Challenges to increase the AI and ET markets in Brazil

Artificial insemination (AI) and embryo transfer (ET) are the most widely used biotechnologies in the world with the goal of increasing genetic gain and improving reproductive efficiency of beef and dairy herds. The protocols for ovulation synchronization for timed AI (TAI) or ET (TET) are tools that allow artificial insemination or transfer of a high number of embryos in a pre-established moment and without the necessity of estrous detection. Currently, 86% of inseminations in Brazil are performed using TAI (13.6 million TAI out of a total of 15.4 million doses of semen marketed in 2018). With the use of TAI, it was possible to verify that the percentage of artificially inseminated females in Brazil went from 5.8% in 2002 to 13.1% in 2018. The ET market also presented considerable growth in the last 20 years. There was an increase of approximately 8 fold in the number of produced embryos, escalating from 50,000 in 1999 to 375,000 in 2017. In this period, there was a significant increase on the in vitro embryo production, which represented 92.1% of embryos produced in Brazil in 2017. Also, in this period, there was an increase on the embryo production of dairy breeds and reduction on the embryo production of zebu breeds in comparison to data from the early 2000’s. TET increases significantly the number of recipients suitable to receive an embryo. After synchronization, 75 to 85% of recipients present a suitable CL for ET without estrous detection. Currently, many synchronization and resynchronization protocols for TAI/TET have been studied to attend different managements, breeds and animal categories, with predictable and satisfactory results. With the intensification of the use of these biotechnologies, it is possible to obtain elevated reproductive efficiency with increase on the genetic gain, which determines greater productivity and economic return for dairy and beef farms. However, the challenge to keep the market growing in the next decade could depend on some factors, such as: increase of the extension services for producers and of the extension training for specialists, improvement of the technological advances to develop more efficient and cost-effective products and practical protocols, increase the integration between universities, research institutes, veterinarians and industries and also, asses market demand for production of animal protein with higher quality, efficiency and environmental and economic sustainability.

Challenges to increase the AI and ET markets in Brazil

Artificial insemination (AI) and embryo transfer (ET) are the most widely used biotechnologies in the world with the goal of increasing genetic gain and improving reproductive efficiency of beef and dairy herds. The protocols for ovulation synchronization for timed AI (TAI) or ET (TET) are tools that allow artificial insemination or transfer of a high number of embryos in a pre-established moment and without the necessity of estrous detection. Currently, 86% of inseminations in Brazil are performed using TAI (13.6 million TAI out of a total of 15.4 million doses of semen marketed in 2018). With the use of TAI, it was possible to verify that the percentage of artificially inseminated females in Brazil went from 5.8% in 2002 to 13.1% in 2018. The ET market also presented considerable growth in the last 20 years. There was an increase of approximately 8 fold in the number of produced embryos, escalating from 50,000 in 1999 to 375,000 in 2017. In this period, there was a significant increase on the in vitro embryo production, which represented 92.1% of embryos produced in Brazil in 2017. Also, in this period, there was an increase on the embryo production of dairy breeds and reduction on the embryo production of zebu breeds in comparison to data from the early 2000s. TET increases significantly the number of recipients suitable to receive an embryo. After synchronization, 75 to 85% of recipients present a suitable CL for ET without estrous detection. Currently, many synchronization and resynchronization protocols for TAI/TET have been studied to attend different managements, breeds and animal categories, with predictable and satisfactory results. With the intensification of the use of these biotechnologies, it is possible to obtain elevated reproductive efficiency with increase on the genetic gain, which determines greater productivity and economic return for dairy and beef farms. However, the challenge to keep the market growing in the next decade could depend on some factors, such as: increase of the extension services for producers and of the extension training for specialists, improvement of the technological advances to develop more efficient and cost-effective products and practical protocols, increase the integration between universities, research institutes, veterinarians and industries and also, asses market demand for production of animal protein with higher quality, efficiency and environmental and economic sustainability.(AU)

Programação da receptividade uterina e fertilidade em vacas de corte / Uterine receptivity and fertility programming in beef cows

Em bovinos de corte, ocorre significativa mortalidade embrionária durante as três primeiras semanas degestação. Durante esse período, o desenvolvimento de zigoto a concepto depende exclusivamente das secreçõesovidutais e uterinas. O processo de secreção, bem como a qualidade dessas secreções são programados pelaexposição sequencial do trato reprodutivo ao estradiol (E2) durante o proestro/estro e à progesterona (P4)durante o diestro inicial. Estratégias visando a otimização da qualidade dos ambientes ovidutal e uterino para odesenvolvimento embrionário serão discutidas e incluem o gerenciamento do crescimento do folículo pré-ovulatório, a suplementação de E2 no proestro, a suplementação de P4 no diestro inicial e combinações entreelas. Ao final, discute-se a intrigante possibilidade do embrião bovino programar o funcionamento doendométrio já na primeira semana de gestação.(AU)

