Jose Alfonso Abecia

Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Ciencias Ambientales de Aragón. Universidad de Zaragoza

In the last few years, a new approach which claims the use of ‘biostimulation’ (i.e., the stimulatory effects on reproductive characteristics of females, e.g., onset of puberty, oestrous expression, ovulation induction, that are induced by presence of a male) in place of exogenous hormones and drugs to control and improve the productivity of sheep...

La alimentación de las poblaciones animales es uno de los aspectos que mayor información puede aportar para el conocimiento de la socio-economía de las sociedades del pasado. El estudio de la dieta animal tiene especial interés en el caso de los animales domésticos, puesto que las prácticas ganaderas implican control humano sobre la dieta de los an...

This study aimed to determine whether social mixing and density-induced stress affect locomotor activity in lambs. Eighteen 50-70 d lambs on a commercial farm were fitted with accelerometers for nine days. Lambs were housed with another 25 lambs in a 64- m2 pen (density: 0.40 lambs/m2; farm phase, FP). After nine days, lambs were transported to a f...

Existen factores intrínsecos y extrínsecos al propio animal que conforman los distintos sisternas de explotación en los que se encuadran las distintas razas existentes en cada región. Destacando entre ellos la base animal. el medio físico. la alimentación Y el manejo. Dentro de estos factore s. 1 os externos al animal como el manejo y la alimentaci...

La melatonina regula la estacionalidad reproductiva en la especie ovina mediante su unión a receptores de membrana, como MT1. El gen que codifica para este receptor (MTNR1A) presenta varios polimorfismos, entre ellos el RsaI (g.17355458C>T), relacionado con una menor estacionalidad. A nivel nuclear, el RORα (retinoic acid-related orphan receptor al...

La especie ovina presenta una estacionalidad reproductiva regulada por la melatonina, que puede actuar por unión a receptores de membrana específicos. El gen del receptor de melatonina 1A (MTNR1A) presenta varios polimorfismos, como el RsaI (g.17355458C>T), que está relacionado con una menor estacionalidad reproductiva. El objetivo de este trabajo...

Melatonin is involved in the regulation of circadian rhythms and is implicated in seasonal reproduction in sheep. In several physiological mechanisms it acts as an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory molecule, regulating energy metabolism. This work investigated the effects of melatonin implants at 30 days of age on locomotor activity, body temper...

This study analyzed the effects of dietary supplementation with by-pass linseed oil (LO; rich in α-linolenic acid) on maternal antioxidant systems at Days 14 and 16 of pregnancy in Sarda ewes. This trial used sixteen dry ewes. Eight ewes (CT group) were fed with a control diet without LO, and eight ewes (LO group) were fed with a diet supplemented...

Context: the introduction of bio-sensors for monitoring real-time changes in physiological variables has helped to understand how external factors affect an animal’s resiliency to stressors. Aims: to quantify changes in temperature, heart rate, and locomotor activity in ewes during hormonal treatments for artificial insemination (AI) for up to 15 d...

The temperature of animals changes during the day according to a circadian pattern and is altered by diseases or stressful moments that the animal goes through. The study took place in September with an average temperature of 18.5ºC (25.6-11.3ºC). Three Assaf ewes with a live weight of 65.52±5.25 kg, which were diagnosed as pregnant by ultrasound,...

An animal´s heart rate changes throughout the day according to a circadian pattern and is altered by periods of stress that the animal goes through. It is an immediate response to a stressor and depends on the activity or stress state of the animal. Three Assaf ewes with a live weight of 65.52±5.25 kg, which were diagnosed pregnant by ultrasound, w...

Melatonin is an endogenous hormone that plays a pivotal role in mediating several patterns of animal physiology and behavior. Melatonin’s effect on the sheep reproductive system has been deeply investigated as well as its action in reducing neonatal mortality and increasing survival rate at weaning, due to a higher colostrum quality and brown adipo...

