Reproductive Management of Ruminants

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Reproduction".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 4674

Special Issue Editors


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Council for Agricultural Research and Agricultural Economy Analysis, CREA—Research Centre for Animal Production and Aquaculture, 00015 Rome, Italy
Interests: animal reproduction; oestrus synchronization; artificial insemination; seasonality; anoestrus; pregnancy; livestock production systems; cattle; buffalo
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Reproduction in farm animals is very important for the economic livelihood of farmers. Ruminants play an important role in the agricultural sector, producing a high quantity and quality of protein (milk and meat) in human diets as well as providing hides, wool, and manure, contributing to rural livelihoods in many counties. Reproduction is the one of the crucial components that hampers productivity and can be influenced by several factors, i.e., genetic, environmental, nutritional, metabolic, hormonal, immunological, that could lead to reproductive failures. In recent decades, techniques have been developed to improve the management and control of reproduction in ruminants, but research is still needed to increase our understanding of the physiological events that occur in reproduction, which could help in improving farm reproductive management.

The aim of this Special Issue is to bring together original research papers and reviews on basic and applied aspects of ruminant reproduction, both in males and females, possibly using new and multidisciplinary approaches.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in Ruminants.

Dr. Vittoria Lucia Barile
Dr. Olimpia Barbato
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • ruminants
  • animal breeding
  • biology of reproduction
  • endocrinology
  • biotechnologies
  • assisted reproductive technologies
  • molecular biology
  • gene expression

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 1239 KiB  
Article
Interferon-Tau in Maternal Peripheral Blood and Its Relationship with Progesterone and Pregnancy-Associated Glycoproteins in the Early Phases of Gestation in Water Buffalo
by Olimpia Barbato, Laura Menchetti, Anna Beatrice Casano, Giovanni Ricci, Giovanna De Matteis, Stella Agradi, Giulio Curone, Gabriele Brecchia, Emilia Larisa Achihaei and Vittoria Lucia Barile
Animals 2024, 14(11), 1658; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14111658 - 31 May 2024
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Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the interferon tau (IFNt) concentration in the peripheral maternal blood during the early phase of pregnancy in buffalo cows and improve the knowledge on the physiological importance of circulating IFNt, evaluating the possible interaction with [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to investigate the interferon tau (IFNt) concentration in the peripheral maternal blood during the early phase of pregnancy in buffalo cows and improve the knowledge on the physiological importance of circulating IFNt, evaluating the possible interaction with pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (PAGs) and progesterone (P4). Blood samples were taken from buffalo cows on day 0 (day of AI), 7, 14, 18, 28, and 40 post insemination for the IFNt, PAG, and P4 analysis and to determine the IFNt mRNA expression. The animals were categorized ex post into Pregnant, Non-pregnant and Embryo mortality groups. The interferon value was influenced by group (p = 0.003), being always higher in pregnant buffalo cows than in non-pregnant ones, while the embryo mortality group showed intermediate values between those for pregnant and non-pregnant animals. The mRNA expression of IFNt was not influenced by groups or any time points. The regression analysis that included IFNt as the independent variable showed that PAGs, from day 18 (p < 0.01), and P4, from day 28 (p < 0.05), were positively associated with IFNt values. The close associations among IFNt, PAGs and P4 demonstrate that all three molecules work together for fetal–placental well-being and pregnancy support. Unfortunately, the great individual variability in circulating IFNt makes this analysis unsuitable for early pregnancy diagnosis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reproductive Management of Ruminants)
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12 pages, 739 KiB  
Article
Polymorphism of the MTNR1A Melatonin Receptor Gene in Goat Breeds of Northern Italy
by Stella Agradi, Sebastiano Luridiana, Maria Consuelo Mura, Giovanni Cosso, Daniele Vigo, Laura Menchetti, Gabriele Brecchia, Vincenzo Carcangiu and Giulio Curone
Animals 2023, 13(24), 3855; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13243855 - 15 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1187
Abstract
Melatonin receptor MT1, encoded by the MTNR1A gene, is the main one involved in the seasonal regulation of reproductive activity. A correlation between this gene polymorphism and reproductive performance has been demonstrated in sheep. To date, no data about MTNR1A gene polymorphism are [...] Read more.
Melatonin receptor MT1, encoded by the MTNR1A gene, is the main one involved in the seasonal regulation of reproductive activity. A correlation between this gene polymorphism and reproductive performance has been demonstrated in sheep. To date, no data about MTNR1A gene polymorphism are available regarding Italian goat breeds other than the Sarda goat. This study aimed to detect any PCR-RFLP polymorphic sites of MTNR1A using MnlI and RsaI enzymes in Northern Italian goat breeds, which are characterized by a pronounced reproductive seasonality. One-hundred-eight adult female goats belonging to four different breeds were included in the study (i.e., Frisa Valtellinese, n = 29; Orobica, n = 23; Lariana, n = 29; Camosciata delle Alpi, n = 27). Blood was sampled from each goat. Genomic DNA was extracted from each sample and the main part of exon II of MTNR1A gene was amplified by PCR and digested with MnlI and RsaI enzymes. Unexpectedly, none of the fragments were found to be polymorphic. The absence of polymorphism may be linked to the macro group of goat breeds that evolved during human migrations. Breeds of the Alpine–European strain would appear to show no polymorphism, as confirmed by our study, whereas breeds belonging to the Mediterranean–African or Asian–Middle Eastern strains do. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reproductive Management of Ruminants)
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13 pages, 694 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Luteal Function Using Rectal Palpation, B-Mode Ultrasonography, and Progesterone Determination to Improve Recipient Selection in Embryo Transfer Programs
by Uxía Yáñez, Mónica Barrio, Ismael Fernández, Juan J. Becerra, Pedro G. Herradón, Ana I. Peña and Luis A. Quintela
Animals 2023, 13(18), 2865; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13182865 - 9 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1593
Abstract
Proper selection of recipients determines the success of embryo transfer (ET) programs. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to assess the accuracy of rectal palpation (RP) in selecting recipients according to the size and firmness of their corpus luteum (CL) compared to [...] Read more.
Proper selection of recipients determines the success of embryo transfer (ET) programs. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to assess the accuracy of rectal palpation (RP) in selecting recipients according to the size and firmness of their corpus luteum (CL) compared to ultrasonography (US) and progesterone determination (P4); to check if US or P4 provide additional information to RP with regard to selecting animals with higher odds of maintaining the pregnancy; and to verify the reliability of the presence of a cavity and the volume of the CL within the ovary (%CLOV) as predictors of the ET outcome. In Experiment 1, measurements for the largest and minor diameter (LADCL and MIDCL), CL area, and P4 at ET day were collected, as well as the RP score, in 94 heifers. In Experiment 2, measurements for the LADCL, MIDCL, CL volume, %CLOV, and presence of a cavity were collected, as well as data about the procedure and metabolic markers, in 108 heifers. No differences were found in Experiment 1, whereas in Experiment 2, just a tendency was observed for the variable of veterinarian. Consequently, these results suggest that RP and US are useful methods to select recipients with, that US and P4 do not offer additional data to use to select animals with higher odds of maintaining pregnancy, and that neither %CLOV nor cavitary CL were good indicators for pregnancy rates. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reproductive Management of Ruminants)
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