Seasonal changes in nutritional status and reproductive performance of Zebu cows kept under a traditional agro-pastoral system in Tanzania.

The objectives of this study were to assess changes in nutritional status/body condition score, percentage pregnancy and calving rate in Zebu cows and to establish the relationship between body condition score loss and postpartum interval to resumption of ovarian activity. A total of 198 cows and postpubertal heifers of the Tanzanian Shorthorn Zebu kept under a traditional management system were randomly selected from 200 smallholder herds. Factors investigated during bi-weekly visits include body condition score (BCS), heart-girth circumference, milk yield and reproductive status of the animals, pregnancy/nonpregnancy and cyclicity/non-cyclicity. Local weather conditions and dates of occurrence of other reproductive events such as calving were also recorded. Calvings occurred all year round but with a strong seasonal distribution characterized by annual peaks observed between April and July. The annual calving pattern was closely related to rainfall, with peak precipitation occurring a few months before peak calving. The overall percentage pregnancy varied from 30% to 50% throughout the year. Postpartum cows exhibited minimum mean BCS and heart-girth circumference 12-14 weeks after calving, and cows with BCS loss >1 point exhibited the longest time interval from calving to onset of ovarian activity.

Comparison of the effects of atipamezole and tolazoline on analgesia, cardiopulmonary and rectal temperature changes induced by lumbosacral epidural injection of medetomidine in goats.

The present study was carried out in order to compare the reversing effects of alpha(2)-adrenergic receptor antagonists, atipamezole and tolazoline on analgesia, cardiopulmonary depression and rectal temperature changes induced by epidural administration of medetomidine in goats. Eight clinically healthy, small East African goats of both sexes weighing between 12 and 17kg (mean 14.4+/-1.8kg) were used in this study. The animals were randomly divided into two groups of four animals. The first group was given 20µg/kg medetomidine followed by intravenous (IV) administration of 80µg/kg atipamezole, 30min after the initial injection. The second group was given same treatment for medetomidine as group one but followed by IV administration of 2.2mg/kg tolazoline, 30min after the initial injection. In both treatment groups, medetomidine was administered epidurally through the lumbosacral interspace. Analgesia of the flank and perineum was evaluated at every 10min intervals up to 60min. The cardiopulmonary and rectal temperature values were monitored and recorded at every 5min interval up to 60min. In both groups, lumbosacral epidural injection of medetomidine induced generalised analgesia, variable cardiopulmonary depression effects and non-significant changes on rectal temperature. These changes developed as early as 5min and continued until alpha(2)/alpha(1) antagonists were administered. Intravenous administration of alpha-adrenergic receptor antagonists; atipamezole and tolazoline reversed analgesia, cardiopulmonary and rectal temperature changes induced by lumbosacral epidural injection of medetomidine in goats. However, atipamezole appeared to be superior (P<0.05) to tolazoline. From this study, it was concluded that IV administration of 80µg/kg atipamezole was better than 2.2mg/kg tolazoline in reversing analgesia and cardiopulmonary depression effects induced by lumbosacral epidural injection of medetomidine in goats. This indicates the superiority of atipamezole to tolazoline as an antidote for medetomidine induced effects in goats.