Embryo transfer in domestic South American camelids

Intraspecific and interspecific embryo transfer in domestic South American camelids is developing into a well-established technique. Reports reveal many benefits of using reproductive biotechnologies to allow rapid propagation of alpacas and llamas of high genetic merit (e.g., high fiber quality, preserve color variation). The objective of this review is to provide up-to-date information about embryo transfer in domestic South American camelids. Specific information is provided on criteria for male selection, donor and recipient synchronization, the practice of single- vs. super-ovulation protocols, embryo recovery and transfer techniques, advances in cryopreservation of embryos, results of intra- and inter-specific transfer, and the future of the embryo transfer in domestic South American camelids.     

羊驼种群内亲缘关系的研究

应用RAPD技术对羊驼群体进行亲缘关系检测。在所采用的40条随机引物中筛选出10条,优化了RAPD的反应条件,确立了适合于羊驼基因组RAPD分析的最佳反应体系和反应程序。计算出个体间之间的带纹相似系数及遗传距离指数,带纹相似系数位于0.3901~0.7851之间,平均为0.5374;彼此间的遗传距离最小为0.2149,最大为0.6099,平均为0.4626,并绘制出个体间亲缘关系树状聚类图。结果显示羊驼种群内遗传基础广泛,证明其个体间的血缘关系较远,这将有利于羊驼种群的正常生长、发育、繁殖和快速扩群。     

Effects of physically effective fibre concentration of diets consisting of hay and slowly degradable concentrate on chewing activity in mid lactation dairy cows under constant intake level

Abstract

Four ruminally cannulated Holstein cows (BW 615 kg) in mid lactation were used to evaluate the effects of fibre level (39, 32, 28, 24 and 19% physically effective NDF [peNDF] in DM) in diets consisting of hay and slowly degradable concentrate on chewing activity, under a constant intake level (18 kg DM · d^?1). The different dietary fibre concentrations were achieved by adjusting the hay to concentrate ratio. The above-mentioned levels of peNDF corresponded to 25, 40, 50, 60 and 70% concentrate respectively. The diets with decreasing share of concentrate were offered in sequence according to the progressive lactation of the cows. A decrease of the peNDF from 39 – 28% reduced total chewing and rumination time, total number of chews and number of boluses per day as well as chewing time spent per unit of DM. No significant change in chewing behaviour occurred between peNDF level of 28 and 24%. This peNDF level (i.e., 24%) might be considered as a tolerable fibre level. A further reduction of peNDF to 19% led to a significant reduction of chewing activity. This level can be considered as critical for chewing activity and presumably for the rumen health. The chewing parameters correlated linearly to fibre and non-fibre carbohydrates with R² of 23 – 51%.     

Inheritance of white, black and brown coat colours in alpaca (Vicuna pacos L.)

An experimental trial of the segregation of white vs. pigmented and black vs. brown colours in alpacas was conducted at the Peruvian INIA Quimsachata Experimental Station. One hundred and forty five offspring were born from the following matings: 4 white sires × 36 white dams, 4 white sires × 39 pigmented dams, and 9 pigmented sires × 70 pigmented dams. Among these last matings were, 4 black sires × 25 black dams, 2 black sires × 20 brown dams, and 3 brown sires × 25 brown dams. Statistical tests validate that the inheritance of white is due to a single gene which is dominant over pigmentation, without any modifying effect and independent of segregation of black and brown patterns. However, the evidence does not support a simple dominant inheritance of the black vs. brown.     

酪氨酸酶与羊驼毛色相关性的研究

为揭示羊驼毛色形成机理以及毛用性状改良奠定基础,选用羊驼作为试验动物群体,以酪氨酸酶作为影响羊驼毛色性状的候选基因,采用荧光定量PCR技术、免疫组织化学、免疫印迹等生物学方法从基因与蛋白方面分析了羊驼酪氨酸酶(tyrosinase,TYR)在不同毛色个体的表达量.荧光定量PCR结果显示TYR基因在棕色个体中的mRNA表...     

Longitudinal fibre division in skeletal muscle: A light- and electronmicroscopic study

Summary Under conditions of overloading, muscle fibres have been reported to undergo a process of longitudinal division. It has been claimed that this process leads to an increase in cross-sectional area and therefore contributes to the force of contraction. Recent work, however has demonstrated that the division is of limited extent and apparently pathological in origin. Examination of material taken from the immediate vicinity of a crush lesion has shown that a similar picture is reproduced by gross trauma. An electronmicroscopic study of dividing fibres in both overloaded and traumatized muscles has confirmed their similarity and revealed that atrophic changes are present. This evidence is sufficient to suggest that the longitudinal division of fibres seen in overloaded muscles and possibly in dystrophic muscles follows damage to the fibre and that division in this manner may allow the rejection from it of degenerated portions.We wish to thank Professor J. Z. Young, F.R.S. for his advice and encouragement and Mr. A. Aldrich and Mr. D. Gunn for their assistance with the illustrations.     

