Semen evaluation in jungle fowl, domestic chicken and ayam serama.

This research was conducted to investigate variation in semen quality of three chicken breeds. Nine cocks comprising 3 cockerels each of jungle fowl, domestic chicken, and ayam serama were used in this project. Semen was collected once a week by abdominal massage method. The semen was evaluated for volume, colour, wave pattern, general and individual motility, concentration, live and, abnormal percentage and sperm size. No significant differences were observed in volume of semen among all three breeds (P>0.05). Creamy and milky colour of semen were observed for jungle fowl and domestic chicken, whereas for ayam serama the color was watery. There were significant differences (P< 0.05) between semen concentration in jungle fowl (94.44 x 109 ± 905.3 sperms/mL) and ayam serama (1.83 x 109 ± 743 sperms/mL). For general motility, no significant (P >0.05) differences were observed among these three breeds. The types of individual motility observed and analyzed were forward, rotating, vibrating, and backward. Jungle fowl had highest forward motility and lowest for rotating motility. There were no significant (P >0.05) differences in term of sperm size between jungle fowl and the other two breeds. All three breeds had total live spermatozoa of more than 90%. Six sperm defects were observed: macrocephalic, mid piece knotting, bend head, plasma droplet, spermatid and bend tail. It was concluded that there were significant (P >0.05) differences between the three cock breeds in semen color, concentration, individual sperm motility particularly forward and rotating motility, size of sperm and total abnormalities. Jungle fowl appeared to have higher quality semen compared to domestic chicken and ayam serama. Although ayam serama appeared to have lower semen quality than domestic chicken and jungle fowl, it still had sufficient quality for use in artificial insemination

Reproductive performance of Kedah-Kelantan cattle at Pusat Ternakan Haiwan Pantai Timur, Malaysia.

Data between 1996 and 2009 at Pusat Ternakan Haiwan Pantai Timur, Malaysia were used to analyse the age at first calving, age at conception, calving interval and mean birth weight of Kedah-Kelantan (KK) cattle. Monthly rainfall from 2006 to 2008 were also analysed to determine the correlation between rainfall and calving rate and calf mortality rate. The results indicated that the mean age at first calving was 1146 ± 148 days, the mean age at conception was 858 ± 148 days, the mean for first, second, and third calving interval were 403 ± 137, 389 ± 116, and 376 ± 90 days, respectively. The result also showed that the calving interval subsequently decreased with increasing parity. No significant differences were found between the three calving intervals (P > 0.05). The mean birth weight was significantly different between female (12.93 kg) and male (13.97 kg) calves (P < 0.05). There was a weak correlation between the calving rate and monthly rainfall pattern (r = 0.26) and between mortality of calves below 3 months of age with rainfall pattern (r = 0.17). The results also showed that there was low negative correlation between mortality rate of calves below 6 months of age (r = -0.28) and total mortality (r = -0.04) with rainfall. In conclusion, Kedah-Kelantan cattle showed very good reproductive performance and are suitable for commercial beef production in Malaysia

Semen evaluation in river terrapin (Batagur affinis).

The Batagur affinis or the southern river terrapin is one of the rarest chelonians in the world, found in the rivers of Malaysia. Over years the population of this species has decreased dramatically. Currently there are no data on the reproductive parameters and performance, to include semen collection and evaluation method, for these species. Therefore, this study documented the first-ever semen collection and evaluation in the freshwater turtle, the Batagur affinis. This study was conducted in December 2010 on 15 male river terrapins. Before electroejaculation, the Batagur affinis were sedated with Ketamine (5 mg/kg) IM and then restrained on a wooden stool. An electrical rectal probe was inserted into the cloaca and stimulated with 1-4 volts electrical stimuli in 5-6 cycles followed by manual stimulation. Semen samples were collected immediately after electrical stimuli and/or after manual stimulation. The results of semen evaluation showed that the average semen volume was 3.3 mL (range 0.85-7.45 mL). The seminal fluid was watery, clear, viscous and slimy to touch. An average sperm motility of 4% (range 0-24%) and average concentration of 2.3 million/mL were observed. The sperms had slightly curved narrow heads and the live sperm percentage was 59%. This study forms the basis for the development of a protocol for semen cryopreservation and artificial insemination in chelonians. The method should contribute to preservation of one of the world’s most critically endangered chelonians

Livestock breeding: the past, the present and the future

Successful livestock breeding until production of a healthy offspring is one of the key factors in ensuring sustainable animal production. The use of assisted reproductive biotechnology such as artificial insemination has always been practiced in ruminant sectors worldwide but its application in Malaysia is limited among farmers who are able to envisage the benefit of the technology in upgrading the genetic quality of their animals. The success of artificial insemination involves many factors such as semen collection, semen cryopreservation, handling of cryopreserved semen, insemination time and establishment of pregnancy. Therefore, this lecture dwells around research findings in the many processes in semen collection and cryopreservation which eventually improving the quality of semen prior to artificial insemination. It also discusses other aspects of livestock breeding such as oestrus synchronization and pregnancy diagnosis as well as in vitro embryo production

Evaluation of semen collected by electroejaculation from captive lesser Malay chevrotain (tragulus javanicus).

