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Silva CS, Vianna da Costa-E-Silva E, Nunes Dode MA, Mendes Cunha AT, Garcia WR, Sampaio BFB, Borges Silva JC, Vaz FEM, Kerns K, Sutovsky P, Nogueira E. Semen quality of Nellore and Angus bulls classified by fertility indices and relations with field fertility in fixed-time artificial insemination. Theriogenology 2023; 212:148-156. [PMID: 37722295 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2023.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Despite being the most important form of biotechnology in animal reproduction, artificial insemination was used in about 23% of Brazilian bovine herds in 2021. This is due to the variability of results caused by varying bull fertility and body condition of the cows. This study aimed to correlate the fertility indices of bulls with qualitative attributes of the semen. Semen samples from 28 bulls (Nellore and Angus) were used to evaluate postthaw sperm morphology and kinetics using conventional analysis, image-based flow cytometry (IBFC) and computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA). The fertility index was effective in separating bulls into 4 different fertility classes (P < 0.001), and fertility rates in timed artificial insemination (TAI) remained constant between the cows' fertility categories (P < 0.001) and in the different grades of female body condition (P < 0.005). After partial least squares regression (PLS) analysis, four models were proposed with different variables. The coefficients of determination for the conventional analysis, CASA, and IBCFC models were 0.154, 0.380, and 0.259, respectively. The composite model, including select IBFC and CASA parameters, showed a greater R2 (0.481) with progressive motility, average speed (VAP, μm/s), membrane integrity, and mitochondrial potential, showing a positive effect. Linear speed (VSL, μm/s) and acrosomal integrity had a negative effect on bull fertility indices. Bulls classified by the fertility index attained dispersed pregnancy rates in different cow body condition score (BCS) classes, and the sperm quality pattern was consistent with this classification. In conclusion, this novel composite model including CASA and IBFC parameters improves the prediction of bull fertility used in TAI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camile Sanches Silva
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, FAMEZ/UFMS- Cidade Universitária, Caixa Postal 549, Postal Code- 79070-900, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil; Grupo de Estudos em Reprodução Animal - GERA-MS/CNPq, Brazil
| | - Eliane Vianna da Costa-E-Silva
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, FAMEZ/UFMS- Cidade Universitária, Caixa Postal 549, Postal Code- 79070-900, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil; Grupo de Estudos em Reprodução Animal - GERA-MS/CNPq, Brazil
| | - Margot Alves Nunes Dode
- EMBRAPA Cenargen- Parque estação biológica- PqEB, s/n. Postal Code 70770-901, Brasilia, DF, Brazil
| | | | - Wagner Rodrigues Garcia
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, FAMEZ/UFMS- Cidade Universitária, Caixa Postal 549, Postal Code- 79070-900, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil; Grupo de Estudos em Reprodução Animal - GERA-MS/CNPq, Brazil
| | - Breno Fernandes Barreto Sampaio
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, FAMEZ/UFMS- Cidade Universitária, Caixa Postal 549, Postal Code- 79070-900, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil; Grupo de Estudos em Reprodução Animal - GERA-MS/CNPq, Brazil
| | | | - Francisco Eduardo Machado Vaz
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, FAMEZ/UFMS- Cidade Universitária, Caixa Postal 549, Postal Code- 79070-900, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil
| | - Karl Kerns
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA; Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - Peter Sutovsky
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA; Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
| | - Eriklis Nogueira
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, FAMEZ/UFMS- Cidade Universitária, Caixa Postal 549, Postal Code- 79070-900, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil; Embrapa Pantanal, Rua 21 de Setembro n. 1880, Postal Code- 79320-900, Corumba, MS, Brazil; Grupo de Estudos em Reprodução Animal - GERA-MS/CNPq, Brazil.
