ABSTRACT
No report has been published on the economical losses associated with errors in oestrus detection in cows under Iranian intensive dairy management. The following study was carried out to determine the accuracy of oestrus detection by farmers using artificial insemination in Shiraz dairy farms. Milk samples were collected from 179 Holstein milking cows at the time of artificial insemination. Milk progesterone concentration was determined using a commercial radio-immunoassay kit. It was assumed that a milk progesterone concentration greater than or equal to 3 ng/ml indicated the presence of active luteal tissue and that all animals in oestrus had a concentration less than 1 ng/ml. Results of the present study showed that error in oestrus detection was higher in dairy herds with more than 85 milking cows compared to that of the smaller size herds [14.4 vs 7.3%; x[2] = 2.59; P = 0.1]. Five out of 11 herds [45%] had an oestrus detection error higher than 10 percent while in the remaining six herds the oestrus detection error varied from 0 to 7.1%. Based on the assumptions and calculations made in the present study, the net cost of one day delay in conception for a cow producing 25 litres milk in peak lactation was calculated at 40591.98 Rials [4.51 $US] when conception is delayed from 85 to 100 days post-calving, increasing to 60120.89 Rials [6.68 $US] per day if conception occurred at 146 to 175 days post-calving
ABSTRACT
Cardiac involvement that persists after Kawasaki disease is a major problem in the coarse of disease and it is the leading cause of death. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between inflammatory markers [CRP, ESR, PLT] that are potential mediators for atherogenesis at the onset of disease and coronary involvement as a sequelae and also the incidence of clinical manifestation in Kawasaki disease. A case-series study was performed to test the hypothesis that late coronary involvement is associated with elevated level of CRP, ESR and PLT at the onset of Kawasaki disease. A total of 36 patients [26 male and 10 female] were studied. All of them were treated with IVIG, and coronary involvement was studied with Echocardiography. Levels of CRP, ESR and PLI were measured in all patients. Among 14 patients [38%] that had coronary involvement ESR level was above 90 in 71% patients, CRP levels were elevated in 92.9% and PLT count was elevated in 73% of patients. The results were analyzed by ANOVA, chi-square and Independent t-test and demonstrated that there is no valuable association between the level of ESR [p= 0.38], CRP [p=0.16], PLT count [p=0.11], and cardiac involvement. Among 36 patients the clinical manifestations were as follow: fever [100%]. Oropharyngeal mucosal inflammation [88%]. [lymphadenopathy [75%], skin rash [55%] and edema of the extremities [50%]. The results demonstrate that there is no statistical association between the level of ESR, CRP and PLT with late cardiac involvement. It seems that further investigations in longer period of time are needed to confirm the relation between cardiac involvement and these laboratory tests