Animals最新文献

{"title":"Reptarenaviruses in Wild- and Captive-Origin Boid and Pythonid Snakes in Peru.","authors":"Jose Antonio Otero Soberon, Steven B Tillis, Jose Antonio Otero Corbetto, Michael Gulman, Joaquin Vasquez, Robert J Ossiboff","doi":"10.3390/ani16193112","DOIUrl":"10.3390/ani16193112","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Viral pathogens represent an increasing threat to wildlife health and biodiversity. Most studies of reptile viruses are in captive populations, while knowledge of viral occurrence and diversity in free-ranging reptiles is limited. Some reptarenaviruses (family <i>Arenaviridae</i>) are causative agents of boid inclusion body disease (BIBD), an important disease of captive boas and pythons that can be associated with substantial morbidity and mortality in some species. Peru is home to both diverse boid snakes and significant illegal reptile trade. This represents a unique and uninvestigated opportunity for reptarenaviral surveillance to better understand the presence of these viruses in boas in Peru. Oral swabs from 28 individual snakes representing four native boa taxa (<i>Boa constrictor constrictor</i>; the endemic subspecies <i>B. c. ortonii</i>; <i>Epicrates cenchria</i>; and <i>Eunectes murinus</i>), one non-native boa taxon (<i>B. imperator)</i>, and two non-native python taxa (<i>Python bivittatus</i> and <i>Python regius</i>) were screened for reptarenaviruses using reverse transcription-PCR and Sanger sequencing. Overall, 64.3% (18/28) of snakes were positive for reptarenaviruses, including 70% (14/20) of wild-origin snakes and 50% (4/8) of captive-origin snakes. Reptarenavirus PCR-positive snakes included both native taxa, including the red-tail boa (<i>Boa constrictor constrictor</i>; 64.3%, 9/14 snakes), Orton's boa (<i>B. c. ortonii</i>; 75%, 3/4 snakes), green anaconda (<i>Eunectes murinus</i>; 100%, 2/2 snakes), and exotic taxa, including the Central American boa (<i>B. imperator</i>; 100%, 2/2 snakes), Burmese python (<i>Python bivittatus</i>; 50%, 1/2 snakes), and ball python (<i>Python regius</i>; 50%, 1/2 snakes). Of the positive snakes, 14 snakes yielded sequences with 99.6-100% nucleotide identity to reference sequences of <i>Reptarenavirus giessenae</i>, one of the best characterized reptarenaviruses documented in association with BIBD. Two additional wild caught red-tail boas yielded reptarenavirus sequences with highest nucleotide identity to unclassified reptarenavirus (S7/S10) strains, and two snakes had mixed chromatograms compatible with amplification of more than one template. These results represent the first molecular confirmation of reptarenaviruses in Peru and suggest that globally significant viruses of captive snakes may be present in wild Peruvian boa populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":7955,"journal":{"name":"Animals","volume":"16 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13663523/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149190862","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Ex Vivo Evaluation of Buserelin Permeation Across Porcine Endometrial Tissue: A Pilot Study.","authors":"Preechaphon Taechamaeteekul, Romchat Chutoprapat, Robert V Knox, Hongyao Lin, Miquel Collell, Padet Tummaruk","doi":"10.3390/ani16193108","DOIUrl":"10.3390/ani16193108","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Buserelin, a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analog, is commonly used in swine to induce ovulation and facilitate fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI). Supplementation of diluted semen with buserelin has been developed as a less invasive approach to synchronize ovulation and potentially enhance litter size in gilts. This study evaluated the diffusion of buserelin across porcine endometrial tissue using an ex vivo Franz diffusion cell system. The primary objective was to determine whether buserelin, either alone or in combination with extended boar semen, could penetrate sow uterine tissue. Endometrial tissues were collected post-mortem from six sows confirmed to be in the follicular phase by macroscopic examination of the reproductive tract. Each uterine sample was divided into two portions and assigned to either a buserelin group or a buserelin plus