Cat epididymal semen cryopreserved with and without vitamin E: effect on sperm parameters and lipid peroxidation

The aims of this study were to investigate: 1) if the addition of α-tocopherol (vitamin E) in three concentrations (0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 mM) is able to preserve spermatozoa integrity after thawing and 2) the effect of α-tocopherol supplementation on lipid peroxidation. Fifty four domestic cats were used in this study constituting 18 pools (3 cats per pool). Each pool was submitted at four experimental groups: group 0 (control) – epididymal sperm were frozen with a commercial Botucrio® extender; group 0.3, group 0.6 and group 0.9 – the extender was supplemented with 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 mM of α-tocopherol, respectively. Each semen sample was evaluated for motility, progressive forward motility, morphology, sperm viability (plasma membrane integrity-PMI), hypo-osmotic swelling test (HOST), before and after thawing. The evaluation of lipid peroxidation reaction by Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances (TBARS) test was performed on thawed semen only. Results demonstrated that there was no significant difference between control and the three α-tocopherol groups with regards to motility and progressive motility after thawing (P > 0.05). As expected, in fresh samples viability was significantly higher than in all the cryopreserved groups in which there was no positive influence of any of the αtocopherol concentration used. Lipid peroxidation was higher in the supplemented groups 0.6 and 0.9 mM of α-tocopherol than in control and in 0.3 mM group. In conclusion, the addition of α-tocopherol to the commercial extender had no positive influence on reduction of lipid peroxidation. This topic deserves further investigations to better understand the effect of cryopreservation procedures on epididymal spermatozoa and to establish adequate strategies to counteract sperm cryodamages.

Cat epididymal semen cryopreserved with and without vitamin E: effect on sperm parameters and lipid peroxidation

The aims of this study were to investigate: 1) if the addition of α-tocopherol (vitamin E) in three concentrations (0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 mM) is able to preserve spermatozoa integrity after thawing and 2) the effect of α-tocopherol supplementation on lipid peroxidation. Fifty four domestic cats were used in this study constituting 18 pools (3 cats per pool). Each pool was submitted at four experimental groups: group 0 (control) epididymal sperm were frozen with a commercial Botucrio® extender; group 0.3, group 0.6 and group 0.9 the extender was supplemented with 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 mM of α-tocopherol, respectively. Each semen sample was evaluated for motility, progressive forward motility, morphology, sperm viability (plasma membrane integrity-PMI), hypo-osmotic swelling test (HOST), before and after thawing. The evaluation of lipid peroxidation reaction by Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances (TBARS) test was performed on thawed semen only. Results demonstrated that there was no significant difference between control and the three α-tocopherol groups with regards to motility and progressive motility after thawing (P > 0.05). As expected, in fresh samples viability was significantly higher than in all the cryopreserved groups in which there was no positive influence of any of the αtocopherol concentration used. Lipid peroxidation was higher in the supplemented groups 0.6 and 0.9 mM of α-tocopherol than in control and in 0.3 mM group. In conclusion, the addition of α-tocopherol to the commercial extender had no positive influence on reduction of lipid peroxidation. This topic deserves further investigations to better understand the effect of cryopreservation procedures on epididymal spermatozoa and to establish adequate strategies to counteract sperm cryodamages.(AU)

Aspectos genéticos e fenotípicos de características produtivas, temperamento e repelência em bovinos da raça Nelore / Phenotypic and genetic aspects to productive traits, temperament and resistance in Nelore beef cattle

O objetivo geral deste trabalho foi avaliar aspectos fenotípicos e genéticos de características de crescimento, temperamento e repelência em bovinos da raça Nelore. As características analisadas neste trabalho foram peso ao nascer (PN, N=13.374), peso a desmama (PD, N=19.835), peso ao sobreano (P18M, N=15.291), ganho de peso da desmama ao sobreano (GP345, N=12.873), ganho de peso da desmama ao sobreano diferenciado (GP345DIF, N=12.873), temperamento (TEMP, N=13.253) e repelência (REP, N=1.859). O arquivo de pedigree foi constituído por 30.233 animais. Os componentes de variância, (co)variância, parâmetros genéticos, bem como as predições dos valores genéticos foram estimados por máxima verossimilhança restrita (REML). As estimativas de herdabilidade observadas para PN, PD, P198M, GP345, GP345DIF, TEMP e REP foram 0,22, 0,34, 0,34, 0,12, 0,12, 0,15 e 0,18, respectivamente. As estimativas de correlação genéticas verificadas foram 0,50 (PD e PN), 0,96 (PD e P18M), 0,49 (PD e GP345), 0,55 (PD e GP345DIF), 0,41 (PD e TEMP) e 0,20(PD e REP). As tendências fenotípicas para as características avaliadas foram todas negativas (P<0,01), a exceção de PD (P>0,05). As tendências genéticas para as características avaliadas foram todas positivas (P<0,01), a exceção de REP (P<0,01) que apresentou tendência negativa. As taxas de endogamia individual, paterna e materna apresentaram comportamento crescente (P<0,01) ao longo do período de estudo. Foram verificados efeitos significativos dos coeficientes de endogamia individuais sobre todas as características avaliadas, a exceção de TEMP. Os coeficientes de endogamia paternos influenciaram significativamente as características P18M, GP345 e GP345DIF. Por outro lado, a endogamia materna influenciou significativamente as características PD, GP345 e GP345DIF

The general aim of this study was evaluated phenotypic and genetic aspects to growth traits, temperament and resistance in Nelore beef cattle. The traits analyzed in this study were birth weight (BW, N=13,374), weaning weight (WW, N=19,835), weight to over year (W18M, N=15,291), weight gain from weaning to over year (WG345, N=12,873), differentiated weight gain from weaning to over year (WG345DIF, N=12,873), temperament (TEMP, N=13,253) e resistance (RES, N=1,859). The pedigree information was composed by 30,233 animals. Variance and (co)variance components, genetic parameters, as well as predict breeding values were estimated using restricted maximum likelihood analyses (REML). Heritability estimates for BW, WW, W18M, WG345, WG345DIF, TEMP and RES were 0.22, 0.34, 0.34, 0.12, 0.12, 0.15 e 0.18, respectively. The genetics correlations verified were 0.50 (WW and BW), 0.96 (WW and W18M), 0.49 (WW and WG345), 0.55 (WW and WG345DIF), 0.41 (WW and TEMP) and 0.20 (WW and RES). All phenotypic trends to the evaluated traits were negatives (P<0.01), except for WW (P>0.05). All genetic trends to the evaluated traits were positives (P<0.01), except for RES (P<0.01) which presented negative trend. The individual, paternal and maternal inbreeding rates showed increasing behavior (P<0.01) along the study period. Were verified significant effects of individual inbreeding coefficients in all evaluated traits, except for TEMP. The paternal inbreeding coefficients affected significantly the W18M, WG345, WG345DIF traits. Even so, the maternal inbreeding coefficients affected significantly the WW, WG345, WG345DIF traits