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PubMed1983

Phosphorus in swine. VI. Utilization of nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus and reproductive performance of gravid gilts fed two dietary phosphorus levels for five parities.

Sixty-two gilts were paired at breeding and assigned randomly to one of the following dietary treatments: (1) low P or (2) high P during gestation and lactation. Two sets of diets (A and B) were formulated; each set to provide a low (10 g) and high (15 g) daily P intake (equal Ca daily intake, 15 g) when fed at 1.82 and 2.27 kg daily, respectively for sets A and B. Females were fed 1.82 kg daily of set A diets during the first 11 wk of gestation, 2.27 kg daily of set B diets for the next 3 wk and 3.34 kg of the appropriate set B diets containing 20% wheat bran until farrowing, at which time the bran was gradually removed from set B diets and the feed level increased to 4 kg daily until weaning. The proportions of defluorinated phosphate and limestone were varied to provide the appropriate level of Ca and P (low and high). At approximately 5 wk before farrowing at each parity, up to 12 females from each group were used in Ca, P and N balance trials that lasted about 2 wk. Dietary P intake did not affect the apparent absorption and retention of N and Ca; 88% of the consumed N was absorbed and one-half of the absorbed was retained, and 37% of the Ca was absorbed and 94% of the absorbed was retained. Females fed the higher P intake, although excreting higher levels of P in the feces and urine, absorbed and retained a larger amount of P; but the low P-fed sows were more efficient in the retention of P when expressed as a percentage of intake or as a percentage of the absorbed P. With the exception of average total litter weight at birth that favored high P-fed sows, live, dead and total pigs at birth, average birth weight and breeding performance were not statistically different between P levels. Except for the first parity, most characteristics favored sows fed the higher P intake. Serum Ca and P levels and hair P concentration were similar between P levels. Hair Ca concentration, however, was higher for the high P-fed sows. Sows fed the higher daily P intake retained more P and there was a trend for better farrowing performance. However, breeding performance, serum Ca and P levels, hair P concentrations and Ca and N balance were similar between dietary P intakes. These results would support current National Research Council-suggested Ca and P levels for sows.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Effect of vitamin E sources (RRR- or all-rac-alpha-tocopheryl acetate) and levels on sow reproductive performance, serum, tissue, and milk alpha-tocopherol contents over a five-parity period, and the effects on the progeny.

Two dietary sources of vitamin E (DL-alpha-tocopheryl acetate [DL-beta-TAc], or D-alpha-tocopheryl acetate [DL-alpha-TAc]) at two dietary supplemental levels (30 vs 60 IU/kg) were evaluated in reproducing sows over a five-parity period. The experiment was a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments conducted as a randomized complete block in two replicates. A total of 48 gilts were fed their treatment diets from 40 kg BW through five parities, reflecting a total of 171 farrowings. Reproductive measurements of litter size, sow weight, and back-fat thickness were collected. The incidence of mastitis-metritis-agalactia (MMA) and fluid discharge from the vagina were evaluated for each sow on each of the first 3 d postpartum. Sows were bled at periodic intervals during gestation and at weaning (21 d) and serum was frozen. After the fifth parity, two to four sows from each treatment group were killed and tissues collected. At birth, two to three neonatal pigs were killed from each sow treatment group within each parity and livers were collected and frozen. In addition, three pigs from each litter from three to four sows per treatment group within each parity were bled at weaning and serum was saved. Six pigs from each sow group at weaning of Parity 5 were also killed and livers were collected and frozen. Sow and pig sera and tissues were analyzed for a-tocopherol. There was no effect (P > .15) of vitamin E source or level on the various sow reproductive measurements, litter size, or the incidences of MMA or fluid discharges from the vagina. Feeding D-alpha-TAc compared with DL-alpha-TAc or 60 IU compared with 30 IU vitamin E/kg diet resulted in higher (P < .01) sow serum, colostrum, and milk alpha-tocopherol contents at each measurement period. Sow liver, adipose, lung, and heart alpha-tocopherol contents were also higher (P < .01) when the 60 IU vitamin E level had been fed. Both serum and liver a-tocopherol contents in 21-d-old nursing pigs were higher (P < .01) when the sow had been fed D-alpha-TAc compared with the DL-alpha-TAc source or when the 60 IU level had been fed. There were no vitamin E source x vitamin E level interactions (P > .15) for the various alpha-tocopherol measurements. Although the supplemental vitamin E sources were provided on an equivalent IU basis, these results suggest that D-alpha-TAc has a higher equivalency than DL-alpha-TAc on an IU basis, but higher dietary levels also resulted in higher sow and pig alpha-tocopherol contents.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Enzyme replacement therapy improves reproductive performance in mucopolysaccharidosis type VII mice but does not prevent postnatal losses.