diluted semen group. Boar semen used for the diluted semen group was prepared using a commercial extender, and the pH of all test samples was measured prior to analysis. Diffusion studies were performed using vertical Franz diffusion cells maintained at 37 °C, with phosphate-buffered saline (pH 7.4) serving as the receptor medium. To standardize the total drug dose applied (rather than the concentration or application volume), tissue samples were treated either with 4 µg of buserelin acetate in 1 mL of solution or with 4 µg of buserelin acetate in 1 mL of solution mixed with 1 mL of diluted semen. Receptor fluid was collected over an 8-h period for quantification of permeated and absorbed buserelin using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The overall percentage of buserelin permeation through porcine endometrial tissue was similar between the buserelin group (61.3 ± 7.8%; range 54.0-73.7%) and the buserelin plus diluted semen group (62.2 ± 4.6%; range 48.6-68.9%), with no significant difference (<i>p</i> = 0.840). During the first 0.75 h (0-45 min), the cumulative permeation did not differ between treatments (10.2 ± 2.4% vs. 11.8 ± 2.4%, <i>p</i> = 1.000). However, at 1.5 h, the permeation rate was lower in the buserelin group than in the buserelin plus diluted semen group (18.0 ± 2.4% vs. 29.2 ± 2.4%, <i>p</i> = 0.032). From this point onward, the buserelin plus diluted semen group maintained higher permeation until approximately 6 h, after which permeation values became comparable (<i>p</i> = 0.174). The steady-state fluxes (<i>J</i>_ss) were 0.21 and 0.28 µg/cm²·h, with corresponding apparent permeability coefficients (<i>P</i>_app) of 0.052 and 0.069 cm/h, respectively. In conclusion, this ex vivo pilot study showed that more than 61% of the administered buserelin permeated porcine endometrial tissue within 8 h, irrespective of semen supplementation. The addition of diluted semen enhanced permeation during the early phase but did not affect the overall cumulative diffusion.</p>","PeriodicalId":7955,"journal":{"name":"Animals","volume":"16 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13663335/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149190955","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Evaluation of rKDDR-Plus ELISA in Dogs with Different Clinical and Serological Profiles of <i>Leishmania infantum</i> Infection.","authors":"Clara Jiménez-Fortunato, Ana Carolina Amado-Gomes, Marta Baxarias, Andrea Murillo-Picco, Lilian Lacerda Bueno, Ricardo Toshio Fujiwara, Laia Solano-Gallego","doi":"10.3390/ani16193097","DOIUrl":"10.3390/ani16193097","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Most <i>Leishmania infantum</i> infected dogs remain healthy, with low parasitic loads and negative to low antibody levels, making detection challenging. rKDDR-plus has shown outstanding diagnostic performance in ELISA but has never been tested in dogs thoroughly characterized by physical examination and routine laboratory tests. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of rKDDR-plus ELISA in dogs with different <i>L. infantum</i> infection states (<i>n</i> = 94), classified as healthy seronegative (<i>n</i> = 25), healthy seropositive (<i>n</i> = 54), and sick (<i>n</i> = 15). In total, 37 seropositive dogs were classified as low and 32 as high. Diagnostic performance was evaluated in five groups: (G1) all dogs, (G2) healthy seronegative + sick (<i>n</i> = 40), (G3) healthy seronegative + healthy seropositive (<i>n</i> = 79), (G4) healthy seronegative + high seropositive (<i>n</i> = 57), and (G5) healthy seronegative + low seropositive (<i>n</i> = 62). Negative percent agreement was 100% in all groups, while positive percent agreement was perfect in G2 (100%), followed by G4 (96.88%), G1 (82.61%), G3 (77.78%), and G5 (70.27%). Accuracy ranged from 85.14% to 100%, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC-ROC) was as follows: G2 (1.000), G4 (0.978), G1 (0.951), G3 (0.937), and G5 (0.928). Agreement (kappa) was almost perfect in G2 and G4, and substantial in the remaining groups. In conclusion, rKDDR-plus ELISA shows overall good diagnostic performance.