Reproduction in Domestic Animals - Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias

16 t h International Congress on Animal Reproduction
Poster Abstracts 63
selection and management are involved with this problem, and
expression of estrous behavior is one of the important factors
determining the dairy cows’ fertility. It has been well known that
anestrous ovulations often occur during early postpartum period, but
the details on the frequency and timing of the events are not clear.
Materials and methods To confirm the occurrence of ovulation 100
lactations of Holstein cows were examined by ultrasonography or
rectal palpation 1 - 3 times per week. The cows were visually
observed at least 2 times per day to detect estrous behavior with the
aid of a heatmount detector or tail painting. Cows exhibited standing
estrus (ST) or mounting activity with other estrous symptoms (MT)
were considered to be in estrus, and that was confirmed by subsequent
ovulation. After 45-day of voluntary waiting period, estrous cows
with normal cyclicity were served AI. Conception was confirmed by
ultrasonography at 35-40 days after AI. Data were analyzed by
ANOVA, and P < 0.05 was considered significant.
Results Because 8 lactations were not accompanied with conception,
total 368 ovulations from 92 lactations of 69 cows were analyzed.
Total number of anestrous ovulation was 136 (37 %), and the
frequencies of first postpartum estrus expression were 11, 55, 28, 4,
and 2 % at 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th ovulations, respectively. From
2nd to 5th ovulations, the frequencies of expressing ST were
increased from 10 to 74 %, while 19 – 24 % of ovulations were
accompanied with MT only. In 14 lactations, total 17 times of
anestrous ovulation was confirmed after the postpartum first estrus,
and almost all of the occurrences of returning to anestrus were
observed at 2nd to 4th ovulations. Mean 305-day milk yield was 8,067
kg (n = 36), 10,063 kg (n = 23), and 10,595 kg (n = 33) for 1st, 2nd,
and > 3rd or later lactations, respectively. The frequency of anestrous
ovulations in 1st lactation cows were 32 %, while those in 2nd and >
3rd lactation cows were 42 and 38 %, respectively. Cows exhibited
first estrus at 2nd (n = 50) and 3rd (n = 26) ovulation had significantly
shorter days open (92 and 85 days) than those at 1st (n = 10) and 4th
or 5th (n = 6) ovulation (118 and 127 days)
Conclusions These results on the frequency of estrus expression and
subsequent fertility in high-yielding dairy cows can be useful
information to study and improve their reproductive performance.
P106
Association among andrologic selection, semen freezing,
acrosome induced reaction by heparin (AIR) and profiles
of heparin binding proteins (HPB) of semen in young
Nelore bulls
Salvador, DF 1 *; Andrade, VJ. 2 ; Nogueira, LAG. 3 ; Vale Filho, VR. 2 ; Silvano,
JO. 4 ; Santoro, MM. 4 ; Folhadella, I 2 ; Salvador, RRS 4
1Center of Science and Distance Education, Fundação CECIERJ, Brazil;
2Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidade Federal Minas Gerais, Brazil;
3Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Brazil;
4Institute of Biology Science, Universidade Federal Minas Gerais, Brazil
Introduction The profile of heparin binding proteins (HPB),
andrologic parameters, profile of semen freezing and acrosome
reaction was evaluated from the semen of young Nelore bulls.
Material Andrologic and semen freezing parameters were evaluated
from 55 young Nelore pre-selected bulls. However, the functional
tests of the sperm quality was performed in 16 bulls, as well as their
associations with proteins profile from seminal plasma, searching for
andrologic markers for high fertility and semen freezing. A specific
analysis for “heparin binding proteins”(HBP) and their association
with “acrosome induced reaction” (AIR) was performed. The analysis
of proteins was made a system of fast performance liquid
chromatographic (FPLC) with a column of affinity to heparin and
after by electrophoresis of poliacrilamide.
Results and discussion The overall mean for sperm motility, vigor
and viability were, respectively, 66.4±5.7; 4.8±0.4 and 76.3±8.5%
pre-freezing, and 29.4±8.5; 4.6±0.6 and 34.5±11.1% post-freezing.
