Effect of recombinant somatotropin with or without PMSG on postpartum multiparous buffalo in Egypt

This study was carried out on ten Egyptian female multi parous buffaloes suffering from prolonged postpartum period with no estrous signs and low serum progesterone level. Animals were randomly divided into two groups. Females in both groups were injected subcutaneously with 500 mg recombinant bovine somatotropin "rbST",one group received a single intramuscular dose of PMSG [2000 i.u.] 7 days later. Blood samples were collected one week before treatment and for four consecutive weeks after treatment. The levels of progesterone, insulin-like growth factor- 1[IGF-1] and total cholesterol were analysed. Injection of rbST with or without PMSG elevated serum level of IGF-1 for the first two weeks post-injection then declined during the 3rd and 4th weeks compared to pretreatment levels. Both serum progesterone and total cholesterol levels increased throughout the 4 weeks post-injection as compared with their corresponding control values before treatments. In addition, rbST increased milk yield significantly as well as motivated the females to resume cyclic activity of the ovaries [4 / 5 in animals treated with rbST plus PMSG and 3/5 in those treated with rbST alone]. The conception percent improved

Will recombinant bovine somatotropin and/or PMSG can be used to dissolve the problem of delayed breeding in heifers and post partum cows

Twenty eight Holstein cows [16 heifers and 12 multiparous cows] were used. Heifers were weighed 350-380 kg, and failed to conceive till 2.5 years old. Multiparous cows calved since about 5-6 months and showed no any oestrus signs and low plasma progesterone. Heifers were assigned to three treatment groups in a randomized design. Eleven heifers were treated with a single injection per heifer of rb ST [Somatech]. Two days post injection, all heifers were rectally examined to ensure ovarian activity and follicular development. Seven days later, six of these rbST-treated heifers were injected PMSG. Third group were kept as control. Multiparous postpartum cows were assigned to two groups. First group [n=7] received bST, and second one [n=5] were treated with both rbST and PMSG injections according to the same procedure of heifers. Two weeks before treatment, blood samples were collected from all experimental animals once weekly, and then once daily on day 2, 3, 7 and 12 post injection for determinations of IGF-1 and insulin concentrations. Oestrus was detected in heifers and cows by usual observation and progesterone profile. All heifers and cows that detected in oestrus were artificially inseminated. First-service conception rates and pregnancy percentages were obtained. Postpartum cows were milked twice daily and average daily milk production was calculated before and after injection of bST. Plasma concentrations of IGF-1 and insulin showed significant increases in bST-treated heifers. However, IGF-1 concentrations were decreased after bST injection, and plasma insulin concentrations did not significantly affected in postpartum cows. Treatment with bST caused improving of the reproductive performance of heifers and postpartum cows

Parturition and associated physiological behavioural patterns in Egyptian buffaloes

A total of 40 buffaloes [8 primiparous and 32 multiparous] were used to study the physiological changes related to the last stage of pregnancy and processes of parturition. Animals were kept under careful observation and examination. Blood samples were collected at the last stage of pregnancy, 12-72 and 1-12 hours prepartum, parturition, and at post partum. Plasma were separated for determination of oestradiol 17 C and corticol hormones as well as glucose and total protein and fractions. The periods of first, second and third stages of labour in primiparous buffaloes were 4.72 +/- 1.17, 1.22 +/- 0.20 and 5.28 +/- 1.92 hours and in pleuparous buffaloes were3.22 +/- 2.08, 0.85 +/- 0.44 and 4.95 +/- 1.10 hours respectively. The plasma levels of oestradiol 17 C and cortisol were gradually increased on approaching of parturition, reaching their maximum values at 1-12 hr. pre-partum and during parturition, while the lowest values were recorded after parturtion. In Egyptian buffaloes, average values of plasma glucose were significantly higher during parturition than that during last stage of pregnancy and pre-partum. Clinical signs and behavioural traits were also recorded. It could be concluded that the processes of parturition in buffaloes were nearly similar to these of cows

Possible effects of two levels of dietary fat addition on performance and reproductive potentials during puberty and post-parturition in rabbit does

The rabbit performance and reproductive efficiency as influenced by the addition of two levels of dietary fat during puberty and post-parturition were included in this paper. Three groups of eighteen immature female New Zealand rabbits were given control basal diet [CD] or that supplemented with 5% and 10% sunflower oil to formulate moderate [MFD] and high fat [HFD] diets. In puberty study, fat addition increased feed intake and energy intake, while the values of body weight, feed conversion, and plasma metabolites were not affected in growing rabbits during prepubertal period. Fat supplementation also hastened puberty, where the rabbits firstly accepted the meals at 56.0 +/- 3.51, 23.0 +/- 4.7, and 21.0 +/- 3.8 days for [CD], [MFD], and [HFD] groups respectively. Moreover, high percentage [83.3%] of conceived does was observed in [HFD] group if compared to [CD] and [MFD] groups [33.3%]. In post-parturition study, pups from mothers among [HFD] group were heavier in weight and grew more rapidly throughout 5 weeks [till weaning] than those of [CD] and [MFD] groups. Fat addition increased prolificacy and improved fertility of the does during post-parturition, however it did not affect feed intake or energy intake of lactating does. This study clarified the positive responses of performance and reproduction to fat addition, and supported the recommendation to include 10% dietary fat for growing and breeding rabbit does