Factors influencing embryo transfer success in alpacas—A retrospective study

Embryo transfer offers great advantages to South American camelid farmers to reach their breeding goals but the technology still plays a relatively minor role in comparison to other domestic farm animals like cattle. The aim of the present study was to analyse a data set of 5547 single or multiple ovulation embryo transfers performed in commercial alpaca farms in Australia to determine the factors that influence number and quality of embryos produced, embryo transfer success (percentage of crias born) and gestation length following transfer. Logistic binary regression identified the variables day of flushing after mating, embryo diameter, embryo quality, day of transfer after GnRH, and the age of the recipient to have significant impact on the outcome measure embryo transfer success. Transfer of smaller embryos or lower quality embryos resulted in decreased transfer success rates. Optimal days for obtaining embryos from donors were Days 8 and 9 after mating, optimal days for transfer into recipients were Days 7 and 8 after GnRH treatment. Age (>15 years) and body condition of recipients <2 also lowered transfer success rates, while the summer heat had no adverse impact. However, season did influence gestation length, while cria gender did not. In conclusion, results from the analysis of this very large dataset can underpin new recommendations to improve embryo transfer success in alpacas.     

Environmental and physiological simulation of heat stroke: A case study analysis andvalidation

1. In this study, we examined by post hoc meta- analysis the likely physiological consequences of environmental stress in a 56-year old, mentally impaired woman who suffered heat stroke after being trapped in an abandoned car on a hot, sunny day in August in a Las Vegas, NV, parking lot. At 1400 h, she entered the car and at 1830 h, after severe exposure to heat stress inside the car, she was found unresponsive to resuscitation.     

Head-body temperature differences in the Australian blue-tongued lizard, Tiliqua scincoides during radiant heating

When heated radiantly, head-body temperature gradients developed in both live and dead Tiliqua scincoides. The gradients were consistently larger in live than in dead individuals, indicating they were enhanced by a physiological component superimposed on the more basic physical components. Large gradients in the initial phases of heating represented a lag effect, the head core beginning to receive heat before the body core because it is closer to the heated surface. Once this lag effect subsided, the body heated more rapidly than the head because it presented a greater incident surface area per unit mass than did the head. Living lizards appeared to maintain head-body temperature differences until the maximum voluntary temperature was approached.     

Semen preservation and artificial insemination in domesticated South American camelids

Semen preservation and artificial insemination in South American camelids are reviewed giving emphasis to work done in Peru and by the authors. Reports on semen evaluation and the preservation process indicate that semen of alpacas and llamas can be manipulated by making it liquid first. Collagenase appears to be the best enzyme to eliminate viscosity. Tris buffer solution maintains a higher motility than egg-yolk citrate, phosphate buffered saline (PBS), Triladyl, and Merck-I extenders. Cooling of semen took 1 h after collected, and equilibrated with 7% glycerol presented a better motility and spermatozoa survival at 1, 7, 15 and 30 days after being slowly frozen in 0.25 mL plastic straws. Trials of artificial insemination with freshly diluted semen and frozen–thawed semen are encouraging and needs to be tested extensively under field conditions. Recently, fertility rates varied from 3 to 67%. Semen preservation and most important, artificial insemination appear to be a reality, and could be used to improve the genetic quality of alpacas and llamas.     

Alpaca semen characteristics under free and directed mounts during a mating period

Most studies in alpaca reproductive biology have been focused on female physiology. Only recent research is being conducted in order to increase the knowledge on males. Semen characteristics during breeding periods will contribute to understanding the poor fertility rates in alpaca.

Ten adult male alpacas were distributed randomly into two groups and submitted alternatively to two regimens of semen collection of 12 days duration (day 1, initial day of semen collection). Semen samples were collected using an artificial vagina and a receptive, non-pregnant female. With regimen 1, males were maintained with females except for the days of sexual rest (6 and 7). Semen was collected on days 1, 5, 8 and 12. With regimen 2, males were exposed to females for daily semen collection only, before and after sexual rest. Mating duration, color and volume of ejaculates, spermatozoa concentration and morphology were evaluated.

