This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation of dairy cows with yeast culture (YC) on productivity and reproduction of primi-parous cows. Animals in the 1 st group were fed the control ration (G1), while those in G2 and G3 were fed control ration with 20 and 40 g/h/d yeast culture (n=5 in each) during experimental period of 90 days prepartum and 90 days postpartum. Results show that CF digestion pre-and post-partum, body weight (30 and 90-d postpartum), body condition score (one-d prepartum and 90-d postpartum), daily actual and 4% FCM milk yield, milk fat, total solids and solids not fat contents were higher (P<0.05) in G2 and G3 than in G1, being the highest in G3. Uterine involution was earlier (P<0.05) by 7.6 d and calf performance parameters was better in G3 than in G1. Postpartum 1 st estrus interval, days open, P4 at estrus, service period and number of services/conception reduced (P<0.05) in G3 with best conception rate. Serum immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM and IgA) at 0 and 24 h post-calving, RBCs and WBCs counts, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and serum biochemicals in cows and their calves in G3 were the highest (P<0.05), whilst ALT and AST activities were the lowest in cows and calves in G3. The current study may conclude that dietary supplementation pre-and post-partum with yeast culture (40 g/h/day) can enhance productive and reproductive performances of primi-parous cows, and immune response, healthy status of cows and their offspring.

The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of administration of zincmethionine and selnomethionine to Friesian bulls during hot summer conditions in Egypt on physiological thermoregulatory response, sexual desire, some physical and chemical semen characteristics and blood metabolites. Twenty sexually mature Friesian bulls were divided into five similar groups (4 bulls/ each). Bulls in the 1 st group were unsupplemented and served as a control, while those in the 2 nd ,3 rd ,4 th and 5 th groups were orally supplemented with zincmethionine (Z-Met) at a levels of 2 and 4 mg/kg of BW/day and selenomethionine (Se-Met) at a levels of 0.3 and 0.6 mg/kg of BW/day, respectively, for two months as preliminary period and other three months as a main collection period. Rectal and skin temperatures, pulse rate (PR) and respiration rate (RR) were measured once each week through the experimental period. During the main collection period, semen was collected twice weekly and evaluated for semen-ejaculate volume (SEV), percentage of progressive sperm motility (PSM), live sperm (LS) and sperm abnormalities (SAB), sperm-cell concentration (SCC/ml) and total-sperm output (TSO/ejaculate). Blood samples were collected pre-treatment and monthly during the main collection period to determine concentration of total proteins (TP), albumin (AL) and globulin (GL); thyroxin (T 4 ), triiodothyronine (T 3 ), cortisol and testosterone hormones and zinc (Zn) and selenium (Se) levels in blood plasma. Also, activity of ALT, AST, ALP, ACP, SOD and GSH enzymes, as well as concentration of fructose, zinc and selenium were estimated in seminal plasma.The obtained results revealed that reaction time (RT) was shorter (P<0.05) and blood plasma testosterone concentration was higher (P<0.05) in all treated groups than the control group, begin the shortest (P<0.05) and highest (P<0.05) values of RT and testosterone concentration were recorded for bulls treated with Z-Met, especially in G3 group. Physical semen characteristics (SEV, PSM, LS, SCC/ml, TSO/ejaculate and SAB) were improved (P<0.05) in all treated groups as compared with the control one, being the best (P<0.05) values for bulls treated with Z-Met, especially in G3 group. Also, bulls treated with Z-Met in G3 group showed the lowest (P<0.05) activity of ALT, AST, ALP and ACP enzymes, highest (P<0.05) activity of SOD and GSH enzymes, and fructose, Zn and Se concentrations in seminal plasma as compare to other treated groups and control one. Bulls treated with Z-Met and Se-Met showed increased (P<0.05) levels of AL, T 4 , T 3 , Zn and Se, while GL and cortisol levels decreased (P<0.05) in blood plasma as compared to control one. In conclusion, orally administration of zincmethionine and selenomethionine to Friesian bulls had a valuable impact on sexual desire, semen quality and blood metabolites. Therefore, it can be recommended to treating the Frisian bulls with zincmethionine at a level of 4 mg/kg of BW/day during two preliminary months and three main semen collection months for improving the ...

Twelve sexually mature buffalo bulls, were used in the present study. The experimental work was carried out to study the effects of removal of seminal plasma by centrifugation and addition of different concentrations of caffeine (0,2,4 and 8mM/100ml) to the extended cooled buffalo semen with lactose-yolk citrate (LYC) extender on biophysical (percentage of sperm motility, dead spermatozoa, sperm abnormalities and acrosomal damage) and biochemical (aspartateaminotransferase: AST, alanine-aminotransferase: ALT and alkaline phosphatase: ALP) changes, during chilled storage at 5 0 C for up to 6 days and incubation at 37 0 C for up to 2 hours. The conception rates of buffalo-cows artificially inseminated with fresh semen and washed cooled semen supplemented without or with 2mM caffeine, were also assessed.

