Abstract Prior to implantation in cattle, the mucous medium contained in the uterine lumen serves as a working interface for molecular exchange and signaling between the lining endometrium and the embryo. The composition of this luminal fluid changes temporally according to the secretory and reabsorptive activities of the uterus and the embryo, which are under complex regulation. Via this interface, both the embryo and the endometrium reprogram each other’s functions to support pregnancy continuation beyond the pre-implantation period. More specifically, the embryo receives elongation signals and the uterus receives anti-luteolytic stimuli. Here, characteristics of the luminal compartment as well as the regulation of its composition to determine the pregnancy outcome will be discussed.

En un experimento dialélico entre las razas Hereford (H/H) y Aberdeen Angus (A/A) desarrollado entre los años 1994 y 2002 en la Estación Experimental Bernardo Rosengurtt de la Facultad de Agronomía-Udelar, Uruguay, se estimaron diferencias en efectos genéticos directos (gIA-gIH) y efectos genéticos maternos (gmA-gmH), efectos de heterosis individual (hIAH) y materna (hmAH) mediante modelos lineales para condición corporal al parto (CCP), peso al nacimiento (PN), y peso al destete (PD), y usando modelos lineales generalizados para porcentaje de destete (% D). En CCP los efectos raciales y la heterosis estimada no fueron significativas, en tanto para PN la diferencia en kg fue negativa, siendo superior H/H (-1,18±0,42 kg, P=0,0051). Para PD la diferencia entre efectos maternos (gmA - gmH) resultó positiva, con 4,87±1,01 kg (P=0,0001), y la heterosis individual fue de 5,12±1,24 kg (P=0,0001). Para el % D, la hIAH fue de 0,22± 0,03. La hmAH resultó significativa para PD (11,58±1,48 kg, P=0,0001). Al nacimiento los terneros H/H, A/H y H/A fueron más pesados que los A/A. En % D las madres cruza en promedio superan en 24,7 unidades (14,9 %) a las puras (85,0 vs 60,3). Al destete los terneros hijos de madres híbridas fueron significativamente más pesados (promedio 159,1 kg). Las madres Hereford destetaron los terneros significativamente más livianos (promedio 143,3 kg); mientras que los terneros hijos de madres Angus pesaron 151,6 kg.

In a diallelic experiment between Hereford (H/H) and Aberdeen Angus (A/A) breed, developed between 1994 and 2002 at the Bernardo Rosengurtt Experimental Station (College of Agriculture-University of the Republic, Uruguay) individual (giA-giH) and maternal (gmA-gmH) breed differences, individual (hiAH) and maternal (hmAH) heterosis were estimated, using linear models for body condition at calving (BCC), birth weight (BW), and weaning weight (WW), and generalized linear models for weaning percentage (% W). Racial and estimated heterosis effects were not significant for BCC, while for BW the difference in kg was negative, and H/H was superior (-1.18 ± 0.42 kg, P = 0.0051). For WW, the difference between maternal effects (gmA - gmH) was positive, with 4.87 ± 1.01 kg (P <0.0001), and individual heterosis was 5.12 ± 1.24 kg (P <0.0001). The hiAH for % W was 0.22 ± 0.03. The hmAH was significant for WW (11.58 ± 1.48 kg, P=0.0001). At birth, calves H/H, A/H and H/A were heavier than A/A. For % W, crossbred dams averaged 24.7 points (14.9 %) higher than pure breeds (85.0 vs. 60.3). Crossbred breed dams weaned calves significantly heavier (means 159.1 kg). Hereford dams weaned significantly lighter calves (means 143.3kg); while the calves of Angus dams weighed 151.6 kg.