A total number of 600 female buffaloes, having 3321 lactation records, from first to tenth parity, kept at three experimental farms (Mahalet Mousa, El-Nataf El-Gaded and El-Nataf El-Kadem), belonging to the Animal Production Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Cairo, Egypt, during the period from 2000 to 2007 were used to study genetic and phenotypic progress, achieved by the Mixed Model Equations (MME) for the Best Liner Unbiased Prediction. The number of sires were 66 sires and the average number of daughters per sire were 12.50. Mixed Model Least square analyzed was used to estimate fixed effects of month and year of calving, parity and farm on (total milk yield (TMY), lactation period (LP), fat yield (FY), protein yield (PY), lactose yield (LY) and somatic cell count (SCC). Data were analyzed using Multi Trait Animal Model to estimate genetic parameters and breeding values.

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of adding vitamin C and zinc chloride to vitrification medium on viability in vitro maturation and ultrastructure changes of vitrified immature Baladi cow oocytes. Compact cumulus oocytes (COCs) (n=1370) were obtained from slaughtered bovine ovaries. Then the morphology of oocytes was examined using a stereomicroscope. Staining with trypan, the in vitro maturation and ultrastructural changes were studied. The results revealed significant (P<0.05) increase of total and normal survival rate of bovine oocytes vitrified with zinc chloride (90.28 and 81.11%) than in vitamin C media (82.5 and 65.65%) or control medium (74.44 and 54.72%). Recovery rate of abnormal bovine oocytes showed significantly an opposite trend (9.17 vs. 16.94 and 19.72%). Proportion of oocytes with viable cytoplasm and viable cumulus (VOVC) was increased significantly (93.75%, P<0.05) in fresh (control) than in medium supplemented with vitamin C and untreated medium (74.55 and 68.63%), respectively. There were non-significant differences among zinc chloride, control and vitamin C media in oocytes with vaible cytoplasm and unvaiable cumulus (VOUC). Supplementation of the vitrification medium with zinc chloride and vitamin C significantly (P<0.05) improved maturation rates (MII) of recovered cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) than medium without supplementation. The percentage of ultrastructural alterations in most organelles bovine oocytes significantly (P<0.05) increased in oocytes vitrified without supplementation followed by vitamin C, then zinc chloride medium. Conclusion, supplementation of vitamin C or zinc chloride to the vitrification medium improved survival rate, morphologically and ultrastructural, as well as maturation rate of bovine oocytes

Twenty lactating Zaraibi goats in 2 nd-3 rd season of lactation and average live body weight of 37.5±0.41 kg were used to determine the effects of inclusion (partially or totally) three levels of distiller dried grains with soluble (DDGS) instead of undecorticated cotton seed meal (CSM) and small part of yellow corn on their productive performance. The experimental period lasted for 98 days, started after 3 months of suckling and weaning of kids. Goats were randomly assigned into four groups (5 goats each). Animals were fed according to NRC (1981) recommendations, since 50% of the total protein requirements were covered from whole corn silage (WCS) and the other 50% were assigned at rations to receive the following formulated concentrate feed mixtures : R1 concentrate feed mixture (0.0% DDGS, CFM1) control ration, R2 (8% DDGS, CFM2) , R3(16% DDGS , CFM3) and R4 (24% DDGS, CFM4) to formulate approximately four isonitrogenious and isocaloric rations. Results showed that nutrient digestibility coefficients and nutritive values in terms of TDN, DCP % , DE and ME (MJ/ kg DM) were significantly (P<0.05) improved gradually by adding DDGS levels to the tested rations. Inclusion DDGS at higher level in R3 and R4 rations lowered (P<0.05) ruminal pH values at all the sampling times. Ruminal ammonia-N concentrations were significantly higher (P<0.05) with DDGS rations than the control one. Increasing level of DDGS improved average daily milk yield (ADMY) and its composition. The highest ADMY was recorded with R4 followed by R3 rations, while R1 recorded the lowest value. Milk fat and protein% were the highest for groups fed R3 and R4. Milk total solids% improved with increasing DDGS levels. The economic efficiency (EE) values cleared that DDGS rations (R3 and R4) reflected superiority over the control ration by approximately 10.9 and 23.5% for 16 and 24% DDGS levels, respectively. The obtained EE values in the control and R2 rations were nearly similar (1.19 vs 1.21). From the nutritional and economical point of view the use of R4 (24% DDGS) to replace up to 100% of CSM in lactating goats rations could be recommended to improve goats performance and economic efficiency.