In beef cattle, there is significant embryonic mortality during the three initial weeks of pregnancy.During this period, the development from zygote to conceptus depends exclusively on secretions from the oviductand uterus. The process of secretion as well as the quality of such secretions are programmed by the sequentialexposure of the reproductive tract to estradiol (E2), during proestrus and estrus, and to progesterone (P4),during early diestrus. Strategies that aim to optimize the quality of the oviductal and the uterine environmentstowards embryo development are discussed. Strategies include managing growth of the pre-ovulatory follicle,E2 supplementation at proestrus, P4 supplementation during early diestrus and combinations. Last but not least,we discuss the intriguing possibility of bovine embryo programming endometrial function as early as the firstweek of gestation.(AU)

Programação da receptividade uterina e fertilidade em vacas de corte / Uterine receptivity and fertility programming in beef cows

Em bovinos de corte, ocorre significativa mortalidade embrionária durante as três primeiras semanas degestação. Durante esse período, o desenvolvimento de zigoto a concepto depende exclusivamente das secreçõesovidutais e uterinas. O processo de secreção, bem como a qualidade dessas secreções são programados pelaexposição sequencial do trato reprodutivo ao estradiol (E2) durante o proestro/estro e à progesterona (P4)durante o diestro inicial. Estratégias visando a otimização da qualidade dos ambientes ovidutal e uterino para odesenvolvimento embrionário serão discutidas e incluem o gerenciamento do crescimento do folículo pré-ovulatório, a suplementação de E2 no proestro, a suplementação de P4 no diestro inicial e combinações entreelas. Ao final, discute-se a intrigante possibilidade do embrião bovino programar o funcionamento doendométrio já na primeira semana de gestação.

In beef cattle, there is significant embryonic mortality during the three initial weeks of pregnancy.During this period, the development from zygote to conceptus depends exclusively on secretions from the oviductand uterus. The process of secretion as well as the quality of such secretions are programmed by the sequentialexposure of the reproductive tract to estradiol (E2), during proestrus and estrus, and to progesterone (P4),during early diestrus. Strategies that aim to optimize the quality of the oviductal and the uterine environmentstowards embryo development are discussed. Strategies include managing growth of the pre-ovulatory follicle,E2 supplementation at proestrus, P4 supplementation during early diestrus and combinations. Last but not least,we discuss the intriguing possibility of bovine embryo programming endometrial function as early as the firstweek of gestation.

Participação da via alfa-2 adrenérgica no controle da secreção do hormônio do crescimento no período pré-púbere em novilhas da raça Nelore / Participation of the pathway alfa-2: adrenergic in the control of growth hormone secretion in the pre-puberty period of the Nellore heifers

O objetivo deste trabalho foi investigar a variação na secreção de GH em resposta ao tratamento com clonidina, agonista alfa-2 adrenérgico, no período pré-púbere de novilhas da raça Nelore, e desta forma obter informações neuroendócrinas envolvidas no processo de maturação sexual destes animais. A administração de clonidina (10 µg/kg, I.V., amostras 15 min por 4h) foi feita nas novilhas aos oito (n =4), 12(n = 5) e 15 meses de idade (n = 4). A concentração de GH foi quantificada por radioimunoensaio (sensibilidade = 0,25 ng/mL, CV = 16%). Aos oito meses, a administração do estimulador alfa-2 adrenérgico aumentou a concentração de GH, área total de picos, área total de secreção de GH e amplitude do maior pico e reduziu o tempo para aparecimento de pico (P < 0,05). A administração de clonidina aumentou a concentração de GH aos 15 meses, e aos 12 meses, em intervalos restritos (P < 0,05). O uso da clonidina estimulou a secreção de GH em novilhas Nelore pré-púberes. Este efeito foi mais evidente nas novilhas aos oito meses, comparado aos 12 e 15 meses de idade.(AU)

