Male reproductive characteristics of sheep in the Indian arid zone

1981 ◽  
Vol 97 (2) ◽  
pp. 313-318
Author(s):  
J. P. Mittal ◽  
P. K. Ghosh

SummaryThe influence of various factors like breed, season, level of nutrition, age and body weight was studied in indigenous (Marwari and Magra) and exotic (Corriedale) rams in respect of semen quality and sexual behaviour under the arid conditions of Jodhpur in the Indian desert. None of these factors except breed and level of nutrition affected semen quality. The breeds differed significantly only in respect of percentage abnormal sperms. The values for all the physical characteristics except sperm concentrations wore slightly lower in the Corriedale. Supplementary concentrate feeding resulted in significantly higher concentrations only of fructose and citric acid in the semen. The physical characteristics of the semen were only slightly superior in the feed-supplemented group of animals. The breeds differed significantly in respect of libido characteristics, with the Corriedale exhibiting the longest reaction time and the lowest number of matings in 30 min. These characteristics were, however, not affected by the other factors mentioned above.

Author(s):  
O. H. RUNDELL ◽  
HAROLD L. WILLIAMS

Performance on two auditory choice reaction time (RT) tasks was studied in a group of 12 subjects under the influence of graded doses of ethyl alcohol ranging from placebo to 1 g/kg body weight. Deadline procedures were employed in a side discrimination and a pitch discrimination task to permit the calculation of speed-accuracy tradeoff functions (accuracy versus RT). Accuracy declined as a function of dose, but alcohol did not significantly influence RT. Conversely, accuracy was not affected by task; but the pitch discrimination task required an average of 88 ms more time than the side task. Alcohol dose and task produced independent effects on the speed-accuracy tradeoff function. As dose increased, the slope of the tradeoff function declined; but slopes were equivalent for the two tasks. On the other hand, the x-intercept (where accuracy equals chance levels) was 90 ms greater for the pitch task than for the side task.


2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 50-58
Author(s):  
T. C. Iwuji ◽  
U. Herbert ◽  
M. A. Oguike ◽  
H. O. Obikaonu

This study was conducted for 4 months in the quest to discover natural materials, especially of plant origin, capable of substituting the roles of synthetic materials, especially drugs, in reproductive enhancement of livestock species. Such natural materials will help eliminate the menace of residual effects of synthetic materials on livestock products and probably attract more revenue from them. A total of 24 New Zealand White (NZW) weaned rabbit bucks were used and the study was carried out in a Complete Randomized Design (CRD), comprising three treatments replicated four times; MT1 (control), MT2 and MT3 , containing 0, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight of Panax ginseng extracts (PGEs), respectively. Assessment for attainment of puberty started from the age of 11 - 14 weeks on a weekly basis and at 72 h interval thereafter by examining their ejaculate and preputial fluid smeared on a glass slide under a microscope for sperm cells. Semen was collected twice a week for 3 weeks after maturity (6 months old) with the aid of an artificial vagina (AV), using rabbit does as teasers. Semen analysis was done within 20 minutes of collection, following standard procedures. Libido was determined weekly for 3 weeks by recording the time it took the matured rabbit bucks to sniff, groom, and mount the rabbit doe in the initial instance (reaction time); and by counting the number of times the matured buck attempts to mount the doe per minute (libido score). Data generated from this study was analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Age at puberty (MT1 = 116.00 days; MT2 = 112.50 days; MT3 = 100.50 days) was significantly (P<0.05) lower in MT3 (400 mg/kg b.w), and weight at puberty (MT1 = 1483.33 g; MT2 = 1475.00 g; MT3 = 1378.50 g) recorded a dose dependent significant (P<0.05) decrease in the male rabbits. Semen volume (MT1 = 0.95 mL; MT2 = 1.25 mL; MT3 = 1.55 mL), total sperm count (MT1 = 115.00 x 10 ; MT2 = 125.50 x10 ; MT3 = 146.20 x 10 ), progressive sperm motility (MT1 = 78.50 %; MT2 = 83.00 %; MT3 = 82.30 %), live sperm proportion (MT1 = 80.63 %; MT2 = 85.40 %; MT3 = 89.75 %) and libido score (MT1 = 7.00 mounts/min; MT2 = 9.00 mounts/min; MT3 = 11.50 mounts/min) were significantly (P<0.05) higher in adult rabbit bucks administered PGEs, while reaction time (MT1 = 9.45 s; MT2 = 3.15 s; MT3 = 2.60 s) significantly (P<0.05) decreased in PGEs treated rabbits. This study shows that PGEs can orally be administered up to 400 mg/kg body weight in NZW rabbit bucks to enhance their reproductive potential, through early attainment of puberty, improved semen quality and enhanced libido.


