Assessment of Sensitivity and Profitability of an Intravaginal Sensor for Remote Calving Prediction in Dairy Cattle

One critical point of dairy farm management is calving and neonatal first care. Timely calving assistance is associated with the reduction of calf mortality and postpartum uterine disease, and with improved fertility in dairy cattle. This study aimed to evaluate the performance and profitability of an intravaginal sensor for the prediction of stage II of labor in dairy farms, thus allowing proper calving assistance. Seventy-three late-gestating Italian Holstein cows were submitted to the insertion of an intravaginal device, equipped with light and temperature sensors, connected with a Central Unit for the commutation of a radio-signal into a cell phone alert. The remote calving alarm correctly identified the beginning of the expulsive phase of labor in 86.3% of the monitored cows. The mean interval from alarm to complete expulsion of the fetus was 71.56 ± 52.98 min, with a greater range in cows with dystocia (p = 0.012). The sensor worked correctly in both cold and warm weather conditions, and during day- or night-time. The intravaginal probe was well tolerated, as any cow showed lesions to the vaginal mucosa after calving. Using sex-sorted semen in heifers and beef bull semen in cows at their last lactation, the economic estimation performed through PrecisionTree™ software led to an income improvement of 119 € and 123 €/monitored delivery in primiparous and pluriparous cows, respectively. Remote calving alarm devices are key components of “precision farming” management and proven to improve animal welfare, to reduce calf losses and to increase farm incomes.

Identification of Bull Semen Microbiome by 16S Sequencing and Possible Relationships with Fertility

Reports on the use of 16S sequencing for the identification of bacteria in healthy animals are lacking. Bacterial contamination of bull semen can have a negative effect on the sperm quality. The aims of this study were threefold: to identify bacteria in the semen of healthy bulls using 16S sequencing; to investigate the differences in the bacterial community between individual bulls; and to establish if there was a relationship between the bacteria isolated and bull fertility. Semen from 18 bulls of known fertility was used for the DNA extraction and 16S sequencing; 107 bacterial genera were identified. The differences in the amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) and the numbers of genera between bulls were noted. Negative correlations (p < 0.05) between several bacterial genera with Curvibacter, Rikenellaceae RC9-gut-group and Dyella spp. were seen. Other negatively correlated bacteria were Cutibacterium, Ruminococcaceae UCG-005, Ruminococcaceae UCG-010 and Staphylococcus, all within the top 20 genera. Two genera, W5053 and Lawsonella, were enriched in bulls of low fertility; this is the first time that these bacteria have been reported in bull semen samples. The majority of the bacteria were environmental organisms or were species originating from the mucous membranes of animals and humans. The results of this study indicate that differences in the seminal microbiota of healthy bulls occur and might be correlated with fertility.

EFFECT OF PENICILLIN -CIPROFLOXACIN COMBINATION ON SEMEN CHARACTERISTIC AND BACTERIAL CONTAMINANTS OF DILUTED BULL SEMEN

Effect of penicillin- ciprofloxacin combinations on some semen characteristics and bacterial contaminants of diluted bull semen was determined and compared with those of penicillin- streptomycin combinations. Sperm motility, percentage of dead and abnormal spermatozoa and survival index did not differ significantly for penicillin (1000 IU) and ciprofloxacin (125, 250, 500, 1000 ug) combinations per milliliter of diluted bull semen from those of penicillin (1000 I.U) and streptomycin (500 ug) combination / ml. Each penicillin ciprofloxacin combination effectively controlled bacterial growth. However penicillin streptomycin combination did not effectively control the growth. Accordingly, the combination of penicillin- ciprofloxacin seems to be a satisfactory substituent for penicillin- streptomycin combination for controlling bacterial contaminants in diluted bull semen without impairing semen characteristics.

Effects of various diluents on the quality and shelf life of Donggala bull semen

This study aimed to determine the effects of different semen diluent on the quality and storage time of liquid semen of Donggala bull. Semen was obtained from four selected bulls which collected using artificial vagina. The semen diluent is based on Tris aminomethane-citric acid with different concentration of glucose namely P1=0.00g, P2=0.25g, P3=0.50g, and P4=0.75g. Another group of treatment also prepared based on Tris aminomethane-glucose with different concentration of egg yolk namely P5=0%, P6=15%, P7=20%, and P8=25%. The data obtained were then analyzed descriptively. Results showed tris aminomethane-citric acid-glucose diluents had sperm progressive motile at >40% until the day 4 of storage, and tris aminomethane-glucose-egg yolk only able to support sperm life for 2 days, and in P8 group shows 41.02% motile on the day 3. In this study, we found the pattern of the increasing of shelf life affect to the decrease rate of sperm viability and normality.