Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of month of breeding on reproductive efficiency of Holstein cows and heifers inseminated with sex-sorted or conventional semen in a hot environment

  • Short Communications
  • Published:
Tropical Animal Health and Production Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to assess the effect of month of breeding on reproduction performance of Holstein heifers and cows inseminated with sex-sorted or conventional semen in a hot environment. Pregnancy per artificial insemination (P/AI; 64,666 services over an 8-year period) both in heifers (n = 22,313) and cows (n = 42,353) from a large dairy herd in northern Mexico (26°N) were evaluated with the GENMOD procedure of SAS, with respect to month of AI. Overall, P/AI with sex-sorted semen was greater (P < 0.01) in heifers (41.6 %) than cows (17.3 %). P/AI for cows serviced with conventional semen was 10 % points higher (P < 0.01) in January and December (31 vs. 21 %) than cows serviced with sex-sorted semen. While there was no difference in P/AI between the sex-sorted sperm and conventional semen in cows inseminated in July (16 and 18 %, respectively), P/AI plummeted for both groups of cows during the summer and fall (more severe heat stress). P/AI was not different between heifers serviced with sex-sorted or conventional semen during the hottest months of the year (July to October). However, during the coldest month of the year (January and February), P/AI was 10 percentage points greater (P < 0.01) in heifers serviced with conventional than sex-sorted semen. It was concluded that in this hot climate cow and heifer fertility declined in the summer and fall when inseminated with conventional semen. However, the use of sex-sorted semen during summer and fall did not compromise the breeding success in heifers. Thus, this data suggest that sex-sorted semen promotes some embryonic thermoprotective mechanism, which leads to a marginal summer and fall fertility depression with this type of semen in this particular hot environment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

References

  • Andersson, M., Taponen, J., Kommeri, M., Dahlbom, M., 2006. Pregnancy rates in lactating Holstein–Friesian cows after artificial insemination with sexed sperm. Reproduction in Domestic Animals, 41, 95–97.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Arruda, R.P., Celeghini, E.C.C., Alonso, M.A., Carvalho, H.F., Lemes, K.M., Silva, D.F., Rodriguez, S.A.F., Affonso, F.J., 2012. Aspects related to the technique and the utilization of sexed semen in vivo and in vitro. Animal Reproduction, 9, 345– 353.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blondin, P., Beaulieu, M., Fournier, V., Morin, N., Crawford, L., Madan, P., King, W.A., 2009. Analysis of bovine sexed sperm for IVF from sorting to the embryo. Theriogenology, 71, 30–38.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bodmer, M., Janett, F., Hassig, M., Den Daas, N., Reichert, P., Thun, R., 2005. Fertility in heifers and cows after low dose insemination with sex-sorted and nonsorted sperm under field conditions. Theriogenology, 64,1647-1655.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Carvalho, J.O., Sartori, R., Machado, G.M., Mourão, G.B., Dode, M.A.N., 2010. Quality assessment of bovine cryopreserved sperm after sexing by flow cytometry and their use in in vitro embryo production. Theriogenology, 74, 1521–1530.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • De Graaf, S.P., Evans, G., Maxwell, W.M.C., O’Brien, J.K., 2006. In vitro function of fresh and frozen-thawed ram spermatozoa after sex sorting and re-freezing. Reproduction Fertility and Development, 18, 867–874.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Graaf, S.P., Leahy, T., Marti J.I., Evans G., Maxwell W.M.C., 2008. Application of seminal plasma in sex-sorting and sperm cryopreservation. Theriogenology, 70, 1360–1363.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • DeJarnette, J.M., McCleary, C.R., Leach, M.A., Moreno, J.F., Nebel, R.L., Marshall, C.E., 2010. Effects of 2.1 and 3.5 × 106 sex-sorted sperm dosages on conception rates of Holstein cows and heifers. Journal of Dairy Science, 93, 4079–4085.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • DeJarnette, J.M., Nebel, R.L., Marshall, C.E., 2009. Evaluating the success of sex-sorted semen in US dairy herds from on farm records. Theriogenology 71, 49–58.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • De Vries, A., Overton, M., Fetrow, J., Leslie, K., Eicker, S., Rogers, G., 2008. Exploring the impact of sexed semen on the structure of the dairy industry. Journal of Dairy Science, 91, 847–856.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Garcia-Ispierto, F.G., Lopez-Gatius, P., Bech-Sabat, G., Santolaria, P., Yaniz, J.L., Nogareda, C., De Rensis, F., Lopez-Bejar, M., 2007. Climate factors affecting pregnancy rate of high-producing dairy cows in northeastern Spain. Theriogenology, 67,1379-1385.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gendelman, M., Aroyo, A., Yavin, S., Roth, Z., 2010. Seasonal effects on gene expression, cleavage timing, and developmental competence of bovine preimplantation embryos. Reproduction, 140,73-82.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gosálvez, J., Ramirez, M.A., López-Fernández, C., Crespo, F., Evans, K.M., Kjelland, M.E., Moreno, J.F., 2011. Sex-sorted bovine spermatozoa and DNA damage: I. Static features. Theriogenology, 75,197-205.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Healy, A.A., House, J.K., Thomson, P.C., 2013. Artificial insemination field data on the use of sexed and conventional semen in nulliparous Holstein heifers. Journal of Dairy Science, 96, 1905–1914.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mellado, M., Coronel, F., Estrada, A., Ríos, F.G., 2010. Fertility in Holstein x Gyr cows in a subtropical environment after insemination with Gyr sex-sorted semen. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 42, 1493–1496.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mellado, M., Sepulveda, E., Meza-Herrera, C., Veliz, F.G., Arevalo, J.R., Mellado J., de Santiago, A., 2013. Effects of heat stress on reproductive efficiency in high milk-yielding Holstein cows in a hot arid environment. Revista Colombiana de Ciecias Pecuarias. 26, 193–200.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morton, K.M., Herrmann, D., Sieg, B., Struckmann, C., Maxwell, W.M.C., Rath, D., 2007. Altered mRNA expression patterns in bovine blastocysts after fertilisation in vitro using flow-cytometrically sexsorted sperm. Molecular Reproduction and Development, 74, 931–940.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • NRC., 2001. Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle. 7th ed. Natl. Acad. Press, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Norman, H.D., Hutchison, J.L., Miller, R.H., 2010. Use of sexed semen and its effect on conception rate, calf sex, dystocia, and stillbirth of Holsteins in the United States. Journal of Dairy Science, 93, 3880–3890.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Payton, R.R., Rispoli, L.A., Saxton, A.M., Edwards, J.L., 2011. Impact of heat stress exposure during meiotic maturation on oocyte, surrounding cumulus cell, and embryo RNA populations. Journal of Reproduction and Development, 57, 481–491.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pryce, J.E., Simm G., Robinson, J., 2002. Effects of selection for production and maternal diet on maiden heifer fertility. Animal Science, 74, 415–421.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rath, D., Moench-Tegeder, G., Taylor, U., Johnson, L.A., 2009. Improved quality of sex-sorted sperm: A prerequisite for wider commercial application. Theriogenology, 71, 22–29.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sakatani, M., Alvarez, N.V., Takahashi, M., Hansen, P.J., 2012. Consequences of physiological heat shock beginning at the zygote stage on embryonic development and expression of stress response genes in cattle. Journal of Dairy Science, 95, 3080–3091.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schenk, J.L., Cran, D.G., Everett, R.W., Seidel Jr, G.E., 2009. Pregnancy rates in heifers and cows with cryopreserved sexed sperm: Effects of sperm numbers per inseminate, sorting pressure and sperm storage before sorting. Theriogenology, 71, 717–728.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Seidel Jr, G.E., Schenk, J.L., 2002. Field trials with sexed, frozen bovine semen. In Proceedings 19th Technical Conference on Artificial Insemination and Reproduction. National Association of Animal Breeding, Columbia, MO. pp. 64–69.

