Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

See attached file for full NC1201 2016/2017 annual report.

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NC 1201 – Annual Meeting (Portland, OR) – Minutes

2017 Officers

Reinaldo Cooke- Chair

Vitor Mercadante – Secretary

Attendees

Cameron Locke – MO (student)

Dave Patterson – MO

Emma Knickmeyer – MO (student)

George Smith – MI

Jamie Larson – MS

Jeff Stevenson – KS

Jordan Thomas – MO (student)

Maria Haag – MO (student)

Nicky Oosthuizen – FL (student)

Paul Fricke – WI

Pedro Fontes – FL (student)

Reinaldo Cooke - OR

Richard Pursley – MI

Rick Funston – NE

Teresa Steckler – IL

Vitor Mercadante – VA

08/17/17 – Introductions and Station Reports

George Smith – Associate Dean of Research, Michigan State University

Informed the renewal of the project and was very complementary of the group, especially the group’s collaborative efforts. Indicated the group should apply for the Regional Project Award.

Reinaldo Cooke – Oregon State University – EOARC

Ca-salts of soybean oil (CSOO) supplementation after FTAI in Bos taurus beef cows. Collaborative project between OSU and VT (Vitor Mercadante). Increase in pregnancy rates (9% points) for cows supplemented with CSOO, also increase in expression of ISG on day 21.

Estrus expression and intensity during FTAI protocols. Divided cows on No estrus and Estrus with high activity or low activity. High activity cows had larger follicles, increased CL volume and greater concentration of progesterone, greater pregnancy rates.

Possibility for collaboration among the group. Retrospective analysis of estrus expression in FTAI to look at repeatability of estrus of cows over breeding seasons.

Paul Fricke – University of Wisconsin

Ovsynch Protocol for dairy cows. Effects of progesterone concentration during the protocol on fertility. 15% of cows have impaired CL regression, and low fertility. Addition of a second PGF (dinoprost) injection 24 hrs after the first PGF injection increases luteolysis and improved pregnancy.

Low progesterone cows will have increased double ovulation rate and have greater fertility, but also increases twining rate.

Possibility for collaboration among the group. Investigate effects of low progesterone on fertility of dairy cows and double ovulation.

Rick Funston – University of Nebraska

Heifers born later in the breeding season (March vs May) will have decreased pregnancy rates, investigating supplementation strategies to resolve this issue. Effects of Multimin injection on pregnancy rates, no effects were found. Implanting heifers at 12 months of age with Revalor-G decreased pregnancy rates.

Jamie Larson – Mississippi State University

Effects of duration of progesterone (7 vs 14 day) exposure on hepatic enzyme activity for progesterone clearance.

Grazing dairy cows exercise effects on uterine artery blood flow, milk production and quality parameters. Exercise did not affect blood flow and milk parameters, but increased heart rate.

Possibility for collaboration among the group. CL regression differences between heifers and cows.

Vitor Mercadante – Virginia Tech

Split TAI with an 8 hr delay in GnRH and AI did not improve pregnancy rate. The use of a new AI sheath with 3 outputs did not improve pregnancy rates of beef heifers, but reduced semen reflux in the sheath compared to an AI sheath with a single semen output.

Dave Paterson, Jordan Thomas, Emma Knickmeyer, Cameron Locke – University of Missouri

Bos indicus influenced beef heifers, effects of long term progestin protocols. Long term progestin improved percentage of pubertal heifers at the beginning of the breeding season, across different repro-tract scores heifers.

Sex-sorted semen and 14-day CIDR and split TAI. Sexed semen had reduced pregnancy rate compared to conventional semen, but pregnancy rates were 52% and 60% respectively, which are acceptable pregnancy rates.

Nicky Oosthuizen, Pedro Fontes – University of Florida and Texas A&M

HiCON and regular PGF yielded similar pregnancy rates in beef heifers. Pre-synch with PGF 7 days before a 7d CO-Synch CIDR protocol, compared to regular 7d CO-Synch CIDR. Pre-synch reduced percentage of heifers showing estrus after CIDR removal, but did not change fertility.

Effects of increased IGF-1 during estrus synchronization and FTAI. Injection of 650 mg of bST concentration during synchronization reduces pregnancy rate in beef heifer. Effects of embryo and maternal breed on early embryonic development. Nutrient restriction during early gestation affects embryonic loss differently in Bos taurus and Bos indicus influenced recipients, with Bos taurus animals having greater embryonic loss when submitted to a restriction in nutrient intake.

Richard Pursley – Michigan State University

Simplification of dairy cow synchronization protocols. Adding the PGF with the GnRH during a pre-synch protocol did not affected pregnancy rate. Low progesterone during follicle development lead to increased pregnancy loss, after day 35.

Low progesterone during synchronization leads to increased double ovulation rate in dairy cows.

Visit to Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC) – OHSU.

8/18/17

Adele Turzillo – USDA-NIFA

Update on USDA and NIFA personnel, budget, and funding programs.

Jeff Stevenson – Kansas State University

Pre-synch programs for lactating dairy cows using a 5 or 7 day Ovsynch program. Complete luteolysis are greater for cows treated with the 7-day vs. 5-day Ovsynch program regardless of frequency-dose of PGF (1 x 50 mg dose vs. 2 x 25 mg doses 24 h apart).

Split-time AI for beef cows. Delaying split-time AI from 55 and 75 hr to 65 and 85 hr, produced more pregnancies in beef cows.

Collaboration discussion

Bos indicus influenced cattle – strategies for synchronization, heifer development.

Estrus expression in beef females, repeatability of estrus expression.

Dose effect and differences between PGF products (cloprostenol and dinoprost) in luteolysis.

Use of sex semen in split-time AI programs for beef females.

Discussion regarding ASAS-ADSA split meetings. The group does not support the split and proposed timing the NC1201 meeting with the Mid-West ASAS meeting in March to support the joint meeting and provide students with more opportunities to interact and discuss science.

The group moved to propose a symposium at Mid-West meetings. We will try to have our meeting at the same venue as Mid-West meetings. It was suggested a visit to the Omaha zoo.

Symposium – NC1201-USDA Regional Project. Methods to Increase Reproductive Efficiency in Cattle.

Have 2 keynote speakers (1 beef and 1 dairy), and have students present abstracts.

Ideas for keynote - A review of the accomplishments of NC1201 and the collaborations (Jack Britt). How to address popular perception of using hormones in livestock production (Jim Lauderdale).

Business Meeting

2018 President – Vitor Mercadante

Jeff Stevenson nominates Richard Pursley for secretary, Vitor Mercadante seconded. Passed.

2018 Secretary elected – Richard Pursley

Rick Funston nominates Omaha, NE and dates of March 14 and 15. Vitor Mercadante seconded. Passed.

2018 NC1201 meeting date and location – March 14 and 15. Omaha, NE.