Growth Parameters and Growth-Related Hormone Profile in a Herd of Cattle up to 4 Years of Age Derived from Assisted Reproductive Technologies

Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) are routinely used in livestock to generate animals of high genetic value. Despite representing an outstanding accomplishment, recent studies suggest differences in health, fertility, and gestational length of in vitro-produced compared to in vivo-derived ani...

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Main Authors: Sonia Heras, Jordana Sena Lopes, Armando Quintero-Moreno, Jon Romero-Aguirregomezcorta, Sebastian Canovas, Raquel Romar, Pilar Coy
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Animals
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/5/631
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author Sonia Heras
Jordana Sena Lopes
Armando Quintero-Moreno
Jon Romero-Aguirregomezcorta
Sebastian Canovas
Raquel Romar
Pilar Coy
author_facet Sonia Heras
Jordana Sena Lopes
Armando Quintero-Moreno
Jon Romero-Aguirregomezcorta
Sebastian Canovas
Raquel Romar
Pilar Coy
author_sort Sonia Heras
collection DOAJ
description Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) are routinely used in livestock to generate animals of high genetic value. Despite representing an outstanding accomplishment, recent studies suggest differences in health, fertility, and gestational length of in vitro-produced compared to in vivo-derived animals. Currently, there are no data available on the long-term effects of ART on growth and development. This observational study aimed to understand the relationship between growth and growth-influencing hormones in a herd of cattle derived from artificial insemination (AI) or from in vitro-produced embryos either with BSA (C-IVP) or with reproductive fluids (RF-IVP) as a protein source in culture. Cortisol was associated positively with weight in AI and negatively with body length in males. Thyroxine decreased with age, and it was positively associated with thoracic circumference in RF-IVP. Insulin-like growth factor-1 was greater in RF-IVP than in C-IVP, and it was positively associated with body length and withers height. Growth hormone was greater in females than in males and RF-IVP compared to AI and C-IVP. In conclusion, we present here the first datasets on growth parameters and growth-influencing hormones in cattle from birth to 4 years of age without observing major evidence of differences depending on the embryo origin.
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spelling doaj-art-448847e32f53452391168e8a5fa6bb5e2025-08-20T02:52:48ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152025-02-0115563110.3390/ani15050631Growth Parameters and Growth-Related Hormone Profile in a Herd of Cattle up to 4 Years of Age Derived from Assisted Reproductive TechnologiesSonia Heras0Jordana Sena Lopes1Armando Quintero-Moreno2Jon Romero-Aguirregomezcorta3Sebastian Canovas4Raquel Romar5Pilar Coy6Physiology of Reproduction Group, Department of Physiology, IMIB-Pascual Parrilla, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, SpainPhysiology of Reproduction Group, Department of Physiology, IMIB-Pascual Parrilla, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, SpainPhysiology of Reproduction Group, Department of Physiology, IMIB-Pascual Parrilla, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, SpainPhysiology of Reproduction Group, Department of Physiology, IMIB-Pascual Parrilla, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, SpainPhysiology of Reproduction Group, Department of Physiology, IMIB-Pascual Parrilla, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, SpainPhysiology of Reproduction Group, Department of Physiology, IMIB-Pascual Parrilla, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, SpainPhysiology of Reproduction Group, Department of Physiology, IMIB-Pascual Parrilla, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, SpainAssisted reproductive technologies (ART) are routinely used in livestock to generate animals of high genetic value. Despite representing an outstanding accomplishment, recent studies suggest differences in health, fertility, and gestational length of in vitro-produced compared to in vivo-derived animals. Currently, there are no data available on the long-term effects of ART on growth and development. This observational study aimed to understand the relationship between growth and growth-influencing hormones in a herd of cattle derived from artificial insemination (AI) or from in vitro-produced embryos either with BSA (C-IVP) or with reproductive fluids (RF-IVP) as a protein source in culture. Cortisol was associated positively with weight in AI and negatively with body length in males. Thyroxine decreased with age, and it was positively associated with thoracic circumference in RF-IVP. Insulin-like growth factor-1 was greater in RF-IVP than in C-IVP, and it was positively associated with body length and withers height. Growth hormone was greater in females than in males and RF-IVP compared to AI and C-IVP. In conclusion, we present here the first datasets on growth parameters and growth-influencing hormones in cattle from birth to 4 years of age without observing major evidence of differences depending on the embryo origin.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/5/631animal healthassisted reproductive technologiescattlegrowth parametersgrowth-related hormoneslong-term impact
spellingShingle Sonia Heras
Jordana Sena Lopes
Armando Quintero-Moreno
Jon Romero-Aguirregomezcorta
Sebastian Canovas
Raquel Romar
Pilar Coy
Growth Parameters and Growth-Related Hormone Profile in a Herd of Cattle up to 4 Years of Age Derived from Assisted Reproductive Technologies
Animals
animal health
assisted reproductive technologies
cattle
growth parameters
growth-related hormones
long-term impact
title Growth Parameters and Growth-Related Hormone Profile in a Herd of Cattle up to 4 Years of Age Derived from Assisted Reproductive Technologies
title_full Growth Parameters and Growth-Related Hormone Profile in a Herd of Cattle up to 4 Years of Age Derived from Assisted Reproductive Technologies
title_fullStr Growth Parameters and Growth-Related Hormone Profile in a Herd of Cattle up to 4 Years of Age Derived from Assisted Reproductive Technologies
title_full_unstemmed Growth Parameters and Growth-Related Hormone Profile in a Herd of Cattle up to 4 Years of Age Derived from Assisted Reproductive Technologies
title_short Growth Parameters and Growth-Related Hormone Profile in a Herd of Cattle up to 4 Years of Age Derived from Assisted Reproductive Technologies
title_sort growth parameters and growth related hormone profile in a herd of cattle up to 4 years of age derived from assisted reproductive technologies
topic animal health
assisted reproductive technologies
cattle
growth parameters
growth-related hormones
long-term impact
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/5/631
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