</p>","PeriodicalId":7955,"journal":{"name":"Animals","volume":"16 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13663355/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149190807","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Untargeted Metabolomic Profiling of Spermatozoa and Seminal Plasma Identifies Candidate Metabolic Indicators of Semen Quality in Holstein Bulls.","authors":"Olga Kostyunina, Alexey Traspov, Anton Ermilov, Faridun Bakoev, Gleb Nemkovskiy, Alexander Kusnetzov, Vladimir Belyakov","doi":"10.3390/ani16193098","DOIUrl":"10.3390/ani16193098","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This exploratory study applied untargeted LC-MS/MS metabolomic profiling to investigate metabolic differences between Holstein bulls with high-quality (HQ) and low-quality (LQ) semen in both spermatozoa and seminal plasma. Bulls were classified based on long-term routine semen quality records and ejaculate rejection rates, providing a stable and biologically meaningful grouping. A total of 249 unique metabolites were annotated across both biological matrices. Differential analysis identified 46 LC-MS features corresponding to 44 unique metabolites in spermatozoa and 11 LC-MS features corresponding to 9 unique metabolites in seminal plasma that met the predefined multi-criteria selection thresholds (FDR < 0.05, |log₂FC| > 1, VIP > 1, and AUC ≥ 0.80 or ≤0.20). The HQ group was characterized by higher levels of metabolites involved in amino acid and energy metabolism, including glutamine, glutamate, aspartate, succinate, ornithine, citrulline, and arginine. Conversely, the LQ group showed increased abundance of metabolites potentially related to altered redox homeostasis and compounds potentially originating from dietary or microbial sources. As this is an exploratory study, mechanistic interpretations regarding oxidative stress, microbiome-derived metabolites, and actual fertility should be considered strictly hypothesis-generating. The annotated metabolites represent candidate indicators associated with semen quality parameters rather than validated biomarkers. Their relationship with actual field fertility and their underlying biological mechanisms require confirmation in larger, independent populations with direct functional assays and field fertility records.</p>","PeriodicalId":7955,"journal":{"name":"Animals","volume":"16 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13663586/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149190944","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Partial Replacement of Spray-Dried Blood Plasma with Alternative Animal and Insect Protein in Weaned Pig Diets: Effects on Growth Performance, Digestibility, and Gut Health.","authors":"Lucas M Teixeira, Jansller L Genova, Marcos E Duarte, Jeferson P Santana, Lais F L Reis, Anna L M Teixeira, Gabriel C Rocha","doi":"10.3390/ani16193100","DOIUrl":"10.3390/ani16193100","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study was to evaluate the effects of partially replacing spray-dried blood plasma (SDP) with alternative insect- and animal-derived protein meals on growth performance, diarrhea incidence (DI), nutrient digestibility, intestinal responses, and oxidative status of weaned pigs. A total of 135 pigs (21 d of age; 6.56 ± 0.79 kg body weight [BW]) were assigned to five treatments for 20 d. The control diet contained 40 g/kg SDP, whereas the other diets contained 20 g/kg SDP plus 20 g/kg black soldier fly larval meal (BSF), fish meal (FM), pork crackling meal (PCM), or hydrolyzed chicken protein (HCP). HCP maintained growth and energy and crude protein utilization comparable to SDP. PCM reduced final BW and average daily gain (ADG; <i>p</i> < 0.05), while average daily feed intake tended to decrease (<i>p</i> = 0.084). BSF and FM reduced DI (<i>p</i> < 0.05). BSF showed the lowest energy and crude protein digestibility (<i>p</i> < 0.05), whereas FM reduced crude protein digestibility and tended to reduce jejunal <i>PepT1</i> mRNA abundance (<i>p</i> = 0.052). BSF and PCM reduced jejunal <i>TNF-α</i> mRNA abundance, while FM and PCM reduced <i>ZO1</i> mRNA abundance (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Overall, HCP showed the greatest potential to partially replace SDP while preserving growth performance and nutrient utilization.