2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 821-830 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marek Babicz ◽  
Ewa Skrzypczak ◽  
Kinga Kropiwiec ◽  
Anna Kozubska-Sobocińska ◽  
Barbara Danielak-Czech

Abstract PRL (prolactin) and FST (follistatin) genes were investigated and analysed with regard to values of selected indices determining the reproductive activity of gilts in heat. The performed analyses comprised gilts of Puławska breed kept within the framework of the Genetic Resources Protection Programme of Farm Animals. Ninety-six gilts were phenotyped (one set for FST and one set for PRL). Each genotype (PRL, FST) group was represented by an equinumerous population of 32 gilts. The analysis took into consideration the second and third spontaneous oestrus during which the following parameters were assessed: age, body weight, duration of the tolerance reflex in the phase of true oestrus and intensity of reproductive responses during the oestrus period. The sexual behaviour was estimated with the assistance of: the manual method, mounting with a simultaneous pressure with knees of the lumbosacral area, and using a teaser boar in accordance with a 3-point score. The performed experiments revealed a significant impact of polymorphism in the FST locus on oestrous activity. On the other hand, the PRL gene was found to affect feeding behaviour, motor activity (including oestrous) and contributed to lack of motor activity treated as rest or sleep.


2014 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 91-99
Author(s):  
Jayashree V. Hanchinalmath ◽  
Kirankumar Shivasharanappa ◽  
T.S. Roopa ◽  
Y. Saisundeep

The albino Wistar rats were used to investigate the effect of thyroxine administration on the activity of citric acid, α-Amylase, creatine phosphokinase (CPK), creatinine, cholesterol and triglycerides level in blood serum and citric acid in liver and kidney. Two groups of rats were taken for the experiment. One group was injected subcutaneously with 200 μl of thyroxine/50 g of body weight, the other group served as control. The animals were vivisected with anesthesia after intervals of 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours α-Amylase and CPK levels in blood; citric acid level in liver and kidney of control and thyroxine treated rats. The results showed that the α-Amylase activity remained unaltered (100 g/h/l) throughout the experiment. However, citric acid level found to be 460 mg in the liver and 415 mg in kidney of control rats. The values slightly increased to 480 and 680 mg in respective tissues of thyroxine treated animals for 24 hr. The values decreased in 48 and 72 hours of treatment. Further the values found to be increased after 96 hours of treatment. Although the thyroxine treatment altered citric acid, Creatinine, Cholesterol, Triglycerides and CPK levels in the tissues, the serum α-Amylase was not influenced by the thyroxine. The study suggests that the thyroxine acts as a regulator all the above parameters in the cellular level.


1964 ◽  
Vol 11 (02) ◽  
pp. 404-422 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annemarie Amris ◽  
C. J Amris

Summary14 patients (5 diabetics with arteriosclerotic complications, 4 patients with thrombo-embolic disease, 4 with cirrhosis, coagulation defects and increased fibrinolytic activity, and 1 cancer patient) and 3 control patients were subjected to turnover studies with 13iodine labelled human fibrinogen.Half-life times in the control patients were found to be 4 days, the fractional turnover rates 19–23 per cent, of intravascular fibrinogen per day, and the absolute turnover 0.02 to 0.06 gm per day per kg. body weight. The other patient’s half-life times and turnover rates varied considerably from 0.9–5.5 days, 13–160 per cent, per day of intravascular fibrinogen and 0.02–0.4 gm per day per kg. body weight respectively.As fibrinogen unlike other proteins subjected to turnover studies, is converted to fibrin, it is not possible to measure the true intra-extravascular distribution ratio of fibrinogen. But intravascular fibrinogen could be approximated to constitute 68–99 per cent, of the total fibrinogen. There is justification in believing that fibrinogen is degradated through a continuous coagulation in equilibrium with fibrinolysis, and that the organism contains a greater mass of fibrin, the “fibrin pool”. Considerations of the turnover mechanism can however only be hypothetical.


