Animal Reproduction最新文献

{"title":"Forty years in the field: reproductive biotechnologies shaping genetic progress in cattle in France.","authors":"Serge Lacaze","doi":"10.1590/1984-3143-AR2026-0058","DOIUrl":"10.1590/1984-3143-AR2026-0058","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Over the past four decades, reproductive biotechnologies have profoundly transformed cattle breeding by accelerating genetic progress and enabling the dissemination of elite genetics. In this article, I present a perspective based on more than 40 years of practical experience in embryo technologies within Auriva-Elevage, a cooperative organization serving 30,000 farmers in southern France. The development of embryo transfer in France was closely linked to genetic and sanitary challenges, particularly the introduction of North American Holstein genetics and the restrictions on live animal imports due to infectious diseases such as Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis. These constraints stimulated the development of national expertise in embryo transfer. Over the years, our team has implemented and adapted a wide range of reproductive technologies including <i>in vivo</i> embryo production and embryo transfer, cryopreservation, embryo sexing, ovum pick-up (OPU), <i>in vitro</i> embryo production (IVP), embryo biopsy, genomic evaluation of embryos, and laser-assisted biopsy techniques. The genomic revolution dramatically increased the strategic value of OPU-IVP for the rapid multiplication of elite donor females. In addition to technological developments, the success of these programs has depended heavily on internal training, collaboration with national organizations such as ELIANCE (previously UNCEIA, ALLICE) and research institutes including INRAE and Toulouse veterinary school, as well as strong international exchanges through scientific networks. Practical examples such as the use of embryo biopsy to prevent genetic diseases demonstrate the applied value of these technologies in breeding programs. This review highlights the technical evolution, organizational structures, and human expertise that have shaped the implementation of reproductive biotechnologies in cattle breeding and discusses the importance of anticipating future needs to ensure continued genetic progress.</p>","PeriodicalId":7889,"journal":{"name":"Animal Reproduction","volume":"23 4","pages":"e20260058"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13557608/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148918369","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Developmental origins of pregnancy loss in cattle.","authors":"Inés Flores-Borobia, Alba Pérez-Gómez, Nuria Martínez de Los Reyes, Leopoldo González-Brusi, Beatriz Galiano-Cogolludo, Carlos Irala, Alexia Siegmund-Sabater, Priscila Ramos-Ibeas, Pablo Bermejo-Álvarez","doi":"10.1590/1984-3143-AR2026-0066","DOIUrl":"10.1590/1984-3143-AR2026-0066","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pregnancy losses constitute a major economic burden in cattle farming and are caused by developmental failures occurring mostly during the first month of gestation. This review integrates knowledge gathered from direct and indirect estimations of embryo survival at critical developmental periods with knowledge obtained from functional <i>in vivo</i> and <i>in vitro</i> studies to elucidate the developmental origins of pregnancy loss in cattle. Fertilization failures and embryonic arrest prior to the blastocyst stage, estimated based on morphological observation of flushed structures, average 10 to 20 and 10 to 30%, respectively. Reduced oocyte competence arises as the major driver of the underlying developmental failures, including impaired embryonic genome activation, loss of totipotency and defective first lineage differentiation. To estimate embryonic losses from blastocyst to implantation, direct observation of embryo development and indirect proxies of pregnancy have been employed. Indirect proxies such as nonreturn to oestrus or biochemical markers such as Interferon Stimulated Genes or Pregnancy Associated Glycoproteins inform on the development of extra-embryonic membranes, but do not distinguish between viable pregnancies and anembryonic pregnancies, where embryo-devoid structures formed by extra-embryonic membranes are able to maintain the corpus luteus to day 37. Merging data from recovery rates of early elongated structures and incidence of embryo-devoid structures, embryonic mortality from blastocyst hatching to pregnancy recognition oscillates between 12-79% for <i>in vivo</i> derived and 40-86% for <i>in vitro</i> produced embryos. The exclusion of anembryonic pregnancies diminishes embryonic mortality between day 16 and the time when the embryo proper is clearly identifiable by ultrasound (days 31-42) to less than 10%. The manuscript also provides an update on novel tools used to elucidate embryonic metabolic and signalling requirements, as well as on the molecular regulation of key developmental landmarks that must be achieved during developmental windows most susceptible to pregnancy loss.