Selenium and vitamin E diet inclusion for optimal reproduction performances of red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa)

To date there is little knowledge regarding the requirements of Se and vitamin E of red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa). For this reason, in the present study four different Se and vitamin E diet inclusions have been tested. A total of 360 parents were used and randomly divided into four groups; diets were supplemented with 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5mg/kg of Se and Se to vitamin E ratio was kept approximately constant in all groups. The effects of the diets on parents’ reproduction performances and on embryos visceral organs were investigated. The best laying rate was reached with 0.4mg/kg Se diet supplementation while the best hatching rate was reached with 0.3mg/kg (p<0.05). The relative weight of duodenum, jejunum and ileum in embryo was higher (p<0.05) in the groups fed 0.4 and 0.5 mg/kg Se compared to the other groups. Significant differences (p<0.05) were also observed for jejunum and ileum length as animals were fed the highest Se to vitamin E ratios. The number and height of villi and goblet cells density of jejunum were higher (p<0.05) in the groups fed 0.4 and 0.5 mg/kg of Se than in the group fed 0.2 mg/ kg. Epithelial buds density in the Bursa of Fabricius of embryos was significantly higher (p<0.05) for 0.4 and 0.5mg/kg Se supplemented groups than in the others. In conclusion our results suggest that 0.4 mg/kg of selenium and 100 mg/kg vitamin E should be included in the parents’ diet in order to optimise red-legged partridges performances

Rooster sperm pellet cryopreservation protocols: effect of step variations on the qualitative parameters of post-thawed sperm

The cryopreservation of sperm into pellets is not the preferred way to package avian semen but is quick and easy to do and does not require sophisticated technology. The aim of this study was to evaluate rooster sperm viability and mobility and the incidence of normal cells and sperm injuries in post-thawed pelleted sperm. The outcomes of different pelleting protocols were evaluated, which varied according to the parameter combinations used in each of the critical steps of the freezing process and in the thawing conditions which differed in methodology and temperature. The protocols employing 6% DMA showed the highest values of thawed sperm mobility. The most favourable thawing method in terms of sperm mobility was using the hot-plate at 60 °C, followed by the water-bath at 50 °C. The protocols resulting in the best sperm quality parameters employed a 1:2 dilution rate, a 30-min equilibration time at 4 °C, 6% DMA, and thawed 80 mL pellets using the water-bath at 50 °C or the hot-plate at 60 °C. According to the parameters evaluated, rooster sperm was highly susceptible to damage caused by the freezing-thawing methodology, although the survival rate of normal sperm cells still reached 39%, with 32% recovered mobility with respect to fresh sperm samples

From the Semen Collection Method to the Hatchlings: The Use of Cryopreserved Sperm from Pheasants Fed an Antioxidant-Enriched Diet

A widely used approach to preserving genetic diversity in birds involves the cryopreser- vation of semen. In this process, cells are subjected to physical and chemical stresses, but not all cell species respond equally. Many studies have been published on the freezing–thawing of sperm cells from a wide variety of domestic and wild species, on issues ranging from the sperm quality to different protocols, fertilisation success rates, etc. Nevertheless, very little information is available on the common pheasant. To fill this gap, the aim of this study was to describe the pheasant semen collection method, evaluate some qualitative parameters of sperm from males fed an antioxidant- enriched diet, and to test the in vivo fertilising capacity of the cryo-preserved semen. The freezing protocol employed involved pellets thawed by the hotplate method. Dimethylacetamide was used as a cryoprotectant at a final concentration of 6%. A total of six AIs were performed at 3-4-day intervals on a total of 40 females with doses of 35 × 106 of normal live thawed sperm. Males receiving the enriched diet produce more abundant and concentrated ejaculates. Freeze–thawed sperm lost 85% of their initial mobility, and diet influenced neither sperm mobility nor viability. The enriched diet did improve the number of normal freeze–thawed cells and was associated with a lower sperm fracture incidence. Regardless of the dietary group, frozen–thawed sperm resulted in a fertility rate of 30%, with 8-9 chicks hatching for every 100 eggs incubated

Histological Characteristics, Fatty Acid Composition of Lipid Fractions, and Cholesterol Content of Semimembranosus and Triceps Brachii Muscles in Maremmana and Limousine Bovine Breeds