Twenty-eight of lactating Friesian cows about 5-10 years and 575-725 kg weight had dystocia and single-calf parturition were used in the present study. The experimental animal were divided into four groups (7 animals /group). Cows in the first group were administrated with 10 ml of saline solution (0.9 NaCl) intramuscularly injection and kept as a control. The second, third, and fourth groups were treated with oxytocin (OX) at a level of 50 I.U., prostaglandin F2 alpha (PG) at a level of 500μg and methargin (MT) at a level of 20 mg, with 10 ml of saline solution, intramuscularly injection, respectively. The results showed that, cows administrated with OX, PG or MT recorded decrease (P<0.05) in the period from parturition to complete fetal membranes drop and uterine involution, ovarian structure, first estrus postpartum, days open and service period as well as number of services per conception and calving interval, and increase (P<0.05) the heat period length as compared to in the untreated cows, moreover cows that had received PG or MT had better values than cows that had received OX. Also, OX, PG and MT treatments increased (P<0.05) the actual milk yield compared with untreated. Values of total leukocytic count, immunoglobulins IgG and IgM, total protein and albumin and thyroid hormones T3 and T4 as well as glucose were increased (P<0.05) in all treated groups, while values of cortisol were decreased (P<0.05) as compared to in the untreated group, moreover the best values were recorded with cows that were treated with PG or MT compared with cows that were administrated with OX. The highest percentages of the incidence of postpartum reproductive disorders were recorded for untreated cows, which can be decreased by administration of cows with OX, or avoided by PG or MT treatments within ½ hour postcalving. In conclusion, it can be recommended to administer lactating Friesian cows with dystocia with prostaglandin F2 alpha at a level of 500 μg, or methergin at a level of 20 mg, with 10 ml of saline solution (0.9% NaCl) intramuscularly injection, respectively, within ½ hour after expulsion of the fetus to avoid retention of fetal membranes, postpartum complications and improve subsequent reproductive performance and blood constituents as well as milk yield and its economic efficiency under the Egyptian conditions.

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of various cryoprotective agents including 7% glycerol (GL), 7% dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO), 5% ethylene glycol (EG), 5% acetamide (AC) or 5% lactamide (LA) and their combinations (3.5% GL+3.5 DMSO, 3.5% GL+2.5 EG, 3.5% GL+2.5% AC and 3.5% GL+2.5% LA) on post-thawing motility, recovery rate (freezability), acrosomal status and enzymatic activity of asprtate (AST) and alanin (ALT) transaminases, acid (ACP) and alkaline (ALP) phosphatases and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) in post thawed semen. Semen was collected twice a week from five Friesian bulls (3-4 years old and 600-650 kg LBW) by means of an artificial vagina. Only semen with progressive mot ility ≥70% was pooled and used for different treatments. Semen was extended, frozen and thawed with lactose-yolk citrate extender containing different levels of cryoprotectants. Conception rate was also estimated by AI. Results revealed that semen extended with combination of 3.5% glycerol plus 3.5% DMSO showed significantly (P<0.05) the highest percentage of sperm motility (60.2%), recovery rate (75.6%) and the lowest percentage of damage acrosome (10%) as well as the lowest (P<0.05) activity of AST and ALT (16 and 7 U/10 9 sperm), ACP and ALK (105 and 50 U/10 9 sperm) and LDH (145 U/10 9 sperm) in post-thawed semen, respectively. On the other hand, semen extended with EG showed significantly (P<0.05) the poorest results as a single or in combinations of cryoprotectants.In conclusion, using lactose-yolk-citrate extender containing a combination of 3.5% glycerol plus 3.5% DMSO during cryopreservation of bull semen showed the highest sperm motility, recovery rate and spermatozoa with intact acrosome in postthawed semen, which reflected the highest conception rate of Friesian cows.

Eighteen male and three female of Egyptian crossbred Friesian calves were chosen with average weight of 34.5±0.22 kg. Calves fed colostrum for the first three days, and then it fed whole cow milk (WCM) at 10% of LBW for seven days of age. Calves fed nursery starter (NSD) and grower starter diets (GSD) according to Kearl, (1982) during pre-and post-weaning. Calves subjected to the following treatments: T1, 100% WCM as (control), while, T2 and T3 were fed two milk replacer (MR) programs, and solids rate. The age at weaning was 105, 85 and 105 days, respectively. During pre-weaning, NSD recorded the lowest values in T1 than the other treatments and calves showed an increased in TBW and DG compared with those fed MR (T2 and T3). While the period of 15 days before weaning T2 was high in TBW and DG followed by T3 and the lowest values was in T1. Calves in T1 showed the better feed conversion than those in T2 or T3. From 15 days pre-weaning up to weaning, T2 was better in feed conversion. Early weaning in T2 program (85 d) resulted in higher (P<0.05) CF digestibility than those weaning at 105 days in T1 or T3 programs. Calves in T2 recorded the lowest values of LBW, TBWG, and DG than the other treatments. It could be conclude that, animals fed MR reached early weaning age which could help farmers to keep up the suckling calves that alleviate milk and beef shortage problem in Egypt.