Characterization of RNA Editome in the Mammary Gland of Yaks during the Lactation and Dry Periods

The mammary gland is a complicated organ comprising several types of cells, and it undergoes extensive morphogenetic and metabolic changes during the female reproductive cycle. RNA editing is a posttranscriptional modification event occurring at the RNA nucleotide level, and it drives transcriptomic and proteomic diversities, with potential functional consequences. RNA editing in the mammary gland of yaks, however, remains poorly understood. Here, we used REDItools to identify RNA editing sites in mammary gland tissues in yaks during the lactation period (LP, n = 2) and dry period (DP, n = 3). Totally, 82,872 unique RNA editing sites were identified, most of which were detected in the noncoding regions with a low editing degree. In the coding regions (CDS), we detected 5235 editing sites, among which 1884 caused nonsynonymous amino acid changes. Of these RNA editing sites, 486 were found to generate novel possible miRNA target sites or interfere with the initial miRNA binding sites, indicating that RNA editing was related to gene regulation mediated by miRNA. A total of 14,159 RNA editing sites (involving 3238 common genes) showed a significant differential editing level in the LP when compared with that in the DP through Tukey’s Honest Significant Difference method (p < 0.05). According to the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis, genes that showed different RNA editing levels mainly participated in pathways highly related to mammary gland development, including MAPK, PI3K-Akt, FoxO, and GnRH signaling pathways. Collectively, this work demonstrated for the first time the dynamic RNA editome profiles in the mammary gland of yaks and shed more light on the mechanism that regulates lactation together with mammary gland development.

Some Teratogenic Outcomes in Rats Exposed to Zinc Chloride Pre and Post Pregnancy

The aim of present study was to evaluate the possibility of teratogenicity in rats when exposed to zinc chloride (ZnCl2) pre and post pregnancy. To achieve this goal, a total of 40 mature Albino Wistar female rats were divided equally into four groups as follows: T1, dosed 0.7 mg/day ZnCl2 for two months before mating and till to the day 5th of pregnancy, the females of this group were mated with males dosed 0.7 mg/day ZnCl2 for two weeks before mating; T2, dosed 0.7 mg/day ZnCl2 for two months before mating and till to the day 16th of pregnancy and then were mated with control males (not exposed to any level of ZnCl2); T3, dosed 0.7mg/day ZnCl2 for two months before mating and till the end of pregnancy and were mated with control males; Control, dosed with water free from ZnCl2 along the period of experiment and were mated with control males. At the end of each pregnancy phase, results revealed that alpha fetoprotein serum levels were significantly (P<0.05) higher in all treatment groups compared to the control group, and the most prominent increase was observed in the T3 group. All treatment groups showed a significant (P<0.05) decrease in gestation, viability, and lactation indices when compared to the control group, with the T3 group showing the most significant decrease. Additionally, on days 1, 4, 7, 14, and 21 of lactation period, there was a significant (P<0.05) decrease in mean pup body weights in treated groups compared to the control group, with T3 group having the most prominent body weight decrease. The findings of this study revealed that ZnCl2 at a daily dose of 0.7 mg may cause teratogenic defects in rats at various stages of pregnancy, particularly at the third stage. As high-risk groups, pregnant women and children should use Zn supplementation carefully, whether as a food additive or for self-medication. Simultaneously, evaluating effect of low-dose Zn supplementation over a longer duration is required.

