Reproductive activity in cows following parturition against values of certain parameters of metabolic profile

Data from literature indicate that there is a correlation between the values of reproductive parameters and the values of parameters of the metabolic profile, even though this cannot be confirmed in many cases. The objective of this work was to examine the connection between certain parameters of the metabolic profile and the restoration of reproductive activity in the postpartal period. Blood samples were taken from the cows involved in the experiment and values of parameters of the metabolic state were determined in 27 cows, of which 14 were primiparous and 13 multiparous. In the blood serum samples, we determined the concentration of glucose, total proteins, albumin, urea, and the activities of certain enzymes (alkaline phosphatase, ASAT and ALAT). It was established on the grounds of the obtained results that the delay in the establishment of reproductive activity in the postpartal period was in correlation with the blood concentrations of urea and albumin.

Thyroid Hormones Concentrations during the Mid-Dry Period: An Early Indicator of Fatty Liver in Holstein-Friesian Dairy Cows

Relationship between postpartal fatty liver and thyroid gland activity during the peripartal and mid dry periods was studied. Twenty one dry cows were chosen. Blood samples were obtained on days −30, −2, and +12 related to calving and analized for thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). A T3/T4 ratio was calculated. Liver tissue samples were taken 12 d after calving and tested for the lipid content. Cows were divided into three groups: mild (<20% fat), moderate (20 to 30%), or severe fatty liver (>30%). Cows, that were affected with severe fatty liver, were hypothyroid prior to development of the condition due to lower T4 concentrations, and had significantly lower concentration of T3 and higher T3/T4 ratios than cows with mild and moderate fatty liver. Thus, hypothyroid state during mid-dry period may be an early indicator of postpartal fatty liver and may provoke T3/T4 ratio increase in this group of cows

Uticaj telesne kondicije krava na učestalost i stepen zamašćenja jetre

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of energy status of cows, estimated by body condition score, on the incidence and the degree of hepatic lipidosis during the early stage of lactation. Cows were divided into four groups: dry, early puerperal, early lactation and late lactation period. Each group consisted of 60 cows. Body condition was scored by the method established in Elaco Animal Health Buletin Al 8478. According to this method, body condition score is represented numerically from 1 to 5 points. Liver samples for pathohistological analyses were taken by biopsy from early lactation cows (60. day of lactation). Fat content in hepatocytes was determined morphometrically and results were compared with criteria based on total lipid and triglyceride content in liver tissue. On farm A, average body condition scores were in a range from 3.31, at sixty days of lactation, to 3.86 points in the dry period. Nevertheless, the range was wider on farm B, and was from 2.18 points at sixty days of lactation to 4.15 points at the dry period. Besides, differences in average body condition scores were higher than 1 point, and in some cases (between late lactation or dry period to sixty days of lactation) were almost 2 points. The incidence and the degree of hepatic lipidosis strongly differ between the two examined farms. On farm A the incidence of hepatic lipidosis was 18.33 percent, while on farm B that percent was much higher (43.32). A significant difference was established in the degree of hepatic lipidosis between those two farms. On farm A diffuse hepatic lipidosis was determined in 5.0 percent of cows, while on farm B that percent was 18.33. According to these results, most of the cows on farm B had uncontrolled lipomobilisation and severe fatty liver during the early lactation period, probably due to the obesity of these cows in late lactation and the dry period.Cilj istraživanja, obrađenog u ovom radu, bio je da se utvrdi uticaj energetskog statusa krava, procenjen na osnovu telesne kondicije, na učestalost i stepen zamašćenja jetre u ranoj fazi laktacije. Za ispitivanja su odabrane 4 grupe od po 60 krava koje su bile u periodu zasušenja, ranom puerperijumu, ranoj i kasnoj fazi laktacije. Telesna kondicija krava uključenih u ogled je ocenjivana prema sistemu Elanco Animal Health Buletin Al 8478. Prema ovom sistemu ocena telesne kondicije se izražava numerički od 1 do 5 poena. Od krava koje su bile u ranoj fazi laktacije (60. dana) biopsijom su uzimani uzorci tkiva jetre za patohistološ ka ispitivanja. Sadržaj masti u hepatocitima određivan je morfometrijski a dobijeni rezultati su upoređivani sa kriterijumima dobijenim na osnovu količine ukupnih lipida i triglicerida u tkivu jetre. Na farmi A prosečne vrednosti ocena telesne kondicije su se kretale od najmanje 3,31 60. dana laktacije, do najviše 3,86 poena u zasušenju. Na farmi B su utvrđena veća odstupanja, tako da je prosečna vrednost ocene telesne kondicije 60. dana laktacije bila 2,18 poena, a u zasušenju 4,15 poena. Osim toga, na farmi B razlike između prosečnih vrednosti ocena telesne kondicije su veće od 1 poena, a u nekim slučajevima (između poslednje faze laktacije i perioda zasušenja u odnosu na šezdeseti dan laktacije) su skoro 2 poena. Rezultati ispitivanja učestalosti i stepena zamašćenja jetre dobijeni na dve farme se takođe značajno razlikuju. Dok je na farmi A zamašćenje jetre ustanovljeno kod 18,33% krava, na farmi B je taj procenat bio značajno veći (43,32). Značajne razlike postoje i u stepenu zamašćenja jetre krava sa ove dve farme. Na farmi A difuzno zamašćenje jetre je ustanovljeno kod 5%, a na farmi B kod 18,33% ispitivanih životinja. Po svemu sudeći, na farmi B, kao rezultat gojaznosti većine krava u poslednjoj fazi laktacije i zasušenju, u ranoj fazi laktacije započinje nekontrolisana lipomobilizacija i nastaje težak oblik zamašćenja jetre

