Stress during pregnancy: development of sexual behavior of male and female lambs

• Grant number: 16/17758-1
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: February 01, 2017
• End date: January 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Ecology of Domestic Animals and Ethology
• Principal Investigator: Cristiane Gonçalves Titto
• Grantee: Cristiane Gonçalves Titto
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Adroaldo Jose Zanella ; Alfredo Manuel Franco Pereira ; Eneiva Carla Carvalho Celeghini ; Evaldo Antonio Lencioni Titto

Abstract

The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of stress generated by LPS during the final third of gestation in sheep on maternal behavior at birth and at weaning, testicular development and sexual behavior of male lambs. The experiment will be carried out in the Annex of Biometeorology and Ethology Laboratory located at the Sheep sector of Administrative Campus of the University of São Paulo in Pirassununga. 84 crossbred Santa Inês nulliparous sheep artificially inseminated with semen of White Dorper will be use. After the positive pregnancy diagnosis will be randomly divided into 2 treatments - TC: the control group will consist of sheep that not suffer application of LPS in any the time of pregnancy and TF: the final group will be challenged in the final third of gestation with the application of LPS. Cortisol levels and body temperature will be analyzed during pregnancy. At birth the lambs will be evaluate on affiliate maternal behavior and birth weight, then social and cognitive behavior will be evaluate during weaning. In 36 males from 4 to 12 months, testosterone analysis, LH and estradiol will be held, and morphology analysis and ultrasound of the testicles will be done. From 36th to 48th weeks the reproductive behavior will be assessed and at 48th 50% will be castrated for histopathological analysis. For behavior analysis is used the theory of generalized linear models proposed by Wenderburn and Nelder (1972), using the procedure of SAS GLIMMIX. The treatments will be compared by t-test and regression analysis will be made to list the answers at different stages of life of the lamb. (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)

HENRIQUE, F. L.; ZANELLA, A. J.; BEZERRA, H. V. A.; POLATO, H. Z.; FERNANDES, A. C.; HOOPER, H. B.; PULIDO-RODRIGUEZ, L. F.; TITTO, E. A. L.; PEREIRA, A. M. F.; TITTO, C. G.. Stress during first gestation of ewes impairs memory and learning of male offspring. VETERINARY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS, JUN 2021. (16/17758-1)

HENRIQUE, FABIO LUIS; ALVES BEZERRA, HELENA VIEL; POLATO, HELOISE ZAVATIERI; FERNANDES, ARICIA CHRISTOFARO; ZANELLA, ADROALDO JOSE; RODRIGUES ALVES, MAIRA BIANCHI; CARVALHO CELEGHINI, ENEIVA CARLA; BATISSACO, LEONARDO; STREFEZZI, RICARDO DE FRANCISCO; PULIDO-RODRIGUEZ, LINA FERNANDA; et al. Maternal stress in sheep during late pregnancy influences sperm quality in early puberty of the offspring. Theriogenology, v. 145, p. 158-166, MAR 15 2020. (16/17758-1)

HENRIQUE, F. L.; ZANELLA, A. J.; BEZERRA, H. V. A.; POLATO, H. Z.; FERNANDES, A. C.; HOOPER, H. B.; PULIDO-RODRIGUEZ, L. F.; TITTO, E. A. L.; PEREIRA, A. M. F.; TITTO, C. G.. Stress during first gestation of ewes impairs memory and learning of male offspring. VETERINARY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS, v. 45, n. 4, p. 251-260, DEC 2021. (16/17758-1)