This study investigated GH secretion after clonidine (alpha-2 adrenergic agonist) treatmentin pre-pubertal Nelore heifers. Clonidine (10mg/kg, IV, 15 min samples for 4h) was administrated in the same Nelore heifers at eight (n = 4), 12 (n = 5) and 15 (n = 4) months of age. The GH concentration was measured by radioimmunoassay (sensivity = 0.25 ng/mL, CV = 16%). At eight months, clonidine increased GH average concentration, total area of peaks, the total area of GH secretion and increased peak amplitude and reduced time to onset of peak (P < 0.05). At 15 months, the administration of clonidine increased the GH average concentration and at 12 months the increased occurred only in restricted intervals (P <0.05). Clonidine injection stimulated GH secretion in prepubertal heifers and this effect was more evident in Nelore heifers at eight months compared to 12 and 15 months of age.(AU)

Participação das vias alfa 2 - adrenérgica, dopaminérgica e gabaérgica no controle da secreção de GH no período pré-púbere de novilhas da raça nelore

Foi avaliada a variação na concentração de GH em resposta a agonistas ou antagonistas de neurotransmissores durante o período pré-púbere em 10 novilhas da raça Nelore. A administração de um antagonista gabaérgico (picrotoxina, 0,18 mg/kg, I.V., amostras a cada 15 min por 10 h) aumentou a concentração de GH aos 10 meses de idade, mas não aos 14 e 17 meses. Tanto no grupo Picrotoxina, como no Controle a concentração média de GH foi maior aos 10 meses do que aos 17 meses de idade. O grupo picrotoxina apresentou aos 17 meses maior área de concentração de GH que o controle. O grupo picrotoxina apresentou aos 14 meses maior área total de picos que o controle. Aos 10 e 14 meses no grupo Picrotoxina houve maior amplitude de picos do que aos 17 meses. Bloqueando o receptor (D2) dopaminérgico (sulpiride, 0,59 mg/kg, SC, amostras a cada 15 min por 10 h) houve aumentou na concentração de GH aos 8 e 12 meses, mas não aos 16 meses de idade, comparado ao grupo controle. No grupo Sulpiride a concentração média de GH foi maior aos 8 e 12, comparado com os 16 meses de idade. Em relação à área total de secreção, área total de picos, e amplitude máxima de picos de secreção de GH não houve diferença entre os grupos. Aos 8 meses o grupo Sulpiride apresentou menor tempo, porém aos 12 meses o tempo foi maior para o primeiro pico em relação ao controle. O tempo para o primeiro pico foi menor aos 8 e 16 meses que aos 12 meses no grupo Sulpiride. No grupo controle aos 12 meses o tempo para o primeiro pico foi menor que aos 8 e 16 meses. Aos 16 meses o grupo Sulpiride apresentou maior freqüência de picos que o Controle. A aplicação de um estimulador alfa-adrenérgico (clonidina, 10 µg/kg, I.V., amostras a cada 15 min por 4 h) aumentou a concentração média de GH aos 8 e 15 meses em relação ao grupo Controle e em alguns intervalos aos 12 meses...

This study evaluated the GH concentration after neurotransmitter agonist or antagonists injection in prepubertal Nelore heifers at different ages. A gabaergic antagonist (picrotoxin, 0.18 mg/kg,I.V., samples every 15 min for 10h) promoted an increase on GH concentration at 10 months of age but not at 14 and 17 mo. In both Picrotoxin and Control groups GH average concentration was higher at 10 mo than at 17 month of age. At 17 mo the picrotoxin group had a larger GH concentration area than control. There was no difference among the groups on the time for the first GH surge, but at 14 mo the Picrotoxin group had a higher total peak area than control. At 10 and 14 mo the Picrotoxin group had an higher peak amplitude than at 17 months. Blocking the D2-dopaminergic receptor (Sulpiride 0.59 mg/kg, SC, samples every 15 min for 10 h) there was an increase on GH secretion at 8 and 12 months, but not at 16 mo of age, compared to control group. Inside Sulpiride group the average GH concentration was higher at 8 and 12 mo than at 16 month of age. For both total area, peaks total area, time for first peak, and peak maximal amplitude there was no difference among groups. The time for the first GH peak was lower for Sulpiride compared to Control group at 8 mo, but at 12 mo the time was higher than in Control. Inside Sulpiride group time was lower at 8 and 16 month compared to 12. In the control group time for the first peak was lower at 12 than 8 and 16 months. At 16 month the Sulpiride group had higher peak frequency than Control. An alpha adrenergic stimulation (Clonidine, 10 µg/kg, IV, samples every 15 min for 4 h) increased mean GH concentration at 8 and 15 months compared to Control group and at some intervals at 12 months. At 8 months Clonidine group had higher total secretion area, total peak area, maximum peak amplitude and lowe time for the first GH secretion peak, compared...