Measurement of Metabolic and Inflammatory Serum Markers and Immune Marker Gene Expression during Superovulation in Beef Cattle

Health status of donor cows during superovulation is important to ensure optimal embryo quality at time of collection. Because nutritional and metabolic status impact embryo quality some form of nutritional supplementation is often provided before and during superovulation. OmniGen-AF® (OG) feeding has been shown to assist in the maintenance of animal health through regulation of metabolic status and balance and supporting aspects of immune function. We observed feeding donor cows OG decreased percent degenerate embryos recovered following superovulation increased serum progesterone concentration and improved in vitro embryo development. Evaluation of OG feeding on markers of metabolic function and inflammatory and immune function in beef cattle embryo donors are reported here. Similarly, cow metabolic and inflammatory response with repeated superovulation protocols is not known. Biomarkers to monitor and evaluate cow health during superovulation may provide management options to improve embryo recovery and quality. Twenty-four Angus cross-bred cattle were randomly assigned to four treatment groups, fed 0 or 56 g/hd/day for 49 days and superovulated with 200 or 400 mg Folltropin V (FSH). Blood was collected weekly for analyses. The protocol was repeated on all cows 90 - 120 d later with cows reassigned to their original groups. No differences (P > 0.10) were observed due to OG feeding or FSH dose on metabolic and inflammatory markers. Replicate exerted a significant effect where serum concentration of albumin, IL1β, IL6, PGE2 and leptin were lower (P < 0.05) in Replicate 1 compared to 2. There was also a similar pattern of change in several of the metabolic and inflammatory markers during the superovulation protocol where concentrations were higher at the time of estrus and ovulation. Taken together, physiologic changes during the estrous cycle and the number of superovulation protocols can modulate metabolic markers and inflammatory response.

Effects of Feeding OmniGen-AF^®during Superovulation on <i>in Vitro</i>Development of Embryos Recovered from Donor Beef Cows

Embryo quality is crucial when selecting embryos for transfer. Variation in quality may be attributed to poor oocytes, semen, stress, inflammation, and potential immune system dysregulation. OmniGen-AF® (OG) feeding supports immune system function and animal health. Our laboratory recently reported lower percent degenerate embryos recovered and increased plasma progesterone in beef cattle donors fed OG during superovulation. In vitro development of embryos recovered from donor cows fed OG prior to collection is presented here. Embryos were recovered from 24 beef cows assigned to four treatment groups: 0 g OG/hd/d and 200 mg Folltropin®-V (FSH) (0/200);0 g OG/hd/d and 400 mg FSH (0/400), 56 g OG/hd/d, 200 mg FSH (56/200) and 56 g OG/hd/d and 400 mg FSH (56/400). Good to excellent quality early blastocysts were cultured for 8 d. and development through hatching, embryonic volume and plasminogen activator (PA) production were quantified. The complete protocol was repeated 90 - 120 d later as Replicate 2. Optimal development was observed by embryos recovered from 0/200 cows where percent blastocysts hatching was greater (P < 0.05) compared to 56/200 and 0/400 cows and embryonic volume was greatest (P < 0.05) in Replicate 1. However, percent blastocysts hatching from 0/200 cows was similar (P > 0.10) to 56/400 cows and embryos recovered from 56/400 cows in Replicate 1 produced more (P < 0.05) PA compared to all other groups. For cows superovulated with the standard 400-mg FSH dose, feeding OG supported in vitro embryo development similar to that observed for 0/200 cows.