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

Abstract

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.

Keywords: animal health; assisted reproductive technologies; cattle; growth parameters; growth-related hormones; long-term impact.

Figure 1

Experimental design. The hormone profile (GH, T4, IGF-1, and cortisol) and the growth parameters (body weight, withers height, body length, and thoracic circumference) in 19 male and female cattle produced by different reproductive technologies (AI: artificial insemination; RF-IVP: reproductive fluids-in vitro production; C-IVP: control-in vitro production), from birth to 1500 days of age, were analyzed.

Figure 2

Evolution of the growth parameters included in the study considering age, group, sex, and their interactions. The lines represent the mean values of the growth parameters, and the haloes represent the 95% confidence interval. (A) Weight significantly increased with age (p < 2.0 × 10⁻¹⁶). (B) Withers height increased with age (p < 2.2 × 10⁻¹⁶) and was significantly greater in AI compared to the in vitro counterparts (p = 0.0008). (C) Thorax circumference increased with age (p < 2.0 × 10⁻¹⁶), and it was greater in AI compared to C-IVP (p = 0.044). (D) Body length increased with age (p < 2.2 × 10⁻¹⁶), and it was greater in AI and C-IVP compared to RF-IVP (p = 5.6 × 10⁻⁶). Only variables with significant differences were represented. Signification codes: NS, not significant; * < 0.05; *** < 0.001.

Figure 3

Evolution of cortisol concentrations across age (75 to 1500 days of age) in both females and males. Lines represent the mean cortisol values and haloes the 95% confidence interval. Only in males, the concentration of cortisol significantly increased with age (p = 0.039). Only variables with significant differences were represented. Signification codes: NS, not significant; * < 0.05.

Figure 4

Depiction of the interaction of T4 concentrations with experimental group and age. (A) T4 concentration per group and sex at d75. Boxplots represent the median T4 values and the Q1/Q3. In the AI group, T4 concentration was greater in females compared to males (p = 0.03). (B) Evolution of T4 concentrations across age in females and males. The lines represent the mean T4 values, and the haloes represent the 95% confidence interval. Levels of T4 were reduced with age in both sexes, and this reduction was smaller in males than in females (p = 0.025). Only variables with significant differences were represented. Signification codes: NS, not significant; * < 0.05; ** < 0.01; *** < 0.001.

Figure 5

Concentration of IGF-1 at all ages in the different experimental groups. Boxplots represent the median and the Q1/Q3. The IGF concentration was greater in RF-IVP than C-IVP (p < 0.0075). Only variables with significant differences were represented. Signification codes: NS, not significant; ** < 0.01.

Figure 6

Differences in GH concentrations at all ages between (A) males and females and (B) experimental groups. Boxplots represent the median GH values and the Q1/Q3. (A) Females presented greater GH concentration than males (p = 0.004). (B) The GH concentration of the RF-IVP group was greater compared to the other two groups (p = 0.014). Only variables with significant differences were represented. Signification codes: NS, not significant; * < 0.05; ** < 0.01.

Figure 7

Interaction between cortisol and (A) weight, (B) body length, and (C) withers height across age. The lines represent the mean values of the growth parameters, and the haloes represent the 95% confidence interval. (A) There was an interaction between cortisol, weight, and group. In AI, greater cortisol corresponded to greater weight (p = 0.043). (B) An interaction between cortisol, body length, and sex was observed. In males, greater body length corresponded to lower cortisol (p = 0.013). (C) A tendency in the relationship between cortisol and withers height was observed. Lower height at withers corresponded to greater cortisol (p = 0.06). Only variables with significant differences or a tendency were represented. Signification codes: NS, not significant; • < 0.1; * < 0.05.

Figure 8

Interaction between T4 and the growth parameters studied across age. Only variables with significant differences were depicted. The lines represent the mean value of the growth parameters, and the haloes represent the 95% confidence interval. (A) An interaction between T4 and weight was observed. Greater T4 corresponded to greater weight (p = 0.025). (B) There was an interaction between T4, thorax circumference, and group. In RF-IVP, the greater the T4, the greater the thorax circumference (p = 0.016). Signification codes: NS, not significant; * < 0.05.

Figure 9

Interaction between IGF-1 and (A) withers height, (B) thorax circumference, and (C) body length across age. Only variables with significant differences were depicted. The lines represent the mean values of the growth parameters, and the haloes represent the 95% confidence interval. (A) An interaction between IGF-1 and height at withers was observed. Greater IGF-1 corresponded to greater withers height (p = 0.014). (B) There was an interaction between IGF-1, thorax circumference, and group. In RF-IVP, the greater the IGF-1, the greater the thorax circumference (p = 0.033). (C) An interaction between IGF-1 and body length was observed. The greater the IGF-1, the greater the body length (p = 0.0002). Signification codes: NS, not significant; * < 0.05; *** < 0.001.

Figure 10

Interaction between GH and (A) weight, (B) body length, and (C) thorax circumference across age. Only variables with significant differences were depicted. The lines represent the mean values of the growth parameters, and the haloes represent the 95% confidence interval. (A) There was an interaction between GH, weight, and sex. Only in males, the greater the GH, the greater the weight (p = 0.048). (B) An interaction between GH, body length, and sex was observed. In males, the greater the GH, the greater the body length (p = 0.044). (C) An interaction between GH and thorax circumference was observed. There was a negative interaction between thorax circumference and GH until d150 (p = 0.0036) and a positive interaction from d150 until d1500 in all the experimental groups (p = 0.02). Signification codes: NS, not significant; * < 0.05; ** < 0.01.