BACKGROUND Most reproductive failures originate during the periconceptional period and
are influenced by the age and the lifestyle of parents-to-be. We advance the hypothesis that …

In Westernized societies, average consumption of n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs)
far exceeds nutritional requirements. The ratio of n-6 to n-3 PUFAs is generally> 10: 1 …

A complex combination of adult health-related disorders can originate from developmental
events that occur in utero. The periconceptional period may also be programmable. We …

Data derived principally from peripheral tissues (fat, muscle and liver) show that insulin
signals via diverse interconnecting intracellular pathways and that some of the major …

Management, nutrition, production, and genetics are the main reasons for the decline in
fertility in the modern dairy cow. Selection for the single trait of milk production with little …

The rearing period has a key influence on the later performance of cattle, affecting future
fertility and longevity. Producers usually aim to breed replacement heifers by 15 months to …

Oocyte quality is affected by many factors, among which the environment of growth and
maturation seems to be crucial. Studies show that well balanced oocyte energy metabolism …

Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) significantly increase the chance of successful
pregnancy and live birth in infertile couples. The different procedures for ART, including in …

The environment in which a breeding female lives prior to conception and during the early
stages of her pregnancy has striking effects on oocytes develo** in the ovarian follicle and …

During the last decade, researchers have studied the differences in the reproductive
physiology between Bos taurus and Bos indicus breeds. This manuscript focuses on the …