Assessment of the degree of lameness in cows

Relevance. The structure of the hoof of cows is a complex biological mechanism consisting of the hoof joint, hoof bone, finger pad, sole, hoof wall, etc. According to V.A. Lukyanovsky (1982), hooves are an additional heart of the animal, since when the hoof hits the ground, the blood actively rises, which allows to create auxiliary pressure in the blood vessels, facilitating the work of the heart muscle. When this system is violated, pathologies of the cardiovascular system often develop. The appearance of foci of the pathological process in different parts of the hoof will not only disrupt the work of the heart, but also cause discomfort, pain, and most importantly — lameness, which will be the driving force in a significant decrease in the productivity of cattle.Methods. Scientists identify three main signs of developing lameness in an animal. The first is the position of the back when walking, normally the back should be smooth and straight, while with the onset of lameness, the animal will carefully rearrange the limb, thereby straining the dorsal muscles, after which a bend in the back will be observed. The second sign is a short step, since with pain syndrome, the animal tries to minimize the load on the diseased limb. The third sign will be the obvious protection of the diseased limb, as a result of which the animal will completely cease to rely on the limb, both when walking and when standing.Results. A systematic approach will allow us to present a mathematical model of a healthy animal and of lame one. Thus, the following pattern can be identified: In order to receive nutrients together with the feed, the cow must reach the feeder, therefore, depending on the degree of lameness, there is a decrease in the consumption of dry matter, up to 15%. Based on this, it can be calculated that with a lack of nutrients and energy, there will be a decrease in milk yield of up to 36%. Which, according to P.I. Nikanorov and I.M. Kasyanov, will lead to a loss of up to 300 kg of milk for the entire lactation period. It was found that in the presence of overgrown and deformed hooves, the daily milk yield of cows is reduced by 5–12%, and with the appearance of cracks in the fragments of the horny capsule — by 19–20%. Also, the birth of a calf is required to obtain milk, and the presence of lameness will negatively affect the production of reproductive hormones, lead to the appearance of “quiet” hunting, which in turn will indirectly lead to a loss of milk productivity.

Dynamic Associations of Milk Components With the Infant Gut Microbiome and Fecal Metabolites in a Mother–Infant Model by Microbiome, NMR Metabolomic, and Time-Series Clustering Analyses

Background: The gut microbiome and fecal metabolites of breastfed infants changes during lactation, and are influenced by breast milk components. This study aimed to investigate dynamic associations of milk components with the infant gut microbiome and fecal metabolites throughout the lactation period in a mother–infant model.Methods: One month after delivery, breast milk and subsequent infant feces were collected in a pair for 5 months from a mother and an exclusively breastfed infant. Composition of the fecal microbiome was determined with 16S rRNA sequencing. Low-molecular-weight metabolites, including human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), and antibacterial proteins were measured in feces and milk using 1H NMR metabolomics and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The association of milk bioactive components with the infant gut microbiome and fecal metabolites was determined with Python clustering and correlation analyses.Results: The HMOs in milk did not fluctuate throughout the lactation period. However, they began to disappear in infant feces at the beginning of month 4. Notably, at this time-point, a bifidobacterium species switching (from B. breve to B. longum subsp. infantis) occurred, accompanied by fluctuations in several metabolites including acetate and butyrate in infant feces.Conclusions: Milk bioactive components, such as HMOs, might play different roles in the exclusively breastfed infants depending on the lactation period.

Evaluation of Black Pied first-calf heifers` lactation of various genotypes

Purpose: Comparative assessment of the fullness of lactation of primarmels of different genotypes.Materials and methods. The article presents the results of the assessment of the lactation activities, which was carried out in the SEC "Kazminsky" Kochubeevsky district of the Stavropol region on the livestock of the black and motley breed of local and brown populations from the Vologda region from LLC "Zaozerier" (farm №. 1) and SHPK "Proseukhon" (farm №2). Three experienced animals groups of 30 goals were formed in each, studies were carried out according to generally accepted methods.Results. The greatest amount of milk for 305 days I lactation was obtained from the first elevations brought from LLC "Zaozerier" - 7368 kg, which is 3.64% more than from the cows of their own reproduction and 8.85% more than from animals grown in SEC "Proseukhonskoye". The lactation stability ratio was calculated in two ways, and in both cases there was more than 100, the factor of the fullness of lactation in the cows of the studied genotypes this indicator was also very high and amounted to 87.7-91.6, which indicates a high level of breeding and tribal work, and On the significant influence of genetic factors on the lactation activity of the studied animals. According to the nature of the lactation curve, the pilot of all three genotypes can be attributed to the I type - high stable lactation. However, the greatest amount of milk from cows was obtained in the third phase of lactation.Conclusion. Thus, it can be concluded that the period of adaptation did not have a significant impact on the lactation activity of the delivered first elements. The animals studied were characterized by high productivity and sustainable lactation.It is desirable when evaluating the cows, along with productivity for 305 days of lactation, consider individual qualities and the ability to hold high productivity to a large part of the lactation period. For more differentiated selection of cows in the breeding group, we recommend using the stability coefficients and the usefulness of lactation.

