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Modern Concept in Optimizing Reproductive Efficiency of Seasonal Breeders

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Modern Concept in Optimizing Reproductive Efficiency of Seasonal Breeders LIVESTOCK RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL Journal homepage: www.jakraya.com/journa/lri REVIEW ARTICLE Modern Concept in Optimizing Reproductive Efficiency of Seasonal Breeders Ashish Mishra*, I.J. Reddy and Sukanta Mondal National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Bangalore-560030, India. Abstract The control and manipulation of reproduction is the subject of scientific interest for many years. High level of reproductive performance can be achieved under optimum managemental conditions because *Corresponding Author: reproduction is directly affected by various managemental factors. Manipulation of these factors causes changes in reproductive performance. Ashish Mishra Seasonal breeders are animals that successfully mate during certain times of the year. These times of year allow for births with an optimum condition Email: [email protected] for the survival of the young. Seasonal breeders like sheep and goat are convenient domestic species for biological investigation and application because these species have diversified products of commercial value. To maximize the production potential of seasonal breeders it is essential to Received: 21/09/2015 increase the reproductive rate. There are number of factors that affect reproductive efficiency such as climate, stress factors other than heat stress , Revised: 28/09/2015 social environment, nutrition, disease, population density, gonadotropins, photoperiod. Globalised research has generated number of important Accepted: 29/09/2015 technological reproductive methods that can be applied to increase the reproductive efficiency of seasonal breeders. Most of the recent developments in optimizing reproductive efficiency are expensive but improve reproductive performance. Key words: Seasonal breeders, Modern concept, Reproductive efficiency. 1. Introduction (ICSI), cryopreservation of sperm, oocytes and The control and manipulation of reproduction is embryos, sperm and embryo sexing, embryo splitting, the subject of scientific interest for many years. High embryo cloning, nuclear transfer (NT), gene transfer level of reproductive performance can be achieved etc. The application of these biotechnologies enables under optimum managemental conditions because to increase the rate of genetic progress, reproductive reproduction is directly affected by various efficiency and significant increase in productive ability managemental factors. Manipulation of these factors (Rahman et al., 2008). These ARTs allow animals of causes changes in reproductive performance. high genetic merit to produce more offspring than Biotechnology, one of the most fastest growing would be possible by natural breeding. Modern ARTs scientific disciplines of recent progress of science. are being used to improve and preserve livestock Recent advances in technology such as nuclear biology, genetics as well as enhancement of reproductive genetic engineering and stem cell research have made efficiency. scientists to have wide vision on the design and Seasonal breeders are animals that successfully function of living organisms. It is also expected that by mate during certain times of the year. These times of the next decade, there may be revolution in commercial year allow for births with an optimum condition for the livestock production as well as other animal related survival of the young. Sexual interest in these sectors. Development of novel reproductive animals are expressed and accepted during this period biotechnologies, which are also known as assisted only. Female seasonal breeders have one or more estrus reproductive techniques (ARTs) that include artificial cycles in season. But at other times of the year, they are insemination (AI), embryo transfer (ET), multiple in anestrus. Male seasonal breeders may exhibit ovulation embryo transfer (MOET), estrus changes in testosterone levels, testes weight and synchronization and superovulation, laparoscopic fertility depending on the time of year. Seasonal ovum pick up (LOPU), in vitro maturation, fertilization breeders like sheep and goat are convenient domestic and culture (IVMFC), intracytoplasmic sperm injection species for biological investigation and application Livestock Research International | July-September, 2015 | Vol 3 | Issue 3 | Pages 51-57 © 2015 Jakraya Publications (P) Ltd Mishra et al…Modern Concept in Optimizing Reproductive Efficiency of Seasonal Breeders because these species have diversified products of cellular metabolism have regulation on various commercial value (Amoah and Gelaye, 1997). Besides, reproductive process like cyclic endometrial and luteal these have a relatively short generation interval as changes, follicular