The current study aimed to compare the utilization efficiency of iron (Fe) feed additives from either bulk or nano sources in Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus diets on growth, haematological, immunity, anti-oxidative, and intestinal topography capacities. Five isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets were performed; the basal diet served as a control with no Fe added, whereas the experimental diets were shaped by adding bulk-Fe2O3 and nano-Fe2O3 to the basal diet to preserve Fe levels at 0.2 and 0.4 mg kg−1, respectively. Results indicated that superior growth performance was recorded in fish-fed diets supplemented with 0.4 nano-Fe2O3 mg kg−1 diet. In addition, the highest (P ≤ 0.05) survival rate, absorption area of villous (AAV), mucosal to serosal amplification ratio (MSR), and villi parameters (height and width) were noticed in fish fed diet enrichment with either bulk or nano-Fe2O3 source. However, the superiority observed in nano-Fe2O3 fish groups. Also, the highest values of plasma albumin, total protein, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), white blood cells (WBCs), and lymphocyte absolute count (LYM) (P ≤ 0.05) recorded in fish fed a diet supplemented with nano-Fe2O3 versus the basal diet. Moreover, the highest values of catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and plasma lysozyme activity (P ≤ 0.05) were observed in fish fed 0.4 mg/kg−1 nano-Fe2O3, while the lowest value was recorded in fish fed the control diet. The best value of malondialdehyde activity (P ≤ 0.05) recorded in a fish-fed diet supplemented with 0.4 mg/kg−1 nano-Fe2O3. The current findings emphasize the importance of including Fe to improve fish growth, immunity, antioxidant capabilities, and intestinal structure, primarily with a nano-Fe source, which demonstrated a more effective function in satisfying Nile tilapia dietary Fe requirements and improving the aforementioned parameters.

Total of 20500 normal first lactation of German Friesian cows from 23 herds sired by 1003 bulls, were used to estimate the genetic and phenotypic parameters of 1st milk yield (MY), 1st fat yield (FY) and 1st protein yield (PY). Analysis was carried out using a mixed model including year and season of calving and the herd as fixed effects, age at first calving as a covariate and sires as a random effect. Least squares means were, 6096, 253 and 201, kg for MY, FY and PY, respectively. Heritability estimates were, 0.35 ± 0.02, 0.29 ± 0.02 and 0.29 ± 0.02 for the previous traits, respectively. All genetic and phenotypic correlations were positive and high (0.66 to 0.92). Four selection indices for improving milk traits were constructed including all combinations of two or three traits studied. The expected genetic change per generation ranged between 338 kg and 344 kg for MY, 4.11 kg and 10.81 kg for FY and 7.55 kg and 7.98 kg for PY. The maximum predicted genetic improvement in milk and protein yields were 344.18 kg and 7.98 kg per generation and achieved by I3, while the highest predicted genetic response for fat yield gave by I4 (10.81 kg). Index I1 which included MY, FY and PY was the best (RIH=0.66) and recommended for genetic improvement of German Friesian cows if the selection was exercised at the end of the first lactation.

Data used in this study were collected over a period of ten years (from 1985 to 1994) from two farms belonging to the Egyptian Company for Meat and Milk Production, Ministry of Agriculture, Egypt. Live body weights of 1110 Friesian calves (650 male and 460 Female) progeny of 22 sires were used in the present study. Sires with at least 10 daughters were used in the statistical analysis using Harvey (1990) program. Unadjusted means of birth weight, weight at three, six, nine and twelve months of age were 30.1, 78.7, 121.8, 165.1 and 204.4 kg, respectively. Average daily gain were 0.556, 0.521, 0.498, 0.468 and 0.502 kg/day during the period from birth to three months of age, 3 to 6.6 to 9.9 to 12 and from birth to twelve months of age. Heritability estimates of birth weight, weight at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of age were 0.12, 0.19, 0.10, 0.17 and 0.18 and for daily gain from birth to three months of age, 3 to 6.6 to 9.9 to 12 were 0.19, 0.03, 0.07 and 0.18, respectively. Genetic correlations among both weights at different ages all ranged from 0.25 and 0.99. All genetic correlations between body weights and body weight gains were positive except, that between birth weight and each of gain from birth to three months of age and from three to six months of age, and between weight at three months and each of gain from three months to six months of ages and gain from nine to twelve months of age. Sire transmitting abilities (ETA's) ranged from-1.138 to 1.046 for birth weight, from-2.423 to 2.939 for weight at three months of age, while ETA estimates for daily gain from G0-3 and G3-6 were 0.059 and 0.017 kg/day, respectively. All Spearman rank correlation coefficients among ETA's of studied traits were positive. The results indicated the presence of great variation in growth traits. Selection would lead to improve the growth rate in Friesian calves under Egypt conditions.