Antioxidant effect of vitamin C on porcine oocytes maturated in vitro

Cells are vulnerable to oxidative stress during in vitro culture systems. The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of vitamin C addition in in vitro culture media on porcine oocytes maturation rate based on morphological changes. Porcine COC’s were matured according to their morphological class (class I, II and III) in two groups: control (M) and supplemented with vitamin C (0.5 mM, C) in TCM 199 HEPES (M2520) modification media with hormones (0.88UI/ml FSH, F8174) at 38.50C in 5% CO2 humidified air atmosphere for 44h. The rates of oocytes with cumulus cells expansion were higher with addition of vitamin C as compared to control group, with 7.83% (C1), 70.59% (C2) and 6.04% (C3). It could be concluded from this preliminary study that addition of vitamin C in in vitro maturation medium has a beneficial effect on porcine oocytes especially in C2 group

Boar freeze-dried semen evaluation using Spermac staining

Sperm freeze-drying is a new and alternative method to preserve male gametes in refrigeration or at room temperature. In order to protect sperm integrity special protection is required. The aim of our research was to examine the effect of vitamin C and rosmarinic acid on the spermatozoa integrity after freeze-drying the probes. We analyzed the acrosome reaction and the morphological aspects of boar spermatozoa form three different breed (Pietrain, Large White and Landrace) after rehydration. We observed that the highest percent of spermatozoa with intact acrosome and the least spermatozoa anomalies were in samples were rosmarinic acid was added. As preliminary results we could state that adding antioxidants protects spermatozoa from oxidative stress

Generating bovine embryos through ICSI

Through ICSI, competition between sperms and also sperm-oocyte interaction are avoided thus ICSI proving reliable when sperm is not suitable for IVF. In bovine, the limiting step is represented by low rate of sperm head decondensation subsequent ICSI. Intracytoplasmatic sperm injection allows avoiding many critical moments that may occur during normal or in vitro fertilization. Oocytes were obtained from ovaries from slaughtered cows. These were transported in 0.9% NaCl solution in isothermal bags at a temperature of 25-30 ° C. The ovaries were brought from the slaughterhouse within 2 hours. Harvesting of the oocytes was made through the aspiration method. After maturation, oocytes were fertilized using sperm that was prepared using Percoll method and then treated with TritonX. The volume of the TritonX solution that accompanies the sperma and which remains in the oocyte is extremely important given that by its action, TritonX removes the acrosome, thus releasing a rich enzyme content and facilitating the dehydration of the male pronucleus. Even though the number of 2 nucleus, 2 cells or 4 cells oocytes is inferior to the data found in the literature, compared to the results achieved last year in the assisted reproduction laboratory within CLC-HC Timisoara, it marks significant progress. At the 2 cells stage, there were several oocytes from group 1 (24.39% vs. 12.5%), while at the 4 cells stage there were 14.63% oocytes from group 1 and 25% group 2. The use of TritonX solution for sperm treatment as well as shortening the duration of ICSI execution allowed us to get encouraging results. The results obtained are inferior to those presented in the literature but are far superior to those we obtained last year when the ICSI technique was assembled. Achieving the two- and four-cell embryonic stages justifies us thinking that we are mastering the ICSI technique