</p>","PeriodicalId":7889,"journal":{"name":"Animal Reproduction","volume":"23 4","pages":"e20260066"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13557611/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148918453","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effective programs for bovine embryo transfer in <i>Bos taurus</i> and <i>Bos indicus</i> cattle.","authors":"Gabriel A Bó, Andrés Vera Cedeño","doi":"10.1590/1984-3143-AR2026-0068","DOIUrl":"10.1590/1984-3143-AR2026-0068","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The main objective of implementing embryo transfer programs in beef operations is to accelerate the rate of genetic progress in the herd. The main factors that affect the use of this technology are related to nutrition, management, category and breed of the recipients and the estrus synchronization programs implemented. As a result of research conducted over the last 30 years, recipient utilization has increased by applying protocols that synchronize ovulation and allow for embryo transfer without the need for estrus detection, usually referred to as fixed-time embryo transfer (FTET). Although these protocols have performed adequately for several years, recent attention has been directed to the effect of estrus expression, proestrus length and restriction to some hormonal treatments in some countries. The experiments reviewed herein demonstrate that several programs can be effectively used today to obtain high pregnancy per ET (P/ET) and reduced pregnancy losses, especially in recipients receiving in-vitro-produced embryos.</p>","PeriodicalId":7889,"journal":{"name":"Animal Reproduction","volume":"23 4","pages":"e20260068"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13557610/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148918425","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Intrafollicular immature oocyte transfer (IFIOT): technical advances, biological insights and applications in reproductive biotechnologies.","authors":"José Felipe Warmling Sprícigo, José Eduardo Vieira Chaves, Margot Alves Nunes Dode","doi":"10.1590/1984-3143-AR2026-0059","DOIUrl":"10.1590/1984-3143-AR2026-0059","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Intrafollicular immature oocyte transfer (IFIOT) represents an intermediate approach between in vitro embryo production (IVP) and conventional in vivo-derived embryo systems, combining key advantages of both. Similar to IVP, it enables repeated use of donor females through ovum pick-up without gonadotropin-based superstimulation, while allowing oocyte maturation, fertilization and early embryonic development to occur under physiological in vivo conditions. The development of IFIOT has progressed from early experimental demonstrations of intrafollicular maturation to ultrasound-guided applications and, more recently, to the production of viable embryos and live offspring, confirming its biological feasibility. However, efficiency remains limited, with embryo recovery rates of 3-17%, reflecting constraints such as oocyte retention, follicular disruption and suboptimal injection conditions. Beyond embryo production, IFIOT provides a valuable model to investigate follicular function and oocyte competence, with emerging applications in oocyte cryopreservation, embryo production from prepubertal donors, and somatic cell nuclear transfer. Therefore, IFIOT should be viewed not only as an embryo production alternative, but as a physiological platform for in vivo oocyte maturation with broad applications in farm animals and wildlife species, while further technical refinement may enable its consolidation as an efficient system for embryo production.</p>","PeriodicalId":7889,"journal":{"name":"Animal Reproduction","volume":"23 4","pages":"e20260059"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13557609/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148917809","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Analgesic combinations to reduce the stress/pain responses in ewes submitted to non-surgical embryo recovery: butorphanol associated with meloxicam or with dipyrone/hyoscine.","authors":"Ana Paula Pereira Schmidt, Ana Clara Sarzedas Ribeiro, Juliana Dantas Rodrigues Santos, Pedro Henrique Nicolau Pinto, Aline Matos Arrais, Joanna Maria Gonçalves Souza-Fabjan, Mário Felipe Alvarez Balaro, Jeferson Ferreira da Fonseca, Rodolfo Ungerfeld, Felipe Zandonadi Brandão","doi":"10.1590/1984-3143-AR2025-0177","DOIUrl":"10.1590/1984-3143-AR2025-0177","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of different analgesic protocols in reducing physiological stress markers in Santa Inês ewes undergoing non-surgical embryo recovery (NSER). In Experiment 1 (n = 32), ewes received a combination of butorphanol and meloxicam, whereas in Experiment 2 (n = 34), animals were treated with butorphanol combined with dipyrone and hyoscine. In Experiment 1, ewes received butorphanol (0.1 