Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

The annual meeting of the NCERA-57 was called to order at 8 AM on Tuesday May 16 in a conference room of Polk Hall on the North Carolina State University campus by Committee Chair Joe Ford. Committee Advisor, John Baker and eleven committee members were in attendance: Joe Ford chair; Roy Kirkwood chair-elect, Dave Guthrie, Lloyd Anderson, Tim Safranski, Mark Diekman, David Miller, Duane Davis, Rodney Geisert, Bret White, and Billy Flowers. Others present were Brad Belstra IMV International, Charles J. Francisco of Intervet Inc., Gary Hausman USDA-ARS Athens, GA, and Kyle Lovercamp graduate student at North Carolina State. During the meeting officers were elected for 06-07 with Roy Kirkwood as the chair, John Parrish as the chair-elect and Dave Guthrie as the secretary. Meeting Agenda May 16, 2006 - Welcome by Dr. Flowers/NC State University Administration - Report by NCERA-57 Administrative Advisor - NCERA-57 NRI Proposal on Seasonal Fertility - Station Reports - Lunch break - Station Reports May 17, 2006 - Business Meeting - Election of secretary - Location of 2007 Meeting - Other business - Invited presentation - USDA/ARS/Athens - Station Reports May 17, 2006 1:30 PM NCERA-57 Small Litter Size workshop, Sampson Community College Clinton, N.C. - Welcome and Purpose, W.L. Flowers, North Carolina State University - Current Reproductive Trends on Swine Farms  John Page, AgriMetrics, Inc. - Small Litter Size Phenomena on Farms in N.C.  David Bishop, Sampson Community College and President, Reproductive Services - Breeding Management and Small Litter Sizes  Roy Kirkwood, Michigan State University - Early Gestation Management and Small Litter Sizes (Fertilization through Day 30)  Rod Geisert, Oklahoma State University - Late Gestation Management and Small Litter Sizes (Day 40 on)  Steve Ford, University of Wyoming - Panel Discussion - Dinner Billy Flowers thanked IMV International for providing the dinner on Wednesday night and Intervet Inc. for providing for travel to Clinton and the cost of C.D. duplication/production of the proceedings of the workshop. Officers for 2007 are Roy Kirkwood, chair; John Parrish, chair elect; and Dave Guthrie, secretary. Debra Hamernik, CSREES National Program Leader, Animal Physiology, and Mark Mirando of CSREES were unable to attend the meeting. Debra sent handouts via email to each committee member. John Baker indicated that our charter is in force through 2009 so that in our 2008 meeting we will need to designate a writing team for our report and re-chartering. He also mentioned impact statements similar to those that Roy Kirkwood submitted last year. Minutes and station reports must be filed in the NIMSS system by 60 days of the date of the meeting. Dave Guthrie reported on his progress on the design of the NCERA-57 NRI integrated reproduction grant proposal. After lengthy discussion it became evident that the major issue to be resolved is whether swine producers or universities will allow frozen semen to be shipped back to their production units for insemination after being shipped from boar studs or genetics companies to Beltsville for cryopreservation. Further discussion led to an alternate approach. That would be to recruit swine producers or university swine researchers for this project that would use boar semen frozen at genetics companies. Roy Kirkwood mentioned the possibility of foreign involvement as the European Common market has funds available for collaborative research. Dr. Guthrie will continue planning the project proposal with committee members. The rest of the morning and afternoon were devoted to presentation and station reports from Oklahoma, Illinois, Michigan State, Nebraska, Missouri, Purdue, Kansas State, and USDA, Beltsville. In addition to a brief summary of the Purdue report, our designated historian Mark Diekman summarized some historical data that he had collected and received comments and suggestions from other committee members. The meeting on May 17 opened with a welcome from Dr. Ken Esbenshade, dean of the North Carolina State School of Agriculture who discussed the organization of the College of Agriculture and his remembrances of the NCR-57 meetings as a graduate student. Some time was also spent on discussion of the relative merits of 9- vs. 12-month appointments in land grant Universities. The dates and location for the 2007 meeting were discussed. Roy Kirkwood generously offered to host at Michigan State University on May 30 and 31, 2007. A motion to accept this arrangement was moved, seconded, and the motion was passed unanimously. Discussion of the integrated NRI grant proposal was continued. It was concluded that training and education of undergraduate and graduate students must be established on a sound basis. Another issue raised was the impact that this proposal would have on adding value to rural society. Tim Safranski and Billy Flowers will bring forth additional input on these issues. A round of applause was given for Billy Flowers as host for the annual meeting and for his great organization of the workshop. At 9:28 AM a special report was given by Dr. Gary Hausman from the USDA, ARS Russell Laboratory at Athens, GA describing neuro-endocrine regulation of pituitary and adipose tissue function in swine. Then station reports from Iowa State University and USDA, ARS MARC were presented. The annual meeting was adjourned by Joe Ford at 11:30 AM. Respectfully submitted, ---------------------------------------------- John Parrish NCERA-57 Secretary, 2005-2006 ---------------------------------------------- John Baker NCERA-57 Administrative Advisor