Application: Contribute to the knowledge about the signaling mechanisms between the mother and the embryo. Introduction: The effects of the presence of conceptus on the liver transcriptome at Day 14 of the estrous cycle or pregnancy were investigated. Materials and Methods: Adult Rasa Aragonesa ewes were mated to establish a pregnant (n = 7) and cy...

Application: Improvement of embryo maternal relationships using strategic dietary supplementation of by-pass linseed oil (LO) during early stage of pregnancy in ewes. Introduction: Previous studies have suggested the luteoprotective effect of polyunsaturated fatty acids omega 3 (PUFASx3) during early stage of pregnancy. However, the results obtaine...

Application: Improve ewes body reserves to reduce the impact of nutritional restriction on reproduction. Introduction: Our aim was to study the effect of undernutrition on uterus energy and protein metabolism in ewes with different body condition score at the beginning of the experiment. Materials and Methods: During the breeding season in Spain, 3...

Application: Alternative solutions to the current synchronization programs for timed artificial insemination (TAI) of ewes are of crucial importance for the ovine industry. Introduction: Neuropeptide kisspeptin and its receptor, KiSS1R, play a major role, in governing the timeline of puberty onset and promoting ovulation by stimulating gonadotrophi...

Context: Melatonin influences female reproduction, but expression of the melatonin system has not been characterized in the ovine uterus. Aims: We aimed to determine whether the synthetizing enzymes (arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AANAT) and N-acetylserotonin-O-methyltransferase (ASMT)), the melatonin receptors 1 and 2 (MT1 and MT2), and the c...

The daily activity and suckling behavior of eight lambs in the first three weeks of life was measured by actigraphy. Lambs were artificially fed reconstituted milk replacer through an automatic lamb feeder. To quantify proximity to the milk feeders, the lambs were fitted collars that held accelerometers that were Bluetooth-enabled (wGT3X-BT; ActiGr...

Hoof care is an important aspect of sheep management, particularly, in intensive systems where the need for hoof trimming is most likely to occur because animals do not move around extensively. Hoof ailments can affect welfare and productivity negatively because overgrown hooves make walking difficult and predispose the animal to other foot problem...

Rams exposed to two months of artificial long days in winter followed by the natural photoperiod have increased testosterone concentrations and improved sexual performance in the seasonal anestrus. This study used actigraphy to quantify the locomotor and circadian behavior of sexually activated rams in spring. To confirm 24-h circadian rhythmicity,...

During 7 days, the estrus of three nulliparous (NP) and three multiparous (MP) ewes was hormonally-synchronized using a protocol based on vaginal sponges impregnated with progestogen, and 1 ml Prostaglandin-F2α and 2 ml PMSG at sponge withdrawal. At that moment, a surgically implanted subcutaneous bio-logger (DST milli-HRT, Star Oddi, Iceland) (13x...

During 7 days, the estrus of three nulliparous (NP) and three multiparous (MP) ewes was hormonallysynchronized using a protocol based on vaginal sponges impregnated with progestogen, and 1 ml Prostaglandin-F2α and 2 ml PMSG at sponge withdrawal. At that moment, a surgically implanted subcutaneous bio-logger (DST milli-HRT, Star Oddi, Iceland) (13x3...

In goats, early exposure of spring-born females to sexually active bucks induces an early puberty onset assessed by the first ovulation. This effect is found when females are continuously exposed well before the male breeding season starting in September. The first aim of this study was to evaluate whether a shortened exposure of females to males c...

Entrevista en revista Tierras Ovino sobre la ganadería de precisión/Interview por the journal Tierras about PLF

Introduction Melatonin is synthesized in the pineal gland, and transfers the day/night signals to the reproductive neuroendocrine axis. Subcutaneous implants of melatonin are used to advance the breeding season in sheep, although in recent years, alternative uses of melatonin in small ruminants have been established, mainly focused on the survival...

Introduction In the Rasa Aragonesa (RA) breed, the presence of a particular Rsal polymorphisms of the MNTR1A gene is associated with a shortened anestric period and more complete ovarian cycles per year, and can influence the reproductive performance of young and adult rams in spring. Specifically, RA ram-lambs born in autumn that carry the TT or G...