Bovine and swine parthenots generating through electrical stimultion of the oocytes

Electrical stimulation is an alternative to chemical activation to induce 2+ influx, responsible for the formation of pores in the cellular membrane. In order to activate the oocytes, electrical stimulation (E.S.) was performed on 30 oocytes derived from gilts (L1), sows (L2), heifers (L3) and cows (L4). We considered that the stage of development of four cells is eloquent for certifying the ES's division triggering and the results we are considering only refer to these parthenots. Following application of ES, oocyte activation occurred as follows: 6.6% at L1, 16.6% at L2, 20% at L3 and 46.6% at L4. It is obvious the higher maturation rate of oocytes from adult females as compared to young females (16.6% in sows versus 6.6% in gilts and 46.6% in cows versus 20% in heifers). The method of electrical stimulation of oocytes in the fusion chamber used in this paper is effective for activating the division in both bovine and swine oocytes. Activation of oocyte division following electrical stimulation is clearly superior when using oocytes from adult females. The electrical stimulation method used generated the upper division activation in cattle compared with the results obtained using swine oocytes

Boar freeze-dried semen in medium with antioxidants evaluated based on DNA integrity after a long-time preservation

Sperm freeze-drying is considered an alternative method to preserve male gametes in refrigeration or at room temperature condition. In order to preserve sperm integrity special protection is required. The aim of our research was to examine the effect of vitamin C (0.5 mM ) and rosmarinic acid (105 μM) on the DNA spermatozoa integrity after freeze-drying and 36 months of preservation at refrigerator temperature. Our results indicates that more than 90% of DNA boar spermatozoa integrity is not affected by long-time preservation with small differences between experimental groups: with +0.59% higher DNA integrity in AR group from Duroc boar, with +2.83% higher DNA integrity in AR group from Landrace boar and with no differences regarding DNA integrity in group supplemented with vitamin C. The main conclusion of these preliminary results is that DNA integrity of boar freeze-dried semen is not affected by longtime preservation and it can be used further for intracytoplasmatic sperm injection technique

Comparative relations between progesterone blood concentration and appearance of oestrus in cows

The timely detection of oestrus presents an important professional procedure with which cattle farmers, in addition to veterinarians, are very often faced, because failure to detect oestrus poses a big economic problem. The objective of this work is to evaluate the efficacy of discovering oestrus in cows by determining the progesterone concentration (P4) in blood plasma. This experiment covered 22 animals, including 15 cows and 7 heifers, in which spontaneous oestrus was discovered. P4 concentration was determined using the ELISA test in samples of blood taken from the animals at the moment of insemination. Of the 15 cows, four cows (26.6%) were not inseminated at the optimal time, and the P4 level in these animals was higher than 1 ng/ml. All the heifers showed a progesterone concentration of over 1 ng/ml, and a percentage of conception which was 85%. The high P4 level in heifers at the moment of insemination could also be a consequence of stress caused by the regrouping and separating of the animals. Even though the heifers were under stress, which is indicated by the high progesteronemia values at the moment of insemination, the percentage of conception among them was beyond expectations. Therefore, the determination of P4 values at the moment of insemination is a suitable method for improving reproduction management on cattle farms. Inappropriate treatment of cows which are expected to show oestrus can cause stress and an increase in the values of the blood concentration of P4. On the grounds of the results obtained in this work, no negative influence of stress on the insemination results in heifers was observed