Publications produced by committee members and their associates during the past year are listed.

Development of the NCERA-57 webpage www.ansci.wisc.edu/jjp1/ncera57/ was initiated with links to members and reports.

The semi-annual workshop was presented. The workshop was on Small Litter Size in Swine. Both NCERA-57 and industry members presented research, impact and solutions to the problem. Significant interaction between researchers and the stakeholders occurred.

Plans for 2006

Continue development of the NCERA-57 web page. There will be a page for history of the committee including contributions of its members to swine reproductive physiology.

A joint proposal for NRI funding is being developed among the NCERA-57 members entitled, Seasonal infertility in the gilt: relative contributions of the male and female. This remains a major problem in the industry and the grant proposal will focus on research and training of graduate students.

Abad, M., D.J. Sprecher, P. Ross, R.M. Friendship, and R.N. Kirkwood. 2006. Effect of sperm cryopreservation and supplementing semen doses with seminal plasma on the establishment of a sperm reservoir in gilts. Reprod. Dom. Anim. (in press).

Allan, M.F., E.J. Eisen, and D. Pomp. 2005. Genomic mapping of direct and correlated responses to long-term selection for rapid growth rate in mice. Genetics 170:1863-1877.

Almond, G.W., W.L. Flowers, L. Batista, and S. DAllaire. 2006. Diseases of the Reproductive System. In: Diseases of Swine, 9th Edition. B.E. Straw, J.J. Zimmerman, S. DAllaire, and D.J. Taylor (eds.), Blackwell Publishing, Ames, IA, pp. 113-148.

Anderson, L.L. 2006. EDITORIAL FORWARD for Cell Secretion Review Series  Cell Secretion  finally sees the light. J. Cell. Mol. Med. (In press).

Anderson, L.L. 2006. Invited MINIREVIEW titled: Discovery of the porosome: the universal secretory machinery in cells. J. Cell. Mol. Med. 10:126-131.

Anderson, L.L. and B.P. Jena. 2006. Fusion pores in growth-hormone-secreting cells of the pituitary gland: an AFM study. In: FORCE MICROSCOPY: APPLICATIONS IN BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE. Edited by B.P. Jena and J.K.H. Hörber. J. Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, [Chapter 4] pp. 49-67.

Anderson, L.L., A. Glavaski-Joksimovic, K. Jeftinija, L. Pál, C.G. Scanes, and S. Jeftinija. 2005. Effect of motilin on calcium transient in isolated porcine pituitary cells. 35th Annual Meeting of the SOCIETY FOR NEUROSCIENCE, November 12-16, 2005. PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETY FOR NEUROSCIENCE Abstract 433. Program 994.1 (Washington, D.C.)

Anderson, L.L., S. Jeftinija, C.G. Scanes, M.H. Stromer, J.-S. Lee, K. Jeftinija, and A. Glavaski-Joksimovic. 2005. Physiology of ghrelin and related peptides. Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Farm Animal Endocrinology, July 4-6, 2004, Budapest, Hungary. Domest. Anim. Endocrinol. 29:111-144.

Ashworth, M.D., F.J. White, J.W. Ross, J. Hu, U. DeSilva, G.A. Johnson, and R.D. Geisert. 2006. Porcine Endometrial Prostaglandin Synthase Expression During the Estrous Cycle, Early Pregnancy, and Following Endocrine Disruption of Pregnancy. Biol. Reprod. 74:1007-1015.

