Characterisation of sperm piRNAs and their correlation with semen quality traits in swine.

Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are a class of non-coding RNAs that are essential in the transcriptional silencing of transposable elements and warrant genome stability in the mammalian germline. In this study, we have identified piRNAs in porcine sperm using male germline and zygote datasets from human, mice, cow and pig, and evaluated the relation between their abundances and sperm quality traits. In our analysis, we identified 283 382 piRNAs, 1355 of which correlated with P ≤ 0.01 to at least one semen quality trait. Fifty-seven percent of the correlated piRNAs mapped less than 50 kb apart from any other piRNA in the pig genome. Furthermore, piRNA location was significantly enriched near long interspersed nuclear elements. Moreover, some of the significant piRNAs mapped within or close to genes relevant for fertility or spermatogenesis such as CSNK1G2 and PSMF1.

Intrauterine ozone treatment of retained fetal membrane in Simmental cows.

The aim of research was to determine influence of intrauterine application of two different ozone preparations on reproductive performance in Simmental cows with retained fetal membranes (RFM). The study was performed on 143 Simmental cows aged 2-8 years and divided in three groups. Group A (n=46) consisted of cows treated with foam spray ozone applied into the body of the uterus for 5s using a sterile catheter. Group B (n=50) consisted of cows treated using six ozone pearls intrauterinely at once, as deeply and hygienically possible. Cows were observed and treated during early puerperium, 24-36h after parturition. The third group (n=47) consisted of cows without RFM (control group). To assess the reproductive performance of cows, the interval from calving to first insemination (days not pregnant to first service, DOFS), interval from calving to pregnancy (days not pregnant to pregnancy, DOP), relative pregnancy rate (%), first service conception rate (FSCR, %) and all service conception rate (ASCR, %) were measured. The estimate of hazard ratio for the Groups A and B relative to control group with DOFS were 0.423 (P=0.0006) and 0.434 (P=0.0005), and with DOP were 0.701 (P=0.003) and 0.411 (P=0.0003), respectively, implying that cows in the control group were not pregnant longer until first insemination and pregnancy. Variables that had an influence on DOFS were postpartum fever (PPF) (HR=0.458; P=0.003) and milk yield (HR=0.999; P<0.0001) and an influence on DOP were PPF (HR=0.314; P=0.001) and milk yield (HR=0.999; P<0.0001). Cows with RFM treated with intrauterine Riger spray or Ripromed ovuli O(3) have similar or enhanced reproductive performance results compared to the control group of cows demonstrating the effectiveness of therapy with intrauterine ozone products.

Effect of preventive intrauterine ozone application on reproductive efficiency in Holstein cows.

The aim of the research was to determine the influence of preventive application of two different ozone preparations on reproductive efficiency in dairy cows with physiological puerperium. The research was conducted on 404 Holstein cows aged 2-8 years, divided into three groups. The first group consisted of cows treated using 6 intrauterine ozone pearls (RIPROMED OVULI O(3) (®) , Novagen, Italy) at once. The second group consisted of cows treated with ozone foam spray (RIGER SPRAY(®) , Novagen, Italy) application in the body of uterus for 5 s, and the third group was the control group. Cows from the first two groups were observed and treated during early puerperium, 24-48 h after parturition. To assess the reproductive performance of Holstein cows, interval from calving to first insemination (days open to first service, DOFS), interval from calving to pregnancy (days open to pregnancy, DOP), relative pregnancy rate (%), first service conception rate (FSCR, %) and all service conception rate (ASCR, %) were measured. The estimate of hazard ratio (HR) for group B relative to group C for DOFS was 0.62 (p = 0.0002), implying that the relative rate of first service decreased in the control group by 38%. The estimate of HR for group B relative to group C for DOP was 0.65 (p = 0.0006), implying that the relative rate of pregnancy decreased in group C by 35%. Cows treated with Riger spray (group B) became pregnant earlier and had better FSCR and ASCR. It is supposed that the form of ozone preparations and the amount of active substance were decisive. A conclusion may be made that preventive ozone intrauterine application during early puerperal period, especially the foaming form of ozone preparations (spray), improved the reproductive efficacy in dairy cows.