</p>","PeriodicalId":7955,"journal":{"name":"Animals","volume":"16 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13663332/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149190975","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Field Implementation of Buserelin-Supplemented Boar Semen Protocol at the First Insemination: Farrowing Rate and Litter Size in Gilts and Sows Under Tropical Conditions.","authors":"Preechaphon Taechamaeteekul, Pornpavee Athsukitkul, Kita Wongvekin, Jittichai U-Thaichan, Yanthicha Boonmee, Tip-Apa Akkhaphan, Pisit Sirithanyakul, Rafa Boonprakob, Hongyao Lin, Miquel Collell, Padet Tummaruk","doi":"10.3390/ani16193101","DOIUrl":"10.3390/ani16193101","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Maximizing farrowing rate and litter size is essential for improving reproductive efficiency and profitability in swine production. Both outcomes depend on the timing of artificial insemination (AI) relative to ovulation; however, predicting ovulation is challenging because estrus duration and the interval from estrus onset to ovulation vary considerably among females. Therefore, this study aimed to determine whether supplementing extended boar semen with 4-8 µg of buserelin acetate at the first insemination improves the reproductive performance of gilts and sows under tropical commercial conditions. A randomized controlled field trial was conducted involving 2780 Landrace × Yorkshire females across five commercial herds in tropical regions (herds A-E). The females (parity 3.0 ± 2.1) comprised gilts (<i>n</i> = 412), sows (<i>n</i> = 2280), and repeat-service females (<i>n</i> = 88). They were randomly assigned to receive either standard extended semen (control; <i>n</i> = 1438) or extended semen supplemented with 4 μg (1.0 mL; <i>n</i> = 121), 5 μg (1.25 mL; <i>n</i> = 1052), or 8 μg (2.0 mL; <i>n</i> = 169) of buserelin acetate per 90 mL insemination dose (treatment; <i>n</i> = 1342). The overall farrowing rate was 88.5% and ranged from 84.5% to 90.0% among herds. Buserelin supplementation increased the farrowing rate compared with the control (90.1% vs. 86.9%, <i>p</i> = 0.009), representing an improvement of 3.2 percentage points. In Herd C, supplementation increased the farrowing rate from 86.5% to 90.1% (<i>p</i> = 0.036). The overall total number of piglets born was 14.1 ± 3.2 per litter. Litter size did not differ significantly between groups in any herd (all <i>p</i> > 0.05), although buserelin-treated females generally had numerically more total-born and live-born piglets. Among gilts, buserelin tended to increase the total number born (12.7 ± 0.4 vs. 11.8 ± 0.4 piglets, <i>p</i> = 0.083), but not the number born alive (11.3 ± 0.4 vs. 10.6 ± 0.4 piglets, <i>p</i> = 0.258). No significant effects were observed in sows for total-born or live-born piglets (+0.3 and +0.4 piglets, <i>p</i> = 0.380 and 0.376, respectively), or in repeat-service females (-0.4 and +0.2 piglets, <i>p</i> = 0.735 and 0.883, respectively). These findings indicate that supplementing extended semen with buserelin acetate at the first insemination is a practical, non-invasive strategy for improving farrowing success in commercial swine herds under tropical conditions. Further studies should clarify the underlying endocrine and reproductive mechanisms and identify the physiological or reproductive characteristics of females most likely to benefit from additional hormonal stimulation.</p>","PeriodicalId":7955,"journal":{"name":"Animals","volume":"16 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13663462/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149190721","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Impacts of Climatic Factors on Milking Frequency and Milk Yield in Automatic Milking Systems Under Hot-Humid Conditions.","authors":"Chia-Jung Lee, Tzong-Faa Shiao, Yi-Chun Lin","doi":"10.3390/ani16193106","DOIUrl":"10.3390/ani16193106","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Heat stress in hot and humid environments can severely limit the expected advantages of automatic milking systems (AMSs). This study was conducted to investigate the environmental thresholds for milking frequency (MF) and milk yield (MY) in AMSs under hot and humid conditions. We collected milking data over a 2-year period (from 29 March 2021 to 28 March 2023) from