Ashworth, M.D., J.W. Ross, D.T. Allen, D.R. Stein, L.J. Spicer, and R.D. Geisert. 2005. Endocrine disruption of uterine insulin-like growth factor (IGF) expression in the pregnant gilt. Reprod. 130:545-551.

Bahr, J.M., M. Dalponte, S.J. Janssen, and M. Nakai. 2006. Ion transporters for fluid resorption in the rooster (Gallus domesticus) epididymal region. Animal Reproduction Science (in press).

Banerjee, J., M.J. Long, and C.M. Komar. 2006. Effects of LH on PPAR_ in the rat ovary before and after the gonadotropin surge. Reproduction 131:93-101.

Blomberg, L. A. and K. A. Zuelke. 2005. Expression analysis of the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (STAR) gene in developing porcine conceptuses. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 72 419-429.

Bohan, M.M., G. Janda, L. Anderson, A. Trenkle, and D. Beitz. 2005. Effect of dietary macronutrients on appetite-related hormones in blood on body composition of lean and obese rats. FASEB J. 19:A76 (San Diego)

Bott, R.C., R.M. McFee, D.T. Clopton, C. Toombs, and A.S. Cupp. 2006. Vascular endothelial growth factor and kinase domain region receptor are involved in both seminiferous cord formation and vascular development during testis morphogenesis in the rat. Biol. Reprod. 75:56-67.

Braundmeier A., A. Fazleabas, B.A. Lessey, F. Guo, B.P. Toole, R.A. Nowak. 2006. Extra-cellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) regulates metalloproteinases in the human endometrium. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism; 2006 [Epub ahead of print, March 7].

Braundmeier A., A. Fazleabas, B.A. Lessey, F. Guo, B.P. Toole, R.A. Nowak. 2006. Extra-cellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) regulates metalloproteinases in the human endometrium. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism; 2006 [Epub ahead of print, March 7].

Breen, S.M., K.L. Farris, S.L. Rodriguez-Zas and R.V. Knox. 2005. Effect of age and physical or fence-line boar exposure on estrus and ovulation response in prepubertal gilts administered PG600. J Anim. Sci. 83: 460-465.

Breen, S.M., S.L. Rodriguez-Zas, and R.V. Knox. 2006. Effect of altering dose of PG600 on reproductive performance responses in prepubertal gilts and weaned sows. Anim Reprod Sci. [Epub ahead of print].

Breen, S.M., S.L. Rodriguez-Zas, and R.V. Knox. 2006. Effect of PG600 and adjusted mating times on reproductive performance in weaned sows. Anim Reprod Sci. 93:157-164.

Bridges, P.J., C.M. Komar, and J.E. Fortune. 2006. Gonadotropin-induced expression of mRNA for cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and secretion of prostaglandins E and F2_ in bovine preovulatory follicles is regulated by the progesterone receptor. Endocrinology (Accepted for publication).

Carlin R, Davis D, Weiss M, Schultz B, Troyer D. 2006. Expression of early transcription factors Oct4, Sox2 and Nanog by porcine umbilical cord (PUC) matrix cells. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2006 Feb 6;4(1):8 doi:10.1186/1477-7827-4-8.

Cassar, G., R.N. Kirkwood, Z. Poljak, K. Bennett-Steward, and R.M. Friendship. 2005. Effect of single or double insemination on fertility of sows bred at an induced estrus and ovulation. J. Swine Health Prod. 13:254-258.

Cushman, R.A., M.F. Allan, G.D. Snowder, R.M. Thallman, and S.E. Echternkamp. 2005. Evaluation of ovulation rate and ovarian phenotype in puberal heifers from a cattle population selected for increased ovulation rate. J. Anim. Sci. 83:1839-1844.

De Rensis, F., M. Gherpelli, P. Superchi, and R.N. Kirkwood. 2005. Relationship between backfat depth and plasma leptin during lactation and sow reproductive performance after weaning. Anim. Reprod. Sci. 90:95-100.