development, ovulation, compared to cow, the predominant livestock species. fertilization, embryogenesis, implantation, placental Biotechnological alterations could make significant differentiation and growth. Oxidative stress cause impact on the quality of sheep and goat production. several pregnancy related disorders such as preeclampsia, spontaneous abortion, intrauterine 2. Factors Affecting Reproductive growth retardation leading to pregnancy loss, defective Efficiency embryogenesis and teratogenicity (Gupta et al., 2007). To maximize the production potential of seasonal breeders it is essential to increase the 2.2 Stress Factors Other Than Heat Stress reproductive rate. There are number of factors that Any factors affect animal’s homeostasis or affect reproductive efficiency such as climate, stress equilibrium result stress response. These factors may factors other than heat stress , social environment, be physical, chemical or emotional. Stress is generally nutrition, disease, population density, gonadotropins, considered to be suppressive to reproductive function. photoperiod etc. A degree of stress is beneficial for adaptation and survival but chronic or long term stress is detrimental. 2.1 Climate The impact of stress on the endocrine, immune and The detrimental effects of high ambient nervous systems compromise animal performance that temperature and heat stress on reproductive prevents optimum reproduction. Acute stress due to performance are well known. Impact of temperature is sudden and severe stressor activates the adrenal gland direct as a result of increased body temperature or for the quick release of adrenaline and noradrenaline. compensatory changes in blood flow. It may be indirect These hormones cause physiological disturbances that through hypothalamus involving changes in appetite or include increases in heart rate, muscle tone and feed intake and body metabolism. In females, heat alertness required for animal to flee from danger. These stress during the first week of pregnancy results in hormones can either stimulate or inhibit contractions higher embryo mortality and subsequent abortions. The and motility of the muscles of the reproductive tract. impact of extreme climatic condition leads to most of This, in turn, affects the movement of sperm and eggs the reproductive problems. The physiological effects of for fertilization, the timing of embryos reaching the temperature and humidity on reproductive outcome are uterus and the number of embryos that actually survive important to consider. The Temperature-Humidity to implantation. Where as chronic stress cause Index (THI) over the physiologically stressful range activation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (>72 THI) affect thermostability of animals that leads (HPA) and results increase in release of to number of reproductive abnormality. Heat stress glucocorticoids, mainly cortisol and corticosterone alter the normal follicular dynamics pattern. Follicular from the adrenal gland resulting mobilization and estradiol levels have shown to be decreased during heat redirection of energy reserves through glycogenesis stress, causing disruption of normal folliculogenesis of and lipolysis. Continuous activation of the HPA the first wave dominant follicle and the second wave severely affects animal productivity. This chronic dominant follicle appears early but function normally. stress promotes depression or lethargy, reduced Possibly due to impaired oogenesis, heat stressed dairy immunity and impaired reproductive function (Varley, animals have less fertile oocytes (Wolfenson et al., 1994). 1995). Furthermore, heat stress alter steroid production and metabolism, particularly progesterone is altered. 2.3 Social Environment These imbalances affect estrus, embryo survival and Social environment include animal-animal and follicular development in the ovary. Conceptus weight human-animal interactions which have dramatic impact is also affected during heat stress since feed intake is on reproductive efficiency. Social environment is affected due to high temperature. In Male heat stress reflected in age at puberty, libido, behaviour at estrus, cause decrease in sperm motility, increase in sperm mating behaviour, estrous cycle, embryo survival and abnormalities, decrease sperm output and lower libidos maintenance of pregnancy. Study tells animals reared (Wettemann and Bazer, 1985). Heat stress cause in groups with others reach puberty sooner, have increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) stronger mating responses and are more interested in and decrease in glutathione (GSH) level which is partners than are those animals who reared without detrimental to embryo survivability. Oxidative stress groups (Hemsworth et al., 1982). Chemical compound due to reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by pheromones play important role to stimulate animals
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