Mice with mucopolysaccharidosis type VII (MPS VII) are devoid of beta-glucuronidase and accumulate glycosaminoglycans in lysosomes resulting in bone dysplasia, learning disabilities, and decreased mobility. MPS VII males do not breed and, while MPS VII females occasionally mate with heterozygous males, they do not maintain their young postnatally. Heterozygous matings produce less than 25% MPS VII offspring, but until now it was unclear whether this results from prenatal or postnatal losses. The administration of recombinant beta-glucuronidase from birth significantly reduces glycosaminoglycan storage in most tissues, increases life span, and improves the animal's cognitive ability and mobility. To determine whether reproductive failure is corrected by such therapy, male and female MPS VII mice were injected with enzyme at weekly intervals from birth to 5 wk of age (6xinj). Enzyme-replaced MPS VII mice bred when mated together. The 6xinj MPS VII males mated repeatedly until they were killed 135 d postinjection. All mated 6xinj MPS VII females gave birth to two litters, but maintained few of their young. Selective loss of MPS VII offspring was observed in matings between heterozygotes. Analysis of 379 preterm fetuses from heterozygous matings showed a frequency of 24.6% MPS VII pups, indicating that the decreased number of MPS VII pups produced by mating heterozygotes results from postnatal losses. The ovaries of young adult MPS VII mice have follicles and corpora lutea, and the testes generate sperm. Results suggest that the reproductive failure in MPS VII mice is related to impaired mobility and/or impaired cognitive function, and enzyme replacement restores mating capacity.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Effect of crambe meal on performance, reproduction, and thyroid hormone levels in gestating and lactating beef cows.

Crambe meal was compared to a combination of sunflower and soybean meal as a protein supplement for mature beef cows in two experiments. In Exp. 1, cows (n = 80, average BW 651+/-14.4 kg) were fed crambe meal at 9.86% of dry matter intake (DMI) during the last trimester of gestation. No differences (P < .05) were detected due to treatment for cow weight, condition score, thyroid hormones, calf birth weight, or calving interval. In Exp. 2, cows (n = 100, average BW 566+/-6.82 kg) were fed crambe meal at 7.44% of DMI during the last trimester of gestation and at 8.33% of DMI during early lactation (53+/-6 d of lactation). Gains were greater during gestation (P = .09) and throughout the supplementation period (P = .06), and days to first estrus were reduced (P < .01) for cows fed crambe meal. During lactation, serum triiodothyronine (T3) concentrations did not decline as much (P = .03) in cows fed crambe meal as in cows fed sunflower-soybean meal-based supplements. No differences (P > .10) were apparent for condition score, birth weight, calf growth rate, weaning weight, thyroid hormones during gestation, or calving interval. These data indicate that crambe meal fed at the levels used in this experiment can be used as a protein supplement for beef cows without negatively affecting cows' performance.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1993

Effects of a high-density intramammary device on mammary glands, production, and reproductive performance in dairy cows.

A clinical field trial was undertaken to determine the influence of an intramammary device (IMD) on environmental mastitis and production. On 4 central California dairies, 200 Holstein first-lactation cows were randomly assigned to 2 groups. Cows in the treatment group were fitted with an IMD, and cows in the control group were not. The incidence of clinical mastitis for the 2 groups was determined during the study period. Bacteriologic monitoring at intervals over 2 lactations (lactation 2 and through 60 days of lactation 3) was used to determine the incidence of subclinical infection. In addition, data were collected to determine whether the groups differed in milk production, butterfat production, post-milking and test-day somatic cell counts, and reproductive efficiency. Total milk production and butterfat production over the 2 lactation periods did not vary significantly between the groups. Also, the groups did not differ in calving-to-conception interval, duration of lactation, calving interval, and calving-to-first service interval. Cows with IMD were significantly less likely to develop clinical mastitis (5% vs 13%) than control cows. The IMD did not appear to affect subclinical infection rates (minor pathogens only) except at day 300 of lactation 2 and at day 10 of lactation 3, when prevalence was greater in the cows with IMD. The minor pathogens were predominately (80%) coagulase-negative staphylococci. It was unusual to have coagulase-negative staphylococci in the same quarter at 2 consecutive samplings, prompting the speculation that during lactation, the duration of coagulase-negative staphylococci infection is short (resolves without intervention).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Factors affecting milk yield and reproductive performance.