mg/kg IM) associated with meloxicam (1 mg/kg IV). In Experiment 2, animals were treated with butorphanol (0.1 mg/kg IM) combined with a dipyrone-hyoscine mixture (5 g dipyrone + 0.04 g hyoscine; 5 mL IM and 5 mL IV). Controls received equivalent volumes of saline. In Experiment 2, dipyrone-hyoscine was re-administered 24 h post-procedure. Ewes were synchronized, superovulated, and subjected to cervical dilation before NSER. Heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood biomarkers were recorded before sedation (BS), after sedation (AS), before cervical transposition (BCT), immediately after collection (IAC), and at 0.5, 1.5, 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h after collection (AC). In Experiment 1, respiratory rate was affected by treatment over time, it was greater (P=0.048) in control ewes than in ewes that received butorphanol associated with meloxicam at AS and 0.5hAC. No other variable differed significantly between groups. In Experiment 2, there was an interaction between treatment and time in heart rate. Heart rate was greater in ewes treated with butorphanol combined with a dipyrone-hyoscine mixture than in control ewes (P = 0.001), and there was also a significant interaction between treatment and time (P = 0.001). It was greater in treated ewes than in control ewes at AS, IAC, 0.5hAC, and 1.5hAC. No significant effects were detected for the remaining parameters. Under the tested conditions, neither analgesic protocol significantly reduced physiological indicators of stress.</p>","PeriodicalId":7889,"journal":{"name":"Animal Reproduction","volume":"23 3","pages":"e20250177"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13520587/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148838484","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sperm motility parameters as indicators of seminal quality: a comparative study between fish species.","authors":"Lorena Pacheco da Silva, Stella Indira Rocha Lobato, Rodrigo Yutaka Dishoff Kasai, Letícia Giosa Paulino, Carmen Fila Zeca Manjate, Laís Pedroso Borges, Rosicleire Veríssimo-Silveira, Alexandre Ninhaus-Silveira","doi":"10.1590/1984-3143-AR2025-0140","DOIUrl":"10.1590/1984-3143-AR2025-0140","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study investigated the patterns of sperm kinetics in two fish species, <i>Piaractus mesopotamicus</i> and <i>Pseudoplatystoma reticulatum</i> and their relationship with seminal quality. Semen samples were collected after hormonal induction, with the aim of identifying indicators of seminal quality and their relationship with reproductive success. The results revealed marked interspecific differences: <i>P. reticulatum</i> exhibited longer-lasting motility (83 ± 31 s) with stable linear movement patterns after activation, while <i>P. mesopotamicus</i> showed more intense but shorter-lasting motility (41 ± 8 s), exhibiting initial circular trajectories that transitioned to linear patterns. In <i>P. reticulatum</i>, positive correlations were found between total motility (MOT), progressivity (PROG), velocities: curvilinear (VCL), straight-line (VSL) and average (VAP), with hatching rate (HR). These are suggested to be reliable predictors of seminal quality. For <i>P. mesopotamicus</i>, multivariate analysis (PCA) indicated that sperm quality was associated with a specific combination of VCL, VAP, and amplitude and lateral displacement of the head (ALH), although no single parameter was directly correlated with HR. These differences reflect distinct evolutionary adaptations to their lotic reproductive environment, associated with effective oocyte fertilization capacity and larval hatching rate. <i>P. mesopotamicus</i> is adapted for rapid fertilization, with higher sperm speed, while <i>P. reticulatum</i> demonstrates more sustained sperm motility. These results highlight the need for species-specific approaches and demonstrate that the simple evaluation of sperm kinetic parameters in fish does not allow seminal qualification, requiring detailed knowledge of sperm movement by species, essential information to optimize the nutritional and reproductive management of breeders, and seminal cryopreservation protocols.</p>","PeriodicalId":7889,"journal":{"name":"Animal Reproduction","volume":"23 3","pages":"e20250140"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13440221/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148676956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Antioxidant properties of <i>Moringa oleifera</i> Lam. hay and its effect on the reproductive capacity of rams.","authors":"Michele Pereira da Silva, Hymerson Costa Azevedo, Evandro Neves Muniz, Rafael Dantas Dos Santos, Ana Mara de Oliveira E Silva, Larissa de Oliveira Queiroz, Iranildo Soares Bispo, Matheus Batista de Oliveira, Julio Constantino Jerí Molina, Gladston Rafael de Arruda Santos","doi":"10.1590/1984-3143-AR2025-0078","DOIUrl":"10.1590/1984-3143-AR2025-0078","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The objective