Fischer, K.A., K. Van Leyen, K.W. Lovercamp, G. Manandhar, M. Sutovsky, D. Feng, T. Safranski and P. Sutovsky. 2005. 15-Lipoxygenase is a component of the mammalian sperm cytoplasmic droplet. Reproduction, 130: 213-222.

Flowers, W.L. 2005. Biotechnology: Artificial Insemination. In: Encyclopedia of Animal Science. W.G. Pond and A.W. Bell (eds.), Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York , pp. 130-132.

Flowers, W.L. 2005. Pregnancy detection in swine. P.I.H. Handbook. National Pork Board. 8 pages.

Flowers, W.L. 2005. Swine Management Systems: Intensive. In: Encyclopedia of Animal Science. W.G. Pond and A.W. Bell (eds.), Marcell Dekker, Inc., New York, pp. 1-4.

Flowers, W.L. 2005. Swine: Reproduction Management. In: Encyclopedia of Animal Science. W.G. Pond and A.W. Bell (eds.), Marcell Dekker, Inc., New York , 831-833.

Ford, J.J., S.A. McCoard, T.H. Wise, D.D. Lunstra, and G.A. Rohrer. 2006. Genetic variation in sperm production. In: Control of Pig Reproduction VII. C. J. Ashworth and R. R. Kraeling (eds.) Nottingham University Press, Nottingham, U.K., pp. 99-112.

Gigli, I., R.A. Cushman, C.M. Wahl, and J.E. Fortune. 2005. Evidence for a role for anti-Müllerian hormone in the suppression of follicle activation in mouse ovaries and bovine ovarian cortex grafted beneath the chick chorioallantoic membrane. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 71:480-488.

Green, J.A., J.-G. Kim, K.M. Whitworth, C. Agca, R.S. Prather. 2005. The use of microarrays to define functionally-related genes that are differentially expressed in the cycling pig uterus. In: Control of Pig Reproduction VII, Reproduction Supplement 62. Eds C.J.Ashworth and R. Kraeling. Nottingham University Press, Nottingham, UK.

Guthrie, H. D. 2005. The follicular phase in Pigs: Follicle populations, circulating hormones, follicle factors and oocytes. J. Anim. Sci. 83 (E Suppl.):E79-E89.

Guthrie, H. D. and G. R. Welch. 2005. Effects of hypothermic liquid storage and cryopreservation on basal and induced membrane phospholipid disorder and acrosome exocytosis in boar spermatozoa. Reprod. Fertil Dev. 17:467477.

Guthrie, H. D., R. J. Wall, V. G. Pursel, J. A. Foster-Frey, D. M. Donovan, H. D. Dawson, G. R. Welch, G. R. and W. G. Garrett. 2005. Follicular expression of a human _-cell leukaemia/lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) transgene does not decrease atresia or increase ovulation rate in swine. Reprod. Fertil. Dev. 17:457466.

Hao, Y., L. Lai, G.-S. Im, Z. Liu, D. Wax, M. Samuel, C.N. Murphy, P. Sutovsky, R.S. Prather. 2006. Developmental competence of porcine parthenogenetic embryos relative to embryonic chromosomal abnormalities. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 73:77-82.

Herrick, JR, Brad, AM, Krisher, RL. (In Press) Chemical manipulation of glucose metabolism in porcine oocytes: Effects on nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation in vitro. Reproduction

Herrick, JR, Behboodi, E, Memili, E, Blash, S, Echelard, Y, Krisher, RL (In Press) Metabolism, protein content and in vitro embryonic development of goat cumulus-oocyte complexes matured with physiological concentrations of glucose and L-lactate. Molecular Reproduction and Development 73:256-266. Published Online: 25 Oct 2005.

Hilleson-Gayne, C.K., J.A. Clapper. 2005. Effects of decreased estradiol-17² on the serum and anterior pituitary insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) system in pigs. J. Endocrinology 187:369-378.

Im, G.-S., B.-S. Yang, L. Lai, Z. Liu, Y. Hao, R.S. Prather. 2005. Fragmentation and development of preimplantation porcine embryos derived by parthenogenetic activation and nuclear transfer. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 71:159-165.