The post-freezing recovery mean was 44.5±13.4%. The overall
average of post-freezing acrosome integrity was 84.9±6,05% reducing
to 76.1±8.14% after four hours of incubation. The mean of postfreezing
AIR was 18.53±9.59, ranging from 8 to 43%. Differences
(p>0.05) were not registered, when comparing bulls of high and low
AIR for the parameters: acrosome integrity, andrologic and sperm
freezing. The concentration of total proteins in the seminal plasma
ranged from 3,18 to 52,7 mg/ml, with average of 26,8±20,5 mg/ml.
The profile of the gel filtration in proteins of the seminal plasma
showed eight different fractions. In the seminal plasma there were
identified five different picks of proteins with affinity of heparin,
being identified 16 bands of proteins with different molecular
weights. The forth and fifth picks of seminal plasma proteins with
affinity of heparin were associated to the high percentages of AIR, as
well as the frequency of the proteins of 14, 18, 21 and 29 kDa. In the
proteins of the sperm membrane were identified three different picks
of heparin affinity, containing seven different bands. However, this
pool has only a 56 kDa protein which was associated to AIR.
Conclusions Semen freezing tests, acrosome integrity and AIR are
important complementary tests in bull selection for fertility, since they
showed high variability even in andrologicaly pre-selected bulls. The
evaluation of proteins with affinity to heparin in seminal plasma was
shown effective for prediction of AIR rate, and could act as
biochemical markers.
P107
The significance of uterine E. coli infection in the early
postpartum period of diary cows
Santos, NR*; Galvão, KN; Brittin, SB; Gilbert, RO
Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell
University, United States
We studied postpartum uterine bacterial infection, endometrial
cytology and follicular function in 58 Holstein cows in a single dairy
herd in central New York. During the first postpartum week
Escherichia coli was the commonest organism isolated from the
uterus. Arcanobacterium pyogenes, which is more commonly
associated with persistent uterine disease, appeared later, peaking in
prevalence at around 3 weeks postpartum.
Cows with E. coli infection at one week postpartum were at increased
risk for A. pyogenes infection at 3 weeks postpartum (OR = 8.07, 95%
CI = 2.22 – 29.27; z = 3.18; P = 0.0015). These cows were also at
increased risk of being infected with anaerobic bacteria at 3 weeks
postpartum (OR = 4.53, 95% CI = 1.06 – 19.41; z = 2.037; P = 0.04).
In turn, cows infected with A. pyogenes at 3 weeks postpartum had
greater numbers of neutrophils in endometrial cytology samples at 5
weeks postpartum (31.1 +/- 25.7% vs. 10.5 +/- 12.1%; P = 0.0008)
and were at decreased risk of pregnancy by 150 days postpartum (OR
= 0.24, 95% CI = 0.06 – 0.95; z = 2.031; P = 0.04).
A known detrimental effect of postpartum uterine infection is
impaired ovarian follicular growth and function. In our study, the first
postpartum dominant follicle reached a significantly smaller
maximum diameter in cows infected with E. coli on the day of calving
than in cows free of E. coli at that time, regardless of infection with
any other bacteria (9.44 +/- 2.44 mm vs. 14.39 +/- 2.57 mm; P <
0.0001). Follicular size was not related to infection with other
bacterial species.
Our results indicate that uterine infection with E. coli in the first week
postpartum mediates impaired follicular function and increased risk
for subsequent infection with known uterine pathogens, leading to
development of subclinical endometritis, and reduced chance of
pregnancy by 150 days postpartum.
P108
The Effect of LH Surge on Regulation of Agiogenic
Factors (VEGF and Angiopoietin) and Matrix-Metallo
Proteinases (MMP) in Bovine Follicles
Berishak, B; Kliemk, H; Meyerk, HHD; Schamsk, D*
Physiology Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Freising,
Germany
The aim of this study was to evaluate the regulation pattern of VEGF-
A (isoforms 121, 165, 189, VEGF-R1, VEGF-R2), Angiopoietin
(ANPT-1, ANPT-2, Tie-1, Tie-2) and Matrix-Metallo Proteinases
(MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-14, MMP-19, TIMP-1, TIMP-2) in time