Thirteen sexually mature captive male lesser Malay chevrotains (Tragulus javanicus) were each anesthetized twice with tiletamine-zolazepam for electroejaculation. Viable spermatozoa were collected from all animals. The semen was creamy, milky, pale yellowish, or watery. The mean values for ejaculate volume, sperm concentration, and percentages of sperm motility, normality and viability were 23.7 ± 2.5 μ l, 366.9 ± 127.8 × 10 spermatozoa/ml, 40.0% ± 3.1%, 71.4% ± 1.6%, and 59.6% ± 2.1%, respectively. Semen pH was 7–8. No adverse effects of electroejaculation were noted. These are the first reported values for semen of lesser Malay chevrotain. Electroejaculation should be usable for routine semen collection in this species

Influences of conditional, environmental and social values, risk and cost on consumers’ willingness to pay for water tariff

Water is treated as a public or social good in Malaysia. Malaysians believe that providing good quality water for households’ use is the government’s responsibility. The government has been subsidizing the cost of water for its population since pre-Independence Day. However, the increased cost of providing good quality water to the public meant that the current water tariff charged needs to be re-evaluated. This study investigates the role played by various factors, namely, perceived conditional value, perceived environmental value, social norm, perceived risk and perceived cost on Malaysian consumers’ willingness to pay for water provided to households. The target of the study was paid water consumers in Malaysia. The results of online survey participated by 867 willing paid water consumers analysed by Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) show that only perceived conditional value, perceived environmental values, and perceived risk were significantly related to Malaysian consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for proposed higher water tariff while social norm and perceived cost show insignificant influences on consumers’ WTP. Overall, conditional value shows the strongest effect towards consumers’ WTP. The study’s findings have provided insights for the government and water providers on how Malaysian household water consumers behave on the issue of implementing higher water tariff. It is now known that Malaysian consumers’ perceived values, in particular, conditional value as well as risks they perceived to be existent are significant in influencing their WTP behaviour on proposed higher water tariff. These findings suggest that any future plan to increase current water tariff may not be accepted by the public unless their perceived values and risk on the issue are considered and inserted in any of the water education campaigns by the government and water providers

Breeding soundness examination in Kedah-Kelantan bulls.

Breeding soundness examination (BSE) is a tool to identify and select good and potential breeder bulls. The bull is an important aspect in natural breeding in which the bull supplies semen to fertilize the cow. A study was carried out at Pusat Ternakan Haiwan Pantai Timur Kelantan using BSE as a tool to evaluate, identify and prove the claim that the Kedah-Kelantan (KK) bulls at the farm are good in their reproductive performance. The parameters evaluated in BSE included physical examination parameters of feet, legs, eyes, body score, and scrotal circumference and also internal and external examination parameters of reproductive organ. Parameters for semen evaluation which included general motility, live percentage, volume, sperm morphology and concentration, were also determined. The bulls were then classified either as satisfactory potential breeders, unsatisfactory potential breeders or differed bulls, according to the standard parameters of BSE. Ten KK bulls were selected from an active breeding herd. All of the bulls passed the minimum standards of BSE which include the bull must be free from disease and abnormality of reproductive organ, has achieved the minimal scrotal circumference size of 22.5 cm at two years of age and at least has 30% of general motility and 70% of normal sperm morphology. From the results, it is concluded that all of the bulls can be classified as satisfactory potential breeders

Effect of turmeric oil in reproductive efficiency of immature male rats exposed experimentally to oxidative stress induced by potassium dichromate.

This study was conducted to evaluate the pre-puberty effects (period I) and post-puberty damage (period II) of K2Cr2O7 and TO on reproductive efficiency of immature male rats. 48 male Albino rats aged 25 day, randomly divided into 4 groups, 12 rats in each. 1stG, received 0.1 ml of DMSO 5% solution I/P, 2ndG, received K2Cr2O7 (0.4 mg/kg I/P) dissolved in distilled water, 3rdG received TO dissolve in DMSO 5% (20 mg/kg I/P), 4thG received both K2Cr2O7 + TO (0.4 mg/kg + 20 mg/kg I/P, ½ h in between). At the end of the experiment, half number (6) of the animals were sacrificed which represent period I (period of treatment, 14 days), the other remaining (6) animals kept on standard food without treatment to the age of 100 day which considered period II (period of recovery). Treatment with K2Cr2O7 (period I) show significant decrease in serum GSH and thickness of seminiferous tubules epithelium with significant increase in serum MDA, while TO treatment revealed significant increase in serum GSH and thickness of seminiferous tubules epithelium with significant decrease in serum MDA furthermore, treatment with K2Cr2O7 and TO together show significant increase in seminiferous tubules epithelium thickness and serum GSH, with significant decrease in serum MDA. In period II rats exhibited significant improvement in the parameters under the study. In conclusion, K2Cr2O7 have harm effects on reproductive efficiency of immature male rats while TO have improvement effects