title: The role of endocrine insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in female bovine reproduction.
abstract: Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) plays a pivotal role in cattle fertility, acting as a monitoring signal that allows reproductive events to occur when nutritional conditions for successful reproduction are reached. However, endocrine IGF-I is not a predictor of reproductive events, but rather an indirect estimator of the suitability of the animal to achieve the reproductive event in question. Although measuring circulating IGF-I concentrations might not have any clinical application in the cattle industry, endocrine IGF-I screening will continue to be important for the study of interactions between nutrition and reproduction. In addition, endocrine IGF-I screening could be used as an ancillary test for the selection of cattle for high reproductive potential, especially in herds of high genetic merit for milk production, in which a decline in fertility has been identified.
authors.affiliation: Escuela Superior de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Campeche, Calle 53 s/n, C.P. 24350, Escárcega, Campeche, Mexico. lestaurus_18@hotmail.com
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Velazquez
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Spicer
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Wathes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000502:physiology*; D004703:Endocrine System / Q000502:physiology; D030762:Estrous Cycle / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000502:physiology*; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology*; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I