ABSTRACT
Affecting the female reproductive organ and the layers around the oocyst, some ration ions could facilitate the penetration of sperm with specific chromosome type and change the sex ratio in mammal infants. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of potassium supplement on the sex ratio in rat. The percentage of moisture, ash, crude fat and protein, sodium, potassium, calcium, and energy was measured in the ration of rats. In one gestation period, the male and female pups from 32 female and 8 male adult rats were counted as control group. In experimental group, potassium citrate [36% potassium] was used in control group ration to raise the level of potassium from 0.35% to 0.8% and 12 female and 3 male adult rats were fed with that ration in two gestation periods. The number of male and female pups in both groups was counted at the age of three days. Sex ratio in both groups was compared using chi-square test [SPSS, Ver. 11.5]. The ration of control group had 90% dry matter, 8% ash, 4.1% crude fat, 21.6% crude protein, 70.8% total digestible nutrients [TDN], 0.4% calcium, 0.3% potassium and 0.1% sodium. The ratio of male pups in the rats were fed with potassium supplement [1.52, 100 male and 66 female pups] was higher [p=0.03] compared to the control group [0.94, 115 male and 122 female pups]. Raising the level of potassium in food ration can increase the number of male pups over 10% in each gestation
Subject(s)
Animals, Laboratory , Potassium , Animals, Newborn , RatsABSTRACT
No domestic availability to breeder turkey stocks and turkey hatching eggs prompted the present experiment that aimed to evaluate the feasibility of a conventional artificial insemination [AI] procedure in British United Turkey [BUT] for the first time in Iran. Broiler turkeys were restrictedly fed, grown for 46 weeks, and used for the current study [10 turkey toms and 24 turkey hens in total]. After a 3 week period of habituating the toms to abdominal massage, the pooled semen was used for insemination after the dilution in sterilized and homogenized low-fat milk [at the ratio of 1 to 6]. The hens were inseminated [14:00 h] and hatching eggs were collected [n = 148]. All the eggs were broken open to assess the fertility rate. Although being lower than the conventional average fertility rate noticed for breeder turkeys in the production manuals [91%], a fertility rate of 61.5% was obtained. The present report provided a preliminary data on the feasibility of the conventional procedure used in chickens to artificially inseminate the turkey, using low-fat milk as a simple available extender. The present findings might also be promising to the future establishment of turkey breeder enterprise in Iran
ABSTRACT
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the colocalization of GnlH and GnRH neurons in the ewe preoptic area [POA] of hypothalamus during the phases of estrous cycle. Three ewes in three phases of proestrus, estrus and luteal of estrous cycle [n=9] were selected and based on their estrous cycle phase, the number of GnlH and GnRH neurons and percent of these two neuropeptides colocalization in POA were estimated by using immunohistochemistry method. GnlH and GnRH neurons were present in the POA during the different phases of ewe estrous cycle and their colocalization was observed. The number of GnlH neurons in luteal phase was substantially more than proestrus and estrus phases [P<0.01]. However, there was no significant difference between the numbers of GnRH neurons of the POA in three estrous phases [P>0.05]. In the luteal phase, percent of GnRH neurons that coexpress GnlH were significantly less than proestrus and estrus phases [P=0.008]. GnlH expression in neurons of POA of ewe in luteal phase is more than follicular phase, but there was no significant difference in expression of GnRH neurons in the POA during the estrous phases. Also during all phases of the estrous cycle, GnRH neurons coexpress GnlH and GnlH neurons coexpress GnRH. These findings showed the direct effect of GnlH neurons on GnRH neurons in POA and indirect control of LH secretion