Dairy Herd Improvement testing records of 201 dairy herds of sizes from under 100 to over 1000 cows and herd average milk yields from under 5,000 to over 10,000 kg were studied. Average days to first postpartum breeding tended to be less in herds of over 500 cows. Herds of 300 to 600 cows had highest production per cow. Herds with higher average yields averaged shorter intervals to first postpartum breeding and fewer days open. Days open included farrow cows arbitrarily assigned 305 days open. Number of breedings changed little as herd yield increased, but days open for highest producing herds averaged one estrous period shorter than for low producing herds, suggesting better detection of estrus. For the individual cow, high yield or associated factors have a small but real antagonistic association with reproductive efficiency. Days to first breeding, to last breeding, and days open increased .27, .80, and .61, and number of breedings increased .014 for each 100 kg increase in 180-day yield of fat-corrected milk. The record averages of high-producing herds indicate this antagonism may be overshawdowed by good management; effective estrus detection probably is a major factor.

Animal Husbandry↗
PubMed1997

Drinking water contaminants (arsenic, cadmium, lead, benzene, and trichloroethylene). 2. Effects on reproductive performance, egg quality, and embryo toxicity in broiler breeders.

Broiler breeder hens were used to determine the effect of drinking water containing a low concentration of a chemical mixture (arsenic, 0.8 ppm; benzene, 1.3 ppm; cadmium, 5.1 ppm; lead, 6.7 ppm; and trichloroethylene, 0.65 ppm) and a high (10 times greater than the low concentration of the chemical mixture) levels of the chemical mixture. These chemicals are present in ground water near hazardous waste sites. Water consumption significantly decreased in chickens provided the high concentration of the chemical mixture, whereas feed consumption was not affected in any treatment. There was a linear relationship between increasing concentration of the chemical mixture in drinking water and decreasing body weight of hens. The low concentration of the chemical mixture significantly decreased egg production and egg weight, and increased percentage embryonic mortality. These results suggest that reproductive function in hens is sensitive to adverse effects of contaminated drinking water.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Effects of consecutive thiouracil exposures in the juvenile and adult single comb White Leghorn chicken on body weight and reproductive performance.

The effects of consecutive exposures to dietary thiouracil (TU) in juvenile and adult Single Comb White Leghorn chickens on plasma thyroxine (T4) concentrations, egg production (EP), egg weight (EW), concentrations eggshell quality were determined. Thiouracil was provided in the feed at levels of 0, 0.1, or 0.2% (PTRT) from 0 to 6 wk of age and at levels of 0 or 0.1% (TRT) from 32 to 38 wk of age. Body weight gain was simulated but T4, EW, EP, and eggshell quality were generally reduced by 0.1% TU TRT. However, TU PTRT alleviated a latent depressing effect of TU TRT on BW after 38 wk of age. Thiouracil PTRT, particularly at the 0.2% level, induced significant decreases in EW but increased EP between 32 and 50 wk. The effects of early thyroid suppression in juveniles with TU PTRT on the subsequent reproduction of adults were primarily in response to a delay in the onset of sexual maturity, and not directly to prolonged responses in T4 or BW that extended into lay.

Aging↗
PubMed2004

Survival analysis of calves and reproductive performance of cows in commercial dairy farms in and around Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

A study was conducted at five locations to determine the survival rate of calves and to estimate the performance level of improved dairy cows under commercialized farming systems in Ethiopia. Seven hundred and one calves born from 1997 to 1999, and 797 cows were included in the study. Cumulative calf/heifer survival at 360, 540 and 720 days was 80%, 76% and 70%, respectively. Number of services per conception averaged 2 while mean age at first service and days open were 850+/-18 and 192+/-11 days, respectively. Calf survival, days open and age at first service were significantly affected by breed and management factors (p <0.05), whereas parity significantly affected the number of services per conception and days open. There was a tendency towards improved performance over the years. This was especially so for calf survival and days open. Clearly, all the traits measured varied among study farms, indicating that substantial improvement can be achieved through better management. This paper describes these individual traits of improved dairy breeds under commercialized farming systems in Ethiopia.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1979

Reproductive performance of turkey hens as influenced by hormone implants.

