Reproductive performance of beef cattle heifers associated with molecular markers related to the fertility / Resposta reprodutiva de novilhas de corte associada a marcadores moleculares relacionados à fertilidade

ABSTRACT

Background: The marker assisted selection (MAS) is indicated as an auxiliary strategy to increase the productive performance in cattle. The principle consists in the identification and selection of molecular markers associated with genes involved directly or indirectly with the expression of a desired trait, usually multifactorial and polygenic. The pregnancy rate is a form of expression fertility, with great economic importance in cattle production systems. The pregnancy rate is a multifactorial trait, which is influence by genetics, environment and their interactions. In the current study was search for an association between the reproductive response, expressed by pregnancy rate at insemination and pregnancy rate at the end of the mating season, and molecular markers of genes related to IGF-1 receptor, LH, Leptin, receptors of FSH and LH. Materials, Methods & Results: Data were evaluated from 249 beef heifers of British breeds, Angus, Devon and crosses. The animals at fourteen or twenty seven months were subjected to different protocols for artificial insemination (AI) and fixed-time artificial insemination (TAI), followed by clean up bulls. The protocols AI and TAI, called AI/TAI, were Group 1 -Ovsynch protocol (27th months). At day zero the animals received an injection of a GnRH at a dose of 10 µg buserelin, at seventh day received 500 µg of cloprostenol sodium, at

RESUMO

Fertilidade é uma característica complexa que representa diversos componentes e estágios exigidos em machos e fêmeas para considerá-los funcionalmente capazes de superar todas as fases críticas do ciclo reprodutivo formação de gametas, fertilização, implantação embrionária, desenvolvimento fetal e nascimento. De modo geral, as características consideradas indicativas de fertilidade apresentam baixa herdabilidade e são expressas tardiamente na vida do animal, além de sofrerem controle poligênico e possuírem forte influência ambiental. [...]