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Moringa oleifera (Moringa) leaves contain high levels of nutrient that can be utilized as a feed supplement to increase libido and semen quality. This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of Moringa leaves supplementation on libido and sperm quality of Bali bulls. This study used two-sample t-test on four Bali bulls were kept under individual pens for two periods of eight weeks. During the first period (control), the experimental Bali bulls were fed concentrates (1% of body weight) and rice straw ad libitum. During the second period, the experimental Bali bulls were fed similar to the first period with an additional of Moringa leaves 15% of the weight of the concentrate (treatments). Libido and sperm quality were measured twice a week. Plasma samples were taken three times a day (06:00, 14:00, and 22:00h) on the last day of each period. Plasma testosterone concentrations were analyzed by using ELISA techniques. Variables measured were compared using paired student's t-test.

Background Understanding local Anopheles species compositions and bionomic traits are vital for an effective malaria vector intervention strategy. Though eight malaria vectors, including species complexes, have been documented across the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia, a comprehensive survey linking morphological and molecular species identification has not been conducted in this global hotspot of biodiversity. Results Eighteen distinct species of Anopheles were molecularly identified in a 1 km 2 area in Karama village, West Mamuju Province, Sulawesi. Known species included An. aconitus , An. karwari , An. peditaeniatus , An. vagus , An. barbirostris , An. tessellatus , An. nigerrimus , An. crawfordi , An. maculatus, An. flavirostris and An. kochi . Of the 18 distinct sequence groups identified through both ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer region 2, and mitochondrial DNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 loci, 8 could not be identified to species through comparison to published sequences. The comparison of morphological and molecular identities determined that interpretations of local species compositions for primary and expected species in Karama ( An. barbirostris and An. vagus ) had the highest rate of accuracy (92.1% and 87.6%, respectively) when compared to molecular analysis. However, the remaining distinct sequences molecularly identified to species were identified correctly by morphological methods less frequently, from 0 to 83%. Conclusions Karama, Indonesia has a high diversity of Anopheles spp. The unexpected high number of Anopheles species in a small area points to possible complex transmission dynamics and limitations with vector control based on possible varying behaviors and interactions with both humans and interventions. Morphological identification of Anopheles spp. in this study was more accurate for primary and expected species than secondary or unexpected species. Finally, the inability to identify seven sequence groups to species with consensus sequences implies that future studies employing sequencing are required to clarify species compositions in the Nigerrimus Subgroup, among others, as well as their distribution and vector status. Use of molecular methods in conjunction with morphological investigations for analysis of species composition, population dynamics and bionomic characteristics is directly implicated in understanding drivers of malaria transmission, intervention effectiveness, and the pursuit...

The main objective of the study was to describe the relationship of high somatic cell count (SCC) with the incidence of abnormal postpartum resumption of ovarian cyclicity and reproductive performance in dairy cows. The factors influencing SCC were also investigated. Four hundred and forty-seven cows from six dairy herds in Japan were monitored for SCC and postpartum resumption of ovarian cyclicity. Cows with high SCC (200,000 to 500,000) had a higher incidence of prolonged luteal phase (P < 0.01) than cows with an SCC of 50,000 to 100,000. The high SCC cows (> 500,000) also showed a higher incidence of delayed first ovulation post partum than cows with an SCC ≤ 500,000 (P < 0.05) during the first month post partum. Cows with an SCC of 200,000 to 500,000 showed lower conception and pregnancy rates, and more days from calving to conception than cows with an SCC of less than 200,000 (P < 0.05). Cows in parity 5 or more had a higher incidence of high SCC than cows in the first and second parities (P < 0.05). It is concluded that cows with a high SCC have a higher incidence of abnormal postpartum resumption of ovarian cyclicity, leading to reduced reproductive performance.

