Reproduction and animal welfare: allies for more sustainable livestock farming

In modern livestock farming, optimizing reproductive efficiency is critical to meeting the growing global demand for protein and dairy products. In this scenario, animal reproduction biotechnologies emerge as tools to boost genetic improvement, increase productivity and guarantee animal welfare on farms.

The most used technologies tend to be Artificial Insemination (AI) and Fixed-Time Artificial Insemination (IATF), which consists of a protocol for synchronizing the cows’ estrous cycle with AI at a pre-determined moment, reducing the chances of failures in heat observations and the appropriate time for insemination. Embryo Transfer (ET) is another reproductive biotechnology already consolidated in the national market, with Brazil being one of the largest producers of in vitro bovine embryos. As a result, Fixed-Time Embryo Transfer (TETF) protocols were developed to provide more robust support for the process.

TE and TETF techniques value the health and well-being of donor females with high genetic value (mothers) and, when well applied, multiply their reproductive potential, generating multiple heirs in the same year. For this purpose, superovulation protocols (SOV) are used, which aim to increase the number of ovulations per estrous cycle, through hormonal stimulation of tertiary follicles to develop and ovulate. This process is followed by artificial inseminations with semen from bulls also with high genetic potential, resulting in embryos for later collection and implantation in recipients (“surrogate mothers”) or to be cryopreserved for later implantation.

Superovulation of matrices with genetic excellence allows obtaining the largest number of transferable embryos. The technique is capable of producing around 40 calves per year from the same female. This accelerates the genetic improvement of the herd, allowing the producer to efficiently multiply valuable strains.

For this multiple ovulation to occur, the usual SOV protocols use consecutive doses of FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone), seeking to block the inhibitory effect of the dominant follicle of a wave of follicular development on other follicles that also began their development at the time of onset. FD development. Thus, there is the possibility of producing several good quality oocytes with the capacity to result in embryos when inseminated. In the usual SOB protocols, the FSH traditionally used is of animal origin, through extraction from pig or sheep pituitaries in slaughterhouses. “Usually between 60 and 65 pituitary or pituitary glands are needed for a single hormonal dose. Furthermore, there is a need to use appropriate techniques at laboratory level to purify and standardize the amount of FSH extracted in order to avoid variability in potency” explains Marcos Malacco, veterinarian manager of veterinary services for cattle at Ceva Saúde Animal

Superovulation protocols that use FSH of animal origin involve repeated applications of the hormone, twice a day (morning and afternoon), for 4 days, a process that creates more stress for the sows. Another point of attention is that errors in the protocol may occur due to forgetting one or another application or applying it at an inappropriate time for success.

The search for increasing the productive efficiency of the herd is one of the reasons that led to the development of an innovative molecule, bovine ripafolitropin alfa (rbFSH), the first recombinant FSH in the world, produced through recombinant technology, without depending on the availability of glands. pituitaries of other animals.

“Its application in bovine reproduction has been widely studied and has demonstrated significant benefits in manipulating the estrous cycle, producing embryos and improving reproductive efficiency. rbFSH works by stimulating follicular growth in the ovaries of bovine females, thus promoting the production of high-quality oocytes”, explains the professional.

The use of rbFSH allows for more precise programming of females’ estrous cycles, reducing the need for repeated handling in conventional ovarian stimulation protocols, minimizing stress on embryo donors and the possibility of errors in FSH applications, in addition to reducing the of work associated with this reproductive management.

“A single application of rbFSH is sufficient to promote superovulation in bovine sows and achieve the best reproductive results, facilitating management and increasing animal welfare, at the same time as providing greater precision and less risk of protocol failures. Studies demonstrate that this single application of rbFSH in superovulation protocols provides the production of high-quality embryos, which could be a giant leap for bovine reproduction and the genetic improvement of national herds, which contributes to well-being overall of cows and heifers, promoting a more sustainable reproductive process”, details Malacco.

Friend of animal welfare and aware of the particularities of each herd, Ceva Saúde Animal created, together with its technical team, Zimbria®, an unprecedented product, which contains the recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone bovine alpha ripafolitropin (rbFSH), indicated for use in superovulation protocols for bovine females.

Zimbria® is a ready-to-use injectable solution that does not require reconstitution of lyophilisate in diluent and can be used within 3 months after opening the bottle, which optimizes and brings greater safety for the veterinarian. Furthermore, the deficiency of Zimbria® is zero, both for milk and meat. “Zimbria® is an excellent solution for the reproductive improvement of the herd, which takes animal well-being into account and positively affects the producer’s pocket,” says Malacco.

Zimbria® allows you to optimize the SOV protocol. A single application is enough to promote multiple ovulation in sows. This way, it is possible to have more precision and less risk of failures in the process and, consequently, better results. Furthermore, reproductive management is facilitated and the cow’s stress is reduced, which increases animal welfare. Another difference is that insemination with rbFSH is more precise and has a greater chance of generating embryos, which means an important advance in the genetic improvement of herds.

The evolution of protocols and a deeper focus on animal welfare are paving the new path that livestock reproduction is taking. Innovation, security and technology are driving more solid protocols with superior results, outlining the current reality of the sector.