The IGFR1 was detected in all cell populations evaluated. Results regarding trophoblastic IGF are quite consistent with those reported in human placentas. Spatiotemporal IGFs/IGFR1 pattern might reflect the occurrence of autocrine and paracrine signaling during placentation in bitches, and the involvement in early placental developmental processes. Furthermore, it is hypothesized that, besides hemotrophic actions of plasma IGFs, endometrial secreted IGFs may promote early placental development through histotrophic signaling.The objective of this study was to evaluate estrous detection using a physical activity and rumination monitoring system in a seasonal calving organic grazing (GRAZ) and a low-input conventional (ZEROGRAZ) dairy herd. The study was conducted from June 2014 to August 2017. During each breeding season, physical activity and rumination were monitored electronically using an activity and rumination monitoring system (HR-LD tags; SCR Engineers Ltd., Netanya, Israel). Signals resulting from the activity and rumination monitoring system for individual cows were used to determine consistency of the values using this system with the breeding date of cows. Breeding dates were determined using EstrotectTM patches. The study included 1,463 breeding dates from 531 cows. Within the GRAZ herd, during the summer breeding season the monitoring system was less sensitive for estrous detection (33.8 %) than during the winter breeding season (79.8 %).The activity and rumination monitoring system had a sensitivity of 56.7 %, specificity of 99.3 % and positive predictive value of 59.8 % for the GRAZ herd, and sensitivity of 70.1 %, specificity of 99.2 % and positive predictive value of 66.3 % for the ZEROGRAZ herd. For cows that were determined to be pregnant and subsequently calved as a result of the mating, the sensitivity for estrous detection was slightly greater for the GRAZ (60.7 %) and ZEROGRAZ (72.5 %) herds. The activity and rumination monitoring system evaluated in this study has potential for estrous detection in grazing herds during the winter breeding season and in small-input dairy herds during both, winter and summer breeding seasons.It is widely recognized that quality of spermatozoa in sexed semen (SS) samples is not as great as for conventional, non-sexed semen (NS). There are differences in qualitative and biochemical variables between spermatozoa in NS and SS. Information, however, is lacking on molecular differences, especially concerning spermatozoa proteomic differences is SS and NS. The objective of this study was to compare commercially available NS and SS bull semen by evaluating sperm quality variables in conjunction with a proteomics approach. Results from flow cytometry and computer-assisted sperm analyses indicated there was less sperm motility, viability, mitochondrial potential and acrosome integrity in sperm from SS. Results from proteomic analysis indicated sperm from NS and SS samples were characterized by different protein profiles. There was identification of 70 sperm proteins that differed in abundance and six protein spots that were different in extent of carbonylation. Sperm from SS had altered structures of enzymes involved in glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation and maintenance of a constant adenylate energy charge. Furthermore, sperm from SS had alterations of several flagella substructures, especially outer dense fiber proteins, which were less abundant and more carbonylated than in sperm from NS. In sperm of SS, compared with NS, there were differences in abundance of proteins involved in capacitation, acrosome reaction and sperm-egg fusion as well as lesser abundances of sperm surface proteins. Results enable a greater understanding of differences between sperm from NS and SS samples, thereby contributing to development of improved protocols for more effective protection of sexed spermatozoa during processing.There has been development of an antiretrograde flow device (DARIO), for sheep cervical artificial insemination (CAI). There, however, needs to be optimization of sperm volume and concentration of insemination doses when the DARIO is used for CAI. Objectives were to compare fertility rates (proportion of ewes lambing as a result of CAI) when there was use of the DARIO for CAI two sperm volumes containing equal numbers of spermatozoa 0.25 mL of 1,600 × 106 spermatozoa/mL and 0.50 mL of 800 × 106 spermatozoa/mL (Test 1 group), and two sperm volumes with a different number of spermatozoa/AI dose 0.25 mL and 0.50 mL of 1,600 × 106 spermatozoa/mL (Test 2 group). There were 335 ewes from seven farms assigned to 60 batches (equally divided into a Control and Test 1 group). For the Test 2 group, 462 ewes from nine farms were assigned to 88 batches (equally proportioned into Control group and Test 2 groups). For the Test 1 group, proportion of ewes lambing as a result of CAI were 0.701 ± 0.2679 and 0.595 ± 0.2393 for the Control and Test 1 groups, respectively (P = 0.163). For the Test 2 group, proportions of ewes lambing were 0.550 ± 0.2598 and 0.658 ± 0.2412 for the Control and Test 2 group, respectively (P = 0.041). An inclusion of a larger number of spermatozoa per insemination in a 0.50 mL dose volume resulted improved proportion of ewes lambing as a result of CAI when there was used of the DARIO.In many species, alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is essential for embryo development. There, therefore, was investigation of effects of ALA supplementation to culture media for in vitro development of cattle embryos. In Experiment I, there were assessments of embryo production and oxidative status of cattle embryos derived by in vitro maturation and fertilization (IVM/IVF)that were cultured until the