Metabolic and endocrine profiles and reproductive parameters in dairy cows under grazing conditions: effect of polymorphisms in somatotropic axis genes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The present study hypothesized that GH-AluI and IGF-I-SnabI polymorphisms do change the metabolic/endocrine profiles in Holstein cows during the transition period, which in turn are associated with productive and reproductive parameters.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Holstein cows (Farm 1, primiparous cows, n = 110, and Farm 2, multiparous cows, n = 76) under grazing conditions were selected and GH and IGF-I genotypes were determined. Blood samples for metabolic/endocrine determinations were taken during the transition period and early lactation in both farms. Data was analyzed by farm using a repeated measures analyses including GH and IGF-I genotypes, days and interactions as fixed effects, sire and cow as random effects and calving date as covariate.</p> <p>Results and Discussion</p> <p>Frequencies of GH and IGF-I alleles were L:0.84, V:0.16 and A:0.60, B:0.40, respectively. The GH genotype was not associated with productive or reproductive variables, but interaction with days affected FCM yield in multiparous (farm 2) cows (LL yielded more than LV cows) in early lactation. The GH genotype affected NEFA and IGF-I concentrations in farm 1 (LV had higher NEFA and lower IGF-I than LL cows) suggesting a better energy status of LL cows.</p> <p>There was no effect of IGF-I genotype on productive variables, but a trend was found for FCM in farm 2 (AB cows yielded more than AA cows). IGF-I genotype affected calving first service interval in farm 1, and the interaction with days tended to affect FCM yield (AB cows had a shorter interval and yielded more FCM than BB cows). IGF-I genotype affected BHB, NEFA, and insulin concentrations in farm 1: primiparous BB cows had lower NEFA and BHB and higher insulin concentrations. In farm 2, there was no effect of IGF-I genotype, but there was an interaction with days on IGF-I concentration, suggesting a greater uncoupling somatropic axis in AB and BB than AA cows, being in accordance with greater FCM yield in AB cows.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The GH and IGF-I genotypes had no substantial effect on productive parameters, although IGF-I genotype affected calving-first service interval in primiparous cows. Besides, these genotypes may modify the endocrine/metabolic profiles of the transition dairy cow under grazing conditions.</p

A problem of optimal cylindricity profile matching

The bird-cage strategy used for measuring cylindricity is reported to be the most effective, as it provides the most detailed information about an analyzed object. The average values of profiles measured with the cross-section and the generatrix strategies may differ slightly, yet this may result from some design imperfections of the measurement instruments used. In this study, the problem of optimal profile matching is formulated and solved. As a result, the differences between the values of the registered profiles at the points of intersection of the scanning trajectories can be minimized

Separation Of Non-Periodic And Periodic 2D Profile Features Using B-Spline Functions

The form, waviness and roughness components of a measured profile are separated by means of digital filters. The aim of analysis was to develop an algorithm for one-dimensional filtering of profiles using approximation by means of B-splines. The theory of B-spline functions introduced by Schoenberg and extended by Unser et al. was used. Unlike the spline filter proposed by Krystek, which is described in ISO standards, the algorithm does not take into account the bending energy of a filtered profile in the functional whose minimization is the principle of the filter. Appropriate smoothness of a filtered profile is achieved by selecting an appropriate distance between nodes of the spline function. In this paper, we determine the Fourier transforms of the filter impulse response at different impulse positions, with respect to the nodes. We show that the filter cutoff length is equal to half of the node-to-node distance. The inclination of the filter frequency characteristic in the transition band can be adjusted by selecting an appropriate degree of the B-spline function. The paper includes examples of separation of 2D roughness, as well as separation of form and waviness of roundness profiles

Growth hormone and milk protein gene polymorphism in relation to the levels of some hormones, enzymes and metabolites in growing dairy cattle

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