Luis Angel Quintela Arias

• PhD
• University of Santiago de Compostela

Repeat breeder (RB) syndrome plays a detrimental role on fertility and economic performance of dairy farms. Regarding its multifactorial origin, it has been stated that an immunological response in the female genital tract may impair sperm viability. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the concentration of immunoglobulins in cervical m...

This study examined the prevalence and risk factors of repeat breeder syndrome (RB) in 2370 dairy cows in northern Spain. Data collected included the prevalence of postpartum pathologies, metabolic markers, and productive and reproductive parameters. The overall RB prevalence was 21.1%. In primiparous cows, the postpartum body condition loss (Odds...

Biostimulation aims to optimize reproductive parameters as part of animal management practices by modulating animal sensory systems. Chemical signals, mostly known as pheromones, have a great potential in this regard. This study was conducted to determine the influence of short-term male rabbit exposure to different biological secretions, potential...

Simple Summary Q fever is an infectious disease in ruminants caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii, which can be transmitted to humans. A review of the scientific literature was carried out to examine the relationship between Q fever and reproductive problems in cattle [abortion/stillbirth/perinatal morality/weak calves; non-expulsion of placen...

Simple Summary Q fever is an infectious disease caused by Coxiella burnetii that can affect both humans and animals. Given its consequences and the lack of epidemiological data published about its distribution and risk factors, we aimed to evaluate the prevalence of Coxiella burnetii at dairy farms in the northwest of Spain, identify which risk fac...

Aim of study: To evaluate the utility of B-mode and Power Doppler ultrasonography to predict ovulation time in Holstein cows by assessment of uterine and follicle measurements. Area of study: Galicia, NW Spain Material and methods: 33 Holstein cows were examined every 12 h until ovulation. Measurements for the ratio endometrium/myometrium (END/MYO)...

Simple Summary The selection of recipients plays a key role in embryo transfer (ET) programs. Besides evaluating the animal’s health and reproductive status, this selection is usually performed by assessing luteal function. Rectal palpation (RP), ultrasonography (US), and progesterone determination (P4) are the main techniques used in routine pract...

Simple Summary Repeat breeder cow (RBC) syndrome encompasses cows failing three or more times to become pregnant, but with the special characteristic that their estrous cycles have a normal duration. Farmers and technicians commonly feel incapable of addressing this reproductive issue, and after numerous unsuccessful attempts to conceive, it is oft...

The commercial use of artificial insemination (AI) in rabbit farming is relatively recent, especially when compared to other species such as cattle or swine, in which AI has been used for more than 60 years. The large-scale use of AI in rabbit farming dates back to the late 80s. However, despite its short journey, it has not stopped evolving. Altho...

Introduction Over the years, the most common methods for monitoring reproductive health in cattle have varied from transrectal palpation to B-mode ultrasonography. Nowadays, some portable ultrasound equipment includes the Doppler mode. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of the different methods to assess corpus luteum (CL)...

Chemosensory cues are vital for social and sexual behaviours and are primarily detected and processed by the vomeronasal system (VNS), whose plastic capacity has been investigated in mice. However, studying chemosensory plasticity outside of laboratory conditions may give a more realistic picture of how the VNS adapts to a changing environment. Rab...

Background Chemosensory cues are vital for social and sexual behaviours and are primarily detected and processed by the vomeronasal system (VNS), whose plastic capacity has been investigated in mice. However, studying chemosensory plasticity outside of laboratory conditions may give a more realistic picture of how the VNS adapts to a changing envir...

The aim of this research communication was to examine and report the current situation of dairy farms in the province of Lugo (Galicia, Spain) regarding facility problems. We assessed the facilities of 168 free-stall dairy farms, housing in total 9228 Holstein cows in milk. Housing factors related to the resting area, circulation area, feeding area...

Simple Summary Biostimulation is a natural technique employed in animal production to enhance reproductive parameters. In this study, we assessed the reproductive efficiency of female rabbits (receptivity, fertility, prolificacy and number of born alive and dead kits/litter) when exposed to different biostimulation conditions, which involved exposu...

Simple Summary Proper reproductive efficiency is decisive to achieving adequate profitability in dairy farms. However, uterine pathologies such as subclinical endometritis (SE) play a primary role in the decline of reproductive performance. This disease impairs reproductive function, and its incidence may reach up to 34% during the first seven week...

Biostimulation is an animal management practice that helps improve reproductive parameters by modulating animal sensory systems. Chemical signals, mostly known as pheromones, have a great potential in this regard. This study was conducted to determine the influence of short-term female rabbit exposure to different conditions, mainly pheromone-media...

Aim of study: To investigate the effect of subclinical mastitis (SCM) before and after first artificial insemination (AI), characterized by a somatic cell count (SCC) higher than 200×103 cell/mL, on reproductive performance including first service conception rate (FSCR) and pregnancy loss (PL) in Holstein dairy cows. Area of study: The central are...

The vomeronasal organ (VNO) is a chemosensory organ specialized in pheromone detection that shows a broad morphofunctional and genomic diversity among mammals. However, its expression patterns have only been well-characterized in mice. Here, we provide the first comprehensive RNA sequencing study of the rabbit VNO across gender and sexual maturatio...