Large White turkey hens were implanted with silicone capsules containing either cholesterol (control), progesterone, 17-beta oestradiol (E2), oestrone (E1) or a combination of progesterone and E2. Egg production and fertility were measured. Blood samples were collected weekly for measurement of progesterone by radioimmunoassay. 2. Progesterone alone caused a several-fold increase in serum progesterone concentrations initially and significantly depressed egg production. Simultaneous administration of E2 significantly decreased progesterone concentration, but did not ameliorate the decrease in egg production. 3. There were significant positive correlations between serum progesterone concentration and egg production in control birds and those receiving E2 and E1. There was no significant correlation between progesterone concentration and fertility. 4. The results indicated that, within the physiological range, higher progesterone concentrations are associated with higher egg production. However, maintenance of constant progesterone concentrations throughout the reproductive season by means of implants was not achieved. Implants of E1 and E2 did not affect fecundity.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Flubendazole: safety regarding egg production and reproductive performance of breeder chickens.

In a comparative field trial, 5,950 meat breeder chickens were medicated via feed for 7 consecutive days with 60 ppm of the anthelmintic flubendazole. This treatment cured the birds of an infection with Ascaridia galli and Capillaria obsignata. A slight but transitory diarrhea was observed in treated chickens. The applied medication did not unfavorably affect egg production, fertility, or hatchability.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Effect of the amount of body condition loss from the dry to near calving periods on the subsequent body condition change, occurrence of postpartum diseases, metabolic parameters and reproductive performance in Holstein dairy cows.

We investigated the effect of body condition loss from the dry to near calving periods on the subsequent body condition change, the occurrence of postpartum diseases, the serum metabolic parameters total cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose, and urea nitrogen and the number of days to first breeding after calving in Holstein dairy cows. Body condition scoring (using a 5-point scale with quarter-point divisions) was performed on 67 pregnant Holstein dairy cows. Cows were scored once for body condition during the dry period (prepartum day 35 +/- 16), near calving (postpartum day 5 +/- 4), and subsequently at months 1 (+/- day 4), 2 (+/- day 5), 3 (+/- day 5), and 4 (+/- day 4) of lactation. At the same time, blood samples were collected to evaluate serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose and urea nitrogen concentrations. Cows were categorized based on body condition loss from the dry to near calving periods into two groups: the moderate condition loss group (0-0.75 points, n=41), or the marked condition loss group (1.0-1.5 points, n=26). Regular reproductive health examination was conducted by the same investigator once a week. The marked condition loss group lost more body condition (P<0.01) than the moderate condition loss group consistently until month 1 of lactation. The recovery of body condition in the marked condition loss group was more delayed (P<0.01) than in the moderate condition loss group from months 1 to 4 of lactation. The occurrence of metritis and metabolic diseases (including abomasal displacement, milk fever, ketosis) was greater (P<0.01) in the marked condition loss group (62 and 23%) than in the moderate condition loss group (27 and 2%), respectively. The total cholesterol concentration was lower (P<0.05) in the marked condition loss group (167 +/- 5.3 mg/dl) than in the moderate condition loss group (183 +/- 5.8 mg/dl) at month 1 of lactation, however, the cholesterol levels at the other periods were not different (P>0.05) between the two groups. The triglyceride, glucose, and urea nitrogen concentrations were not different (P>0.05) from the dry period to month 4 of lactation between the two groups. The number of days to first breeding after calving was longer (P<0.05) in the marked condition loss group (103 +/- 7.8 day) than in the moderate condition loss group (87 +/- 5.3 day). We conclude that marked body condition loss from the dry to near calving periods results in the increased occurrence of postpartum metabolic and reproductive diseases, decreased serum total cholesterol concentrations at month 1 of lactation and a longer interval to first breeding after calving in Holstein dairy cows, probably due to the more severe energy deficit reflected by unfavorable body condition score change during early lactation.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Reproductive performance in relation to uterine and embryonic traits during early gestation in Meishan, large white and crossbred sows.