Im, G.-S., J.-S. Seo, I.-S. Hwang, D.-H. Kim, S.-W. Kim, B.-C. Yang, B.-S. Yang, L. Lai, R.S. Prather. 2006. Development and apoptosis of pre-implantation porcine nuclear transfer embryos activated with different combination of chemicals. Mol. Reprod. Dev. (accepted 12-13-05).

Im, G.-S., M. Samuel, L. Lai, Y. Hao, R.S. Prather. 2006. Development and calcium level changes in pre-implantation porcine nuclear transfer embryos activated with 6-DMAP after fusion. Mol. Reprod. Dev. (accepted 12/2/05).

Imakawa, K., M.-S. Kim, F. Matsuda-Minehata, S. Ishida, M. Iizuka, M. Suzuki, K.-T. Chang, S. E. Echternkamp, and R. K. Christenson. 2006. Regulation of the ovine interferon-tau gene by a blastocyst-specific transcription factor, Cdx2. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 73:559-567.

Jackson, A. L. S. M. Breen, S. L. Rodriguez-Zas, and R. V. Knox. 2006. Evaluation of methodology for administration of porcine FSH for use in estrus induction and for increasing ovulation rate in prepubertal gilts. Theriogenology [Epub ahead of print].

Jackson, U., D.A. Boltz, M. Nakai, D. Bunick, G. Scherba and J.M.Bahr. 2006 Prepubertal exposure to the avian infectious bronchitis virus induces epididymal stones in the rooster after puberty. J Poultry Sci. (in press).

Jahnke, M.M. 2005. Strategies to increase the number of FSH-receptive follicles at the initiation of superovulation in cattle. M.S. Thesis, Iowa State University, 60 pages.

Jiménez-Severiano, H., M.L. Mussard, L.A. Fitzpatrick, M.J. D=Occhio, J.J. Ford, D.D. Lunstra, and J.E. Kinder. 2005. Testicular development of Zebu bulls after chronic treatment with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist. J. Anim. Sci. 83:2111-2122.

Kayser, J.G., Kim, R.L. Cerny, and J.L. Vallet. 2006. Global characterization of porcine intrauterine proteins during early pregnancy. Reproduction 131:379-388.

Kirkwood, R.N., F. De Rensis, P. Silva, M. Gherpelli, B. Alegre, and J.C. Dominguez. 2006. Effect of cloprostenol treatment at artificial insemination on sow fertility. Reprod. Dom. Anim. (in press).

Knox, R.V. 2005. Recruitment and selection of ovarian follicles for determination of ovulation rate in the pig. Domestic Animal Endocrinology 29: 385-397.

Komar, C.M. 2005. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) and ovarian function - implications for regulating steroidogenesis, differentiation, and tissue remodeling. Reprod. Biol. Endocrinol. 31:41.

Lee, J.-S., M.H. Stromer, S. Jeftinija, K. Jeftinija, C.G. Scanes, and L.L. Anderson. 2005. Immunocytochemical distribution of somatotrophs, mammotrophs and mammosomatotrophs in porcine anterior pituitary. 45th Annual Meeting of the AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR CELL BIOLOGY, December 10-14, 2005, Moscone Convention Center. Mol. Biol. Cell 16:Suppl.1:550a-551a. Program 2030 B534 (San Francisco)

Liu, Z.H., H. Schatten ,Y. H. Hao, L.X. Lai, D. Wax, M. Samuel, Z.S. Zhong, Q.Y. Sun, R.S. Prather. 2006. The nuclear mitotic apparatus (NuMA) protein is contributed by the donor cell nucleus in cloned porcine embryos. Frontiers in Biosciences 11:1945-1957.

Long, J. A. and H. D. Guthrie. 2006. Validation of a rapid, large-scale assay to quantify ATP levels in spermatozoa. Theriogenology 65:1620-1630.

Manandhar, G., D. Feng, Y.-J. Yi, L. Lai, T. Ezashi, J. Letko, J. Laurincik, M. Sutovsky, R.S. Prather, H. Schatten, P. Sutovsky. Centrosomal protein Centrin is not detectable during early pre-implantation development but reappears during the late blastocyst stage in porcine embryos. Reproduction (accepted 3-21-06).

