Comparison of efficiency between two artificial insemination methods using frozen-thawed semen in domestic cat (Felis catus): artificial insemination in domestic cats.

The aim of this study was to compare the efficiency of the intravaginal (IVAI) vs. intrauterine artificial insemination (IUAI) using frozen-thawed sperm in the domestic cat. Semen was collected from two tom cats using an artificial vagina and samples were assessed for motility (computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA)), sperm morphology and plasma membrane integrity. After dilution with TRIS/OEP/YOLK (4% of glycerol), sperm samples were loaded into 0.25 mL straws (25 x 10(6)motile sperm/straw), incubated at 5 degrees C for 20 min and cryopreserved over liquid nitrogen (LN(2)) vapor for 15 min and then immersed in LN(2). For each AI, four straws from the same male were thawed (12s at 46 degrees C) and centrifuged at 250 x g for 8 min to pellet the sperm. The supernatant was discarded and sperm pellet resuspended with the remaining liquid, approximately 100 microL, and analyzed as described above. Queens were treated with a single im injection of 100 IU eCG to induce ovarian follicular development. Final oocyte maturation and ovulation was induced with 100 IU hCG given im at 82-84 h after eCG administration. Thirty hours after hCG administration, females were inseminated either intrauterine (n=8 queens) or intravaginally (n=8 queens), using thawed sperm from a single male. Although a pronounced decrease in sperm motility, acrosome and plasma membrane integrity was observed in sperm samples from both cats, a pregnancy rate of 75% was achieved when using the intrauterine AI method compared with 0% pregnancy when inseminated intravaginally.

A administração de hCG incrementa a incidência de ovulações duplas e múltiplas em éguas da raça Campolina apresentando folículos codominantes? / Does hCG administration increase the incidence of double and multiple ovulations in Campolina mares with co-dominant follicles?

A gonadotrofina coriônica humana (hCG) é rotineiramente empregada na indução de ovulação em éguas. A incidência de duplas ovulações é variável, sendo comum em determinadas raças brasileiras, como Brasileiro de Hipismo e Campolina. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar se a administração de hCG em éguas da raça Campolina incrementa a incidência de ovulações duplas e múltiplas. Através de palpação retal e ultrassonografia, foram avaliados dois ciclos estrais de 104 éguas, divididas em dois grupos. À detecção de um ou mais folículos ³35 mm e edema endometrial grau 2, 2.500 IU de hCG (IV) eram administrados às éguas do grupo I. O grupo II serviu como controle. Os resultados obtidos foram analisados pelo Qui-quadrado. A incidência de ovulações duplas nos grupos I e II foi de, respectivamente, 32,7% (34/104) versus 30,8% (32/ 104). Ambos os grupos obtiveram incidência semelhante de ovulações triplas (1,9% - 2/104). Apenas uma ovulação quádrupla (1,0% - 1/104) foi detectada, no grupo controle. A incidência de duplas e múltiplas ovulações foi similar entre os grupos (p > 0,05). Pelo fato das éguas da raça Campolina apresentarem, fisiologicamente, considerável incidência de ovulações duplas e múltiplas, é possível que a administração de hCG não tenha influenciado estes padrões ovulatórios.

The human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) has been routinely used in the equine species to induce ovulations for more than four decades. The incidence of multiple ovulations in horses is variable, being double ovulations a common occurrence in some Brazilian breeds, such as Brasileiro de Hipismo and Campolina. The aim of this work was to evaluate the role of hCG administration to increase, in Campolina mares, the incidence of double and multiple ovulations, which are desirable in embryo transfer programs. One hundred and four (104) mares had their estrous cycles recorded through rectal palpation and ultrasonographic evaluation during the breeding season of 2003 - 2004, in a total of two hundred and eight (208) cycles (two cycles per mare). Animals were allocated in two groups, with fifty two (52) horses each. In Group I mares, once one or more = 35 mm follicles and grade 2 uterine edema were present, 2.500 IU of hCG were intravenously administered. The untreated mares in Group II served as control. The Chi-Square test was used to analyze obtained results. The incidence of double ovulations in groups I and II was, respectively, of 32.7% (34/104) versus 30.8% (32/104). The incidence of triple ovulations was low in both groups, of 1.9% (2/104). Only once in the control group (1.0% - 1/104) was a quadruple ovulation detected. There was no difference in the incidence of double and multiple ovulations between both groups (p > 0.05). Possibly, hCG administration did not influence ovulation patterns in this work due to the fact that Campolina breed mares physiologically show a considerable incidence of double and multiple ovulations.