Markers for early pregnancy prediction in Zebu cows subjected to timed artificial insemination
Mariana Alves de Andrade Silva
A * , Artur Azevedo Menezes A , Endrigo Adonis Braga de Araujo A , Marcos Chalhoub Coelho Lima A , Rodrigo Freitas Bittencourt A , Marcos Vinícius Galvão Loiola A and Antonio de Lisboa Ribeiro Filho A
A
Abstract
To increase the number of cows pregnant in the early breeding season, strategies have been developed that seek to reduce the interval for pregnancy diagnosis.
The aim of this study was to evaluate markers for the early detection of pregnancy in Zebu cows.
A total of 175 Zebu cows were assessed at the time of insemination for the follicle diameter (FOLD), follicular wall area (FOLA) and follicle blood flow (FOLV). Twenty days after fixed-time artificial insemination (TAI), the corpus luteum was evaluated for diameter (CLD), area (CLA), vascularized area (CLV), and percentage of vascularization (%CLV). Blood samples were also collected to measure progesterone levels 20 days after insemination (P4D20). On the basis of FOLD, FOLV, CLD, CLV, and P4D20 as potential early pregnancy markers, the animals were categorized into two groups: negative predictive diagnosis of pregnancy (NPD) and positive predictive diagnosis (PPD). A definitive pregnancy diagnosis was performed 30 days post-TAI.
Pregnant cows exhibited higher FOLD, FOLA, FOLV, CLD, CLA, CLV, %CLV, and P4D20 levels compared to non-pregnant cows. Significant correlations were found between FOLD and FOLA, FOLV, percentage of follicular vascularization (FOLV%), CLD, CLA, CLV, %CLV, and P4D20. FOLA was also significantly correlated with FOLV, CLD, CLA, CLV, %CLV, and P4D20. Similarly, FOLV was significantly correlated with FOLV%, CLD, CLA, CLV, %CLV, and P4D20. CLD correlated significantly with CLA, CLV, %CLV, and P4D20, while CLV showed significant correlations with %CLV and P4D20.
The follicular and luteal morphofunctional characteristics are intricately linked to pregnancy establishment.
The CLV emerged as a promising marker for achieving earlier pregnancy diagnoses.
Keywords: corpus luteum, Doppler ultrasound, early pregnancy prediction, follicle, nelore, pregnancy prediction, progesterone, vascularization.
References
Acosta TJ (2007) Studies of follicular vascularity associated with follicle selection and ovulation in cattle. Journal of Reproduction and Development 53(1), 39-44.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Acosta TJ, Yoshizawa N, Ohtani M, Miyamoto A (2002) Local changes in blood flow within the early and midcycle corpus luteum after prostaglandin F2α injection in the cow. Biology of Reproduction 66(3), 651-658.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Andrade JPN, Andrade FS, Guerson YB, Domingues RR, Gomez-León VE, Cunha TO, Jacob JCF, Sales JN, Martins JPN, Mello MRB (2019) Early pregnancy diagnosis at 21 days post artificial insemination using corpus luteum vascular perfusion compared to corpus luteum diameter and/or echogenicity in Nelore heifers. Animal Reproduction Science 209, 106144.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Ayres H, Ferreira RM, Torres-Júnior JRdS, Demétrio CGB, de Lima CG, Baruselli PS (2009) Validation of body condition score as a predictor of subcutaneous fat in Nelore (Bos indicus) cows. Livestock Science 123(2–3), 175-179.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Baruselli PS, Ferreira RM, Sá Filho MF, Bó GA (2018) Review: Using artificial insemination v. natural service in beef herds. Animal 12, s45-s52.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Berger H, Lietzau M, Tichy A, Herzog K (2017) Pregnancy outcome is influenced by luteal area during diestrus before successful insemination but not by milk production level. Theriogenology 104, 115-119.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Bisinotto RS, Ibiapina BT, Pontes EO, Bertan CM, Satrapa R, Barros CM, Binelli M (2012) Luteal function and follicular growth following follicular aspiration during the peri-luteolysis period in Bos indicus and crossbred cattle. Reproduction in Domestic Animals 47(2), 319-327.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Bollwein H, Heppelmann M, Lüttgenau J (2016) Ultrasonographic Doppler use for female reproduction management. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Food Animal Practice 32(1), 149-164.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Brito LS, Maggitti Junior LDP, Ferraz PA, Vasconcelos IC, Carvalho JVGdS, Loiola MVG, Bittencourt RF, Madrigal-Valverde M, Cavalcante AKdS, Barbosa LP, Oliveira LPda, Bastos MCBB, Brito OSde, Ribeiro Filho AdeL (2020) Effects of equine chorionic gonadotropin administered via the Baihui acupoint on follicular ovarian dynamics and the luteal function of cattle during an ovulation synchronization treatment regimen for fixed-time artificial insemination. Animal Reproduction Science 223, 106631.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Consentini CEC, Alves RLOR, Silva MA, Galindez JPA, Madureira G, Lima LG, Gonçalves JRS, Wiltbank MC, Sartori R (2023) What are the factors associated with pregnancy loss after timed-artificial insemination in Bos indicus cattle? Theriogenology 196, 264-269.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
