Nonsurgical Embryo Recovery as a Feasible Tool for Supporting Embryo Biobanks of Locally Adapted Brazilian Sheep and Goats.

This study assessed the outcomes of nonsurgical embryo recovery (NSER) after superovulation (SOV) in five locally adapted Brazilian breeds of sheep and goats. The objective was to evaluate the feasibility and efficiency of using SOV combined with a less-invasive embryo collection technique for supplying the Brazilian animal gene bank with germplasm from specific genotypes of interest. Morada Nova (n = 20), Santa Inês (n = 20), and Somalis (n = 20) ewes received an intravaginal progesterone (330 mg) device for 9 days, while Canindé (n = 15) and Moxotó (n = 15) goats received an intravaginal medroxyprogesterone acetate (60 mg) device for 6 days. All females received 133 mg of porcine follicle-stimulating hormone (pFSH) administrated in six decreasing doses 12 hours apart, starting 60 hours before device removal, plus 37.5 µg of d-cloprostenol at the fifth and sixth pFSH dose. Donors in estrus were mated with fertile males. The corpora lutea (CL) number was assessed by ultrasonography 1 day before NSER. On day 6.5 or 7 after estrus, NSER was performed following hormonally induced cervical relaxation. A total of 97% of sheep and 90% of goats responded with estrus, and among those, 91% of sheep and 85% of goats presented a CL. In ewes, the numbers of CL were greater (p < 0.05) in the Santa Inês breed, while similar (p > 0.05) CL numbers were found among the goat breeds. All viable embryos were freezable (excellent and good quality) and the number per donor was 7.8 for sheep and 4.9 for goats. All parameters of NSER efficiency, embryo yield, and fertility post-NSER did not differ (p > 0.05) between breeds among each species. The SOV-NSER procedures applied for an embryo biobank supply of locally adapted Brazilian breeds of small ruminants were efficient regarding production of cryopreservable embryos, and preservation of donor fertility. Therefore, SOV followed by NSER is recommended for embryo biobank assembly in sheep and goats.

Artificial insemination of gilts with bovine viral diarrhea virus-contaminated semen.

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is a pestivirus that infects swine and other species and has genetic and antigenic similarity to classical swine fever virus. The objective of this study was to mimic the infection of swine by contaminated semen and evaluate the effects on their reproductive tracts and litters. Six gilts were artificially inseminated with semen containing BVDV-2 ncp (LVB 16557/15) and 2 were inseminated with BVDV-free semen. Blood samples from all gilts were collected for polymerase chain reaction and virus neutralization tests. No viremia or neutralizing antibodies were detected, and all the litters were born healthy.

Insémination artificielle de cochettes avec du sperme contaminé par le virus de la diarrhée virale bovine. Le virus de la diarrhée virale bovine (BVDV) est un pestivirus qui infecte les porcs et d'autres espèces et qui présente des similitudes génétiques et antigéniques avec le virus de la peste porcine classique. L'objectif de ce travail était de reproduire expérimentalement l'infection des femelles porcines par insémination avec du sperme contaminé, d'évaluer les effets sur l'appareil reproducteur de la truie et sur sa portée. Six cochettes primipares ont été inséminées artificiellement avec du sperme contenant du BVDV-2 ncp (LVB 16557/15) et deux femelles ont été inséminées avec du sperme sans BVDV. Des échantillons de sang de toutes les femelles ont été prélevés pour des tests de réaction d'amplification en chaîne par la polymérase et de neutralisation virale. Aucune virémie ni aucun anticorps neutralisant n'ont été détectés et toutes les portées sont nées saines.(Traduit par les auteurs).

Comparison of the effects of pretreatment with Veramix sponge (medroxyprogesterone acetate) or CIDR (natural progesterone) in combination with an injection of estradiol-17ß on ovarian activity, endocrine profiles, and embryo yields in cyclic ewes superovulated in the multiple-dose Folltropin-V (porcine FSH) regimen.

Follicular wave status at the beginning of exogenous FSH administration is an important contributor to variability in superovulatory responses in ruminants. Studies in ewes have shown a decrease in the number of ovulations when superovulation is initiated in the presence of ostensibly ovulatory-sized ovarian follicles. Hormonal ablation of large antral follicles with the progestin-estradiol (E2-17ß) treatment significantly reduces this variability in superovulated anestrous ewes, but the effects of the treatment in cycling ewes have not yet been assessed. Sixteen Rideau Arcott × Polled Dorset ewes (November-December) received either medroxyprogesterone acetate (MAP)-releasing intravaginal sponges (60 mg) or controlled internal drug release (CIDR) devices (containing 300 mg of natural progesterone) for 14 days (Days 0-14), with a single intramuscular injection of 350 µg of E2-17ß on Day 6. The superovulatory treatment consisted of six injections of porcine FSH (Folltropin-V) given twice daily, followed by a bolus GnRH injection (50 µg intramuscular) on Day 15. There were no differences (P < 0.05) in the ovulatory responses and embryo yields between the two groups of ewes. In both subsets of animals, the next follicular wave emerged ∼2.5 days after an E2-17ß injection (P > 0.05). A decline in maximum follicle size after an E2-17ß injection was more abrupt in CIDR- compared with MAP-treated animals, and the ewes pretreated with exogenous progesterone had significantly more 3-mm follicles at the start of the superovulatory treatment. The metabolic clearance rate of exogenous E2-17ß appeared to be greater in MAP-treated ewes, but circulating concentrations of porcine FSH failed to increase significantly after each Folltropin-V injection in CIDR-treated animals. The CIDR-treated ewes exceeded (P < 0.05) their MAP-treated counterparts in serum E2-17ß concentrations during superovulation. In spite of differences in antral follicle numbers and endocrine profiles between MAP- and CIDR-treated cyclic ewes receiving E2-17ß before ovarian superstimulation, there were no differences in superovulatory responses.