Mao, J., G.-M. Wu, R.S. Prather, M.F. Smith, T. Cantley, A. Rieke, B.A. Didion, B.N. Day. 2005. Effect of methyl-²-cyclodextrin treatment of pig spermatozoa on in vitro fertilization and embryo development in the absence or present of caffeine. Theriogenology 64:1913-1927.

Matsuda-Minehata, F., M. Katsumura, S. Kijima, R.K. Christenson, and K. Imakawa. 2005. Different levels of ovine interferon-_ gene expressions are regulated through the short promoter region including Ets-2 binding site. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 72:7-15.

Mesa H., T.J. Safranski, K.M. Cammack, R.L. Weaber, and W.R. Lamberson. 2006. Genetic and Phenotypic relationships of farrowing and weaning survival to birth and placental weights in pigs. J. Anim. Sci. 84:32-40.

Mesa, H., T.J. Safranski, K.A. Fischer, K.M. Cammack, and W.R. Lamberson, 2005. Selection for placental efficiency in swine: genetic parameters and trends. J. Anim. Sci. 83:983-991.

Montagner, M.M., P.B.D. Gonçalves, G.A. Mills, R.K. Christenson, and B.R. White. Freezing swine embryos: Do success rates differ between breeds? Nebraska Swine Report, EC219. pp. 21-25. 2006.

Musser, R.E., D.L. Davis, M.D. Tokach, J.L. Nelssen, S.S. Dritz and R.D. Goodband. 2006. Effects of high feed intake during early gestation on sow performance and offspring growth and carcass characteristics Animal Feed Science and Technology 127:187-199.

Nakai M., L. Chen and R.A. Nowak. 2006. Tissue distribution of basigin and monocarboxylate transporter I in the adult male mouse: a study using the wild type and basigin gene knockout mice. The Anatomical Record Part A, 2006;288A:527-535.

Nakai, M. M. Black, E.H.Jeffery, and J.M.Bahr. 2005. Dietary soy protein and isoflavones: no effect on the reproductive tract and minimal positive effect on bone resorption in the intact female Fischer 344 rat. Food and Chem Tox 43:945-949.

Nakai, M., L. Chen, and R.A. Nowak. 2006. Tissue distribution of basigin and monocarboxylate transporter I in the adult male mouse: a study using the wild type and basigin gene knockout mice. The Anatomical Record Part A, 288A:527-535.

Roberts, A.J., J. Klindt, and T.G. Jenkins. 2005. Effects of varying energy intake and sire breed on duration of postpartum anestrus, insulin like growth factor-1, and growth hormone in mature crossbred cows. J. Anim. Sci. 83:1705-1714.

Roberts, A.J., M.J. Al-Hassan, P.M. Fricke, and S.E. Echternkamp. 2006. Large variation in steroid concentrations and insulin-like growth factor binding proteins exists among individual small antral follicles collected from within cows at various stages of the estrous cycle. J. Anim. Sci. (In press)

Rohrer, G.A., T.H. Wise, and J.J. Ford. 2006. Deciphering the pig genome to understand gamete production. In: Control of Pig Reproduction VII. C. J. Ashworth and R. R. Kraeling (eds.) Nottingham University Press, Nottingham, U.K., pp. 293-301.

Roski, K., W.L. Flowers, G.B. Rampacek, D.L. Gregor, M. Swanson, and H.D. Hafs. 2004. Ovulatory and reproductive characteristics of sows treated with an intravaginal GnRH agonist gel. J. Anim. Sci. 82 (suppl. 1), 369.

Ross, J.W., T.K. Smith, C.R. Krehbiel, J.R. Malayer, U. DeSilva, J.B. Morgan, F.J. White, M.J. Hersom, G.W. Horn, and R.D. Geisert. 2005. Effects of grazing management and subsequent finishing on gene expression in different adipose tissue depots in beef steers. J. Anim Sci. 83:1914-1923.

Scanes, C.G., S. Jeftinija, A. Glavaski-Joksimovic, J. Proudman, C. Arámburo, and L.L. Anderson. 2005. The anterior pituitary gland: lessons from livestock. Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Farm Animal Endocrinology, July 4-6, 2004, Budapest, Hungary. Domest. Anim. Endocrinol. 29:23-33.