Introduction Hypothermia is the main cause of death in newborn lambs. To avoid hypothermia after birth, lambs require heat generation using energy from brown fat tissue. Studies showed that thermography may detect thermogenesis linked to subcutaneous brown fat depots. Alternatives to increase this tissue, as exogenous melatonin in pregnant ewes, ha...

Introduction Transhumance is the most ancient sheep husbandry system that optimizes the grazing resources, while adapting to the varying environmental and climatic conditions. It is key in arid or semi-arid regions, where transhumance has proven to be traditionally efficient to use the ecosystemic primary productivity. A representative example is t...

Introduction The emission of NH3 and CO2 in concentrated animal-feeding operations affect animal health and welfare. High levels of NH3 cause an increase in pulmonary macrophage activity and reduce feed intake, resulting in reduced BW gain. CO2 is the product of the respiration of the animals, and the microbial degradation of organic materials unde...

Sheep and goat show different annual patterns of reproductive activity: females alternate periods of ovulatory activity -breeding season-, with periods of behavioral quiescence and anovulation -anestrus. The main environmental signal responsible for the timing of these alternation is the photoperiod: short days in autumn/winter are stimulatory to t...

Introduction: Subcutaneous implants of melatonin are used extensively to advance the breeding season in sheep, although in recent years, alternative uses of melatonin in small ruminants have been established, mainly focused on the survival and growth of the offspring, and the improvement of colostrum and milk quality. We have previously demonstrate...

The male effect which allows to synchronize ovulations and fertilizations, is known since the 19th century and perhaps practiced for millennia by breeders. The “short-term” male effect (ovulations 2-3 days after the introduction of males) is typically used during seasonal anoestrus. It is simple, inexpensive, free of exogenous hormones and effectiv...

Eight artificially reared lambs were used to study locomotory and feeding activities in the first three weeks of life by actigraphy. Lambs were fitted with a Bluetooth-enabled (BT) accelerometer and data were downloaded as activity counts at 1-min intervals (Vector Magnitude, VM). Sensors were programmed to act as beacons, and two sensors programme...

La actigrafía se ha revelado como una herramienta fundamental en estudios sobre la actividad diaria y los ritmos circadianos en medicina humana, siendo capaz de estimar las horas de movimiento de un individuo, su ritmo de sueño, de reposo o de ejercicio. Recientemente se ha ido incorporando a estudios en medicina veterinaria, con el objeto de conoc...

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a phytomelatonin-rich diet, including by-products from the food industry, on ram sperm quality and seminal plasma composition. Melatonin content in several by-products before and after in vitro ruminal and abomasal digestion was determined by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. Finally, 20% of a mix of grape pulp wit...

In semi-arid regions, such as the Mediterranean, seasonal changes in climate make the migration of ruminants essential for the efficient use of ecosystemic primary productivity. Transhumance is one of the oldest sheep husbandry systems which contributes to the conservation of natural biodiversity and to minimize the effects of climate change on liv...

Introduction The neuropeptide kisspeptin and its receptor, KiSS1R, govern the reproductive timeline of mammals by triggering puberty onset and pro- moting ovulation by stimulating gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion. The suboptimal pharmacological properties of endogenous kisspeptin, notably its short half-life and consequently its poo...

In this study, we describe in detail the anatomy of nuclei involved in seasonal fertility regulation (SFR) in ewes. For this purpose, the intergeniculate leaflet of the visual thalamus, the caudal hypothalamic arcuate nucleus, and suprachiasmatic, paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei of the rostral hypothalamus were morphometrically and qualitativ...

Sustainable poultry meat production involves the use of slow-growing chick strains and the utilization of new protein sources as an alternative to the current monopoly of soybean meal. In this scenario, a study was conducted to assess the effect of replacing soybean meal with domestic cricket (Acheta domesticus) meal on the developing cycle of slow...

