title: Decrease in bovine in vitro embryo production efficiency during winter season in a warm-summer Mediterranean climate.
abstract: Retrospective analysis of monthly embryo production from December 2011 to May 2015 and its correlation with meteorological data in our geographic zone was made. We had observed that in certain time of the year, in vitro blastocyst production decreases. Accordingly, was examined the association between blastocyst production and climatological parameters. Cleavage rates correlate positively with blastocyst rates (p < .05). Significant differences in cleavage rates between autumn and summer (79.8%; 71.5%), and between winter and autumn (71.8%; 79.8%), were found. Blastocyst production had lower efficiency in June (9 ± 12%) and July (4.9 ± 5.7%), which coincides with winter season. In contrast, higher embryo production was obtained in February (22.2 ± 9.7%), March (22.9 ± 14%) and September (25.2 ± 6.6%), which coincides with autumn and spring season. Similarly, embryo production correlates with meteorological parameters: blastocyst production positively correlates with sunshine hours, maximum temperature and average temperature. Similarly, blastocyst production inversely correlates with total precipitation and days >1 mm precipitation (p < .05). There is a significant decrease in bovine in vitro embryo production efficiency during winter season in our warm-summer Mediterranean climate zone. It remains to be investigated the direct effect of environmental factors on oocyte quality and its impact on in vitro production efficiency.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina, Centro de Biotecnología de la Reproducción (BIOREN-CEBIOR), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cheuquemán
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina, Centro de Biotecnología de la Reproducción (BIOREN-CEBIOR), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Loren
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina, Centro de Biotecnología de la Reproducción (BIOREN-CEBIOR), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arias
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina, Centro de Biotecnología de la Reproducción (BIOREN-CEBIOR), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile.|Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Risopatrón
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina, Centro de Biotecnología de la Reproducción (BIOREN-CEBIOR), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile.|Departamento de Ciencias Agronómicas y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias y Forestales, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Felmer
authors.affiliation: Centro ANDROGEN, La Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Álvarez
authors.affiliation: Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mogas
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina, Centro de Biotecnología de la Reproducción (BIOREN-CEBIOR), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile.|Departamento de Ciencias Preclínicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sánchez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002970:Cleavage Stage, Ovum; D002980:Climate; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D009865:Oocytes; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012621:Seasons
keywords: blastocyst; ovaries; precipitation; seasonality; temperature; winter