Abstract
The growth and differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) intervenes in the fecundity and prolificacy of the ewe, which are important variables that participate in the reproductive efficiency of a flock. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of FecGE mutation of the gene GDF9 in the natural response of the manifestation to estrus, return to estrus, ovulation rate, pregnancy, lambing, prolificacy, and fecundity rate in Pelibuey ewes, during the anestrus period. The sequences of the exon 2 of the gene GDF9 were obtained from blood samples collected in Whatman™ FTA™ cards from 42 multiparous Pelibuey ewes with reproductive records. For this purpose, the quality of the sequences was analyzed and the polymorphisms and genotypes were searched for. The ewes were grouped according to their group: (a) homozygous or Embrapa (GG), (b) wild (AA), and (c) group without gene (sG). All the ewes studied manifested estrus behavior, but none showed signs of return to estrus after natural mating (p > 0.05); likewise, the pregnancy and lambing rates (p > 0.05) did not show differences between groups. However, the group GG presented higher ovulation rate, prolificacy, and fecundity rate (p < 0.05), compared to groups AA and sG. Although no differences were found in the manifestation of estrus, return to estrus, and percentage of pregnancy and lambing in females from the genotypes studied, the homozygous ewes GG presented 1.22 and 1.72 more corpus luteum (CL, p < 0.05), prolificacy of 0.7 and 0.7, and fecundity rate of 0.8 and 1.0 more lambs per ewe (p < 0.05) than the ones produced by the wild-type AA and sG groups, respectively.
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank the National Council for Science and Technology for the scholarship of the PhD studies of the first author and Universidad Autónoma Chapingo for the support given in the use of the sheep.
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CMG conducted the study. HVH analyzed data. JGS participated along the experiment. LATA corrected the previous version of the paper. CMBP and ABV revised and edited final version of the manuscript. CCR designed research, analyzed data, and wrote first version of the paper. All authors read and approved the manuscript.
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Animal management was done taking into account the ethical requirements for the use of animals in experimentation, recommended by the Mexican Official Norm (NOM-062-ZOO-1999) (SAGARPA 2001) regarding technical specifications for the production, care, and use of laboratory animals in agreement with regulations for the use and care of research animals, approved by the General Academic Council of Colegio de Postgraduados, Mexico (Colpos 2016).
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Muñoz-García, C., Vaquera-Huerta, H., Gallegos-Sánchez, J. et al. Influence of FecGE mutation on the reproductive variables of Pelibuey ewes in the anestrus period. Trop Anim Health Prod 53, 328 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-021-02755-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-021-02755-7