blastocyst stage of development using different ALA concentrations (5, 25 and 100 μM), fetal bovine serum (FBS) and amino acids (aa) as well as 20 % oxygen (O2) in the culture atmosphere. In Experiment II, embryos were cultured without FBS, at different ALA concentrations (2.5, 5 and 7.5 μM) and in the presence or absence of aa when there was a 7 % O2 atmosphere. Embryo development rates and blastocyst quality were evaluated. With 20 % O2 concentration, treatment with 100 μM ALA resulted in lesser hatching rates and development to the blastocyst stage (P  less then  0.01), while with supplementation with 5 μM ALA there were lesser (P = 0.04) glutathione concentrations and greater protein contents of embryos (P  less then  0.01). Culturing in the 7 % O2 atmosphere, combined with supplementation with 2.5 μM ALA with FBS and aa resulted in a greater blastocyst cell number (P = 0.03) and lesser hatching rates (P = 0.04). Taken together, results indicate supplementation with the greater ALA concentrations resulted in impairment of embryo development, regardless of the O2 concentration imposed during the culture period, while the relatively lesser supplementation-concentrations with ALA led to improvements in embryo quality.Cows nearing parturition have a negative energy balance (NEB), which is closely associated with lesser fertility. The NEB results in greater fat mobilisation and production of a large amount of non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA). Prostaglandins (PG), especially prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α), have important functions in regulating reproductive function. There, however, is little known about how the synthesis and release of PG are affected by NEFA. In this study, there was a focus on effects of NEFA on PG secretion as well as relative abundances of mRNA transcript and protein for PG synthetases and PG receptors in bovine endometrial (BEND) cells. Proliferation rate of BEND cells decreased in a concentration-dependent manner as NEFA increased in the media. The concentrations of PGE2 and PGF2α in NEFA treatment groups also decreased, while the ratio of PGE2/PGF2α and the relative abundances of proteins and mRNA that regulate PG synthesis and PG receptor mRNA transcripts and protein were greater as the NEFA concentration increased. Collectively, when there were large NEFA concentrations in the medium, there was a lesser release of PGE2 and PGF2α, however, there was a greater ratio of PGE2/PGF2α and relative abundances of mRNA transcripts and protein for PG synthetases and PG receptors in BEND cells, which changed the internal milieu and physiological function of the uterus with possible effects on fertility after calving. These findings provide important information that will help for further investigation of associations between NEB and fertility in dairy cows during the non-lactation to lactation-transition period.This is the first report of reproduction of a gynogenetic female Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii) and subsequent production of viable offspring with differentiated gonads. Gonads were sampled twice from 30 randomly selected individuals. Gonadal fragments were examined histologically to identify the sex ratio and the sexual maturation stage. The first examined group consisted of 20 % females, 45 % males and 35 % sexually undifferentiated individuals, whereas the second group was composed of 30 % females and 70 % males. The average gonadosomatic index was determined to be 2.72 % and 2.80 % in the first and second groups, respectively. Molecular analysis based on five microsatellite DNA loci was conducted for all the fish for which there were evaluations. The aim of the study was to determine whether the gynogenetic Siberian sturgeon female that produced the offspring that were evaluated was a „superfemale” (WW) or a normal female (ZW). A „superfemale”, therefore, is a female of the WW genotype that will produce only females when mated to a male with a ZZ genotype. The presence of female and male offspring clearly indicates that the Siberian sturgeon female that produced the offspring was not a „superfemale”.The study was conducted to evaluate effects of different dietary oils on egg quality and reproductive performance in rainbow trout. Broodfish (≈ 870 g) were fed four iso-nitrogenous and iso-lipidic diets differing in lipid sources fish oil (FO), linseed oil (LO) and sesame oil (SO) as well as a commercial trout diet (CD) for about 5 months prior to spawning. Growth performance did not differ among the trout in the treatment groups. Mean diameter, volume and weight of eggs did not differ among the dietary treatments. Absolute fecundity, relative fecundity and gonadosomatic index were not affected by dietary treatment. A sub-set of eggs from females fed the experimental diets were fertilized to assess the reproductive performance of broodfish. When diets were fed, devoid of fish oil, fertilization rates were 89.2 ± 5.8 and 92.1 ± 4.9 %, eyeing rates were 87.3 ± 5.3 and 84.1 ± 4.4 % and hatching rates were 81.2 ± 4.3 and 78.3 ± 3.4 % in LO and SO fed fish, respectively. Fatty acid content of the eggs from broodstocks with a different nutritional history was affected by the dietary lipid sources. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), arachidonic acid (ARA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) concentrations in females fed vegetable oil based diets were greater than the dietary concentrations. Overall, results from the present study indicate there can be inclusion of LO or SO as dietary lipid sources without compromising egg quality and reproductive performance. Furthermore, there is efficient bioconversion of 18C fatty acids to 20-22 C fatty acids in rainbow trout.