This study examined the histological properties of Semimembranosus and Triceps brachii muscle in two different bovine breeds, Maremmana (an autochthonous breed from Tuscany, Italy) and Limousine. The animals were grazed in two adjoining pastures, received the same feed supplementation and were weighed monthly. The experimental period lasted from weaning (six months old) to slaughter (19 months old). Muscle samples were collected immediately after slaughter, before carcass cooling. Regarding the histological properties, the number of fibres (TNF), mean sarcolemma perimeter (MSP), cross section area (CSA), and total sarcolemma perimeter (TSP) were determined. Samples were also analysed for proximate composition, fatty acid profile of total lipids, phospholipids and neutral lipids and for total cholesterol content. Breed was a significant variation factor for the performance parameter and histological muscle fibre properties. Interestingly, despite that Maremmana being a less extensively genetically improved breed than Limousine, it showed higher weight at slaughter (+18%) and daily weight gain (+19%). Maremmana also showed smaller muscle fibres than Limousine and, consequently, the TSP was higher. This difference affected the lipid fraction distribution (Limousine was higher in phospholipids and lower in neutral lipids than Maremmana) and, consequently, the fatty acid composition of total lipids (Limousine was high in polyunsaturated fatty acids, while Maremmana was high in monounsaturated fatty acids). The results of this experiment highlight the importance of environmental and management conditions on the full expression of genotypic potentia

Morphological changes of the muscovy duckling small intestine during development

The morphology of the small intestine was investigated in Muscovy ducklings before and after the hatching period using light micoscopy. The villi, crypt depth, villi : crypt (V : C) ratio, were measured in embryos on days 24 and 30 of development, on the day of hatching, and in neonates on days 2, 9 and 13 post-hatching. The height, width and perimeter (girth of villi) of small intestinal villi significantly increased with age (P50:05). Villi number (per transverse section of small intestine) decrease from 2 to 13 days post-hatching (P50:05). The crypt depth and width were significantly affected by age from hatching to 2 days of age (P50:05). The number of crypts increased significantly in the duodenum and jejunum between hatching and 9 days of age (P50:05). In the duodenum and jejunum, the V : C ratio peaked at hatching, and decreased from hatching to 2 days of age (P50:05). The parameters of villi and crypt of the small intestine rapidly changed between hatching and 9 days post hatch suggesting that the first week of life is a crucial step in physiological changes

Optimization of a protocol for the cryopreservation of sperm in pellets for the common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus mongolicus)

The sperm of each avian species and breed have unique characteristics that render them more or less susceptible to the freezing–thawing process; therefore, a suitable cryopreservation protocol that is specific for the sperm of each type of bird is needed. In this context, little information about the common pheasant’s sperm is available. Therefore, the aim of this study was to test different parameters at each step of the process of freezing into pellets and thawing to detect the least deleterious parameter settings. Sixteen different protocols were tested by studying two levels in each of the four steps (dilution, equilibration at 5 °C, final dimethylacetamide concentration, and dimethylacetamide equilibration time) comprising the freezing process. The pheasant sperm exhibited a high susceptibility to the damage caused by freezing into pellets; however, the survival of the sperm reached 29%, and the greatest recovered mobility was 22%. The mobility of the sperm was affected by the dilution and the dimethylacetamide concentration, and the viability of the sperm was affected by the equilibration at 5 °C and the dimethylacetamide equilibration. The protocols that caused the least damage to the pheasant sperm were found to be those with higher dilution rates, 10 minutes of equilibration at 5 °C, and 6% dimethylacetamide equilibrated for 1 or 5 minutes. In the present study, we individualise some applicable parameters for certain critical steps of the freezing– thawing process; however, further investigations are needed in order to improve upon and complete a suitable protocol for the cryopreservation and thawing of pheasant sperm. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerlan

AN AUTOLOGOUS PLATELET-RICH PLASMA MEMBRANE TO IMPROVE RAT SCIATIC NERVE REGENERATION

Bone grafts substitutes, consisting of scaffolds of either synthetic or natural biomaterials, were developed: their ideal features are considered to be osteoconductivity, osteoinductivity, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and a structure similar to bone (6). Here we report the effect of three-arm star branched poly(ε-caprolactone) (*PCL) developed as an anatomically-shaped scaffold (by the computer-aided wet-spinning technique (7, 8) when implanted in a rabbit CSD model