Bioscientifica Proceedings

Abstract unavailable© 2013 Context Products Ltd...

The phenomenon of embryonic diapause has been reported to possibly affect ovarian follicular development. The aim of the current study was to identify the impact of the embryonic diapause period on follicle number and oocyte quality in the European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus). In this species, the embryo undergoes five months of developmental delay. We have determined the antral follicle count (AFC), oocyte morphological quality, oocyte meiotic resumption capacity ...

It is necessary to understand the basic physiology underlying the complex process of folliculogenesis to address common causes of infertility and to devise innovative strategies to increase the efficiency of assisted reproduction technologies. Availability of suitable ovarian tissue is a major constraint to research in this area in humans, and monovulatory domestic ruminants represent a physiologically relevant model to elucidate basic mechanisms before more focused clinical i...

Abstract unavailable© 2009 Society for Reproduction and Fertility...

Summary. Follicular development during early lactation in the sow is characterized by a large population of small-sized follicles and a small population of medium-sized follicles. As lactation progresses there is a gradual shift in number of follicles into medium- or large-sized categories and the percentage of follicles classified as atretic declines. Weaning at birth often leads to aberrant follicular development, apparently because the positive feedbac...

Summary. In the pig, establishment of pregnancy begins about 11-12 days after the start of oestrus. The ability of pig conceptuses to synthesize and release oestrogens during this period, as well as the ability of exogenous oestrogens to induce pseudopregnancy when administered from Day 11-15 of the oestrous cycle, provide evidence for an involvement of oestrogen in the maternal recognition of pregnancy in the sow. Oestrogen derived from the conceptus or ...

In pigs, as in other species, fetal growth retardation is associated with reduced birth weight and increased risk of fetal and neonatal death. As there are few opportunities after birth to remedy the detrimental effects of low birth weight, it is important to understand both the intrinsic and extrinsic factors associated with inadequate fetal growth and to determine when growth retarded fetuses deviate from the growth trajectory of their normal sized littermates. Inadequately ...

A new method for non-surgical deep intrauterine catheterization of pigs, without sedation of the sow, is described. Insemination results obtained with this method using fresh spermatozoa demonstrate that, in comparison to conventional artificial insemination (Al) (3 × 109 spermatozoa in 80-100 ml), a 20-60-fold reduction in the number of spermatozoa inseminated and at least a 8-10-fold reduction in the dose volume can be used without affecting fertility ...

Although cryopreservation of boar semen for artificial insemination (Al) was developed 35 years ago, cryopreservation conditions and Al strategies are still considered sub-optimal. Al with excessive numbers of frozenthawed sperm (5-6 x 109 cells), still does not achieve fertility levels similar to Al using liquid semen because of reduced sperm survival. Frozenthawed (FT) spermatozoa have therefore not been the preferred option for commercial breeding programme...

Abstract unavailable© 2009 Society for Reproduction and Fertility...