De Tarso SGS, Gastal GDA, Bashir ST, Gastal MO, Apgar GA, Gastal EL (2017) Follicle vascularity coordinates corpus luteum blood flow and progesterone production. Reproduction, Fertility and Development 29(3), 448-457.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Dubuc J, Houle J, Rousseau M, Roy J-P, Buczinski S (2020) Short communication: accuracy of corpus luteum color flow Doppler ultrasonography to diagnose nonpregnancy in dairy cows on day 21 after insemination. Journal of Dairy Science 103(2), 2019-2023.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Fraser HM, Wulff C (2003) Angiogenesis in the corpus luteum. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology 1(1), 88.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Funston RN, Musgrave JA, Meyer TL, Larson DM (2012) Effect of calving distribution on beef cattle progeny performance. Journal of Animal Science 90(13), 5118-5121.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Ginther OJ, Silva LA, Araujo RR, Beg MA (2007) Temporal associations among pulses of 13,14-Dihydro-15-keto-PGF2alpha, luteal blood flow, and luteolysis in cattle. Biology of Reproduction 76(3), 506-513.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Giordano JO, Wiltbank MC, Guenther JN, Pawlisch R, Bas S, Cunha AP, Fricke PM (2012) Increased fertility in lactating dairy cows resynchronized with Double-Ovsynch compared with Ovsynch initiated 32 d after timed artificial insemination. Journal of Dairy Science 95(2), 639-653.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Gnemmi GM, Maraboli CVA, Gnemmi B, Saleri R, De Rensis F (2022) Use and adequacy of non-pregnancy diagnosis in cow. Which future? Reproduction in Domestic Animals 57(S5), 45-52.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Guimarães CRB, Oliveira ME, Rossi JR, Fernandes CAC, Viana JHM, Palhao MP (2015) Corpus luteum blood flow evaluation on Day 21 to improve the management of embryo recipient herds. Theriogenology 84(2), 237-241.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Hassan M, Arshad U, Bilal M, Sattar A, Avais M, Bollwein H, Ahmad N (2019) Luteal blood flow measured by Doppler ultrasonography during the first three weeks after artificial insemination in pregnant and non-pregnant Bos indicus dairy cows. Journal of Reproduction and Development 65(1), 29-36.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Herzog K, Brockhan-Lüdemann M, Kaske M, Beindorff N, Paul V, Niemann H, Bollwein H (2010) Luteal blood flow is a more appropriate indicator for luteal function during the bovine estrous cycle than luteal size. Theriogenology 73(5), 691-697.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Herzog K, Voss C, Kastelic JP, Beindorff N, Paul V, Niemann H, Bollwein H (2011) Luteal blood flow increases during the first three weeks of pregnancy in lactating dairy cows. Theriogenology 75(3), 549-554.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Holton MP, Oosthuizen N, de Melo GD, Davis DB, Stewart RL, Jr, Pohler KG, Lamb GC, Fontes PLP (2022) Luteal color doppler ultrasonography and pregnancy-associated glycoproteins as early pregnancy diagnostic tools and predictors of pregnancy loss in Bos taurus postpartum beef cows. Journal of Animal Science 100(2), skac018.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Juengel JL, Garverick HA, Johnson AL, Youngquist RS, Smith MF (1993) Apoptosis during luteal regression in cattle. Endocrinology 132(1), 249-254.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Kanazawa T, Seki M, Ishiyama K, Kubo T, Kaneda Y, Sakaguchi M, Izaike Y, Takahashi T (2016) Pregnancy prediction on the day of embryo transfer (Day 7) and Day 14 by measuring luteal blood flow in dairy cows. Theriogenology 86(6), 1436-1444.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Kelley DE, Galvão KN, Mortensen CJ, Risco CA, Ealy AD (2017) Using Doppler ultrasonography on day 34 of pregnancy to predict pregnancy loss in lactating dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science 100(4), 3266-3271.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Matsui M, Miyamoto A (2009) Evaluation of ovarian blood flow by colour Doppler ultrasound: practical use for reproductive management in the cow. The Veterinary Journal 181(3), 232-240.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Niswender GD, Juengel JL, Silva PJ, Rollyson MK, McIntush EW (2000) Mechanisms controlling the function and life span of the corpus luteum. Physiological Reviews 80, 1-29.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Pate JL (1994) Cellular components involved in luteolysis. Journal of Animal Science 72(7), 1884-1890.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Pereira MHC, Cappellozza BI, Kloster AKM, Mamedes M, Vasconcelos JLM (2023) Evaluation of pregnancy per artificial insemination of dairy animals detected in estrus during the synchronization protocol and assigned to conventional or sexed semen. Animal Reproduction Science 257, 107324.