Comparative Characteristics of the Amino Acids Composition of Sheep Milk from Breeds of Northern Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan is characterized by a wide variety of natural, climatic, economic, and ethnic factors that have a specific impact on the development of sheep farming. The production of dairy products from sheep is limited due to the low productivity of animals and the seasonality of milk production throughout the year, as well as the short lactation period. Also, one of the problems is manual milking of sheep, which does not allow obtaining sheep milk on an industrial scale. The market of dairy products, currently in the Republic of Kazakhstan is represented only by-products made from cow's milk, and at the same time, most of them are products made from cow's milk powder, so the development of products made from sheep's milk is an urgent task. In addition, sheep's milk is a national product, and one of the tasks is to revive the traditional products of the Kazakh people. The analysis of literature studies shows that in-depth studies of the chemical composition of sheep's milk have not been conducted in Kazakhstan. The chemical composition data obtained during the Soviet period only give an idea of the primary chemical parameters obtained by generally accepted basic methods and do not provide reliable information about the deep chemical composition of the milk of local ewes. According to the results of studies, the content of the essential amino acid valine in cow's milk (0.21 g/100g) is also lower than in sheep's milk (9.69-3.79 g/100g). Sheep's milk protein is digested in the human body by 99.1%, and cow's milk protein by 91.9%. According to world experts, one of the advantages of Kazakhstan's domestic milk products is its naturalness, a low share of the use of genetically modified organisms, and environmentally friendly pastures, due to which they receive high-quality and safe products. Therefore, the designated research topic and its analysis are appropriate and relevant.

Maternal dietary diversity during lactation and associated factors in Palghar district, Maharashtra, India

Dietary adequacy and diversity during the lactation period are necessary to ensure good health and nutrition among women and children. Behavioral interventions pertaining to health and nutrition counselling during pregnancy and lactation are critical for awareness about dietary diversity. The issue assumes salience for marginalized communities because of the Covid-19 pandemic and associated economic and societal disruptions. This paper assesses the dietary patterns among 400 lactating mothers in the tribal-dominated district of Palghar in Maharashtra, India in 2020. The study is based on primary data regarding consumption of 10 food groups among women across 10 food groups based on 24-hour recall period. The primary outcome variable was binary information regarding Minimum Dietary Diversity defined as consumption from at least 5 food groups. Econometric analysis based on multilevel models and item-response theory is applied to identify food groups that were most difficult to be received by mothers during the early and late lactation period. We find that the daily diet of lactating mothers in Palghar primarily consists of grains, white roots, tubers, and pulses. In contrast, the intake of dairy, eggs, and non-vegetarian food items is much lower. Only Half of the lactating women (56.5 percent; 95% CI: 37.4; 73.8) have a minimum diversified diet (MDD). The prevalence of lactating women with MDD was higher among households with higher income (73.1 percent; 95% CI: 45.2; 89.9) than those in lower income group (50.7 percent; 95% CI: 42.3; 58.9). Lactating Women (in early phase) who received health and nutrition counseling services are more likely (OR: 2.37; 95% CI: 0.90; 6.26) to consume a diversified diet. Food groups such as fruits, meat, poultry, fish, nuts, and seeds were among the rare food items in daily diet. The dietary pattern lacking in fruits, nuts, and heme (iron) sources indicates more significant risks of micronutrient deficiencies. The findings call for improving dietary diversity among lactating mothers, particularly from the marginalized communities, and are driven by low consumption of dairy products or various fruits and vegetables. Among the different food items, the consumption of micronutrient-rich seeds and nuts is most difficult to be accessed by lactating mothers. Also, diet-centric counseling and informing lactating mothers of its benefits are necessary to increase dietary diversity for improving maternal and child nutrition.