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Pichardo-Matamoros D, Sevilla F, Elizondo-Salazar J, Jiménez-Sánchez C, Roldan ERS, Soler C, Gacem S, Valverde A. Exploration of semen quality analyzed by casa-mot systems of brahman bulls infected with BLV and BHV-1. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18659. [PMID: 37907654 PMCID: PMC10618460 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-45981-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Enzootic bovine leukosis virus (BLV) and bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1) are very important infectious agents for the livestock industry worldwide. The present study aimed to explore the association between natural exposure to BLV and BHV-1 with sperm quality analyzed by Computer-Assisted Semen Analysis (CASA) systems. Ten sexually mature Brahman bulls, with sanitary status BLV+/BHV-1+ (n = 2), BLV-/BHV-1+ (n = 6) and BLV-/BHV-1- (n = 2) were evaluated twice, 30 days apart. Results showed that sanitary status of each bull was not associated with semen quality. It was found that the quality of the semen from the second collection was better due to the interruption of sexual rest. The evidence thus revealed that a bull infected with BLV generated good-quality contaminated semen and, therefore, that it is essential to detect contaminated seminal samples to prevent the spread of BLV. A multivariate analysis showed the presence of four sperm subpopulations in Brahman bulls that differ significantly in their kinematic patterns and with respect to sanitary status (P < 0.05), indicating that infection-free and seronegative bulls present the best kinematic parameters, which improved discrimination of sperm quality according to sanitary status. Overall, the analyses indicate that the seropositive-infected bulls with BLV and BHV-1 should be excluded from beef cattle farms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derling Pichardo-Matamoros
- National Agrarian University, Juigalpa Campus, Chontales, 55000, Nicaragua
- Graduate Program in Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, University of Costa Rica, 11501, San Pedro de Montes de Oca, Costa Rica
| | - Francisco Sevilla
- Animal Reproduction Laboratory, School of Agronomy, Costa Rica Institute of Technology, San Carlos Campus, Alajuela, 223-21002, Costa Rica
| | - Jorge Elizondo-Salazar
- Faculty of Agri-Food Sciences, Alfredo Volio Mata Experimental Station, University of Costa Rica, 30304, Cartago, Costa Rica
| | - Carlos Jiménez-Sánchez
- Tropical Diseases Research Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, Veterinary Medicine School, National University of Costa Rica, Benjamín Núñez Campus, 40101, Barreal de Heredia, Costa Rica
| | - Eduardo R S Roldan
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, National Museum of Natural Sciences, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carles Soler
- Department of Cellular Biology, Functional Biology and Physical Anthropology, University of Valencia, Campus Burjassot, C/Dr Moliner, 50, 46100, Valencia, Spain
| | - Sabrina Gacem
- Department of Cellular Biology, Functional Biology and Physical Anthropology, University of Valencia, Campus Burjassot, C/Dr Moliner, 50, 46100, Valencia, Spain
- Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus UAB, Edifici V, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), 08193, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anthony Valverde
- Animal Reproduction Laboratory, School of Agronomy, Costa Rica Institute of Technology, San Carlos Campus, Alajuela, 223-21002, Costa Rica.
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Pereira MHC, Cappellozza BI, Kloster AKM, Mamedes M, Vasconcelos JLM. Evaluation of pregnancy per artificial insemination of dairy animals detected in estrus during the synchronization protocol and assigned to conventional or sexed semen. Anim Reprod Sci 2023; 257:107324. [PMID: 37699298 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2023.107324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
Three experiments were designed to evaluate the effects of conventional and sexed-semen on reproductive performance of dairy females detected in estrus. In Exp. 1, 978 lactating Holstein cows and 116 Holstein heifers were used. Cows or heifers were randomly assigned to receive conventional (CONV) or sexed (SEXD) semen on day 0 of a TAI protocol. The TAI was performed using commercial CONV or SEXD frozen-thawed semen from the same 6 Holstein bulls, and SEXD semen was sexed through fluorescence cytometry. In Exp. 2, 390 lactating Holstein × Gir dairy cows and 344 Holstein × Gir heifers were used. Cows and heifers were randomly assigned to receive CONV or SEXD semen on day 0 with frozen-thawed semen from 5 Holstein × Gir bulls. The SEXD was sorted through the Sexcel™ methodology. In Exp. 3, 789 primiparous lactating Holstein cows were enrolled. Cows were randomly assigned to receive CONV or SEXD semen from 5 Holstein bulls, and the SEXD semen was sexed using the same semen allocation methodology described in Exp. 2. All data were analyzed using SAS. Regardless of the experiment, no treatment × bull interaction was observed for any of the variables analyzed herein (P ≥ 0.20). In Exp. 1, multiparous cows assigned to CONV had a greater P/AI vs. cohorts assigned to SEXD (P < 0.01) and a similar response tended to be observed for secundiparous cows (P = 0.10). No treatment effects were further observed when the effects of semen on day 60 P/AI were stratified by heat stress, milk yield, and CL at the beginning of the protocol. In Exp. 2, no P/AI differences between treatment were detected either on days 32 (P = 0.32) or 60 of pregnancy (P = 0.20). In Exp. 3, cows assigned to SEXD had reduced P/AI on day 32 (P = 0.03) and tended to have a reduced P/AI on day 60 of pregnancy (P = 0.06). No further treatment effects or interactions were observed herein (P ≥ 0.13). Overall P/AI of SEXD semen was 78% of the CONV (P < 0.01), but the variation of these results requires some attention. Moreover, an additional analysis was performed considering the median value of P/AI in bulls assigned to CONV and SEXD, and bulls that had a greater P/AI in CONV also had a greater P/AI in SEXD (P = 0.03). In summary, although not directly comparable, the sexing technologies herein provided similar results in heifers, but not in other categories (primiparous, secundiparous, and multiparous cows). Additionally, the P/AI of a sexed semen is associated to its performance on the conventional semen counterpart. Moreover, in the present experiment, no other parameters were shown to impact fertility of dairy females assigned to conventional or sexed-semen.