  • Seidel Jr, G.E., 2003. Economics of selecting for sex: The most important genetic trait. Theriogenology, 59, 585–598.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Seidel Jr, G.E., 2007. Overview of sexing sperm. Theriogenology 68, 443–446.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Seidel Jr, G.E., 2009. Sperm sexing technology-The transition to commercial application. An introduction to the symposium “Update on sexing mammalian sperm”. Theriogenology, 71, 1–3

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sharpe, J.C., Evans, K.M. 2009. Advances in flow cytometry for sperm sexing. Theriogenology, 71, 4–10.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stewart, B.M., Block, J., Morelli, P., Navarette, A.E., Amstalden, M., Bonilla, L. Hansen, P.J., Bilby, T.R., 2011. Efficacy of embryo transfer in lactating dairy cows during summer using fresh or vitrified embryos produced in vitro with sex-sorted semen. Journal of Dairy Science, 94, 3437–3445.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Underwood, S.L., Bathgate, R., Pereira, D.C., Castro, A., Thomson, P.C., Maxwell, W.M.C., Evans, G., 2010. Embryo production after in vitro fertilization with frozen-thawed, sex-sorted, re-frozen-thawed bull sperm. Theriogenology, 73, 97–102.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Weigel, K.A., 2004. Exploring the role of sexed semen in dairy production systems. Journal of Dairy Science, 87(E-Suppl.), E120–E130.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wheelock, J.B., Rhoads, R.P., VanBaale, M.J., Sanders, S.R., Baumgard, L.H., 2010. Effects of heat stress on energetic metabolism in lactating Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science, 93, 644–655.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, M., Lu, K.H., Seidel, G.E., 2003. Development of bovine embryos after in vitro fertilization of oocytes with flow cytometrically sorted, stained and unsorted sperm from different bulls. Theriogenology, 60, 1657-1663.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Manuel Guillén for providing reproduction records of cows used in the present study. The contributions of Martha Alicia de la Rosa during this study are highly appreciated. We acknowledge the financial support from SAGARPA-CONACYT (Mexico), project 144591.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Nutrition, Autonomous Agrarian University Antonio Narro, Saltillo, Coahuila, 25315, Mexico

    Miguel Mellado, Jose E. Garcia & Alvaro Rodríguez

  2. Department of Veterinary Science, Autonomous Agrarian University Antonio Narro, Torreon, Mexico

    Edgar Sepulveda & Francisco G. Veliz

  3. Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Autonomous University of Baja California, Mexicali, Mexico

    Ulises Macias-Cruz & Leonel Avendaño

Authors
  1. Miguel Mellado
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Edgar Sepulveda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ulises Macias-Cruz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Leonel Avendaño
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jose E. Garcia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Francisco G. Veliz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Alvaro Rodríguez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alvaro Rodríguez.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mellado, M., Sepulveda, E., Macias-Cruz, U. et al. Effects of month of breeding on reproductive efficiency of Holstein cows and heifers inseminated with sex-sorted or conventional semen in a hot environment. Trop Anim Health Prod 46, 265–269 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-013-0470-8

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-013-0470-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation