New approaches to diagnose and target reproductive failure in cattle.

Ky Garrett Pohler,Ky Garrett Pohler,Lohana Fernandez,Sydney Taylor Reese,Sydney Taylor Reese,José Luiz Moraes Vasconcelos,Gessica Araujo Franco,Rafael Paiva,Gessica Araujo Franco,Ramiro Vander Oliveira,Rebecca Kyle Poole,Rebecca Kyle Poole,Gabriela De Melo,Reinaldo Cooke,Reinaldo Cooke

doi:10.1590/1984-3143-ar2020-0057

Ky Garrett Pohler, Ky Garrett Pohler + Show 13 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/1984-3143-ar2020-0057

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Abstract

Reproductive failure and pregnancy loss in cattle are some of the largest economic burdens to cattle producers and one of most perplexing factors influencing management decisions. Pregnancy loss may occur at any point during gestation with the largest percentage of loss occurring in the first 30 days and, subsequently, decreasing as the pregnancy progresses. Losses may be attributed to numerous factors, predisposed issues or environmental conditions such as nutritional stressors or disease. From a research perspective, determining the exact causes of pregnancy loss or embryonic mortality in cattle have been difficult, due to limitations of accurately determining early gestation pregnancy status. Until methods that precisely determine embryo success early in gestation are available, our understanding of in vivo pregnancy loss will lack clarity necessary to develop management strategies to decrease such loss. In this review, we will briefly discuss the pivotal periods of pregnancy loss affecting beef and dairy cattle, methods and technologies to determine pregnancy status and embryo viability and potential opportunities to decrease reproductive failure.

Highlights

Embryonic mortality and pregnancy loss remain major issues in domestic livestock production
While research and our understanding have drastically increased around the area of reproductive failure, embryonic mortality, and pregnancy loss, we have been limited by the inability to accurately determine timing and viability of embryos/fetuses in vivo, during early gestation
Due to the ability to visualize the pregnancy, US is considered the gold standard of pregnancy diagnosis with accuracy nearing 100% when conducted by experienced technicians (Romano et al, 2006)

Summary

Introduction

Embryonic mortality and pregnancy loss remain major issues in domestic livestock production. While research and our understanding have drastically increased around the area of reproductive failure, embryonic mortality, and pregnancy loss, we have been limited by the inability to accurately determine timing and viability of embryos/fetuses in vivo, during early gestation.

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