Factors influencing in vivo embryo production in Japanese Black donors: The role of anti-Müllerian hormone and inflammation parameters

In Japanese Black (JB) cattle, the number of transferable embryos produced after superovulation is crucial for the economic success of embryo production for both farmers and veterinarians. Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) has emerged as a key reproductive marker for predicting the number of embryos produced in vivo and oocytes retrieved through transvaginal pickup. This study investigated the relationship between AMH, inflammatory markers, including serum amyloid A (SAA) and albumin/globulin (A/G) ratio, and the number of embryos recovered and transferable after superovulation in JB cows. A total of 96 JB donor cows underwent artificial insemination after superovulation, and embryo recovery was performed 7 days later. Embryos recovered were classified based on the International Embryo Technology Society criteria, wherein “transferable embryos” included those with codes 1 or 2, while “total embryos” included transferable embryos as well as those with codes 3 and 4. Blood samples collected during embryo recovery were used to measure serum AMH, SAA, and A/G ratios. When grouped by AMH quartiles, the high-AMH and middle-high-AMH groups produced significantly more total embryos compared to the low-AMH group. The total number of embryos increased with higher AMH levels (r = 0.3336, P = 0.0009). Correlation analysis revealed associations between AMH, α₁-globulin and SAA. Additionally, a significant positive correlation was observed between total and transferable embryos (r = 0.6339, P < 0.0001) and between AMH and the yield ratio (r = 0.25583, P = 0.0119). These findings confirm that AMH concentration is a valuable reproductive marker for predicting the total and transferable embryos produced by JB donor cows.