Relationship between urinary zearalenone concentration and embryo production in superovulated cattle

M Takagi,S Shiga,T Hirai,J Fink-Gremmels,E Deguchi,S Uno,C Tshering,T Otoi,E Kokushi

doi:10.7482/0003-9438-56-036

Abstract

Abstract. This field study aimed to investigate the relationships between the urinary zearalenone (ZEN) concentration, which reflects dietary ZEN intake, and the numbers of total and transferable embryos in superovulated cattle. A total of 38 cows (Japanese Black, n=16; Holstein, n=22) were superovulated for commercial embryo production. Urine samples were collected from all cows at the time of embryo flushing and the urinary ZEN concentration was measured. The ZEN concentration was corrected for the creatinine (Crea) concentration as follows: ZEN (pg/mL)/Crea (mg/dL); the corrected ZEN concentration was expressed in pg/mg Crea. The cows were divided into two groups according to whether the urinary ZEN level was less than (group 1) or more than (group 2) the mean value for each breed (Japanese Black: 97.4 pg/mg Crea; range 44.5–91.3 pg/mg Crea; Holstein: 155.5 pg/mg Crea; range 32.7–146.9 pg/mg Crea). The embryo flushing results were compared between the two groups within each breed. Overall, the total number of embryos collected and the number of transferable embryos did not differ significantly between the groups. These results suggest that natural ZEN contamination resulting in urine levels below the threshold value (i.e. below the maximal permissible urinary ZEN concentration) does not affect embryo production in Japanese Black and Holstein cows undergoing superovulation.

Highlights

Embryo production by superovulation in cattle has been used for commercial beef and dairy production since the 1970s and remains the fundamental method for producing in vivo-derived embryos for embryo transfer in cattle (Takagi et al 2001, Velazquez 2011)
No significant correlations were observed between the urinary ZEN concentration and embryo parameters neither in Japanese Black cows or Holstein cows
Group 1 consisted of 11 Japanese Black cows (44.591.3 pg/mg Crea) and 14 Holstein cows (32.7-146.9 pg/mg Crea) and group 2 consisted of 5 Japanese Black cows (103.8-226.0 pg/mg Crea) and 8 Holstein cows (201.0-404.5 pg/mg Crea)

Summary

Introduction

Embryo production by superovulation in cattle has been used for commercial beef and dairy production since the 1970s and remains the fundamental method for producing in vivo-derived embryos for embryo transfer in cattle (Takagi et al 2001, Velazquez 2011). Zearalenone (ZEN) is a non-steroidal estrogenic mycotoxin produced by Fusarium species. Binder et al (2007) recently reported a relatively high incidence of contamination of animal feeds with mycotoxins that could potentially affect animal production. To the best of our knowledge, there is no published report of the relationship between the yield and quality of the embryos obtained after induction of superovulation and the daily level of ZEN intake from naturally ZEN-contaminated feeds on a cattle farm. We recently reported that monitoring the ZEN concentration in the urine of cattle that are fed naturally ZEN-contaminated feed by using an ELISA-based method is an effective way of estimating daily ZEN intake (Takagi et al 2011)

Methods

Results

Conclusion