Clinical, morbimortality and development evaluation of Brahman calves produced by in-vitro fertilization and artificial insemination

• Grant number: 09/08152-9
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: August 01, 2009
• End date: July 31, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Clinics and Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Roberto Calderon Gonçalves
• Grantee: Roberto Calderon Gonçalves
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The use of in vitro production of bovine's embryos in Brazil gained prominence in recent years by contributing to the genetic improvement. However, the use of this technique results in the abnormal patterns of fetal growth, abnormal weight of calves at birth, prolongation gestation, increase of genetic abnormalities and high indexes of neonatal mortality. Moreover, these animals may have more time taken to stand and suck of colostrum, caused failure in passive immunity transfer (PITF), making these animals more susceptible to diseases. Therefore, the aim of this study is to determine whether the form of conception, in vitro fertilization (IVF) or artificial insemination (IA), interfere with the acquisition of passive immunity and the development of calves from birth to weaning. For both, will be selected 80 and 20 calves of the Brahman breed (Bos indicus), originated from IVF and IA, respectively. Information about conception patterns, length of pregnancy, type and date of calving, supply of colostrum, weight at birth and 30, 60, 90, 120 and 210 days old, and the clinical evaluation of calves until the weaning will be recorded in individual record. With propose to verify the PITF will be collected blood samples from calves, 24 h and 30 days after birth, to obtain serum and determination of the activity glutamyl transferase (GGT), separation of protein fractions by electrophoresis and indirect assessment of the concentration of total protein, albumin and globulin. The analysis of multiple variables will be conducted through the test of different proportions to the level of 5%. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

PIMENTA-OLIVEIRA, ANDREZA; OLIVEIRA-FILHO, JOSE P.; DIAS, ADRIANO; GONCALVES, ROBERTO C.. Morbidity-mortality and performance evaluation of Brahman calves from in vitro embryo production. BMC Veterinary Research, v. 7, DEC 4 2011. (09/08152-9)