Browsing by Subject "Growth parameters"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    Growth analysis and blood profile in piglets born by embryo transfer
    (Elsevier, 2022) París-Oller, Evelyne; Matás, Carmen; Romar, Raquel; Lopes, Jordana S.; Gadea, Joaquín; Cánovas, Sebastián; Coy, Pilar; Fisiología
    Assisted reproductive technologies (ART), besides solving several reproductive problems, it has also been used as a tool to improve the animal productivity that is required for feeding the human population. One of these techniques, the embryo transfer (ET), has presented limitations in the porcine species, which could constrain its use in the porcine industry. To clarify the potential of this technique, we aimed to compare the impact of using ET or artificial insemination (AI) on the phenotype of the offspring during its first days of age, in terms of growth and blood parameters. At birth, the body weight was higher for ET-females than AI-females, but this difference was no longer observed at day 15. On day 3, it was observed a higher concentration of red blood cells, haemoglobin, and haematocrit in females-ET and a higher concentration of white blood cells in both ET-derived piglets (males and females) when compared to AI groups. On day 3, the biochemical analysis showed a higher level of albumin for ET-derived males, and a lower level of bilirubin for ET-females than AI controls. However, all values were within the normal ranges. Our results indicate that piglets derived from ET seem to be phenotypically similar to those born by AI, which provides preliminary evidence that the ET procedure is a safe technique, but additional studies beyond 15 days of life are requested to conclude its global impact. Furthermore, the presented reference values of blood parameters in this species are interesting data for the pig industry.
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    Growth parameters and growth-related hormone profile in a herd of cattle up to 4 years of age derived from assisted reproductive technologies
    (MDPI, 2025-02-21) Heras García, Sonia; Sena Lopes, Jordana; Quintero Moreno, Armando Arturo; Romero Aguirregomezcorta, Jon; Cánovas Bernabé, Sebastián; Romar Andrés, Raquel; Coy Fuster, Pilar; Fisiología; Veterinaria
    Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) are routinely used in livestock to generate animals of high genetic value. Despite representing an outstanding accomplishment, recent studies suggest differences in health, fertility, and gestational length of in vitro-produced compared to in vivo-derived animals. Currently, there are no data available on the long-term effects of ART on growth and development. This observational study aimed to understand the relationship between growth and growth-influencing hormones in a herd of cattle derived from artificial insemination (AI) or from in vitro-produced embryos either with BSA (C-IVP) or with reproductive fluids (RF-IVP) as a protein source in culture. Cortisol was associated positively with weight in AI and negatively with body length in males. Thyroxine decreased with age, and it was positively associated with thoracic circumference in RF-IVP. Insulin-like growth factor-1 was greater in RF-IVP than in C-IVP, and it was positively associated with body length and withers height. Growth hormone was greater in females than in males and RF-IVP compared to AI and C-IVP. In conclusion, we present here the first datasets on growth parameters and growth-influencing hormones in cattle from birth to 4 years of age without observing major evidence of differences depending on the embryo origin.