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of facility comfort level on animal-based welfare indicators as well as on productive and reproductive parameters of 187 dairy farms in the northwest of Spain. Fifty-eight facility-based parameters, which included both housing facilities and management parameters, were evaluated in each farm a...

Placental retention: consequences for the farm, risk factors, possible treatments, and main preventive measures.

The vomeronasal organ (VNO) is a chemosensory organ specialized in the detection of pheromones and consequently the regulation of behavioural responses mostly related to reproduction. VNO shows a broad variation on its organization, functionality and gene expression in vertebrates, and although the species analyzed to date have shown very specific...

The accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) is the first neural integrative centre of the vomeronasal system (VNS), which is associated primarily with the detection of semiochemicals. Although the rabbit is used as a model for the study of chemocommunication, these studies are hampered by the lack of knowledge regarding the topography, lamination, and neuro...

Aim of study: To evaluate tubal patency in repeat breeder Holstein cows with the purpose of estimating the frequency of oviduct obstruction as a cause of the repeat breeding syndrome. Area of study: Lugo (NW Spain) Material and methods: In 50 repeat breeding cows, a solution of the dye phenol-sulphon-phthalein (PSP) was instilled into one uterine...

Drugs have been detected in different water bodies including seas, rivers, lakes and groundwater. Some research has also begun to prove the presence of these active substances in tap water. Until now, clear legislation has not been established that regulates the quality of water supplied to food-producing animals. The European Regulation 183/2005 o...

AIMS: To examine the association between the detection of Ureaplasma diversum in vaginal swabs from dairy cows in north western Spain with the diagnosis of granular vulvovaginitis (GVV) and reproductive performance, and the association with subclinical endometritis (SE) in slaughterhouse material. The presence of this microorganism in cases of abor...

Contents Studies performed on ejaculates from several species have identified discrete subpopulations of motile sperm. In dogs, motile sperm subpopulations have also been described in fresh and frozen‐thawed semen. The subpopulation of the most rapid and progressively motile sperm has been suggested to be the most likely source of fertilizing sperm...

The objective of this study was to assess the implementation of a three-year Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis monitoring programme using pooled faecal culture in small and medium-sized dairy herds to classify them as infected or non-infected and apply proper hygiene and biosecurity measures. Over a three-year period, 35 dairy herds were...

Trillo Y.; Quintela L.A.; Barrio M.; Silva-del-Río, N. (2018). Animal Welfare and feeding management practices in dairy cattle farms. Monografías do IBADER - Serie Pecuaria . IBADER. Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Lugo. Describe parameters related with the animal welfare in Northwestern Spain dairies (first chapter – Study 1) and, feeding...

The objectives of this study were to determine: a) the agreement between postmortem endometrial cytology, uterine biopsy and presence of intrauterine fluid in apparently normal genital tracts collected from culled dairy cows; b) the agreement between results obtained from paired uterine horns using the different diagnosis methods; and c) the microo...

Abstract One of the main factors determining profitability of dairy farms is the reproductive efficiency of cows. Reproductive performance depends on many factors, being the existence of uterine pathologies one of the most relevant. Incidence of uterine diseases in dairy cattle is high and it is believed to be the cause of numerous reproductive fa...

The aim of this study was to describe the status of body condition score (BCS), hock injuries prevalence, locomotion and body hygiene score as animal welfare measures in 73 free-stall dairy cattle farms in Lugo (Spain). A benchmarking process was established across farms: (1) the animal-based indicators were ordered from low to high values; (2) The...

The aim of this characterization study was to describe several welfare indicators on the farm and find possible difference between the prevalence of hock injuries, body condition (BCS), and hygiene score across 15 free stalls with cubicles (F) and 15 tie stalls (T) dairy cattle farms in northwestern Spain (Galicia). Data were collected once and it...

El oviducto es una parte esencial del aparato reproductor de la hembra y su integridad es imprescindible para garantizar el éxito reproductivo. Sin embargo, su evaluación es complicada y, debido a esto, se desconoce la implicación real de sus alteraciones en los problemas de fertilidad. De los pocos estudios al respecto, en ganado vacuno, la mayorí...

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of subclinical endometritis (SE) on the reproductive performance of dairy cows. Ninety-four dairy cows of parity 1 to 8, distributed in 25 herds, were examined once between 30 and 45 days in milk using transrectal palpation, vaginoscopy and ultrasonography. A cytological sample of the endometrium...

26 liquid nitrogen tanks were selected from different dairy cattle farms. Three sperm doses were introduced in a frequently used canister, while another three straws were deposited in another canister that did not contain any sperm doses, to determine whether the refilling with liquid nitrogen had been done appropriately. Then, 10 sperm doses belon...

This trial evaluated the reproductive performance in an early routine oestrus induction programme using two different PGF2α preparations in dairy cattle. D-cloprostenol sodium (n = 192; Group A) or dinoprost (n = 187; Group B) was administered between days 35 and 42 post partum. Also, a group of non-treated cows (n = 135; Group C) was included as c...