Prepubertal developmental studies on the anterior pituitary lobe, thyroid and uterus of barki sheep

The growth and development of pituitary, thyroid and uterus of Barki sheep were studied during prepubertal period. These tissues were embedded in paraffin and sectioned and strained with different stains. Indirect immunofluorescent technique was made for localization of LH in the cells of pituitary glands. The following changes were observed. In the pituitary gland, the appearance of LH immunoreactivity increased from the 3rd month of age onward and rose to the highest level at the 6th month then stabilized till the 9th month, from this time onward there was a gradual decrease of its activity. In the thyroid glands, there was gradual increase of thyroid activity from day 1 till 6 month, indicated by gradual increase in number and height of follicle cells. In the uterus, the endometrial glands appeared at one month, from the first month till the 5th month the endometrial glands invaginated from the surface epithelium as straight tubules, while from the 5th month till the 9th month, the endometrial gland were coiled with wide lumen containing secretory product

Changes in cortisol levels during estrous cycle and peripartum period of native Egyptian cattle

Cortisol levels were determined [RIA] in the plasma of five mature cyclic Egyptian heifer cows during green and dry seasons of the year as well as in the peripartum period of five cows till the first postpartum estrus. Cortisol level increased [P <0.01] at the day of estrus with no obvious changes between the green and dry seasons. The slope of cortisol increased [P <0.01] with the approach of calving and insignificantly fluctuated during the postpartum period

Effect of prepartum and postpartum vitamin E and selenium supplementation on serum electrophoresis and some reproductive patterns of Egyptian buffaloes

Twelve Egyptian buffalos were used to determine the effect of supplementation with vitamin E alone or in combination with selenium [Se] during the pre- and postpartum periods or serum electrophoretic pattern and some reproductive characteristics of parturient animals. At the last month of gestation the animals were divided into three equal groups. The first group received 4200 mg vitamin E and 4.2 mg Se, the second group received 142 mg vitamin E, while the third group was left without supplementation as a control. The blood sera at the last week of gestation as well as at the fourth week after parturition were used for the determination of total proteins, electrophoretic pattern as well as for the FSH and LH assay. Buffalos supplemented with vitamin E in combination with Se showed significantly higher levels of gamma-globulins and LH as well as significantly lower levels of FSH compared to animals supplemented with vitamin E alone or in the control group. It was concluded that the pre- and postpartum supplementation with vitamin E and Se combination can improve the reproductive efficiency and the immune status of Egyptian buffalos

Post natal ovarian development in barki ewes

30 Barki ewes were mated to rams of the same breed. All the female lambs born to these matings [24 ewes] were sacrificed at different ages [1, 30, 90, 150, 180, 210, 240, 270, 300, 330, 360 and 729 days after birth]. Ovary was serially sectioned at 8U and prepared for histological examination. Quantitative estimation of primordial follicle indicated that a decline in the number of primordial is associated with an increase in the number of growing follicles, mature and atretic one

Seasonal variation in blood hormones [progesterone, estradiol 17B and thyroxine] during oestrous cycle in barki ewes

27 nonpregnant mature Barki ewes were raised in the National Research Center Farm. The animal were exposed to natural day and light rhythm. Aproned rams were painted with stains all the day and night to detect those ewes in estrus. Blood samples were obtained day after day representing estrus, metestrus, diestrous and proestrus for progesterone, estradiol 17B and thyroxine estimation by radio and enzyme immunoassay techniques. Progesterone values were very low on day 0 and 1-3 days of the cycle. A significant variation [p <0.01] in progesterone concentration during the estrous cycle among the different seasons were observed. Variation in estradiol 17B concentration among the different phases of the cycle was noticed. Statistical analysis for T4 and T3 indicates a significant variation for the cycle during the three different seasons

Seasonal variation in mineral profile during oestrous cycle in barki ewes

Heparinized blood samples were collected during estrous days representing estrus, proestrus, metestrus and diestrus phases for calcium, inorganic phosphorus, iron, copper, and zinc determination. Significant season variation [p <0.01] in between calcium, inorganic phosphorus Ca/P ratio and zinc were observed. In the meantime, significant variation [P <0.05] in copper was detected

Peripheral concentration of progesterone and cortisol in plasma of the barki ewes and baladi goats during late pregnancy and post partum period

Plasma progesterone and cortisol levels were estimated at late stage of pregnancy and postpartum period in 6 Barki ewes and 11 Baladi goats. During the 15 days, pre partum low values of progesterone were detected with nonsignificant variation in both ewes and goats. However, during postpartum period [2-5 weeks], low values of progesterone were estimated with significant [P <0.05] between ewes and goats. Plasma cortisol concentration were significantly increased during the 15 days than 30 days pre-partum period for both ewes [p <0.05] and [p <0.01] goats. In the meantime, there is no significant variation in between ewes and goats in cortisol concentration during this period. A significant [p <0.05] increase in cortisol concentrations during the first week after birth for both ewes and goats was recorded. Moreover, significant variations [p <0.05] in cortisol concentration between ewes and goats were observed during pre-partum [30 days] and postpartum period [1-5 weeks]