an AMS barn with an average herd size of 20.0 ± 2.2 cows (primarily Holstein cows) to investigate the effects of the temperature-humidity index (THI), dry-bulb temperature, and relative humidity on MF and MY. Both MF and MY were significantly negatively correlated with THI, temperature, and relative humidity, while a strong positive association was observed between MF and MY. Under the herd management conditions of this farm, the THI thresholds for MY and MF were 73 and 70, respectively. Beyond these thresholds, each unit increase in the THI resulted in reductions of 0.522 kg/day in MY and 0.035 times/day in MF. The Spearman correlation coefficients revealed that the negative association between MY and THI reflected a lagged, cumulative effect of weather on MY. A management-driven change in supplementary feed from soybean hulls to concentrate feed was associated with higher adjusted MF and MY. The CF period also showed higher observed THI thresholds for MF and MY than the SH period. Overall, heat stress remained a major constraint on AMS performance under hot-humid conditions, supporting the need for effective cooling and management strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":7955,"journal":{"name":"Animals","volume":"16 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13663367/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149190898","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"High Genetic Variation in the <i>COI</i> Gene Complicates Molecular Identification of <i>Eimeria</i> Species in Goats from South Korea.","authors":"Hyunjin Je, Daeun Kim, Rochelle A Flores, Binh T Nguyen, Aaron Paul R Serdeña, Won Gi Yoo, Ho-Seong Cho, Wongi Min, Woo H Kim","doi":"10.3390/ani16193102","DOIUrl":"10.3390/ani16193102","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Despite the growth in South Korea's goat industry, epidemiological data on goat coccidiosis-an intestinal disease caused by <i>Eimeria</i> spp., causing diarrhea and productivity losses, particularly in kids-remain limited. In 2025, fecal samples from 67 farms across 12 regions in Gyeongsangnam-do were analyzed for oocyst detection, oocysts per gram (OPG) quantification, and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (<i>COI</i>) sequencing. Farm-level prevalence was high at 83.6% (56/67; range, 66.7-100%), with a mean OPG of 1136 (range: 250-7033) among positive samples. Morphologically, the observed oocysts resembled <i>E. christenseni</i>, <i>E. arloingi</i>, and <i>E</i>. <i>hirci</i>. <i>COI</i>-based BLAST analysis showed high identity with <i>E. christenseni</i> and <i>E. arloingi</i>, whereas phylogenetic analysis revealed affinities extending to <i>E. hirci</i> and sequences from cattle (<i>E. bovis</i>, <i>E. zuernii</i>) and sheep (<i>E. ahsata</i>). However, substantial <i>COI</i> heterogeneity, pooled sampling, and potential preferential amplification during Sanger sequencing limited confident species assignment. Here, findings demonstrate farm-level <i>Eimeria</i> detection but do not establish clinical or subclinical coccidiosis since clinical status was not systematically assessed. Nevertheless, these data establish a useful epidemiological and genetic baseline and highlight the need for multi-locus analysis (18S rRNA, internal transcribed spacer [ITS], and <i>COI</i>) to improve species-level resolution for surveillance and control strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":7955,"journal":{"name":"Animals","volume":"16 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13663317/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149190921","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Advances in Semen Extenders for Small Ruminant Sperm Preservation: Biological Mechanisms and Emerging Strategies.","authors":"Daniel Berean, Liviu Marian Bogdan, Ionela Ut, Raluca Cimpean","doi":"10.3390/ani16193104","DOIUrl":"10.3390/ani16193104","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Semen preservation represents a fundamental component of reproductive biotechnology in small ruminants, supporting artificial insemination programs, genetic improvement, germplasm conservation, and sustainable livestock production. However, ram and buck spermatozoa are highly susceptible to cryoinjury induced