The aim of this study was to evaluate fertility at first service in cows with endometritis diagnosed by cytology at 30 Æ 2 days postpartum. Four hundred and sixty-seven Holstein Friesian cows, between 1 and 7 parities, at one farm located in Valencia (Spain) were examined. Uterine cytology was performed in randomly selected cows (range: 23– 50 per...

The aim of this study was to evaluate, objectively, ulltrasonographic changes that occur in uterus before the ovulation to predict the time of ovulation in cows. Serum progesterone (P) measures and follicle growing ultrasonographic monitoring were used as reference. To carry out this study 30 non-lactating Friesian cows in diestrus stage were used,...

The aim of this study was to evaluate efficiency of ultrasonography vs. progesterone concentration to assess the corpus luteum (CL) regres- sion in the cow. The methods used were measure the CL size by B- mode real-time ultrasound and the blood flow (BF) by Power Doppler ultrasound. Serum progesterone (P 4 ) was monitored. Holstein Friesian cows (N...

The aim of present study was to improve in vitro production of bovine embryos replacing bovine serum used for in vitro maturation without compromising the subsequent development to the blastocyst stage. Influence of three macromolecular supplements was tested (fetal calf serum, bovine serum albumin and polyvinylpyrrolidone) when they were supplemen...

One of the main drawbacks of using endometrial cytology in cows is the time required for sample collection and interpretation. It is recommended to count a large number of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) and to calculate their overall percentage. However, since counting a large number of cells is a laborious method, it would be preferable to si...

In this study we investigated the changes that in vitro incubation under capacitating conditions could induce on the motile sperm subpopulations present in frozen-thawed dog semen samples. In addition, cryopreserved dog spermatozoa were exposed to CCM (canine capacitating medium) solutions of 300, 150, 100 and 75 mOsm and the proportions of live sp...

Contents The significant decrease in fertility observed in dairy cattle during the last few decades and increasing requirements by the farmers have made a regular control of reproduction indispensable to urgently identify and solve potential problems affecting reproductive efficiency. Traditionally, the main diagnostic methods used for reproductive...

Artificial Insemination (Al) in rabbits, colony management, dates from the late 80's, just over 20 years. Although in certain matters it could use the knowledge acquired in other species where artificial insemination was used long before, in other cases it was necessary to carry out various studies to solve problems unique to rabbits. This review o...

Con el objetivo de establecer, en un futuro, unosvalores de referencia de diferentes parámetros bioquímicosen vacas de raza Rubia Gallega, se extrajeron muestras desangre mensuales (desde 30 días antes del parto hasta 90días después) a 49 hembras de esta raza. En el suero sedeterminaron las concentraciones de colesterol total,triglicéridos, ácidos...

Ultrasonography (US) provides detailed visualization of the fetus in early pregnancy in cows, thus allowing for fetal sex determination. The objective of this prospective observational study was to determine the feasibility and accuracy of a single US examination to diagnose fetal sex in dairy cattle under routine reproductive management conditions...

The objectives of the study were to evaluate the ovarian follicular response, cumulus-oocyte complex (COC) collection rate, fertilization, and culture of COC collected from alpacas after treatment with 2 different gonadotropins. Female alpacas were assigned to Group 1 (n=8), 200mg of FSH (Folltropin, Bioniche, Belleville, Ontario, Canada) divided b...

We have previously reported that alpaca oocytes require between 38 and 42h of maturation time (Huanca et al. 2010 Reprod. Fertil Dev. 22(1), 327). The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the addition of FSH in the maturation medium on nuclear maturation and cleavage rate. Ovaries were collected from a slaughterhouse and transporte...

Resumen: Uso de la [Des-Gly10, D-Ala6]-LHRH ethyl-amide para in-seminación intravaginal en conejas. Uso de la [Des-Gly10, D-Ala6]-LHRH ethyl-amide por vía intravaginal, añadido a la dosis seminal, para la inducción de la ovulación en co-nejas sometidas a inseminación artificial. Además se pue-de añadir al semen hasta 24 horas antes de su aplicación...

From December 2008 to June 2009, 150 genital tract, coming from Frisian cows sacrificed into the slaughter house by unknown causes, were removed. The genital tract were put under a detailed examination in order to detect possible ovarian, oviduct and uterine pathologies. The results showed that 4.7% of the cows had ovarian cysts and 17% adhesions o...

Experiments were carried out to evaluate the effect of incubation time on nuclear maturation (Experiment 1) and determine the cleavage rate of alpaca oocytes after of IVF time (Experiment 2) In Experiment 1, CCOs were collected from slaughterhouse ovaries and transported to the laboratory in a thermos flask containing a saline solution 0.9% with an...

The objective of this study was to evaluate the ovarian response in alpacas to superstimulatory treatment with FSH and eCG. Alpacas females (n = 49) were examined daily by transrectal ultrasonography using a 7.5-MHz linear-array transducer (Aloka SSD500, Tokyo, Japan) to determine ovarian follicular dynamics. Alpacas (n =41) were selected when a gr...