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Affiliation(s)
- M H C Pereira
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Botucatu, SP 18618-000, Brazil
| | | | - A K M Kloster
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Botucatu, SP 18618-000, Brazil
| | - M Mamedes
- ABS Brasil, Delta, MG 38020-300, Brazil
| | - J L M Vasconcelos
- Department of Animal Production, São Paulo State University, Botucatu 18168-000, Brazil.
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DeJarnette JM, Harstine BR, McDonald K, Marshall CE. Commercial application of flow cytometry for evaluating bull sperm. Anim Reprod Sci 2022; 246:106838. [PMID: 34507847 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2021.106838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Artificial insemination using semen from genetically superior sires remains one of the most effective biotechnologies ever commercialized for animal breeding purposes. Genetic progress, however, cannot begin until conception occurs. Processing laboratories that provide cryopreserved bull semen for commercial use depend on in vitro assays of semen quality to identify samples that are expected to result in less than desirable conception rates. These identified samples are discarded, rather than released to salable inventories, with the desired effect of minimizing variance in field fertility among both sires and individual collections. Although the industry was successfully founded on subjective assessment of motility and acrosome integrity, flow cytometric and computer-assisted sperm analysis offer more objective and repeatable measures of sperm quality attributes. Albeit more expensive to implement, the increased precision and repeatability when using these objective assays lends to greater confidence in the accuracy of decisions for individual collections and (or) bulls. The efficacy of a quality control program is evidenced by the range in sire fertility estimates calculated from field fertility data, which have historically indicated >90% of all sires achieve fertility deviation within ±3% points of the breed average. This impressive precedent implies somewhat limited opportunity for transition to objective assessments to have a meaningful impact on an already narrow range of fertility distributions. Nonetheless, flow cytometric assessments of novel attributes of sperm quality hold promise for detection of truly sub-fertile sires (deviations < -3) that presently elude detection with use of existing semen bioassays.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M DeJarnette
- Select Sires, Incorporated, 11740 US 42N, Plain City, OH 43064, USA.
| | - B R Harstine
- Select Sires, Incorporated, 11740 US 42N, Plain City, OH 43064, USA
| | - K McDonald
- Select Sires, Incorporated, 11740 US 42N, Plain City, OH 43064, USA
| | - C E Marshall
- Select Sires, Incorporated, 11740 US 42N, Plain City, OH 43064, USA
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He Y, Huang Y, Wang S, Zhang L, Gao H, Zhao Y, E G. Hereditary Basis of Coat Color and Excellent Feed Conversion Rate of Red Angus Cattle by Next-Generation Sequencing Data. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:1509. [PMID: 35739846 PMCID: PMC9219544 DOI: 10.3390/ani12121509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Angus cattle have made remarkable contributions to the livestock industry worldwide as a commercial meat-type breed. Some evidence supported that Angus cattle with different coat colors have different feed-to-meat ratios, and the genetic basis of their coat color is inconclusive. Here, genome-wide association study was performed to investigate the genetic divergence of black and red Angus cattle with 63 public genome sequencing data. General linear model analysis was used to identify genomic regions with potential candidate variant/genes that contribute to coat color and feed conversion rate. Results showed that six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and two insertion−deletions, which were annotated in five genes (ZCCHC14, ANKRD11, FANCA, MC1R, and LOC532875 [AFG3-like protein 1]), considerably diverged between black and red Angus cattle. The strongest associated loci, namely, missense mutation CHIR18_14705671 (c.296T > C) and frameshift mutation CHIR18_12999497 (c.310G>-), were located in MC1R. Three consecutive strongly associated SNPs were also identified and located in FANCA, which is widely involved in the Fanconi anemia pathway. Several SNPs of highly associated SNPs was notably enriched in ZCCHC14 and ANKRD11, which are related to myofiber growth and muscle development. This study provides a basis for the use of potential genetic markers to be used in future breeding programs to improve cattle selection in terms of coat color and meat phenotype. This study is also helpful to understand the hereditary basis of different coat colors and meat phenotypes. However, the putative candidate genes or markers identified in this study require further investigation to confirm their phenotypic causality and potential effective genetic relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongmeng He
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China; (Y.H.); (Y.H.); (S.W.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Yongfu Huang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China; (Y.H.); (Y.H.); (S.W.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Shizhi Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China; (Y.H.); (Y.H.); (S.W.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Lupei Zhang
- Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100193, China; (L.Z.); (H.G.)
| | - Huijiang Gao
- Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100193, China; (L.Z.); (H.G.)
| | - Yongju Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China; (Y.H.); (Y.H.); (S.W.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Guangxin E
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China; (Y.H.); (Y.H.); (S.W.); (Y.Z.)
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