Ovine Artificial Insemination in the Maghreb Region: Present Status and Future Prospects

Artificial insemination (AI) plays a key role in the genetic improvement of farm animals. Although it is widely used for cattle in the Maghreb region, it is scarcely applied in sheep at farm level. This is not only due to low fertility and irregular results that range between 30 to less than 76% for both cervical AI with fresh semen and laparoscopic insemination with frozen semen in most of studied breeds and also because of low results related to conditioning of fresh, chilled and frozen rams′ semen. An appropriately literature analysis was conducted to highlight the importance of sheep breeding in the Maghreb region particularly in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia and to assess the efficiency of AI for Magrebin ovine breeds, the results related to different semen conditioning techniques and different AI procedures. The main factors affecting AI results are also presented. Finally, this chapter presents different strategies to improve AI efficiency at farm level in the future and the challenges to extrapolate experimental AI techniques to field conditions at a large scale

Efficacy of ovine artificial insemination at farm level in Tunisia

Les inséminations artificielles des brebis (n=3765) réalisées en contre-saison enregistrées durant 3 années successives chez les éleveurs privés ont été analysées afin de déterminer les facteurs influençant la réussite de l’insémination. Les brebis appartenaient à 13 éleveurs adhérant au programme de contrôle des performances de la Direction de l’Amélioration Génétique de l’Office de l’élevage et des Pâturages. Quatre races autochtones: Sicilo-Sarde (SS), Noire de Thibar (NT), Queue Fine de l’Ouest (QFO) et Barbarine tête noire (BTN) et tête rousse (BTR) ont fait l’objet de cette étude. Après avoir reçu un traitement de synchronisation des chaleurs, ces brebis ont subi une insémination cervicale avec du sperme frais ou refroidi à 15°C environ 55 ± 1 h après le retrait de l'éponge. Notre étude a montré que la fertilité des brebis inséminées en contre saison par la technique IA cervicale variait de 32 à 74 % avec une moyenne de 47,6 ± 9,9 %. L’utilisation de la semence refroidie a réduit significativement (p<0,01) le taux de réussite de l’IA avec 43,8 ± 7,6 % contre 55,9 % ± 9,6 % en utilisant la semence fraiche. Nos résultats ont montré la supériorité de la race SS par rapport aux races à viande Tunisienne. Un effet important de la conduite d’élevage a été décelé, montrant l’importance de la préparation des brebis avant le recours à l’IA. Mots clés : Brebis, Fertilité, Insémination cervicaleThe artificial inseminations of ewes (n = 3765) carried out during spring mating season recorded during 3 successive years at private farms were analyzed in order to determine the factors influencing the results of insemination. Ewes belonged to 13 privet breeders adhering to the program of ovine’s performances control of the Department of Genetic Improvement of the Livestock and Pasture Office, Tunisia. Four indigenous breeds: Sicilo-Sarde (SS), Noire de Thibar (NT), Queue Fine de l'Ouest (QFO) and black head (BTN) and red head (BTR) Barbarine were used. Ewes received an estrus synchronization treatment and AI was performed 55 ± 1hours after PMSG administration with fresh or chilled (at 15° C) semen. Our study showed that the fertility of ewes inseminated in out-of-season by the cervical IA technique varied from 32 to 74 % with an average of 47.6 ± 9.9 %. The use of chilled semen significantly (p <0.01) reduced the success rate of AI with 43.8 ± 7.6 % versus 55.9 % ± 9.6 % using the fresh semen. Our results showed the superiority of the SS breed over the Tunisian meat breeds. An important effect of breeding management was detected, showing the importance of preparing ewes before using AI. Keywords: Cervical insemination, Ewes, Fertilit

Microbiological Quality and Biochemical Characteristics of Lactic Acid Bacteria from Camel Milk as Affected by the Production System and Stage of Lactation

The aim of this work is to study the effect of lactation stage and camel farming system on microbiological, physicochemical parameters, and identification of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) of camel milk. Samples were collected from four camels in semi-intensive system and four camels in intensive system. Microbiological and physicochemical parameters were analyzed. Furthermore, to study the effect of lactation stage, samples were collected from three camels and followed during a period of 10 months of lactation from parturition. LAB were isolated from this sample and identified by biochemical methods. The difference between the physico-chemical characteristic basis of camel farming system are not statistically different except fat. The microbiological analysis showed a significant difference in total mesophilic bacteria, yeast, and molds and total coliform between intensive, semi-intensive, and extensive system. The difference between physicochemical and microbiological characteristics basis of lactation stage are statistically significant. In the intensive system, they were identified the same genre of bacteria: Lactococcus lactis, but in semi intensive system, we found different species of LAB. Eight of LAB identified as different Lactococcus or Lactobacillus was isolated in colostrums. The diversity of LAB was affected by lactation stage and farming system

