Effects of Feeding OmniGen-AF® during Superovulation on in Vitro Development of Embryos Recovered from Donor Beef Cows

Abstract

Embryo quality is crucial when selecting embryos for transfer. Variation in quality may be attributed to poor oocytes, semen, stress, inflammation, and potential immune system dysregulation. OmniGen-AF® (OG) feeding supports immune system function and animal health. Our laboratory recently reported lower percent degenerate embryos recovered and increased plasma progesterone in beef cattle donors fed OG during superovulation. In vitro development of embryos recovered from donor cows fed OG prior to collection is presented here. Embryos were recovered from 24 beef cows assigned to four treatment groups: 0 g OG/hd/d and 200 mg Folltropinr 0 g OG/hd/d and 400 mg FSH (0/400), 56 g OG/hd/d, 200 mg FSH (56/200) and 56 g OG/hd/d and 400 mg FSH (56/400). Good to excellent quality early blastocysts were cultured for 8 d. and development through hatching, embryonic volume and plasminogen activator (PA) production were quantified. The complete protocol was repeated 90 - 120 d later as Replicate 2. Optimal development was observed by embryos recovered from 0/200 cows where percent blastocysts hatching was greater (P compared to 56/200 and 0/400 cows and embryonic volume was greatest (P was similar (P > 0.10) to 56/400 cows and embryos recovered from 56/400 cows in Replicate 1 produced more (P in vitro embryo development similar to that observed for 0/200 cows.