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Perry GA, Swanson OL, Larimore EL, Perry BL, Djira GD, Cushman RA (2014) Relationship of follicle size and concentrations of estradiol among cows exhibiting or not exhibiting estrus during a fixed-time AI protocol. Domestic Animal Endocrinology 48, 15-20.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Pinaffi FLV, Santos ÉS, Da Silva MG, Maturana Filho M, Madureira EH, Silva LA (2015) Follicle and corpus luteum size and vascularity as predictors of fertility at the time of artificial insemination and embryo transfer in beef cattle. Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira 35(5), 470-476.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Pugliesi G, Miagawa BT, Paiva YN, França MR, Silva LA, Binelli M (2014) Conceptus-induced changes in the gene expression of blood immune cells and the ultrasound-accessed luteal function in beef cattle: how early can we detect pregnancy? Biology of Reproduction 91(4), 1-12.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Pugliesi G, Da Silva AG, Viana JHM, Siqueira LGB (2023) Review: Current status of corpus luteum assessment by Doppler ultrasonography to diagnose non-pregnancy and select embryo recipients in cattle. Animal 17(1), 100752.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Ribeiro Filho AdL, Ferraz PA, Rodrigues AS, Bittencourt TCBSC, Loiola MVG, Chalhoub M (2013) Diâmetro do folículo no momento da inseminação artificial em tempo fixo e taxa de concepção em vacas Nelore. Ciência Animal Brasileira 14(4), 501-507.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Sá Filho MF, Ayres H, Ferreira RM, Marques MO, Reis EL, Silva RCP, Rodrigues CA, Madureira EH, Bó GA, Baruselli PS (2010) Equine chorionic gonadotropin and gonadotropin-releasing hormone enhance fertility in a norgestomet-based, timed artificial insemination protocol in suckled Nelore (Bos indicus) cows. Theriogenology 73(5), 651-658.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Santos JEP, Thatcher WW, Chebel RC, Cerri RLA, Galvão KN (2004) The effect of embryonic death rates in cattle on the efficacy of estrus synchronization programs. Animal Reproduction Science 82–83, 513-535.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Shane DD, Larson RL, Sanderson MW, Miesner M, White BJ (2017) A deterministic, dynamic systems model of cow-calf production: the effects of the duration of postpartum anestrus on production parameters over a 10-year horizon. Journal of Animal Science 95(4), 1680-1695.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Siddiqui MAR, Ferreira JC, Gastal EL, Beg MA, Cooper DA, Ginther OJ (2010) Temporal relationships of the LH surge and ovulation to echotexture and power Doppler signals of blood flow in the wall of the preovulatory follicle in heifers. Reproduction, Fertility and Development 22(7), 1110-1117.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Silva MAA, Rodrigues AS, Brandão TO, Maggitti Junior LDP, Carôso BS, Chalhoub M, Bittencourt RF, Ribeiro Filho AL (2018) Avaliação morfofuncional do corpo lúteo para diagnóstico precoce de gestação 20 dias após IATF em vacas mestiças leiteiras. Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira 38(10), 2006-2011.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Silva AG, Pinto LMF, Silva NdA, Mattos ACD, Ambrósio PH, Duarte KMR, Alvarez RH, Pugliesi G (2021) Comparison of three doses of estradiol benzoate for synchronization of follicular wave emergence in suckled Bos indicus beef cows. Animal Reproduction 18(3), e20210016.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Simões LMS, Lima EA, Carvalho LR, Martínez MBP, Zanatta GM, Santos MFO, Machado AB, Dias MM, Guerreiro BM, Freitas BG, Bastos MR, Sales JNS (2024) Exposure to progesterone before an ovulation synchronization protocol increases the follicular diameter and fertility of multiparous suckled Bos taurus cows. Theriogenology 218, 239-243.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Siqueira LGB, Areas VS, Ghetti AM, Fonseca JF, Palhao MP, Fernandes CAC, Viana JHM (2013) Color Doppler flow imaging for the early detection of nonpregnant cattle at 20 days after timed artificial insemination. Journal of Dairy Science 96(10), 6461-6472.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Siqueira LG, Arashiro EK, Ghetti AM, Souza ED, Feres LF, Pfeifer LF, Fonseca JF, Viana JH (2019) Vascular and morphological features of the corpus luteum 12 to 20 days after timed artificial insemination in dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science 102(6), 5612-5622.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Taponen J, Hjerppe P, Kopra E, Rodríguez-Martínez H, Katila T, Kindahl H (2003) Premature prostaglandin F2α secretion causes luteal regression in GnRH-induced short estrous cycles in cyclic dairy heifers. Theriogenology 60(2), 379-393.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Utt MD, Johnson GL, Beal WE (2009) The evaluation of corpus luteum blood flow using color-flow Doppler ultrasound for early pregnancy diagnosis in bovine embryo recipients. Theriogenology 71(4), 707-715.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
