Anti-Mullerian Hormone and Follicle Counts as Predictors of Superovulatory Response and Embryo Production in Beef Cattle

Abstract

This study evaluated Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) and/or follicle counts as predictors of subsequent superovulatory response and embryo production in 79 beef cows. Before superovulation, 3 to 5 mm follicles presented on the ovaries of donor cows were counted, and blood was collected for measure of serum AMH. Across cows, serum AMH ranged from 0.013 to 0.898 ng/mL, with a mean of 0.293 ng/mL. The distribution of both AMH concentrations and follicle counts were divided into quartiles (AMH Q1 through Q4, with Q1 the lowest and Q4 the highest) for analysis. Donor cows in AMH Q4 had a greater (P < 0.001) number of 3 to 5 mm follicles at the start of superovulation than did donors in either Q1 or Q2. At embryo collection, cows in AMH Q3 and 4 had more (P < 0.001) palpable corpora lutea (CL) than cows in AMH Q1. The mean number of embryos recovered from donor cows in AMH Q4 was greater (P < 0.001) than those recovered from cows in either AMH Q1 or 2, but similar to that of AMH Q3. Analysis indicated that AMH was positively correlated (P < 0.001) with mean follicles (r = 0.458), CL (r = 0.452) and embryos recovered (r = 0.430). Donor cows with higher follicle counts (F Q3 and 4) at the start of superovulation had more (P < 0.001) palpable CL at embryo collection than donor cows in F Q1 or 2. More (P < 0.001) embryos were recovered from cows with the highest follicle counts (F Q4) as compared with cows having lower (F Q1 and 2) follicle counts. Results confirm that relative AMH concentration was positively correlated with number of small antral follicles in the ovaries of cows; both AMH measure and antral follicle counts might be used to predict subsequent superovulatory response in beef cows.

Impact of Type and Dose of Recombinant Human Follicle Stimulating Hormone on Embryos Production in Dairy Cows and Their Relationship with AMH Concentration

“…Based on AMH concentrations of the donor's cows before super-stimulation, the means of CL, total ovarian response, transferable and freezable embryos were significant (P<0.01) higher for cows group having AMH ≥230ng/L. In agreement with our findings, low category of AMH was adopted <200ng/L with poor ovarian response and the high category >400ng/L with good response and more produce embryos in cattle [15,18] and buffaloes [60]. Similarly, Monniaux [17] determine cows with >200ng/L of AMH were produced more embryos than cows having ≤200ng/L of AMH.…”

“…The study herein showed that, the correlations between AMH concentrations and ovarian response were significant positive (P<0.05) for CL (r=0.36), total ovarian response (P<0.01; r=0.80), transferable embryos (r=0.32), and freezable embryos (r=0.35). Similar correlations were reported by other researchers [15,17,18,[54][55][56]. AMH produced by granulosa cells of the ovarian follicles [57] and the numbers of ovarian follicles are variable across females and highly repeatable within individuals [16,24].…”

“…Donor cows of group A were superovulated using Folltropin (National Institutes of Health, USA) with a total dose of 300mg (group A1; low dose) and 400mg (group A2; high dose). Folltropin was injected IM as decreasing doses; 40%, 30%, 20% and 10% of the total dose twice daily for 4 days (60,60,45,45,30,30,15 and 15mg for group A1; and 80, 80, 60, 60, 40, 40, 20 and 20mg for group A2). The schedule of superovulatory hormone injections of the other two groups (B and C) were applied as group A, but using Fostimon (Laboratoires Genevrier S. A., France) for group B, and Menogon (Ferring Pharmaceuticals Ltd. GmbH, Germany) for group C. A total dose of 600IU as low dose (120, 120, 90, 90, 60, 60, 30 and 30 IU for groups B1 and C1) and 900 IU as high dose (180, 180, 135, 135, 90, 90, 45 and 45IU for groups B2 and C2).…”

“…Selection of candidate donor's cows for embryos production based on AMH level will reduce this variability [14]. AMH secreted by the granulosa cells of the ovary and characteristic for each animal on a long term period [15] and providing highly accurate information on the ovarian follicular pool and follicular responsiveness [16]. It is suggested that intrinsic between animal differences in AMH result in marked animal-to-animal variations in the magnitude of the ovarian super-stimulation response.…”

Holştayn Düve ve İneklerde Serum Anti Müllerian Hormon Düzeyleri ile Fertilite İlişkisinin Araştırılması

“…İnek ve düvelerde ortalama AMH düzeyi sırasıyla 0.26±0.17 ve 0.21±0.16 ng/ml±SD olarak belirlendi. İneklerde bir bireyin AMH düzeyi siklus boyunca nispeten stabil olmasına rağmen bireyler arasındaki farkın oldukça yüksek olduğu belirtilmektedir (9,11). İnek ve düvelerin minumum ve maksimum AMH değerleri arasında farklılıklar olduğu görülmektedir.…”