Influence of body condition on incidence and degree of hepatic lipidosis in cows

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of energy status of cows, estimated by body condition score, on the incidence and the degree of hepatic lipidosis during the early stage of lactation. Cows were divided into four groups: dry, early puerperal, early lactation and late lactation period. Each group consisted of 60 cows. Body condition was scored by the method established in Elaco Animal Health Buletin Al 8478. According to this method, body condition score is represented numerically from 1 to 5 points. Liver samples for pathohistological analyses were taken by biopsy from early lactation cows (60. day of lactation). Fat content in hepatocytes was determined morphometrically and results were compared with criteria based on total lipid and triglyceride content in liver tissue. On farm A, average body condition scores were in a range from 3.31, at sixty days of lactation, to 3.86 points in the dry period. Nevertheless, the range was wider on farm B, and was from 2.18 points at sixty days of lactation to 4.15 points at the dry period. Besides, differences in average body condition scores were higher than 1 point, and in some cases (between late lactation or dry period to sixty days of lactation) were almost 2 points. The incidence and the degree of hepatic lipidosis strongly differ between the two examined farms. On farm A the incidence of hepatic lipidosis was 18.33 percent, while on farm B that percent was much higher (43.32). A significant difference was established in the degree of hepatic lipidosis between those two farms. On farm A diffuse hepatic lipidosis was determined in 5.0 percent of cows, while on farm B that percent was 18.33. According to these results, most of the cows on farm B had uncontrolled lipomobilisation and severe fatty liver during the early lactation period, probably due to the obesity of these cows in late lactation and the dry period.Cilj istraživanja, obrađenog u ovom radu, bio je da se utvrdi uticaj energetskog statusa krava, procenjen na osnovu telesne kondicije, na učestalost i stepen zamašćenja jetre u ranoj fazi laktacije. Za ispitivanja su odabrane 4 grupe od po 60 krava koje su bile u periodu zasušenja, ranom puerperijumu, ranoj i kasnoj fazi laktacije. Telesna kondicija krava uključenih u ogled je ocenjivana prema sistemu Elanco Animal Health Buletin Al 8478. Prema ovom sistemu ocena telesne kondicije se izražava numerički od 1 do 5 poena. Od krava koje su bile u ranoj fazi laktacije (60. dana) biopsijom su uzimani uzorci tkiva jetre za patohistološ ka ispitivanja. Sadržaj masti u hepatocitima određivan je morfometrijski a dobijeni rezultati su upoređivani sa kriterijumima dobijenim na osnovu količine ukupnih lipida i triglicerida u tkivu jetre. Na farmi A prosečne vrednosti ocena telesne kondicije su se kretale od najmanje 3,31 60. dana laktacije, do najviše 3,86 poena u zasušenju. Na farmi B su utvrđena veća odstupanja, tako da je prosečna vrednost ocene telesne kondicije 60. dana laktacije bila 2,18 poena, a u zasušenju 4,15 poena. Osim toga, na farmi B razlike između prosečnih vrednosti ocena telesne kondicije su veće od 1 poena, a u nekim slučajevima (između poslednje faze laktacije i perioda zasušenja u odnosu na šezdeseti dan laktacije) su skoro 2 poena. Rezultati ispitivanja učestalosti i stepena zamašćenja jetre dobijeni na dve farme se takođe značajno razlikuju. Dok je na farmi A zamašćenje jetre ustanovljeno kod 18,33% krava, na farmi B je taj procenat bio značajno veći (43,32). Značajne razlike postoje i u stepenu zamašćenja jetre krava sa ove dve farme. Na farmi A difuzno zamašćenje jetre je ustanovljeno kod 5%, a na farmi B kod 18,33% ispitivanih životinja. Po svemu sudeći, na farmi B, kao rezultat gojaznosti većine krava u poslednjoj fazi laktacije i zasušenju, u ranoj fazi laktacije započinje nekontrolisana lipomobilizacija i nastaje težak oblik zamašćenja jetre