of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant properties of <i>Moringa oleifera</i> hay and the effects of its dietary inclusion on the reproductive potential of rams. Twenty-eight adult rams, with a mean age of two years and an average body weight of 69.36 ± 1.29 kg, were randomly allocated into four experimental groups (G) and subjected to isoproteic diets composed of 30% concentrate (corn, soybean meal, and urea), sorghum silage (SS), and MOH in different proportions: G0 (control: 0% MOH, 70% SS); G10 (10% MOH, 60% SS); G20 (20% MOH, 50% SS); G30 (30% MOH, 40% SS), along with <i>ad libitum</i> water. Semen collections were performed every 15 days for seminal and sperm evaluations. <i>M. oleifera</i> (MO) hay was analyzed for total phenolic compounds, flavonoid content, and in vitro antioxidant capacity and was compared with fresh MO. Total antioxidant capacity of seminal plasma was determined using the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. MOH did not differ from MO in total phenolic content (33.38 vs. 33.64mg GA Eq/g), but its flavonoid content was higher (4.75 vs. 3.88 mg CAT Eq/g). DPPH (802.00 vs. 1840.38 µg/mL), ABTS (1091.78 vs. 2943.82 µg/mL), and FRAP (418.08 vs. 146.83 mg/mL) The results indicated greater antioxidant and reducing capacity in MO hay. No differences were observed among groups regarding total antioxidant capacity of seminal plasma or conventional seminal parameters (P> 0.05). However, regardless of the inclusion level, groups supplemented with MO hay showed a higher percentage of sperm plasma membrane integrity (P < 0.05) compared with the control group at all evaluation time points. It is concluded that the haymaking process enhances the antioxidant capacity of MO and that its inclusion in the diet of rams improves sperm plasma membrane integrity, positively reflecting semen quality. Thus, the use of MO hay may be considered a promising nutritional strategy to increase the reproductive potential of rams.</p>","PeriodicalId":7889,"journal":{"name":"Animal Reproduction","volume":"23 3","pages":"e20250078"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13411996/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148618127","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Application of omics technologies to identify reproductive phenotypes in the context of assisted reproductive technologies for cattle.","authors":"Rochelle Veldhuizen, Maria Belen Rabaglino","doi":"10.1590/1984-3143-AR2026-0084","DOIUrl":"10.1590/1984-3143-AR2026-0084","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Fertility is a key determinant of reproductive efficiency, economic performance, and sustainability in cattle production systems. Traditional fertility phenotypes that are still widely used today, such as conception rate, calving interval, non-return rate, and semen quality parameters, primarily describe reproductive outcomes rather than predict fertility. Consequently, important molecular and physiological differences between animals with contrasting fertility may remain undetected. Omics technologies provide new opportunities to identify reproductive phenotypes that more accurately reflect the biological mechanisms underlying fertility in cattle. Genomics enables the identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms, quantitative trait loci, and haplotypes associated with variation in fertility. Transcriptomics has revealed gene expression patterns related to spermatogenesis, sperm function, uterine receptivity, and embryo-maternal communication. Proteomics has identified protein profiles associated with oocyte developmental competence, fertilization capacity, and embryonic development, while metabolomics reflects the biochemical state most closely linked to the expressed phenotype, identifying biomarkers associated with oxidative balance and energy, lipid, and protein metabolism. This manuscript reviews selected studies that have applied omics technologies to identify measurable reproductive phenotypes that better capture the biological basis of fertility in cattle within the context of assisted reproductive technologies. While genomics remains the most widely applied omics approach due to the stability and accessibility of DNA, downstream omics may provide a more accurate representation of the dynamic biological processes defining fertility. Future research should focus on translating these findings into practical assays for rapid and accessible biomarker measurement, supporting informed decision-making at the farm level.