Hormonal-Induced Cervical Relaxation During Diestrus in Ewes: Cervical Transposing Feasibility and Use of hCG for Rescuing Disrupted Luteal Function.

Cervical relaxation (CR) was performed in ewes during diestrus, to prospect a feasible protocol for non-surgical embryo transfer (NSET). In Trial 1, naturally mated ewes (n=13) received CR protocols with estradiol benzoate (EB, 1 mg on D6) and oxytocin (OT, 50 IU on D7) only (G-EB+OT) or associated with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG, 300 IU on D7, G-EB+OT+hCG) and were compared to non-hormonally treated (G-control) ewes. Estradiol concentration increased (P<0.05) from D6 to D7 in G-EB+OT and G-EB+OT+hCG, then decreased (P<0.05) on D8. The G-EB+OT had reduced (P<0.05) progesterone on D8, and 0% (0/5) pregnancy, while G-control had 100% (3/3) conception rate. The treatment with hCG mitigated the progesterone drop on D8 and resulted in 50% (2/4) conception rate. In Trial 2, cervical transposing success after treatment with EB, OT, and hCG on D6 and D7 was assessed in nulliparous (n=25) and multiparous (n=30) ewes. The EB+OT+hCG protocol allowed efficient cervical transposition (~78% of cervical transposition success into ~5 min) in nulliparous and multiparous females and did not alter total and blood perfusion areas of corpora lutea (CL). The use of EB+OT+hCG was efficient to ensure effective cervical transposing in nulliparous and multiparous ewes, with no apparent deleterious effect on CL function, and may contribute to animal welfare, allowing a less invasive NSET procedure.

Major differences between single or twin hair lambs in the immediate postpartum period: Metabolic and thermodynamic patterns detected by infrared thermography.

The objective was to evaluate the differences between hair lambs, born from single or twin births, regarding the latency periods for standing up and suckling, the vitality, glycemic, cortisol, and triiodothyronine concentrations, as well as the phenotypic characteristics related to the maintenance of homeothermy in the immediate postpartum. Single (n = 10) or twin (n = 12) Morada Nova lambs were evaluated after birth, during the first successful suckling (M0 = Timepoint 0), and at regular intervals of 20 min (M20, M40, M60). Lambs from single births had higher birth weight (3.09 vs 2.58 kg; P ≤ 0.05) and higher serum triiodothyronine concentration (267 vs 209 ng/dL; P ≤ 0.05) compared to twin lambs. There was a positive correlation between weight and blood glucose (0.57; P ≤ 0.05) for both single and twin lambs. The type of birth did not affect vitality, which was negatively associated with cortisol concentration (-0.53; P ≤ 0.05). Twin lambs had higher internal and ocular temperatures (39.29 vs 38.67 °C and 38.84 vs 38.13 °C; P ≤ 0.05, respectively). Body surface temperatures increased over time in both groups (P ≤ 0.05). An increase in the temperature of the hips region (ysingle = 27.88 + 0.019*time; R2 = 0.96; P = 0.019 and ytwin = 28.74 + 0.019*time; R2 = 0.94; P = 0.029) was observed for both single and twin lambs, which coincides with the region of brown adipose tissue deposition. The lowest absolute thermal variabilities between twin and single lambs in M0 and M60 were recorded in the midloin and integral dorsal area. The parturition type did not influence the latencies to stand up (P = 0.908) and for the first suckling (P = 0.888), and the vitality score (P = 0.353). Thus, single and twin lambs do not differ in neonatal behavior, but they presented specific metabolic strategies to regulate body temperature over time. Midloin and integral dorsal areas are anatomical regions suggested for use in serial thermographic monitoring. Infrared thermography may be an important complementary resource in neonatal care.

Local and systemic immune mediators of Morada Nova lambs with divergent Haemonchus contortus resistance phenotypes.

AIMS: Local and systemic immune mediators of Morada Nova lambs with divergent Haemonchus contortus resistance phenotypes were evaluated. METHODS AND RESULTS: Lambs were ranked through faecal egg counts (FEC) after two parasitic challenges with 4,000 H.contortus L3 . After the second challenge, the lambs underwent a third artificial infection and were euthanized 7 days later. Immune-related genes were quantified locally in abomasal mucosa and lymph nodes (CD4, IFNγ, IL4, IL5, IL13, IL2RA and MS4A2) and systemically in the whole blood (IL4 and IL13). Anti-H. contortus IgG and IgA antibodies and eosinophils and mast cells counts were also investigated. Resistant animals presented higher systemic IgG and IgA titres, both negatively correlated with FEC. Susceptible animals had higher blood levels of IL4 transcripts. At the local level, resistant lambs had higher eosinophils counts and superior MS4A2 levels in abomasal fundic mucosa, besides higher IgA levels in abomasal mucus, while susceptible lamb had superior IL4 expression in abomasal lymph nodes. CONCLUSION: These data indicate that resistant lambs had an immune response mediated by antibody-mediated cytotoxicity. Also, the systemic humoral profile, particularly IgA isotype, seems to be a good resistance marker for Morada Nova sheep, as we found differences between groups even when FEC did not differ.

Feeding calves with soybean hydrosoluble extract. II. Antibody production and effects upon intestinal villosity / Alimentação de bezerros com extrato hidrossolúvel de soja. II. Produção de anticorpos e distúrbios intestinais

The aim of this investigation was to study the total replacement of milk substitute (SL) for soybean hydrosoluble extract (EHS) in feeding 5-day-old Holstein male calves. Calves fed with EHS from the 5th day of age showed,throughout the experiment, weight loss, diarrhea, lethargy, cachexia and at the final stage, dehydration and hypoproteinemia. In addition, these calves had intestinal villosity atrophy and sera antibody production against theEHS protein, indicating they were suffering from an allergic reaction, while the control group calves showed normal development. The calves fed with EHS showed visible decrease of subcutaneous fat, omentum, epiploon and perirenal fat. The main change observed in the abomasum was absence of clot formation.

O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar a substituição total do sucedâneo lácteo à base de proteína de leite (SL) por extrato hidrossolúvel de soja (EHS) na alimentação de bezerros Holandeses machos, com idade média inicial de cinco dias. Os bezerros alimentados com EHS a partir do 5 dia de vida apresentaram, com o desenvolver do experimento, perda de peso pronunciada, diarréia, letargia, caquexia e, nos estágios terminais, desidratação e hipoproteinemia. Apresentaram, ainda, atrofia das vilosidades intestinais e produção de anticorpos no soro contra a proteína do EHS, indicação de que os bezerros estavam padecendo de uma reação alérgica à proteína de soja, enquanto os bezerros do grupo-controle apresentaram-se com desenvolvimento corporal normal. Os bezerros alimentados com EHS apresentaram diminuição visível das gorduras presentes no tecido subcutâneo, omento, epíplon e da gordura perirenal.No abomaso, a principal alteração verificada foi a falta de formação do coágulo do EHS ingerido.