J Anim Sci. 2025 Aug 30:skaf297. doi: 10.1093/jas/skaf297. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
To mitigate the detrimental effects of heat stress (HS) on the production efficiency of Wagyu cattle oocyte pick-up (OPU) - in vitro fertilization (IVF), this study conducted a 20-day folic acid (VB9) supplementation trial in Wagyu cattle under HS conditions. Using a staged repeated measurements design, OPU-IVF production procedures were performed on Wagyu cattle (12-month-old, n=5 out of 20 total) at six time points during the supplementation period (Days 0, 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20). ELISA-based biochemical assays were employed to evaluate the effects of VB9 supplementation on HS-related indicators in serum and follicular fluid of Wagyu cattle under HS conditions. Untargeted metabolomics was further utilized to analyze the impact of VB9 on metabolic profiles in the follicular fluid. The results demonstrated that supplementation with VB9 for 20 days significantly improved both oocyte quality and developmental competence obtained via OPU (n=5), markedly enhancing cleavage rate (58.14% vs 24.08%; P
PMID:40884167 | DOI:10.1093/jas/skaf297