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    Open Access
    Growth parameters and their hormonal regulation in pigs are differently affected by sex and embryo origin
    (2024) Heras, Sonia; Quintero-Moreno, Armando; Paris-Oller, Evelyne; Soriano-Ubeda, Cristina; Gadea, Joaquin; Romar, Raquel; Canovas, Sebastian; Coy, Pilar; Fisiología
    The global pig embryo trade has yet to emerge but replacing live animal transport with in vitro produced (IVP) embryos is a future objective. Understanding the potential long-term effects of in vitro protocols, especially in commercial traits like growth rates, is crucial. Our study aimed to compare growth parameters (body weight and length) and growth-related hormones (IGF-1 and T4) between IVP and artificially inseminated (AI) animals. Three experimental groups were defined, including 68 crossbred (Landrace x Large White) pigs that were allocated from a colony of animals produced in a previous study. IVP animals produced using BSA (C-IVP; 8 males, 16 females) or reproductive fluids (RF-IVP; 10 males, 7 females) as supplement for in vitro culture, were compared to AI animals (AI; 9 males, 18 females). Paternally, all animals were sired by the same boar, while maternally, IVP animals were originated from ovaries obtained at a local abattoir. Growth was measured at birth, 3, 9, 15, every 15 days until 180, 365, 700, 900, 1100, 1250, 1450, 1650 and 1800 days of age. Blood was collected at 90, 180, 365, 700 and 900 days of age. Plasma hormone concentrations were determined using a solid phase, enzymelabeled competitive chemiluminescent immunoassay. Data were analyzed using a linear mixed-effects model, with group, sex and age as fixed effects. Benjamini-Hochberg procedure was used for p-value correction and differences were considered significant when P< 0.05. Weight exhibited an exponential increase up to 6 months of age followed by a linear rise from 12 months of age. Levels of T4 decreased with age, and IGF-1 levels also decreased with age, but only in females and C-IVP males. Males were longer and heavier than females throughout the study. Additionally, males exhibited higher IGF-1 levels than females, while the opposite was observed for T4. Only in males, T4 levels negatively correlated with weight, and no correlation was observed between T4 and body length. IGF-1 positively correlated with weight and length until 6 months of age. IVP animals were significantly heavier (≤d180: 10.6 ± 1.1 kg; ≥365: 35.9 ± 5.4 kg) and longer (≤d180: 8.5 ± 0.8 cm; ≥365: 10 ± 1.9 cm) than those originated from AI throughout the study. In addition, C-IVP animals were heavier (4.3 ± 1.5 kg) and longer (3.2± 1.1 cm) than RF-IVP but only up to 6 months of age. Finally, in males, T4 levels of AI were higher than those of their IVP counterparts (1 ± 0.2 μg/dL) and IGF-1 levels of RF-IVP were higher than those of AI (36.1 ± 11.5 ng/mL). In conclusion, the growth and growth-related hormones of males and females exhibited differences throughout the study. Specifically, males exhibited higher levels of IGF-1, while females exhibited higher levels of T4. While statistical differences were identified between experimental groups, further studies with larger sample sizes are required to determine the clinical sign ificance of these findings, if any.
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    Growth performance in pigs derived from in vitro produced embryos is enhanced compared to their artificial insemination-derived counterparts from birth to adulthood
    (Elsevier, 2025-03-04) Heras García, Sonia; Soriano-Ubeda, Cristina; Quintero Moreno, Armando Arturo; Romero Aguirregomezcorta, Jon; Paris-Oller, Evelyne; Gadea Mateos, Joaquín; Romar Andrés, Raquel; Cánovas Bernabé, Sebastián; Coy Fuster, Pilar; Fisiología
    Research suggests that assisted reproductive technologies may lead to adverse effects on the offspring. To date, long-term effects from fetal development through adulthood have been scarcely researched. In the present observational study, we aimed to describe growth (body weight, BW; crown-rump length, CRL; and average daily gain, ADG), and growth-related hormone levels (growth hormone, GH; insulin-like growth factor 1, IGF-1;thyroxine, T4; cortisol) of pigs derived from artificial insemination (AI) and from embryos produced in vitro under two different conditions, C-IVP, with Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA), and RF-IVP, with reproductive fluids and BSA, as protein source in culture, from birth to 5 years of age. In vitro-produced animals showed greater BW, CRL and ADG than AI. Additionally, C-IVP animals had greater BW, CRL and ADG than RF-IVP up to 6 months of age. Regarding hormones, GH concentration was greater in RF-IVP compared to AI and C-IVP. In males, IGF-1 levels of RF-IVP were greater than those of AI. Instead, T4 levels of AI males were greater than C-IVP and RFIVP. Males showed greater IGF-1 and GH than females, the latter only from 1 year old. Instead, females had greater T4 concentration than males. No differences in cortisol were observed between groups or sexes. In conclusion, this study sets reference values of growth and hormone concentrations for adult pigs that are missing in literature. Although the differences observed between the experimental groups were within physiological ranges, there was a greater growth performance in the IVP groups.