The aim of the present study was to assess whether the strategic supplementation of bypass LO can enhance reproductive indexes—fertility, lambing rate, and prolificacy—in dairy Sarda ewes at the end of lactation. To assess whether LO supplementation leads to the adsorptions of PUFAs and their subsequent utilization by the body tissues, milk composi...

El uso de los implantes de melatonina se restringe normalmente al objetivo de adelantar la temporada de reproducción; sin embargo, en la actualidad se ha incrementado el conocimiento sobre otros usos prácticos, tanto relacionado con la mejora reproductiva de las ovejas, como con el aumento de la productividad tras la reproducción, su influencia en...

Abstract The body temperature of animals can be measured by thermistors, thermocouples, or radiotelemetry devices that are implanted surgically under the skin, although the suitability of subcutaneous temperature as an indicator of core temperature can be limited because of abnormal temperature readings, probably affected by ambient temperature and...

Twelve rams were used to confirm whether rams sexually activated in spring by light treatment increase social and sexual activities of non-treated rams in the presence of ewes. Males were divided into two groups: light-treated rams (group L, n=6), which were exposed to artificial long days (16 h light) for two months (1 Nov-31 Dec), or non-exposed,...

Our aim was to investigate the oviduct environment by studying oviduct gene expression after undernutrition in day-5 pregnant ewes with different initial (i) BCS, and its association with the number of embryos recovered. Thirty-six ewes were divided into 2 groups with different iBCS: iBCS ≥2.75 (n = 19; high, H) and iBCS ≤2.25 (n = 17; low, L), and...

One-hundred and six lambs (55 males, 55 females), born from 64 ewes lambing in November were used to study the relationship of their liveweight (LW) and temperature (T) at birth, and the IgG concentration of the colostrum produced by their dams. Immediately after lambing, lambs were weighed, and rectal T measured. A sample of colostrum was collecte...

The effect of breed and melatonin treatment during the fourth month of pregnancy on colostrum quality was studied. Forty-four pregnant ewes (22 Rasa Aragonesa and 22 Lacaune), were divided into two groups within each breed: one group received a melatonin implant (M, n=11) and the remaining ewes were not implanted (C, n=11). Immediately after lambin...

Resumen El calostro de las ovejas es la primera secreción láctea después del parto y tiene una serie de beneficios inmunológicos y nutricionales para el cordero. Por lo tanto, la ingestión de calostro ejerce una función vital para el desarrollo del sistema inmunitario del cordero a través de la transferencia de inmunidad pasiva. Son numerosos los...

Thirty-nine autumn-born ram-lambs were used to study whether polymorphisms of the melatonin receptor 1A (MTNR1A) gene influence some reproductive parameters of Oct-born ram-lambs at 8 months of age. Animals were genotyped for their RsaI (CC, n=24; CT, n=6; TT, n=9) and MnlI (GG, n=27; GA, n=6; AA, n=6) allelic variants of the MTNR1A gene. Liveweigh...

Due to the similarities with humans, the sheep brain has recently been suggested to be used as a good experimental translational model for clinical research. Thus, the authors of a recent review at Frontiers Veterinary on Jul 2022, point out the need for a detailed sheep brain atlas; here, we have performed this task in the diencephalon of this spe...

In order to compare locomotor activity (ACT) of lambs reared or not by their mothers, during their first week of life, 16 lambs (8 twin pairs; 8 males, 8 females) were fitted with an accelerometer (ActiGraph wGT3X-BT; ActiGraph, Pensacola, USA) (46×33×15 mm in size, weight 19 g), 24 hours after birth, attached on a neck collar. Lambs were divided i...

A flock of 3,000 heads of Merino de los Montes Universales sheep practices a 23-d transhumance (Tr) in Nov. The flock walks from its home summer mountains in the north, to the winter pastures, in southern Spain (350 km). Seven days before the Tr, two ewes received a surgically implanted subcutaneous bio-logger (DST milli-HRT, Star Oddi, Iceland) (1...