2020 ◽  
Vol 140 ◽  
pp. 25-29
Author(s):  
K Akiyama ◽  
N Hirazawa ◽  
A Hatanaka

Oxytetracycline (OTC) has been commonly used as an effective antibiotic against various fish bacterial diseases, including vibriosis. In this study, the absorption-enhancing effect of citric acid on oral OTC pharmacokinetics and treatment of artificial Vibrio anguillarum infection was evaluated in juvenile yellowtail Seriola quinqueradiata followed by serum OTC concentration analysis. When 25 mg kg-1 body weight (BW) OTC was administered in combination with 1250 mg kg-1 BW citric acid, the serum OTC concentration reached almost the same concentration as that of the group treated with 50 mg kg-1 BW OTC. This coadministration successfully suppressed mortality due to vibriosis similar to the group treated with 50 mg kg-1 BW OTC. Conversely, poor efficacy was observed when only 25 mg kg-1 BW OTC was administered. These results suggest that coadministration of citric acid can be beneficial in reducing the dose of OTC needed for effective treatment, and thus contributes to the goal of reduced use of this antibiotic in aquaculture.


Author(s):  
Yuichi Suzuki

Abstract A subtest of the LLAMA test battery (LLAMA_D) has been proposed as a potential test of implicit learning aptitude. To improve its construct validity, in the present study, the original LLAMA_D (a) instructions for incidental learning were modified, and (b) confidence ratings of test responses and (c) reaction time (RT) measurements were added. This revised LLAMA_D was administered along with the other LLAMA subtests (LLAMA-B, -E, and -F). Unconscious knowledge that may (not) result from the exposure was assessed through the relationship between the accuracy/RT and confidence ratings. The results suggest that LLAMA_D accuracy largely reflects conscious retrieval of previously heard sound sequences. However, an index derived from the LLAMA_D RT measure (coefficient of variance) was associated with an aspect of oral fluency, which is presumably dependent on proceduralization. Several recommendations are proposed to redesign and extend LLAMA_D as a potential aptitude test for proceduralization.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ning Li ◽  
Yichi Zhang ◽  
Narayan Nepal ◽  
Guoqing Li ◽  
Ningning Yang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic and recurrent disease without satisfactory treatment strategies. Dental pulp stem cell (DPSC) transplantation has been proposed as a potential therapy for UC. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of the rat hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) gene transduced into DPSCs for UC. Methods The therapeutic effects of HGF-DPSCs transplanted intravenously into a rat model of UC induced by 5% dextran sulphate sodium (DSS) were compared with the other treatment groups (LV-HGF group, DPSCs group and GFP-DPSCs group). Immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry were used to observe the localization and proliferation of HGF-DPSCs at the site of colon injury. The expression levels of inflammatory factors were detected by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-PCR) and western blotting. The oxidative stress markers were detected by ELISA. DAI scores and body weight changes were used to macroscopically evaluate the treatment of rats in each group. Results Immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry assays showed that HGF-DPSCs homed to colon injury sites and colocalized with intestinal stem cell (ISC) markers (Bmi1, Musashi1 and Sox9) and significantly promoted protein expression (Bmi1, Musashi1, Sox9 and PCNA). Anti-inflammatory cytokine (TGF-β and IL-10) expression was the highest in the HGF-DPSCs group compared with the other treatment groups, while the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and INF-γ) was the lowest. Additionally, the oxidative stress response results showed that malondialdehyde (MDA) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) expression decreased while superoxide dismutase (SOD) expression increased, especially in the HGF-DPSCs group. The DAI scores showed a downward trend with time in the five treatment groups, whereas body weight increased, and the changes were most prominent in the HGF-DPSCs group. Conclusions The study indicated that HGF-DPSCs can alleviate injuries to the intestinal mucosa by transdifferentiating into ISC-like cells, promoting ISC-like cell proliferation, suppressing inflammatory responses and reducing oxidative stress damage, which provides new ideas for the clinical treatment of UC.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 1038-1038
Author(s):  
Michael Miklus ◽  
Pedro Prieto ◽  
Cynthia Barber ◽  
Robert Rhoads ◽  
Samer El-Kadi