Data on 1809 records of productive and reproductive traits in Black Pied cows were studied to determined the performance of these cows under hot-climate conditions in Uzbekistan Republic during the first three lactations and to analyze some genetic and environmental factors affecting these traits. The random effects studied were sire and dam within sire. The fixed effects were season of calving/birth (winter from October to March and summer from April to September), year of calving (1971 to 1983)/birth (1968 to 1981) and parity (1 to 3). Data were analyzed using linear mixed model least squares and maximum likelihood (LSMLMW) computer program of Harvey (1990). The overall mean (±S.D) of total milk yield (TMY) was 4056±1112 kg, 305-d milk yield (305-dMY) was 3860±959 kg, fat percentage (FP%) was 3.69±0.16, lactation period (LP) was 307±58.4 days, dry period (DP) was 79.3±37.7 days, fat yield (FY) was 150±40.7 kg, fat-corrected milk was 3865±1051 kg, annualized milk yield was 3861±991 kg, calving interval (CI) was 386±62.9 days, days open (DO) was 103±63.1 days and age at first calving (AFC) was 871±110 days. Sire of the cow (father) had significant effect on all studied traits except on LP, DP and AFC. Year of calving/birth significantly affected all studied traits except on DP and FCM was not significant. On the other hand, season of calving/birth had insignificant effect on all traits. Parity had significant effect on all traits except LP and CI did not affect significantly by parity. First parity cows had significantly lower TMY, 305-DMY, FP, FCM and AMY means than cows with more than parity. TMY in the 3 rd lactation was significantly higher than that in the 2 nd and 1 st lactation by 11.5 and 28.6%, respectively (4689 VS 4205 and 3645 kg, respectively). Each of 305dMY, FY, FCM, and AMY followed the same trend of the TMY during the first three lactations. Therefore, more attention should be given to cows in the first parity in order to improve the productivity of the cows. Genetic improvement could be also achieved on these traits through sire selection.

Genetic parameters were estimated by multitrait REML programme using an animal model for udder health traits [clinical mastitis (MAST) and somatic cell counts (SCC)] and milk yield traits [305day milk yield (MY), 305day fat yield (FY) and 305day protein yield (PY)] in the first three lactations of 4015 Friesian cows records calved first from 2000 to 2005 at Sakha farm. The mixed model used in the analysis included the fixed effects of month and year of calving, and parity and the random effects of additive genetics, maternal permanent environment and residual. For each lactation, heritability estimates for MAST (0.13 to 0.20) were slightly higher than those for SCC (0.08 to 0.15) and were from 0.21 to 0.35 for milk yield traits. Heritability estimates for all lactations were 0.21, 0.11, 0.33, 0.29 and 0.29 for MAST ,SCC ,MY ,FY and PY ,respectively. The genetic correlations between MAST and SCC being 0.72 for 1 st , 0.79 for 2 nd and 0.83 for 3 rd lactations indicated that both traits were genetically favorably associated and selection for low SCC will reduce the incidence of mastitis. The genetic correlations between udder health traits and milk yield traits were mildly positive (0.27 to 0.55) confirming a genetic antagonism between production and udder health traits in this herd. Genetic correlations for each trait across lactations were positive and high for all traits studied, MAST (0.70 to 0.93), SCC (0.84 to 0.91) and milk traits (0.88 to 0.99). The strongest correlations were between second and third lactation for all investigated traits. The positively high genetic correlations between both MAST and SCC in subsequent lactations suggested that susceptibility to mastitis remains unchangeable by advanced of age. For all lactations, genetic correlations were slightly lower than subsequent lactations. Estimates of permanent environmental variances as proportions of phenotypic variances were, 0.09, 0.39, 0.11, 0.22 and 0.23 for MAST, SCC, MY, FY and PY, respectively.Selection of the cow on the basis of their expected breeding values should cause reduction in the incidence MAST and SCC, and increase MY, FY and PY. The accuracy of the index that included SCC and MAST with MY was about 7 times higher than that of other indices. It is emergent to include udder health traits in the breeding programme by using SCC as a criterion for selection for mastitis resistance.