Forage maize nutritional quality according to organic and inorganic fertilization

The research was conducted on a commercial land plot from the ejido Granada, municipality of Matamoros, Coahuila, situated inside the Comarca Lagunera, from April to August 2015, in order to establish the effect of two fertilization sources – organic and inorganic, upon the nutritional quality of forage maize during the spring-summer cycle with a randomized block experimental design. T1= Acadian soil +Acadian foliage (marine algae extracts) and T2= Regional control, with 16 replications. The evaluated variables were the nutritional quality of forage maize and the milk production (L•t-1 dry matter and L•ha-1). Due to the effect of the evaluated treatments, statistical differences were registered, both for, nutritional values of forage maize, such as: neutral and acid detergent fiber, non-fiber carbohydrates, total digestible nutrients, total net energy for lactation and for milk production, in favor of organic fertilization. Therefore, it can be concluded that fertilizers of marine origin applied to forage maize increased both nutritional quality of forage maize and milk yield per ton of dry matter and per hectare of this forage

Determinación de la calidad del semen criopreservado con lecitina de soya o yema de huevo, en machos cabríos

The objective was to compare the quality of cryopreserved goat semen with soy lecithin or egg yolk. The semen was collected from male goats (n=4), two commercial diluents AndroMed® (1% soy lecithin, LS); Optidyl® (20% (v/v) Tris-egg yolk; TY), and a citrate-egg yolk-based diluent (CY) were used in fresh semen (SF) and then cooled from 37 to 4 °C for 2 h (refrigerated semen, SR), afterwards straws were filled with semen and frozen in liquid nitrogen at -196 °C (SC). There were no differences (p>0.05) between diluents in the SF in the mass motility (MM; 4.7±0.26), sperm viability (VE; 74.1±1.66) and individual motility (MI; 62.3±4.0). In the same sense, for the SR there was no difference (p>0.05) between diluents with respect to MM (3.83±0.4) and MI (52.1±6.0), however, the VE varied (p<0.05) according to the diluent, observing the lowest viability in LS vs CY and TY (51.0±13.0 vs 71.3±3.0 and 69.0±3.1). Regarding SC the MM, MI and VE obtained better values (p<0.05) with the diluent TY vs LS and CY (2.4±0.5, 32.5±8.3, 41.3±13.0). The results showed a better cryopreservation of goat semen with the diluent Tris-yolk compared to that of soy lecithinEl objetivo fue comparar la calidad del semen caprino criopreservado con diferentes tratamientos a base de lecitina de soya o yema de huevo. El semen fue colectado de machos cabríos Alpinos (n=4), se utilizaron dos diluyentes comerciales: AndroMed® (1% de lecitina de soya, LS); Optidyl® con 20% (v/v) de Tris-yema de huevo; TY), y un tercer diluyente a base de citrato-yema de huevo (CY), en semen fresco (SF) y después fue enfriado de 37 a 4 °C durante 2 h; semen refrigerado (SR), posteriormente se llenaron pajillas con semen y se congelaron en nitrógeno líquido a -196 °C (SC). No existieron diferencias (p>0.05) entre diluyentes en el SF respecto a motilidad masal (MM; 4.7±0.26), viabilidad espermática (VE; 74.1±1.66) y motilidad individual (MI; 62.3±4.0). En el mismo sentido, para el SR no existió diferencia (p>0.05) entre diluyentes respecto a MM=3.83±0.4, y MI= 52.1±6.0, sin embargo, la VE varió (p<0.05) de acuerdo al diluyente, observando la menor viabilidad en LS vs. CY y TY (51.0±13.0 vs 71.3±3.0 y 69.0±3.1). Respecto al SC, la MM, MI y VE favorecieron (p<0.05) al diluyente TY vs. LS y CY (2.4±0.5, 32.5±8.3, 41.3±13.0). Los resultados mostraron una mejor crio-preservación del semen caprino con el diluente Tris-yema respecto al de lecitina de soy

Effect of Dorper Rams’ Social-Sexual Hierarchy on Their Sexual Behavior and Capacity to Induce Estrus in Ewes

This study aimed to assess the influence of the social rank of rams and quality of stimuli to ewes between dominant and subordinate Dorper rams joined to anestrus ewes. Social rank was evaluated for two days (ESR; n = 36); rams were exposed to estrogenized ewes in a competitive test. According to the reproductive response, anovulatory ewes (n = 76) were divided into two groups: LHRe (n = 38; ewes exposed to four low hierarchy rams (LHR)) and HHRe (n = 38; ewes exposed to four high hierarchy rams (HHR)). Regarding aggressive behaviors, HHR showed a higher (p (p (p p > 0.05). The estrus response (>80%; p > 0.05) and ovarian response (70%, p > 0.05) were similar for both groups of ewes. It was concluded that LHR are equally effective as HHR in inducing sexual activity in ewes showing postpartum anestrus

Multifaceted Interplay among Social Dominance, Body Condition, Appetitive and Consummatory Sexual Behaviors, and Semen Quality in Dorper Rams during Out-Of-Season and Transition Periods

Dorper rams (n = 24) were evaluated during the sexual resting season to determine their social rank (SR), either high (HSR) or low (LSR), under intensive management conditions in northern Mexico (25° N). Aggressive behaviors were quantified during male-to-male interactions, and appetitive and consummatory sexual behaviors during male-to-female interactions. Morphometric, live weight (LW), and body condition score (BCS) were recorded. During the early reproductive season, male-to-female behaviors were newly itemized simultaneously by seminal quality and quantity sampling. Finally, the dependent variables of the hemogram components were also quantified. Neither LW (61.25 ± 2.4 kg) nor morphometric variables differed between SR groups. However, BCS (2.25 vs. 2.66 u), sexual behaviors (i.e., approaches: 59.6 vs. 21.73 n, mating with ejaculation: 77.7 vs. 42.86 %, latency to ejaculation: 16.6 vs. 143.07 s), ejaculate volume (0.57 vs. 0.23 mL), and hemogram components favored the HSR rams (p 50% of the LSR rams failed to display any sexual activity. HSR rams displayed a greater number of threatening behaviors, managing to displace LSR rams when exposed to estrus ewes during the male sexual resting season; more sexual behaviors; and an increased seminal volume in a non-live weight-dependent fashion