Special Issue "Current Challenges and Targets for the Reproductive Management of Farm Animals"

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2021.

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Departamento de Produccion y Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, C/ Tirant lo Blanc, 7. Alfara del Patriarca, 46115-Valencia, Spain
Interests: developmental programming; environmental effects; embryo; foetus; genetic and epigenetic regulation; prenatal and postnatal development
Special Issues and Collections in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Víctor Hugo Parraguez Gamboa
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago 8820000, Chile
Interests: effects of hypoxia and oxidative stress on reproduction and fetal and newborn growth and development
Special Issues and Collections in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear colleagues,

The picture that we have for animal production in these early years of the 21st century is far from the scenario previously seen during the 20th century. In the 20th century, animal production, and agriculture more broadly, was influenced by the need to provide food and clothes to a growing population after periods of wars in the developed countries, geopolitical disasters, and substantial changes in demographics and lifestyle in developing areas. Strategies for providing food and clothes were developed at any cost and included the intensification of the use of natural resources to the fullest limits and the extensive use of chemical substances (biocides and hormones), which nowadays have been shown to act as xenobiotics. Although the needs of the global population will continue growing during the present century, we have learned that natural resources are limited and that any action impacting the environment has long-lasting consequences. Hence, animal production and reproductive management within animal production require new alternatives to adapt to a changing environment and to avoid further adverse impact in such an environment by improving efficiency and sustainability. Moreover, in this year, 2020, the sustainability of animal production has been dramatically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the need to increase its efficiency and resilience.

We invite original research papers and reviews addressing current technical or ethical challenges and targets for a more efficient, sustainable, and resilient reproductive management of farm animals.

Dr. Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes
Prof. Dr. Víctor Hugo Parraguez Gamboa

Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Induction and synchronization of estrus and ovulation
  • Seasonality of reproduction
  • Assisted reproduction
  • OMICs
  • Management of pregnancy and newborn

Published Papers (2 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Article
Maternal Supplementation with Polyphenols and Omega-3 Fatty Acids during Pregnancy: Prenatal Effects on Growth and Metabolism
Animals 2021, 11(6), 1699; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11061699 - 07 Jun 2021
Viewed by 1212
Abstract
Maternal supplementation with antioxidants and n-3 PUFAs may be a promising strategy to reduce the risk of intrauterine growth restriction and preterm delivery, which may diminish the appearance of low-birth-neonates. A previous studies showed beneficial outcomes of the combination of hydroxytyrosol and linoleic [...] Read more.
Maternal supplementation with antioxidants and n-3 PUFAs may be a promising strategy to reduce the risk of intrauterine growth restriction and preterm delivery, which may diminish the appearance of low-birth-neonates. A previous studies showed beneficial outcomes of the combination of hydroxytyrosol and linoleic acid, but there is no data of its prenatal effects. The present study aimed to determine the possible prenatal implications of such maternal supplementation at prenatal stages in swine, a model of IUGR pregnancies. Results showed effects on litter size, with treated sows having larger litters and, therefore, smaller fetuses. However, the brain/head weight ratio showed a positive effect of the treatment in development, as well as in some other major organs like lungs, spleen, or kidneys. On the other hand, treated piglets showed better glycemic and lipidemic profiles, which could explain postnatal effects. However, further research on the implications of the treatment on litter size and prenatal and postnatal development must be done before practical recommendation can be given. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Article
Energy Supplementation during the Last Third of Gestation Improves Mother–Young Bonding in Goats
Animals 2021, 11(2), 287; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11020287 - 23 Jan 2021
Viewed by 520
Abstract
We tested whether maternal energy supplementation during the last third of gestation improves birth weight, neonatal wellbeing, and mother–young bonding. Thirty-six pregnant French Alpine goats were randomly allocated among three nutritional treatments for the last third of pregnancy: (i) Control, fed alfalfa (T-0; [...] Read more.
We tested whether maternal energy supplementation during the last third of gestation improves birth weight, neonatal wellbeing, and mother–young bonding. Thirty-six pregnant French Alpine goats were randomly allocated among three nutritional treatments for the last third of pregnancy: (i) Control, fed alfalfa (T-0; n = 12); (ii) alfalfa + 150 g/head daily energy concentrate (T-150; n = 12); (iii) alfalfa + 300 g/head daily energy concentrate (T-300; n = 12). At birth, we collected progeny data on birth weight, birth type, sex, rectal temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, time to standing, time to udder connection, and time to first feeding. For the dams, we collected data on the duration of labor, time to clean the progeny, and time to allow first suckling. At birth, body weight, rectal temperature, heart rate, and the respiratory rate did not differ among treatments (p > 0.05). In the dams, labor duration was not affected by the treatments (p > 0.05). The T-150 dams were faster to clean the newborn and allow first suckling (p < 0.05). The T-150 progeny were faster to stand and the T-300 progeny were faster to connect to the udder (p < 0.05). We conclude that energy supplementation of the dam during the last third of gestation does not affect the birth weight of the progeny, but enhances the mother–young bonding. Full article
Back to TopTop