A SİMULATİON STUDY TO DETERMİNE THE RESPONSE OF MORKARAMAN SHEEP RAİSED İN CENTRAL AND EASTERN ANATOLİAN TO CHANGİNG CLİMATE CONDİTİONS

Climate change has begun to affect the whole world seriously. If necessary and sufficient measures are not taken, it seems possible that much bigger disasters will occur in the future. The agricultural sector, which forms the basis of food production, is affected the most and rapidly by this change. Significant decreases have been observed in plant and animal production. Our primary purpose is to determine the reproductive potential of animals and the amount of resistance to climate change and evaluate the economic situation. The study was carried out within ten years, covering 2009-2019. In this study, morkaraman sheep bred in the province of Kırşehir in the Central Anatolian Region and the province of Bingöl in the Eastern Anatolia Region is considered material in Turkey. In order to obtain the data used, a total of 296 sheep, 145 sheep in the Eastern Anatolia Region and 151 sheep in the Central Anatolia Region, were evaluated. The simulation study was carried out using the polygenic model. The variables examined are as follows; Lactation time (days), Average daily milk yield (ml), Daily amount of feed consumed for 1 kg live weight (kg), Yield (%), Incidence of Mastitis, Daily oil yield (g/day), Daily protein yield ( g/day), Fertility (%), Fertility time (productivity) (Days), Change in milk yield for each degree above 22 °C and Protein change for each degree above 22 °C (g/°C /day). As a result, in a one-degree increase in temperature, the highest negative effect is seen in the average daily milk yield and lactation period. Fertility and the amount of feed consumed per kg of weight had the lowest value. The preliminary work to be done with the work is that the selection of animals that are resistant/tolerant to climate change should be made. Keywords: Genotypic effects, climatic change, morkaraman sheep, simulation, sustainability.

Reproductive Ability of Doe-Rabbits and Growth and Preservation of the Offspring by Feeding Sulfur Compounds

The use of organic minerals in the form of nanocompounds as a substitute for mineral inorganic salts is promising, but insufficiently studied. Therefore, the purpose of the search was to determine the influence of drinking sulfur citrate and sodium sulfate 14 days before insemination and up to 20th day of lactation on the reproductive capacity of rabbits and the preservation of the offspring up to 40th day of life. The research was carried out on rabbits of the second breed of Hyla breed in “Horlytsia”. Сontrol group were fed without restriction complete ration granular feed with free access to water. 1st experimental group were fed with the ration of the control group and during the day were watered with sulfur citrate, at the rate of 8 μg S/kg of body weight. II experimental group were fed with the ration of the control group and with water was given sodium sulfate in the amount of 40 mg S/kg of body weight. Additives to rabbits were watered 14 days before insemination and for up to 20 days of lactation. It was found that on the first day of life of young rabbits their number in the I and II experimental groups was respectively higher by 8.5 and 4.2% compared to the control. The number of young rabbits at 20 and 40 days of age in the I and II experimental groups was respectively higher by 10.4 and 4.4% and 14.0 and 4.6% compared to the control group. The weight of rabbits in the nest of the II experimental group at 1, 20 and 40 days of life was respectively higher by 2.8; 6.1 and 7.0%, which is based on the average mass of one rabbit for these periods and amounted to 1.1, respectively; 2.7 and 4.3% compared with animals in the control group. The average amount of milk produced by rabbits of I and II experimental groups was respectively higher by 10.2% and 6.6% per day and for 20 days of the lactation period compared to the control. The preservation of rabbits in the I and II experimental groups was respectively higher by 6.4 and 6.4% and 3.6 and 4.4% at 20 and 40 days of life of young rabbits compared to the control group. The results of the research indicate the possibility of additional use in the ration of rabbits of the addition of sulfur citrate in the amount of 8 μg S/kg of body weight to increase metabolism and reproductive capacity during periods of increased physiological load