by cold shock, oxidative stress, osmotic imbalance, and membrane destabilization during cooling, freezing, and thawing procedures. Consequently, semen extenders play a critical role in maintaining sperm viability, motility, membrane integrity, mitochondrial activity, and fertilizing capacity during preservation. This narrative review summarizes the biological basis of sperm preservation in sheep and goats and discusses the principal conventional and emerging extender systems used in small ruminant semen cryopreservation. Conventional extender components, including buffering systems, energy substrates, cryoprotective agents, egg yolk, and milk proteins, are reviewed with emphasis on their mechanisms of action and protective effects against cryodamage. Particular attention is given to species-specific limitations associated with buck seminal plasma enzymes and their interactions with egg yolk- and milk-based extenders. In addition, recent advances involving chemically defined extenders, soy lecithin formulations, antioxidants, synthetic membrane stabilizers, and nanotechnology-derived additives are discussed as promising alternatives aimed at improving cryosurvival, reducing oxidative stress, and enhancing extender standardization and biosafety. Practical applications of semen extenders in artificial insemination and semen banking are also discussed together with current methodological limitations, species-specific challenges, and future research priorities. Although numerous emerging strategies have demonstrated promising improvements in laboratory sperm-quality parameters, evidence supporting consistent fertility benefits under field conditions remains limited. Overall, this review critically evaluates current knowledge and highlights the need for species-specific, protocol-oriented, and well-standardized approaches to advance semen preservation in small ruminants.</p>","PeriodicalId":7955,"journal":{"name":"Animals","volume":"16 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13663329/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149190701","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Southern Illinois Soybean Varieties: Implications for Relative Livestock Feed Value Scores, Modeled Soybean Meal Values, and Livestock Diet Formulation.","authors":"Jayakrishnan Nair, Richard Bien, Mrudhula Sajeevadathan, Talon Becker, Jebaraj Asirvatham, Kishore Joseph, John Osthus, Barton S Borg, David Bishop, Mike Opperman, Amer AbuGhazaleh","doi":"10.3390/ani16193105","DOIUrl":"10.3390/ani16193105","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The research evaluated how location, crop year, relative maturity, and nutrient composition affect modeled soybean meal (SBM) values and the relative livestock feed value (LFV) scores of soybean varieties grown in southern Illinois. The study also assessed the impact of non-ruminant-specific LFV scores and modeled SBM composition in ruminant diets on requirements for other feed ingredients, such as feed corn. Among 47 soybean varieties collected from two southern Illinois locations over two growing seasons, modeled SBM values ranged from US$340.0 to US$370.0 per ton, while relative LFV scores varied from 1.3 to 9.9. SBM inclusion in the modeled backgrounding beef cattle diets ranged from 331.8 kg to 367.1 kg/ton, and feed corn inclusion ranged from 82.4 kg to 117.6 kg/ton. The feed formulation model showed a positive association for soybean seed protein with methane (CH₄) emissions (r = 0.94 for CH₄ as % GE, r = 0.98 for CH₄ in mol/d, and r = 0.89 for CH₄ in Mcal/d), though the relative range in predicted CH₄ emissions from the feed formulations was only 1.8%, suggesting minimal impact of soybean varieties and limited practical significance. The feed formulation model showed a positive association between corn demand and dietary CP concentrations (<i>R</i>² = 0.85). Meal from superior soybean seeds is predicted to be required at lower inclusions in model ruminant diets to achieve a net positive metabolizable protein balance.</p>","PeriodicalId":7955,"journal":{"name":"Animals","volume":"16 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13663384/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149190816","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}