Machine Milkability of Dromedary Camels: Correlation between Udder Morphology and Milk Flow Traits

This study aims to measure mammary morphological traits with a functional influence on machine milking ability of Tunisian Camels (Camelus dromedarius) and their evolution according to the stage of lactation and parity. Udder and teat measurements were recorded before morning milking and associated with the measurement of milk emission kinetics parameters evaluated with Lactocorder® devices (WMB AG, Balgache, Switzerland) and observations. Three main teat shapes were recorded and their dimensions evolved with parity and stage of lactation. The milk flow curves were classified into three main types according to their maximum and average flow rates and they also evolve according to parity and stage of lactation. An average of 41% of the milk flow curves was bimodal. The correlations showed that some morphological traits were unfavorable to rapid milking and that these increase with parity. Therefore, this study provides the first elements for a morphological selection associated with an aptitude for mechanical milking which appears rather good in our dromedaries. Nevertheless, it will be necessary to monitor a possible negative evolution of the functional and anatomical traits of the udders during the career of the animals

Camel Milk-Clotting Using Plant Extracts as a Substitute to Commercial Rennet

The transformation of camel milk into cheese is an operation considered very delicate because of several difficulties encountered in achieving coagulation. The present study aims to improve coagulation abilities of camel milk using enzyme extracts from pineapple, kiwi, and ginger. Our results concerning the characterization of the enzymatic extract showed an extraction yield that varies according to the type of extract (pineapple: 75.28% ± 4.59, kiwi: 63.97% ± 5.22, and ginger: 28.64% ± 1.47). The optimum coagulation conditions of the 3 types of extract were as follows: for pineapple: pH = 5 and temperature = 45°C; for kiwifruit: pH = 6.6 and temperature = 40°C; and for ginger: pH = 6.6 and temperature = 45°C. A fresh cheese was made from camel milk with a particular nutritional quality and consistency. The kiwi proteases displayed chymosin-like properties and thus hold the best potential for use as a milk coagulant in cheese production

Mismothering and remedying the mother-young relationship in stabled dromedary camels

International audienceThis study aimed to characterize inappropriate maternal behaviours in stabled dromedary camels in order to detect the main causes of calf rejection, and to develop a suitable method to remediate mismothering. A herd of 45 pregnant females was under video surveillance to detect periparturient females. Twelve pregnant dromedary females (6 accepting their newborns and 6 rejecting them 1 h after calving) were selected as experimental subjects. A blood sample was collected during calving to determine cortisol levels. Maternal behaviour at the calving site was assessed during the first hour postpartum. Rejecting dams and their neonates were moved into a confinement enclosure to assess their maternal behaviour over a period of 30 min at 1 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h during confinement and at 7 d postpartum. Five IU of synthetic oxytocin were injected at 8:00, 12:00 and 16:00 to induce milk ejection in rejecting dams and one qualified person collected colostrum. The newborns were fed by holding the bottle of colostrum on the surface of the mother's udder and keeping body contact between the two animals. Results showed that the duration of parturition was longer in the mothers that rejected their calves (P = 0.04). Such females spent more time in standing position during the calving process (P = 0.01) compared to accepting mothers, had higher plasma cortisol levels (P < 0.01), and gave birth preferentially while standing. Rejecting mothers changed calving sites and displayed head-turning more frequently (P < 0.01 in both parameters) than accepting mothers. Two causes of rejection were identified: dystocia and presence of an alien calf at the birth site. Moreover, a female showed a case of repeated rejecters. During the first hour postpartum, rejecting mothers failed to express good maternal care and moved away from their neonates. In the confinement enclosure, they exhibited attack behaviour toward their calves, displayed low sniffing activity, and emitted mainly high-pitched grunt. Aggression diminished progressively and disappeared (P < 0.0001) on the 2nd day of confinement while sniffing behaviour increased steadily (P = 0.001). The number of high-pitched grunt decreased over time while the number of low-pitched grunt increased over the first 3 days before declining significantly at the end of the confinement period (P < 0.0001). In conclusion, rejecting mothers can be very aggressive towards their own newborns. However, three days of confinement and forced contact with the calf while bottle-feeding it with the mother's milk was sufficient to alleviate mismothering in dromedaries and establish proper mother-young relationships