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August 4, 2020
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Influence of the Ovine Genital Tract Microbiota on the Species Artificial Insemination Outcome

Publicated to:High-Throughput. 9 (3): 1-17 - 2020-09-01 9(3), DOI: 10.3390/ht9030016

Authors: Serrano M, Climent E, Freire F, Martínez-Blanch JF, González C, Reyes L, Solaz-Fuster MC, Calvo JH, Jiménez MÁ, Codoñer FM

Affiliations

ADM Lifesequencing, University of Valencia Science Park, Carrer del Catedrático A. Escardino Benlloch 9, 46980 Paterna, Spain. - Author
Animal Production Technology Unit-CITA, 59059 Zaragoza, Spain. - Author
Department of Animal Genetic Improvement, National Institute of Agrarian Technology and Food-INIA, Ctra. de la Coruña, 28040 Madrid, Spain. - Author
OVIGEN, Granja Florencia S/N, Ctra. Villalazán-Peleagonzalo, 49800 Zamora, Spain. - Author

Abstract

To date, there is a lack of research into the vaginal and sperm microbiome and its bearing on artificial insemination (AI) success in the ovine species. Using hypervariable regions V3-V4 of the 16S rRNA, we describe, for the first time, the combined effect of the ovine microbiome of both females (50 ewes belonging to five herds) and males (five AI rams from an AI center) on AI outcome. Differences in microbiota abundance between pregnant and non-pregnant ewes and between ewes carrying progesterone-releasing intravaginal devices (PRID) with or without antibiotic were tested at different taxonomic levels. The antibiotic treatment applied with the PRID only altered Streptobacillus genus abundance, which was significantly lower in ewes carrying PRID with antibiotic. Mageebacillus, Histophilus,Actinobacilllus and Sneathia genera were significantly less abundant in pregnant ewes. In addition, these genera were more abundant in two farms with higher AI failure. Species of these genera such as Actinobacillusseminis and Histophilussomni have been associated with reproductive disorders in the ovine species. These genera were not present in the sperm samples of AI rams, but were found in the foreskin samples of rams belonging to herd 2 (with high AI failure rate) indicating that their presence in ewes' vagina could be due to prior transmission by natural mating with rams reared in the herd.

Keywords

Artificial insemination (ai)MicrobiotaReproductive tractsSheep

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal High-Throughput due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency Scopus (SJR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2020, it was in position , thus managing to position itself as a Q2 (Segundo Cuartil), in the category Biomedical Engineering.

From a relative perspective, and based on the normalized impact indicator calculated from the Field Citation Ratio (FCR) of the Dimensions source, it yields a value of: 2.81, which indicates that, compared to works in the same discipline and in the same year of publication, it ranks as a work cited above average. (source consulted: Dimensions Aug 2025)

Specifically, and according to different indexing agencies, this work has accumulated citations as of 2025-08-03, the following number of citations:

  • Scopus: 20
  • Europe PMC: 12

Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2025-08-03:

  • The use, from an academic perspective evidenced by the Altmetric agency indicator referring to aggregations made by the personal bibliographic manager Mendeley, gives us a total of: 28.
  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 31 (PlumX).

With a more dissemination-oriented intent and targeting more general audiences, we can observe other more global scores such as:

  • The Total Score from Altmetric: 1.5.
  • The number of mentions on the social network X (formerly Twitter): 3 (Altmetric).

It is essential to present evidence supporting full alignment with institutional principles and guidelines on Open Science and the Conservation and Dissemination of Intellectual Heritage. A clear example of this is:

  • The work has been submitted to a journal whose editorial policy allows open Open Access publication.
  • Assignment of a Handle/URN as an identifier within the deposit in the Institutional Repository: http://hdl.handle.net/10532/5068