Previous studies have shown that females of the Chinese Meishan breed and of their F1 cross with European Large White pigs are very prolific, producing about four more piglets per litter than control Large White females. The main cause of this prolificacy is enhanced prenatal survival for a given ovulation rate in Meishan and F1 females and this is controlled by genes of the mother, not those of the conceptus. The objectives of this study were to determine whether genotypic differences in embryo survival were apparent in the period immediately after attachment and to compare embryonic and uterine development at this time. Sows in their third parity (20 Large White, 14 Meishan, 25 Large White x Meishan F1 and 25 Meishan x Large White F1) were killed 20-22 days after mating and their reproductive tracts recovered for further study. There were significant differences between the purebred sows, and crossbred sows were approximately intermediate for the number of corpora lutea (20.7 +/- 0.9, 27.8 +/- 1.1, 22.4 +/- 0.8 and 23.3 +/- 0.8 for the four genotypes, respectively), the number of embryos (15.2 +/- 0.9, 23.4 +/- 1.1, 17.2 +/- 0.8 and 18.8 +/- 0.8, respectively) and the proportionate embryo survival (0.74 +/- 0.04, 0.84 +/- 0.04, 0.78 +/- 0.03 and 0.82 +/- 0.03, respectively). There was a negative association within genotype between embryo survival and the number of corpora lutea. Adjusting for the genotypic difference in the number of corpora lutea increased the genotypic differences in embryo survival.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1967

Poisoning with DDT: effect on reproductive performance of Artemia.

Brine shrimp die within 5 days after being given doses of above 10(-5) parts of DDT per million. At this and lower doses, shrimp deposited broods at a normal frequency, and cysts predominated. The number of cysts that emerged and the survival of larvae to adulthood from broods of treated parents exceeded those from controls. Therefore lethality based on induced dominant or sex-linked recessive gene mutation was not evident. Decreased fecundity is due to maternal debility.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Effect of Neospora caninum-serostatus on culling, reproductive performance and milk production in Dutch dairy herds with and without a history of Neospora caninum-associated abortion epidemics.

We quantified the effect of Neospora caninum (NC)-serostatus on culling and (re)production in 83 herds randomly selected from the Dutch dairy herd population (random group) and in 17 herds that had experienced an abortion epidemic associated with NC infection (epidemic-abortion group). In the random group, a single whole-herd blood sampling was done during the spring of 2003, while in the epidemic-abortion group whole-herd blood sampling was done repeatedly at least once a year starting after the abortion epidemic during the period 1997-2000 until the summer of 2004. Serological test-results for NC were given as 'negative' (N), 'low-positive' (LP) and 'high-positive' (HP). For analysing the time to culling, calving interval and age of first calving, survival analysis was used. For categorical reproduction parameters either a logistic-regression model (abortion, non-return after 1st insemination) or a Poisson-regression model (number of inseminations per pregnancy) was used. For milk production a linear-mixed model was used. All models were controlled, if applicable, for confounding variables like parity, production, season, year and abortion and adjusted for within-herd clustering. In random herds, HP serostatus increased the hazard for culling 1.73-fold (95% CI: 1.37-2.19) compared to N and LP serostatus. Compared to N serostatus, LP and HP serostatus in epidemic-abortion herds increased the odds for abortion 1.88-fold (95% CI: 1.41-2.52) and 1.72-fold (95% CI: 1.38-2.14), respectively. No other reproduction parameters were associated with NC-serostatus in the random or epidemic-abortion herds. We found no effect of serostatus on milk production in the random group. In contrast, milk production of LP and HP serostatus in the epidemic-abortion group was respectively, 0.72kgmilk/day (95% CI: 0.15-1.03) and 0.59kgmilk/day (95% CI: 0.13-1.30), less during the first 100 days of lactation in the first year after the abortion epidemic compared with N serostatus.

Abortion, Veterinary↗
PubMed1986

Heterotic and maternal effects in L and S growth strain rats: I. Reproductive performance.

A diallel cross between two strains of rats, from the same genetic source, but varying greatly in body size, was made in order to evaluate the following litter traits: number born alive, litter birth weight, number at 21 d of age, 21 d-litter weight, survival from birth to weaning and average birth weight. Least-squares analyses of variance of traits indicated that number born alive, litter birth weight and litter 21 d-weight was influenced greatly by maternal lines and to a lesser extent by paternal lines. Litters from Large line females (L) had greater numbers born alive with heavier litter weights at birth and 21-d than litters from Small line females (S) regardless of sire line. Heterosis was measured as a difference in performance between the hybrids and the mean of the parental lines. Heterosis levels for maternal traits were generally nonsignificant. Analysis of this mating scheme suggested that in this cross between extremes for body size the maternal effects were so great, that any heterotic effects present were not evident.

Alleles↗