Effect of Seidelitzia rosmarinus Decoction on Productive and Reproductive Performance of Fresh Holstein Dairy Cows

Introduction: Recently, herbal additives have attracted interest for research due to their positive effects on animal health and production. The effects of herbal derived feed additives to their effects on rumen fermentation, gut microflora, immune system and the overall animal performance have been studied extensively and the observed results have been attributed to their antimicrobial, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, immune regulatory and metabolic effects. Seidelitzia romarinus is one of the medicinal plants that has been used as forage in animal feeding for a long time. Although the nutritional values of halophytes such as S. rosmarinus are relatively good, they make palatable forage when mixed with other pasture plants. In addition, S. rosmarinus has some medicinal effects and used for the treatment of some diseases based on its antimicrobial and anti-oxidative effects. In traditional medicine, S. rosmarinus had been used extensively to attenuate the uterus problems after parturition especially for metritis prevention and treatment. Due to lack of any scientific evidences on the effects of S. rosmarinus on productive and reproductive performance of fresh cows, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Seidelitzia rosmarinus decoction on production and reproduction performance of fresh Holstein dairy cows.Materials and Methods: One hundred post-parturient Holstein dairy cows were allocated randomly to experimental treatments from their parturition day in a completely randomized design. The experimental groups were 1) control cows and 2) the cows that received the decoction of 500 grams S. rosmarinus for first 3 days after parturition. Milk yield and composition were recorded monthly for five months after parturition. Reproductive performance including conception rate, service per conception and metritis incidence were recorded for three months after parturition. In addition, a blood sampling was done from all cows on day 12 after parturition. All animals were examined at 3-week intervals by rectal palpation until spontaneous estrus. Artificial insemination (AI) was performed by an experienced inseminator with frozen–thawed semen 12 to 18 hours after observed standing estrus and pregnancy was determined using ultrasonography between day 40 and 48 after insemination.Results and Discussion: Milk production and composition of cows were not affected significantly by drinking S. rosmarinus decoction. The decoction of S. rosmarinus had positive effect on reproduction performance, so conception percentage of cows with lower than 100 days in milk and 100 to 200 days in milk increased when compared to control cows. Percentage of pregnant cows with 1 to 2 services per conception was higher for medical herb group.  Percentage of cows with normal uterus in the decoction received group was higher than control cows, 70 % versus 50.14 %, respectively. Incidence of metritis decreased in cows received S. rosmarinus decoction (20 % versus 31.42 %, respectively). The observed effects from the S. rosmarinus decoction may be attributed to the antimicrobial effects of S. rosmarinus that prevented from new uterine infections or treated some sub-clinical metritis and therefore resulted in healthier uterine and better reproductive performance. Concentrations of blood glucose and non-esterified fatty acids were affected by drinking S. rosmarinus decoction so, the decoction received cows had higher glucose and lower non-esterified fatty acids levels. These blood parameters are the indicators of overall energy status of the cow and the observed results shoes that cows received S. rosmarinus had better energy status. Concentrations of blood cholesterol, triglyceride, total protein, albumin, urea, and beta hydroxy butyrate and blood enzyme activities including aspartate amino transferase and alkaline phosphatase were not influenced by drinking the herbal decoction.Conclusion: The results proposed that S. rosmarinus decoction may have positive effects on reproductive performance of fresh Holstein dairy cows

EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT WEANING PROGRAMS ON PERFORMANCE, SKELETON GROWTH AND BLOOD PARAMETERS OF HOLSTEIN CALVES

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different early weaning programs on the performance, and its influence on skeleton growth and blood parameters of dairy calves. To meet this objective, 30 Holstein calves with initial body weight of 36 ± 8 kg were randomly assigned at birth to be weaned. Experimental treatments were: 1) Starter diet and whole milk from birth to 45 days (45 weaning day (WD), 2) starter diet and whole milk from birth to 65 days (65 WD), 3) starter diet and whole milk from birth to 90 days (90 WD). Starter diet and water were available adlibitum throughout the experiment. Dry matter intake (DMI) of daily starter and average daily gain (ADG) were measured until d 90 of life. Body weight (BW), body length, heart girth and withers height was measured at birth, 30, 60 and 90 day. Blood samples were collected from all calves at the end of the trail. BW and DMI in all measured periods (0, 30, 60 and 90 d) did not differ between treatments. Although 45 WD calves had higher ADG in 30 to 60 d than 65 WD and 85 WD calves. Consequently, in the overall period (d 0-90) greater ADG values were recorded for 45 WD calves. In the overall period, feed conversation ratio (FCR) affected by treatment and lowest values were recorded in 45 WD calves. Body measurements of calves did not differ among treatments at d 30, 60 and 90. Plasma concentration of cholesterol was lower in the 45 WD calves than in the 65 WD and 85 WD animals during the study. Under the conditions of this study, the results suggest that 45WD calves were more efficient at utilizing DMI for BW gain and growth

GENETIC ASSOCIATION BETWEEN THE VARIATION OF DGAT1 GENE AND MILK PRODUCTION TRAITS IN KHALKHALI GOATS

The quantity of milk and milk fat and proteins are particularly important traits in dairy livestock. However, little is known about the regions of the genome that influence these traits in goats. This study was performed to investigate genetic variation and association analysis of diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 (DGAT1) gene on important traits in Khalkhali dairy goats. PCR-SSCP method and Sanger sequencing were used for genotyping. In total, three different SSCP patterns (I, II, III with frequency 0.35, 0.56 and 0.10 respectively) were identified that leads to cause four mutations in exon 17 of DGAT1 gene. The mutations T21153G, C21154G cause changes serine to glycine amino acids and A21172C leads to change in Aspartic acid to Alanine amino acid and one mutation A21194T was silent. Association analysis indicated that haplotypes were related with milk yield and protein percentage of Khalkhali goat (p<0.05), but there is no relationship with milk lactose and solid matter percentage (p<0.05). Our findings indicate that polymorphisms of the caprine DGAT1 gene might be important genetic factors influencing milk traits, and the results of this study provide valuable information about the markers applicable in marker-assisted selection programs in goat breeding and production