Breeding and fertility preservation in captive Red River Hog (Potamochoerus porcus)
Annie Newell-Fugate, D.V.M., Ph.D. AZA Ungulate TAG Meeting March 22-23, 2015 Breeding and fertility preservation
1. Update on Red River Hog pheromone study
1. Wild pig and peccary gamete rescue program
1. Diet, body condition, and fertility EFFECT OF NOVEL PHEROMONES ON BREEDING AND FECAL HORMONES Pheromones vs. Novel Live Animals
• Problems: – Genetic diversity only ~83% of founding – Variable breeding with unknown cause • Re-pairing results in minimal improvement in population-wide breeding rates • Study: Assess endocrine response of female and male RRH to introduction of novel pheromones Study Timeline
Washout Period (1 month)
Baseline Sampling Female pheromones Male pheromones
6 months 2.5 months 2.5 months
Aug Oct Dec March July Novel Urine Pheromone Introduction
• Sources: – Sacramento Zoo – Cheech - Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge – Star, Spangle & Banner – Birmingham Zoo • “Free-catch” collection • Introduction: urine-soaked hay, fabric or soil in conical/ enrichment tubes Photo: Virginia Zoo Male Pheromones Induce Cycling in Harem RRH Females 150
100
/g) ug
( 50 Progestagens 0 28-Jan 27-Feb 29-Mar 28-Apr 28-May 27-Jun 27-Jul 26-Aug
140
/g) 120 ug ( 100 80 60 40 20 Progestagens 0 28-Jan 27-Feb 29-Mar 28-Apr 28-May 27-Jun 27-Jul 26-Aug
140
/g) 120 ug ( 100 80 60 40 20 Progestagens 0 28-Jan 27-Feb 29-Mar 28-Apr 28-May 27-Jun 27-Jul 26-Aug Male Pheromones Induce Synchronized Cycling in Harem RRH Females
140 Star Male Pheromone Exposure Spangle 120 Banner
100
80
60
40 Fecal ProgestagensFecal(ug/g)
20
0 28-Jan 28-Feb 31-Mar 30-Apr 31-May 30-Jun 31-Jul 31-Aug Effect of Male Introduction on Androgens
12 Male 2 introduced to Male 1 Male 1 10 Male 2
8
6
4
2
FecalAndrogen Metabolites(ug/g) 0 4-May 18-May 1-Jun 15-Jun 29-Jun 13-Jul 27-Jul 10-Aug 24-Aug 7-Sep 21-Sep Effect of Female Pheromones on Androgens
Novel female urine 5.0 4.5 4.0 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5
1.0 Fecal Androgen Metabolites (ug/g) Metabolites Androgen Fecal 0.5 0.0 WILD PIG AND PECCARY GAMETE RESCUE Wild Pig and Peccary Gamete Rescue
• Minimal knowledge of normal gamete physiology • Semen cryopreservation technique • Difficulty with electroejaculation • Porcine oocytes difficult to cryopreserve • Limited ability to perform in vitro embryo production Long-term Goals of the Gamete Rescue Program
1. Generate baseline information on normal semen parameters 2. Assess use of a domestic porcine semen cryopreservation protocol for wild pigs and peccaries 3. Cryopreserve ovarian cortical slices 4. Develop 3D follicle culture techniques for swine species Ovarian Tissue Cryopreservation
• Goal: preserve primordial and primary ovarian follicles • Primordial follicles correlated with ovarian reserve • Culture follicles in a 3D alginate system Ovarian Quarters
Ovarian Corpus Luteum Ovarian Cortical Strips Antral Follicle
Corpus Luteum Note: The “x” of primordial clusters within the brackets. 500um cortical strip processing enriches for primordial follicles
Submission of Testes and Ovaries Welcome!
• Come find me at the TAG meeting
• Email me: [email protected]
• http://vetmed.tamu.edu/comp-endo-lab DIET, BODY CONDITION, AND FERTILITY Diet, Body Condition, & Fertility
• Zoos in endocrine study showed differences in fiber content of diet • Elephant community – standardized BCS index • Application of domestic swine measurements • Soliciting zoos: 1. Diet & Breeding Survey 2. Measurements for BCS/BMI in wild pigs and peccaries Acknowledgements
Linda Penfold - SEZARC Jeff Holland - Los Angeles Zoo Tommy Jordan, Yari Rodriguez Bello, Mel Covey, Greg Peccie, Steve Metzler - Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Mandy Burke & Christine Hoskinson- Birmingham Zoo Monica Jarboe & Cassie Cassello- University of Illinois RRH endocrine study zoos Woodruff Lab Northwestern University
Funding University of Illinois College of ACES Texas AgriLife Texas A&M University Contact Information
Annie Newell-Fugate Texas A&M University
[email protected] http://vetmed.tamu.edu/comp-endo-lab Phone: 979-845-1744 or 919-602-8954