation of the secretory activity of the pituitary gland. Additionally, PT secretory activity may be influenced by the animal's immune status. The melatonin signal processing in PT cells occurs through the presence of melatonin receptors and the expression of molecular clock genes.