No statistical differences for the variables were found between regimens that were used for semen collection. With respect to influence of day, however, the total numbers of spermatozoa ejaculated on days 1 and 5 of semen collection were statistically different (p < 0.05). Azoospermic samples increased on days 5 and 12 of semen collection. Partial recovery in spermatozoa concentration and number of spermatozoa ejaculated were observed after sexual rest. Although normal spermatozoa percentage was less on day 1 (p < 0.05) as compared with values found in the following ejaculates (days 5 and 12), the total number of normal spermatozoa was greater.

These results support the conclusion that when male alpaca have a daily ejaculation during five consecutive days, they might copulate without having enough spermatozoa for fertilization towards the end of the mating period.     

Brain thermal inertia,but no evidence for selective brain cooling,in free-ranging western grey kangaroos (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Macropus fuliginosus</Emphasis>)

Marsupials reportedly can implement selective brain cooling despite lacking a carotid rete. We measured brain (hypothalamic) and carotid arterial blood temperatures every 5 min for 5, 17, and 63 days in spring in three free-living western grey kangaroos. Body temperature was highest during the night, and decreased rapidly early in the morning, reaching a nadir at 10:00. The highest body temperatures recorded occurred sporadically in the afternoon, presumably associated with exercise. Hypothalamic temperature consistently exceeded arterial blood temperature, by an average 0.3°C, except during these afternoon events when hypothalamic temperature lagged behind, and was occasionally lower than, the simultaneous arterial blood temperature. The reversal in temperatures resulted from the thermal inertia of the brain; changes in the brain to arterial blood temperature difference were related to the rate of change of arterial blood temperature on both heating and cooling (P < 0.001 for all three kangaroos). We conclude that these data are not evidence for active selective brain cooling in kangaroos. The effect of thermal inertia on brain temperature is larger than might be expected in the grey kangaroo, a discrepancy that we speculate derives from the unique vascular anatomy of the marsupial brain.     

Scrotal heating stimulates panting and reduces body temperature similarly in febrile and non-febrile rams (Ovis aries)

It is known that heating the ram scrotum stimulates heat loss resulting in a decrease in body temperature and that during fever core temperature increases, but local scrotal thermoeffectors operate to maintain normal scrotal temperature. We have investigated whether scrotal warming influences core body temperature and the panting effector during fever generation. We measured rectal temperature, intrascrotal temperature, scrotal skin temperature and respiratory frequency in four adult Merino rams following intravascular injection of saline or lipopolysaccharide at an ambient temperature of 18-20 degrees C while scrotal skin temperature was maintained at 33 degrees C or elevated to 41 degrees C. Compared to maintaining normal scrotal temperature, heating the scrotum increased respiratory frequency and reduced rectal temperature by a similar amount following LPS as following saline. Fever was associated with decreased respiratory frequency compared to saline at both 33 and 41 degrees C scrotal temperature, suggesting that the fever was generated mainly by decreasing respiratory heat loss. We conclude that scrotal thermal afferent stimulation resulted in an offset for the set-point of body temperature regulation in both normothermic and febrile rams.     

Shivering modulation in humans: Effects of rapid changes in environmental temperature

During cold exposure, increase in heat production is produced via the activation of shivering thermogenesis and nonshivering thermogenesis, the former being the main contributor to compensatory heat production in non-acclimatized humans. In rats, it has been demonstrated that shivering thermogenesis is modulated solely by skin thermoreceptors but this modulation has yet to be investigated in humans. The aim of this study was to determine if cold-induced shivering in humans can be modulated by cutaneous thermoreceptors in conditions where increases in heat loss can be adequately compensated by increases in thermogenic rate. Using a liquid-conditioned suit, six non-acclimatized men were exposed to cold (6 °C) for four 30 min periods, each of them separated by 15 min of heat exposure (33 °C). Core temperature remained stable throughout exposures whereas skin temperatures significantly decreased by 12% in average during the sequential cold/heat exposures compared to baseline (p<0.0001). Shivering intensity and metabolic rate increased significantly during 6 °C exposures (3.3±0.7% MVC, 0.40±0.0 L O₂/min, respectively) and were significantly reduced during 33 °C exposure (0.5±0.1% MVC, 0.25±0.0 L O₂/min; p<0.005 for both). Most importantly, shivering could be quickly and strongly inhibited during 33 °C exposure although skin temperature often remained below baseline values. In conclusion, under compensatory conditions, cutaneous thermoreceptors appear to be a major modulator of the shivering response in humans and seem to react rapidly to changes in the microclimate right next to the skin and to skin temperature.