</p>","PeriodicalId":7889,"journal":{"name":"Animal Reproduction","volume":"23 4","pages":"e20260084"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13412143/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148618143","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spermatogonial stem cell markers and distribution in different regions of the testis of adult Nile tilapia (<i>Oreochromis niloticus</i>).","authors":"Sunny Okechukwu Abarikwu, Samyra Maria Dos Santos Nassif Lacerda, Guilherme Mattos Jardim Costa, Luiz Renato de França","doi":"10.1590/1984-3143-AR2025-0162","DOIUrl":"10.1590/1984-3143-AR2025-0162","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Highly conserved vertebrate molecular markers, such as Gfra1, Pou5f3, Notch1, Plzf, and Nanos2, represent important candidates for evaluating spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) physiology and preferential location in the fish testis. In tilapia, germ cell cysts are distributed within seminiferous tubules oriented along the dorso-ventral axis, while the adult testis continues to grow along both the longitudinal (cranio-caudal) and dorso-ventral axes. Herein we investigated the spatial distribution of undifferentiated spermatogonia (A_und) expressing established SSC-associated markers in the testes of sexually mature Nile tilapia. Topographical analysis along the longitudinal axis showed that A_und were predominantly located in regions of the seminiferous tubules adjacent to the interstitial compartment, with approximately 53% of A_und in the caudal region and 18% in the cranial region of the testis. Accordingly, most A_und positive for Gfra1, Plzf, and Nanos2 (>70%; p<0.05) were preferentially detected in the caudal region. Analysis along the dorso-ventral axis showed that A_und positive for Plzf, Gfrα1, Nanos2, Nanos1, Notch1, and Notch3 were more frequently observed in areas closer to the tunica albuginea compared with regions adjacent to the efferent ducts. Together, these findings demonstrate pronounced regional differences in the distribution of A_und along both the cranio-caudal and dorso-ventral axes of the Nile tilapia testis, highlighting a spatially organized germinal architecture that may be relevant for the maintenance of the germinal epithelium and post-pubertal testicular growth. To our knowledge, this is the first study to systematically describe the spatial distribution of A_und-associated markers in a teleost species.</p>","PeriodicalId":7889,"journal":{"name":"Animal Reproduction","volume":"23 3","pages":"e20250162"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13412013/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148617964","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"<i>In vivo versus in vitro</i> embryo production in small ruminants: strengths, limitations, and practical outcomes.","authors":"Joanna Maria Gonçalves Souza-Fabjan, Ana Paula Silva Cupello, Nicole Oliveira Rocha, Matheus Silva Admiral Gomes, Marie Saint-Dizier, Ribrio Ivan Tavares Pereira Batista","doi":"10.1590/1984-3143-AR2026-0048","DOIUrl":"10.1590/1984-3143-AR2026-0048","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Embryo transfer technologies have become essential tools for accelerating genetic gain, disseminating superior genetics, and preserving valuable germplasm in livestock species. In small ruminants, embryo production has historically relied on multiple ovulation and embryo transfer (MOET), whereas <i>in vitro</i> embryo production (IVEP) has expanded substantially over recent decades. Despite this technological progress, the global embryo industry in sheep and goats remains dominated by MOET systems, in contrast to cattle, where IVEP has rapidly become the prevailing technology. This review critically examines the biological, technical, and logistical factors underlying the current balance between MOET and IVEP in small ruminants. We discuss the main biological determinants influencing embryo production efficiency, including oocyte developmental competence, species-specific reproductive traits, and the intrinsic sensitivity of small ruminant gametes and embryos to <i>in vitro</i> environments. A comparative analysis with bovine systems highlights that several operational advantages that have driven the expansion of IVEP in cattle, such as the possibility of repeated ovum pick-up without hormonal superstimulation, minimally invasive oocyte recovery, and efficient use of sex-sorted semen, are not readily transferable to sheep and goats. Conversely, recent advances in nonsurgical embryo recovery have reinforced the practical advantages of MOET in small ruminants by reducing procedural invasiveness and improving animal welfare. Emerging perspectives for IVEP are also discussed, including innovations in embryo culture systems and the integration of IVEP with genomic selection and sexed semen technologies. Overall, current evidence indicates that the predominance of MOET in small ruminants reflects not a technological delay but rather a complex interplay of biological robustness and operational simplicity. We believe that IVEP is more likely to expand as a complementary tool rather than to replace MOET as the dominant embryo production strategy in sheep and goats.</p>","PeriodicalId":7889,"journal":{"name":"Animal Reproduction","volume":"23 4","pages":"e20260048"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13418095/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148618010","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}