Abstract Objectives The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of 2’fucosyllactose (2’FL) and fat blends on growth, body composition and fatty acid profile of the liver and brain using the neonatal pig as a model for the human infant. Methods Pigs (3 d old) were randomly assigned to either: 1. control, 2. Palm Olein (PO) fat blend – Low 2'-FL, 3. PO – High 2'-FL, 4. High oleic acid (HO) – Low 2'-FL, 5. HO FB – High 2'-FL, 6. PO FB – GLA, or 7. kept with their sows. Pigs in groups 1 to 6 received 250 ml·kg−1·d−1 of formula in 5 equal meals for 15 d. On day 14 of the study, groups 1–6 received intraperitoneal E. coli LPS challenge at 100 µg·kg−1 weight. Results Body weight was greater for piglets fed by sows than those in the other groups (P &lt; 0.001). In addition, % fat and bone mineral content were higher in the sow-fed group while lean % was less sow-fed piglets (group 7) compared with those in the other groups (P &lt; 0.05). Only longissimus weight expressed as a % of body weight, was greater for group 7 compared with all other groups (P &lt; 0.001). Soleus, semitendinosus, brain, heart and spleen weights as a % of body weight were similar across all groups. However, liver weight as a % of body weight was greater in groups 1–6 (3.7%) compared with group 7 (2.8%; P &lt; 0.001). The proportion of brain 16:1 fatty acid was less (0.83%) for groups 1–6 than for group 7 pigs (1.08%; P &lt; 0.0001). The proportion of 20:3 N6 was greatest (0.66%) for group 3 compared with groups 1 and 4 (0.55%; P &lt; 0.05). In addition, the proportion of 20:5 N3 was greatest (0.12%) for group 3 compared with groups 1 and 7 (0.07%; P &lt; 0.05). The proportion of liver 16:1, 18:0, and 18:1 cis-11 fatty acids were greater for group 7 (2.3, 23, 2.2%) than groups 1–6 (0.2, 20, 1.2%; P &lt; 0.0001). Conversely, the contribution of 14:0, 18:1 cis-9, 18:3 N6 cis-6,9,12, and 22:6 N3 were greater for pigs in groups 1–6 (1.3, 0.6, and 14, 7.8%) compared with those in group 7 (0.5, 8.5, 0.2 and 3.5%; P &lt; 0.0001). Conclusions Our data suggest that feeding 2’fucosyllactose had no effect on the body weight gain and composition in neonatal pigs. Our data also suggest that dietary fatty acids have a greater effect on liver than on brain fatty acid composition. Funding Sources Funding for the work was provided by Perrigo Nutritionals, LLC.


2018 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 42552
Author(s):  
Fatima Kouri ◽  
Salima Charallah ◽  
Amina Kouri ◽  
Zaina Amirat ◽  
Farida Khammar

 This research aims to assess the performances of lactating Bedouin goat under arid conditions, focusing on the relationship of milk yield with body and udder morphology and growth traits. Fourteen goats and their kids were followed during early lactation (90 days post-partum). Mean daily milk yield was 0.56 kg. Milk fat, proteins, lactose, solids non-fat and minerals were respectively 34.9, 38.9, 48.8, 107 and 6.7 g L-1. Mean kids’ birth weight, adjusted body weight at 90 days of age and average daily gain were respectively 2 kg, 6.6 kg and 51.4 g day-1. Daily milk yield was correlated with goats’ body weight, withers height, rump height, udder width and udder circumference but not with linear udder score and growth performances. These results provide important data about the milk production of Bedouin goat emphasizing its correlation with body and udder morphological traits which can help to elaborate a specific breeding program for this breed. 


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