Schatten, H., R.S. Prather, Q.-Y. Sun. 2005. The significance of mitochondria for embryo development in cloned farm animals. Mitochondrion 5:303-321.

Seguin, M.J., R.M. Friendship, R.N. Kirkwood, A.J. Zanella, and T.M. Widowski. 2006. Effect of boar presence on agonistic behaviour, shoulder scratches and stress response of sows at mixing. J. Anim. Sci. 84:1227-1237.

Sutovsky, P., G. Manandhar, J. Laurincik, J. Letko, J.N. Caamano, B.N. Day, L. Lai, R.S. Prather, K. Sharpe-Timms, R. Zimmer, and M. Sutovsky. 2005. Expression and proteasomal degradation of the Major Vault Protein (MVP) in the mammalian oocyte and zygote. Reproduction 129: 269-282.

Tinfo, N.S. and C.M. Komar. 2006. A role for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor _ in cell survival, not steroid production, in luteal tissue from the rat. Exp. Biol. Med (Submitted for publication).

Vadnais, M.L., R.N. Kirkwood, D.J. Sprecher, and K. Chou. 2005. Effect of egg yolk freezing extender, incubation temperature, and addition of seminal plasma on capacitation of frozen-thawed boar spermatozoa determined using chlortetracycline assay. Anim. Reprod. Sci. 90:347-354.

Vallet, J.L., B.A. Freking, K.A. Leymaster, and R.K. Christenson. 2005. Allelic variation in the secreted folate binding protein gene is associated with uterine capacity in swine. J. Anim. Sci. 83:1860-1867.

Vieira, A. and D.J. Miller. 2006. Species-specificity in animal fertilization. Mol Reprod Dev. Accepted.

Vizcarra, J.A. and J.J. Ford. 2006. Validation of the sperm mobility assay in boars and stallions. Theriogenology (In press).

Waylan, A.T., J.P. Kayser, D.P. Gnad, J.J. Higgins, J.D. Starkey, E.K. Sissom, J.C. Woodworth, and B.J. Johnson. 2005. Effects of L-carnitine on fetal growth and the IGF system in pigs. J. Anim. Sci. 83:1824-1831.

White, F.J., J.W. Ross, M.M. Joyce, R.D. Geisert, R.C. Burghardt, and G.A. Johnson. 2005. Steroid regulation of cell specific osteopontin expression in the pregnant porcine uterus. Biol. Reprod. 73:1294-1301.

Whitworth, K.W., C. Agca, J-G. Kim, R.V. Patel, G.K. Springer, N. Bivens, L.J. Forrester, N. Mathialagan, J.A. Green, R.S. Prather. 2005. Transcriptional profiling of pig embryogenesis by using a 15K member unigene set specific for the pig. Biol. Reprod. 72:1437-1451

Wilhelms, K.W., K.F. Fitzpatrick, C.G. Scanes, and L.L. Anderson. 2006. In ovo exposure to a triazine herbicide: effects on circulating reproductive hormones and gonadal histology in young Japanese quail. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. (In press).

Wilhelms, K.W., S.A. Cutler, J.A. Proudman, L.L. Anderson, and C.G. Scanes. 2005. Atrazine and the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis in the sexually maturing precocial bird: studies in male Japanese quail. Toxicol. Sci. 86:152-160.

Wilhelms, K.W., S.A. Cutler, J.A. Proudman, L.L. Anderson, and C.G. Scanes. 2006. Effects of atrazine on sexual maturation in female Japanese quail induced by photostimulation or exogenous gonadotropin. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 25:233-240.

Wilhelms, K.W., S.A. Cutler, J.A. Proudman, L.L. Anderson, and C.G. Scanes. 2006. Lack of effects of atrazine on ovarian and circulating concentrations of estradiol and on estrogen-responsive tissues in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). Chemosphere (In press).

Yen, J.T., J.J. Ford, and J. Klindt. 2005. Effect of supplemental copper proteinate on reproductive performance of first- and second-parity sows. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 85:205-210.

Yong, H.Y., Y. Hao, L. Lai, R. Li, C.N. Murphy, A. Rieke, D. Wax, M. Samuel, R.S. Prather. 2006. Production of a transgenic piglet by a new sperm injection technique. Mol. Reprod. & Dev. 73:595-599.