Efeito de diferentes concentrações de progesterona em dispositivos vaginais sobre a dinâmica folicular de novilhas Holandesas (Bos taurus) submetidas à IATF

Avaliou-se o efeito de diferentes concentrações de P4 [0,75g (T1) e 1g (T2)] sobre a dinâmica folicular de novilhas púberes submetidas à IATF. No D0 do protocolo, as fêmeas do T1 (n=10) e do T2 (n=9) receberam P4 em dispositivos intravaginais e, intramuscularmente, 2mg de BE. No D7 aplicou-se 530?g de cloprostenol e 300 UI de eCG, no D8 removeu-se os dispositivos, no D9 administrou-se 1 mg de BE e no D10 realizou-se a inseminação. A sincronização da onda folicular ocorreu em 100% das fêmeas. O diâmetro (mm) do folículo dominante (FD), avaliado no D9, o diâmetro máximo do FD o diâmetro máximo do folículo ovulatório (FO) não havendo diferença (P>0,05) entre os tratamentos. A média de crescimento diário dos folículos foi maior (P<0,05) no T1 (1,6±0,12) do que no T2 (1,0±0,18). O diâmetro do FD das novilhas do T1 e do T2 não diferiu (P<0,05), tanto das que ovularam quanto das que não ovularam. O diâmetro do FD entre as novilhas que ovularam com o daquelas que não ovularam foi maior (P<0,05) tanto no T1 (14,8±0,6 vs 9,6±0,7) quanto no T2 (11,2±1,6 vs 7,7±0,03). A porcentagem de prenhez não diferiu entre T1 e T2.  Os resultados indicam que ambas as dosagens de P4 são eficientes para induzir a emergência da nova onda folicular, controlar o crescimento folicular e sincronizar a ovulação de novilhas púberes

Reproductive efficiency of nellore (Bos indicus) cows subject to both ftai and homeopathic supplementation

The aim of this work was to determine the effect of homeopathic supplementation on both ovarian dynamics and conception rate in Nellore cows subjected to fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI). Cows (n = 150) were randomly distributed to the control (CG) and the homeopathy group (HG). The HG cows were supplemented with Pró-cio in the mineral salt for 60 days and both experimental groups were further subjected to FTAI. Cows were evaluated for ovarian dynamics (n = 16), progesterone (P4) concentration (n = 16), and conception rates (n = 150). Ovarian dynamics determined by ultrasonography and showed similar findings for CG and HG, respectively. Thus follicular diameter (8.7 ± 1.0 mm vs. 10.0 ± 0.8 mm), mean pre-ovulatory follicle volume (0.46 ± 0.15 mL vs. 0.61 ± 0.12 mL), and mean follicular growth (3.65 ± 1.41 mm vs. 4.60 ± 1.21 mm) did not differ between groups. Moreover, corpus luteum diameter was similar between groups (CG: 16.28 ± 0.7 mm vs. HG: 15.6 ± 0.8 mm; P > 0.05), although P4 levels did differ (CG: 2.55 ± 0.85 ng mL-1 vs. HG: 6.52 ± 1.19 ng mL-1; P 0.05). In conclusion, the homeopathic supplementation Pró-cio increases P4 concentrations but does improve the reproductive efficiency of Nellore cows subject to FTAI

PRODUCTION OF IN VITRO EMBRYO USING SEXED SPERM OF 5/8 GIROLANDO BULLS

We evaluated the "in vitro" blastocyst rate production using bovine sexed semen. Semen from three bulls was used to verify the individual's semen variation, cleavage rates and embryo production. In this study, we employed reproductive biotechnologies, computer analysis of post-thawed semen and fluorescent probes for sperm cells integrity analysis (plasma membrane, acrosome membrane and mitochondrial potential). A total of 959 oocysts went through in vitro maturation steps for in vitro fertilization and cultivation, being 473 with sexed semen and 486 with conventional semen. The cleavage rate was observed in blastocysts on D2 and D7. Data were analyzed by SPSS 16.0 software using analysis of variance (ANOVA), Student's t-test was used to detect differences between groups, and chi-square analysis for in vitro production results (P <0.05 ). The results differed between conventional (31.06%) and sexed semen (21.10%) in the obtainment of blastocyst. When the blastocyst production was individually compared in sexed semen samples (27.69%, 17.93% and 25.56%, bulls 1, 2 and 3, respectively) we verified T2 <T1 and T1 = T3 and T2 = T3. As for sperm kinetic analyzes, the sexed semen samples showed differences among bulls in curvilinear speed, linear speed and path velocity variables where T1 (117.7 ± 1.6 µm/s; 60.0 ± 0.3 µm/s, 73.6 ± 0.4 µm/s, respectively) showed the highest values when compared to T2 bulls (80.2 ± 2.3 µm/s, 47.0 ± 2.0 µm/s, 57.7 ± 0, 9 µm/s, respectively) and T3 (86.4 ± 5.7 µm/s, 46.2 ± 2.7 µm/s, 53.8 ± 2.8 µm/s, respectively). Analyses of sperm cell integrity did not differ among conventional semen samples, but in the sexed semen, membrane integrity was the variable that differ statistically among bulls once T1 (38 ± 2.7) differed from T3 (53 8 ± 1.8) (P = 0.009) but did not differ from T2 (44.1 ± 4.4). It is possible to conclude that sexed semen was less efficient in blastocyst production when compared with conventional semen. Analyses of kinetic and integrity were consistent with the fertilization potential of semen samples from 5/8 Girolando bulls