Carryover effect of postpartum inflammatory diseases on developmental biology and fertility in lactating dairy cows

Abstract

The objective of this series of studies was to investigate the effects of inflammatory diseases occurring before breeding on the developmental biology and reproductive responses in dairy cows. Data from 5 studies were used to investigate different questions associating health status before breeding and reproductive responses. Health information for all studies was composed of the incidence of retained fetal membranes, metritis, mastitis, lameness, and respiratory and digestive problems from parturition until the day of breeding. Retained placenta and metritis were grouped as uterine disease (UTD). Mastitis, lameness, digestive and respiratory problems were grouped as nonuterine diseases (NUTD). Study 1 evaluated the effect of disease before artificial insemination (AI), anovulation before synchronization of the estrous cycle, and low body condition score at AI on pregnancy per AI, as well as their potential interactions or additive effects. Study 2 investigated the effect of site of inflammation (UTD vs. NUTD) and time of occurrence relative to preantral or antral stages of ovulatory follicle development, and the effect of UTD and NUTD on fertility responses of cows bred by AI or by embryo transfer. Study 3 evaluated the effect of disease on fertilization and embryonic development to the morula stage. Study 4 evaluated the effect of disease on preimplantation conceptus development as well as secretion of IFN-τ and transcriptome. Study 5 investigated the effect of diseases before AI on the transcript expression of interferon-stimulated genes in peripheral blood leukocytes during peri-implantation stages of conceptus development after first AI postpartum. Altogether, these studies demonstrated that inflammatory disease before breeding reduced fertilization of oocytes and development to morula, and impaired early conceptus development to elongation stages and secretion of IFN-τ in the uterine lumen. Diseases caused inflammation-like changes in transcriptome of conceptus cells, increased risk of pregnancy loss, and reduced pregnancy or calving per breeding. Moreover, the effects on reproduction were independent of cyclic status before synchronization of the estrous cycle and body condition score at breeding, which all had additive negative effects on fertility of dairy cows. Occurrence of disease at preantral or at antral stages of ovulatory follicle development had similar detrimental effects on pregnancy results. The carryover effects of diseases on developmental biology might last longer than 4 mo. Reduced oocyte competence is a likely reason for carryover effects of diseases on developmental biology, but impaired uterine environment was also shown to be involved.

Effects of meeting the requirements in energy and protein, and of systemic inflammation on the interval from parturition to conception in dairy cows

“…In fact, the role of inflammatory diseases occurring before breeding on reduction of fertility in dairy cows has been demonstrated (Ribeiro et al 2013). A recent study has also im-https://doi.org/10.17221/13/2017-CJAS plicated that inflammation reduces fertilization of oocytes and development to the morula stage, concurrent with an impaired uterine environment (Ribeiro et al 2016). …”

Interferon-tau and fertility in ruminants

“…Kose and coworkers in sheep reported that the expression of ISG, including ISG15, RTP4 and MX1, but not B2-microglobulin, in PBMC may serve as a marker of embryonic loss (Kose et al 2016). Ribeiro et al (2016) evaluated the effect of disease on preimplantation conceptus development as well as secretion of IFNT and transcriptome and the effect of diseases before AI on the transcript expression of ISG in PBMC during peri-implantation stages of conceptus development after first AI postpartum. Inflammatory disease before breeding reduced fertilisation of oocytes and development to morula, and impaired early conceptus development to elongation stages and secretion of IFNT in the uterine lumen.…”

Impact and mechanisms of inflammatory diseases on embryonic development and fertility in cattle

“…Pregnancy loss in cattle, however, is substantial and impairs reproductive efficiency (Santos et al, 2004). Although fertilization in cattle is estimated to be above 80, up to 50% of the potential zygotes fail to survive by the end of the fourth week of development (Ribeiro et al, 2016a). Although less frequent, fetal mortality, after gestational day 42, is costly and reduce profitability significantly (De Vries, 2006).…”