Abstract. The aim of the present study was to show the distribution of cows by days in milk (DIM) at first AI, effect of DIM at first AI on reproductive performance and some factors influencing DIM at first AI. A total of 767 Holstein Frisian cows that calved from January 2004 to December 2007 in 14 dairy herds were used. The first AI conception rate (FAICR) was 34.0%. Seventy-five percent of the cows were first inseminated within 100 days after calving. FAICR increased linearly up to 100 DIM. A one unit (20 days) longer DIM at first AI within the first 100 days postpartum increased the likelihood of a 2.4% FAICR. However, cows first inseminated at an earlier stage of lactation showed better reproductive performance in terms of pregnancy rate and calving to conception interval than cows first inseminated at a later stage. A one day increase in the interval from calving to first AI reduced the likelihood of 0.85 days to become pregnant. Herd or region located in southwestern Japan, tie-stall herd, first AI in spring, higher parity, uterine infection, metabolic diseases and/or mastitis and abnormal resumption of postpartum ovarian cycles contributed to delaying first AI. Key words: Dairy cows, DIM at first AI, Reproductive performance (J. Reprod. Dev. 57: [643][644][645][646][647][648][649] 2011) ecreased conception rate at first AI in dairy cows has been reported worldwide [1][2][3][4], resulting in an increased number of services per conception, delayed conception and increase of days open. Our recent study also described that approximately 14% of 613 dairy cows in nine dairy herds in Japan had repeat breeding and that the repeat breeders showed extremely poor reproductive performance [5]. Nutritional interactions with reproductive performance in the early postpartum period through high feed consumption required to meet energy requirements have been recognized as reducing the first AI conception rate [6]. Changes in reproductive physiology due to elevated steroid metabolism [7] and metabolic changes in follicular fluid of the dominant follicle in early lactation [8] have been reported to be potential causes of reduction of the first AI conception rate in lactating dairy cows.Esslemont and Kossaibati [9] have provided a fertility management assessment checklist. To be considered good fertility management, 95% of the cows in the herd after calving must be serviced by keeping the average calving to first service interval at less than 70 days, the overall heat detection must be more than 55% and the pregnancy rate must be 50% or more. The requirements to achieve this target or high reproductive efficiency in a dairy herd are a disease-free transition period, high rates of submission to AI and a high conception rate per service [2]. However, many current dairy herds have difficulty breeding and achieving a high first AI conception rate in an optimum time.Conception rate has been reported to be higher in the later stages of lactation than in the early stages of lactation [3,[10][11][12]. Likewise, following an Ovsy...

ABSTRAKPenelitian ini bertujuan untuk mempelajari tingkat kejadian kawin berulang pada ternak sapi perah di daerah tropis. Penelitian ini merupakan studi awal yang dilaksanakan di Kabupaten Sinjai, Indonesia. Sebanyak 82 ekor ternak sapi perah pada lima kelompok tani/ternak digunakan dalam penelitian ini. Sebanyak 75,6% dari 82 ternak sapi perah mengalami kebuntingan setelah beberapa kali dilakukan inseminasi buatan (IB). Tingkat kejadian kawin berulang pada daerah ini sangat tinggi (62%). IB pertama setelah melahirkan, angka konsepsi pada IB pertama, dan jarak antara melahirkan dan kembali bunting adalah 62,5±15,2 hari, 0%, dan 202,8±150,0 hari. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa tidak terdapat perbedaan yang nyata antara ternak yang kawin berulang dan yang normal terhadap IB pertama setelah melahirkan (60,4±15,2 hari vs 68,3±28,6 hari). Namun demikian, ternak sapi perah dengan fertilitas normal hanya membutuhkan 123,3±52,9 hari untuk kembali bunting dan 2,4±0,8 kali inseminasi per kebuntingan, sedangkan ternak kawin berulang membutuhkan lebih banyak waktu (222,9±134,1 hari) untuk kembali bunting dan inseminasi per kebuntingan (4,8±0,9 kali). Sebagai kesimpulan adalah bahwa penampilan reproduksi ternak kawin berulang sangat rendah sehingga menurunkan penampilan reproduksi ternak secara keseluruhan. Kata kunci: sapi perah, tropis, kawin berulang, penampilan reproduksi ABSTRACTThe objective of this study was to investigate the incidence of repeat breeding in dairy cows under tropical condition. This was a preliminary study conducted in Sinjai Regency, Indonesia. A total of 82 Holstein Friesian lactating cows from five dairy farmer groups were used in the present study. Of the 82 cows, 75.6% eventually became pregnant after repeated inseminations (AI). The incidence of repeat breeding in this area was very high (62%). Days in milk (DIM) at first AI, first AI conception rate, and calving to conception interval were 62.5±19.3 days, 0%, and 202.8±150.0 days, respectively. There was no difference in DIM at first AI between repeat breeders and normal fertility cows (60.4±15.2 days vs 68.3±28.6 days). However, normal fertility cows required only 123.3±52.9 days to conceive and 2.4±0.8 inseminations per pregnancy, whereas repeat breeders required significantly more days to conceive (222.9±134.1 days) and more inseminations per pregnancy (4.8±0.9). In conclusion, repeat breeder dairy cows under tropical condition had very poor and reduced reproductive performance.