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of melatonin implants in pregnant Rasa Aragonesa ewes on birthweight (BW), liveweight (LW), average daily gain (ADG) and passive immunity transfer of female and male lambs under housed conditions. Pregnant ewes were implanted with subcutaneous melatonin (18 mg, Melovine, CEVA, Spain) at fourth...

Insects are emerging as a sustainable alternative for poultry feed to the current monopoly of soybean. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the development of slow-growing chicks fed Acheta domesticus meal as a total replacement for soybean meal during the first 4 weeks of life, using isoproteic and isoenergetic diets. A total of 12...

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are well known for their beneficial role in different body systems and their function in mammals. Their use as feed additive has been investigated with the aim of improving the reproductive and productive performance in different livestock species but their impact on fertility in dairy sheep is scarcely documented...

Eight stimulating rams, and twelve stimulated rams, were used to determine whether a similar endocrine response to the introduction of sexually active males in spring in a flock of ewes is observed in a flock of rams. The stimulating rams (n = 4) were induced into a sexually active state by exposure to 2 months of long days (16 h light/d) (15 Decem...

To determine the effect of the combination of melatonin implants and prostaglandin (PG) F2α on reproductive performance in the late breeding season (Dec at the northern hemisphere), 500 Lacaune ewes were divided into four groups. On day 0 (7 Nov), 150 ewes were treated with a melatonin (M) implant. From that group, 64 ewes (M + 1PGF group) were inj...

Twenty-two lambs were used to determine their locomotor activity during lactation, and its circadian rhythm, based on data collected by actigraphy; the relationships among lambs were also measured calculating their proximity and distance. Lambs were fitted with Bluetooth-enabled (BT) accelerometers during weeks 1 and 4 of age, and data were downloa...

Hormonal treatments used in the artificial insemination (AI) of sheep can cause several physiological problems that can affect negatively fertility and animal health; however, AI protocols based on the detection of natural estrus offer a more sustainable option and can achieve high fertility. In this study, an AI protocol at natural estrus in organ...

INNOVACIÓN MUNDO GANADERO Mayo / Junio 2022 36 En los últimos años, las geotecnologías, y concretamente la monitorización por GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), se ha instalado en las rutinas de la ganadería extensiva, ya que permite seguir remotamente a los animales en todo momento. Yendo un paso más allá, esos datos permiten analizar los...

Resumen Abstract ¿Es eficaz el sistema PRV para la oveja castellana? El Sistema de Pastoreo Racional de Voisin (PRV) es una técnica agroeco-lógica que utiliza cargas ganaderas muy altas en periodos de tiempo cortos para mejorar las propiedades del suelo; sin embargo, hay poca evidencia que demuestre que los animales bajo este sistema puedan satisfa...

BACKGROUND-AIM Melatonin is the hormone that regulates sheep seasonality and is usually used in subcutaneous implants in rams to counteract the effects of the non-reproductive season. Melatonin is also present in plants (phytomelatonin). Therefore, phytomelatonin-rich diets could be a green alternative for enhancing reproductive parameters in rams....

BACKGROUND-AIM In seasonal anestrous goats, the introduction of a buck stimulates LH secretion and triggers ovulation, a phenomenon called “the male effect”. The sexual and endocrine responses of females to the male effect varies with the sexual behavior displayed by bucks. Bucks rendered sexually active during the sexual rest by previous exposure...

BACKGROUND-AIM The ram effect, which is the most well-studied socio-sexual factor for inducing ovulation in sheep during the seasonal anestrus, involves the reintroduction of males to a flock of ewes in anestrus that had been isolated from rams. The introduction of the rams induces an increase in the tonic secretion of LH of the females, and a prop...

BACKGROUND-AIM Undernutrition is able to modulate uterine physiology and gene expression. This could be achieved by inducing epigenetic changes, such as DNA methylation, since a lesser supply of precursors for the methionine/folate cycles, which provide methyl donors in cells, could lead to altered DNA methylation. The aim of this study was to asse...