Correlations between ovarian follicular blood flow and superovulatory responses in ewes.

The primary goal of this study was to employ ultrasonography to examine the ovaries of ewes undergoing superovulatory treatment for correlations between antral follicular blood flow and ovarian responses/embryo yields. Five Santa Inês ewes were subjected to a short- (Days 0-6, Group 1) and five to a long-term progesterone-based protocol (Days 0-12, Group 2) to synchronize estrus and ovulations after the superovulatory treatment. Porcine FSH (pFSH, 200mg) was administered in 8 decreasing doses over 4 days, starting on Days 4 and 10 in Groups 1 and 2, respectively. After CIDR removal, all ewes were bred by a ram and embryos were recovered surgically 7 days later. Transrectal ovarian ultrasonography was performed the day before and on all 4 days of the superovulatory treatment. Both an arbitrary-scale [(0) non-detectable; (1) small; (2) moderate; (3) intense blood flow] and quantitative analysis of the blood flow area were used to assess the follicular blood flow in color Doppler images. There were no significant correlations between the arbitrary blood flow scores and superovulatory responses in the ewes of the present study. However, there was a positive correlation between the quantitative estimates of follicular blood flow on the final day of the superovulatory treatment, and the number (DA: r=0.68, P<0.05; DA/TA×100%: r=0.85, P<0.05) and percentage (DA: r=0.65, P<0.05; DA/TA×100%: r=0.91, P<0.001) of unfertilized eggs (DA: Doppler area, TA: total area of the largest ovarian cross section). This experiment presents a commercially practical tool for predicting superovulatory outcomes in ewes and evidence for the existence of follicular blood flow threshold that may impinge negatively on oocyte quality when surpassed during hormonal ovarian superstimulation.

Estratégia para erradicação de focos da Doença de Aujeszky em suínos no Estado de São Paulo / Strategy for eradication of outbreaks of Aujeszky's Disease in pigs in the São Paulo state

Este trabalho teve como objetivo a avaliação de duas estratégias para erradicação de focos da doença de Aujeszky (DA) em suínos criados comercialmente no estado de São Paulo. Foram identificados dois focos da enfermidade, no município de Cerqueira César, um apresentando somente animais sororreagentes (Foco 1) e outro, casos clínicos da doença (Foco 2). Foram avaliadas duas estratégias de erradicação, uma por eliminação dos sororreagentes e outra por despovoamento gradual, com acompanhamento durante 12 meses. A erradicação por eliminação dos sororreagentes foi aplicada no Foco 1 e compreendeu na identificação por exame sorológico, isolamento e abate dos positivos; vacinação dos negativos e reposição no plantel com animais provenientes de propriedade livre. No início dos trabalhos, 68% do plantel era positivo e ao final 51%. No Foco 2 utilizou-se o despovoamento gradual, onde todos os animais foram enviados ao abate sanitário, realizado vazio sanitário nas instalações, seguido pelo repovoamento com animais livres. Esta última estratégia, nas condições desse trabalho, mostrou-se a mais eficaz, pois erradicou a DA.

This study aimed to evaluate strategies for eradication of Aujeszky Disease (AD) virus infection after outbreaks in swine production systems in Sao Paulo state. Two outbreaks were identified in Cerqueira César county. The first outbreak coursed with seropositive pigs (outbreak 1), and the other with pigs presenting clinical signs (outbreak 2). In order to eradicate the infection, two sanitary strategies were tested: (1) eradication of animals with positive serology and (2) by gradual depopulation, with a follow up of 12 months. The serology eradication was used in outbreak 1, and included the identification, isolation and slaughter of positive animals; followed by vaccination of negative animals and replacement with pigs from farms free of the disease. At the beginning, 68% of pigs were positive, and at the end it declined to 51%. In outbreak 2, gradual depopulation was used, and all animals were sent to sanitary slaughter, until facilities were completely empty. Afterwards, animals free of the disease were used for repopulation. It was seen that the last strategy was more effective because eradicated the infection.