Zinc (Zn) has a wide spectrum of biological activities, and its deficiency has been related to various dysfunctions and alterations of normal cell metabolism. To compare the effect of a higher dose of Zn supplementation on serum biochemicals of grower pigs (four months of age) that may serve as general indicators of optimum physiological functions, an experiment was conducted with one treatment group supplemented with higher dose of Zn (500 ppm) and another made deficient by supplementing calcium carbonate (CaCO 3) at 1.5% of dry matter of diet, for a period of four months, and was compared to the control supplemented with 100 ppm Zn. Serum Zn decreased significantly in a deficient group (p B0.01), and the animals developed clinical symptoms of parakeratosis. Total serum protein and haemoglobin (Hb) concentration revealed a significantly (p B0.01) increasing trend in Zn-supplemented (500 ppm) animals from day 45 of treatment, whereas a significantly (p B0.01) decreasing trend was observed in deficient pigs. Serum albumin level was not affected by different supplemental level of Zn or induced Zn deficiency. An apparent increasing trend of glucose and cholesterol level was recorded in supplemented groups. However, it decreased significantly (p B 0.01) in deficient pigs. The higher serum concentration of Zn, total serum protein, glucose, cholesterol andHb, resulting from 500 ppm of Zn supplementation in grower pigs, might help in maintaining a better physiological status through promotion of well-organised vital functions of proteins, ensuring a sufficient energy source for different physiological processes, and just source for synthesis of steroid hormones and optimal functioning of membrane receptors.

Aim:To evaluate different thawing temperatures and duration on the post-thaw semen quality of Indian yaks bulls.Materials and Methods:Semen ejaculates from four different yak bulls were collected using artificial vagina method and extended with tris extender containing 6.4% glycerol at 35°C, cooled gradually from 35°C to 5°C at 1°C/3 min and equilibrated at 4-5°C for 4 h and frozen in French mini straws using a programmable bio-freezer and finally stored in liquid nitrogen. Thawing of frozen semen straws was carried out using three methods i.e., 35°C for 60 s (thawing method I), 37°C for 30 s (thawing method II) and 75°C for 9 s (thawing method III). The post-thaw semen quality parameters assessed were sperm motility, percent live sperm, hypo-osmotic swelling test (HOST)-reacted sperm, acrosomal changes, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities in the extracellular media.Results:The percent sperm motility, total incidence of acrosomal changes, and extracellular release of AST varied significantly (p<0.01) between thawing methods but live sperm and HOST-reacted sperm did not vary significantly between thawing methods. The percent sperm motility of frozen yak semen for thawing method III was significantly (p<0.05) higher than that for thawing methods I and II, the difference between thawing methods I and II being non-significant. The critical difference test revealed that the total incidence of acrosomal changes and extracellular release of AST were significantly (p<0.05) lower when thawing was done using methods I and II than in method III.Conclusion:On the basis of the present experiment, we can conclude that barring the post-thaw sperm motility, thawing of frozen yak semen in water either at 35°C for 60 s or 37°C for 30 s gives better post-thaw semen quality than at 75°C for 09 s.

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In present study, one pair of testes and epididymis of Yak (Bos grunniens) was utilized. In cross section of testes, tunica albugenia, tunica vasculosa layer along with cross section of seminiferous tubules were observed. The cross section of seminiferous tubules contained basement membrane, sertoli cells, spermatogonia, spermatids and spermatocytes. The Sertoli cells were pyramidal shaped and rest on basement membrane. The spermatogonia were found among the Sertoli cells. In the cross section of epididymis of pseudo stratified columnar epithelium, stereo cilia, lumen of seminiferous tubules and smooth muscles were observed. The size of the lumen of the seminiferous tubules were larger compared to the size of the seminiferous tubules of testes.

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We examined the changes in body weight (BW), back-fat thickness (BFT) and blood metabolites in relation to postpartum (PP) ovarian activity status in twenty female yaks raised under semi-intensive system. BFT and ovarian activities, like follicle development, ovulation (OV) and corpus luteum (CL) development, were monitored from 4 to 15 weeks (wk) PP using ultrasonography. Resumption of ovarian activity was confirmed with ovulation of dominant follicle (DF) and subsequent CL development, and >1 ng/ml progesterone concentration in blood plasma sample after 1week of ovulation. Yaks were further classified as cyclic (with CL), acyclic (without CL), and cystic (with >25 mm follicular cyst; FC). Within 20 weeks PP, 60% yaks resumed cyclic ovarian activity, while 25% failed to initiate cycling activity, and 15% developed follicular cysts. In all categories of yak, BW gradually decreased (p < .05) till nadir; however, nadir reached earlier (p < .05) in acyclic yaks. BFT differed (p < .05) among the yak groups, but it tended to be higher in cyclic yaks as compared to acyclic and cystic. No difference (p > .05) in non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) values was found among the different categories of yaks, whereas, beta-hydroxy butyrate (BHB) levels were higher in cystic animals as compared to acyclic and cyclic. Blood glucose levels decreased in all yaks during initial 2 weeks after calving. Our findings suggest that yaks with low BW, BFT and glucose levels, and higher BHB values were at risk of delayed resumption of ovarian activity and concomitant development of follicular cysts.

A study was conducted on yak semen to evaluate the effect of different freezing rates on the quality of frozen semen. The semen was frozen following three freezing rates viz., Freezing rate I (@ 5ºC/minute from +4oC to -10oC, @ 40ºC/minute from -10ºC to -100ºC and @ 20ºC/minute from -100ºC to -140ºC), II (@ 4ºC/minute from +4ºC to -12ºC, @ 40ºC/minute from -12ºC to -40ºC and @ 50ºC/minute from -40ºC to -140ºC and III (@ 5oC/minute from +4ºC to -10ºC, @50ºC/minute from -10ºC to -100ºC and @ 20ºC/minute from -100oC to -140ºC). The sperm  motility, live sperm, HOST-reacted sperm, total incidence of acrosomal changes and  extracellular release of Alanine aminotransferase and Aspartate aminotransferase of yak semen extended in Tris extender differed significantly (P <0.01) between stages of processing and freezing but did not differ significantly between freezing rates and due to stage × freezing rate interaction. Analysis of variance revealed that in frozen semen, a freezing rate significantly (P<0.05) influenced the percentage of live sperm with Mitochondrial Membrane Potential (MMP) but did not significantly influence the percentage of sperm with DNA damage. The percentage of live sperm with MMP in frozen semen was significantly higher for freezing rate III than for freezing rate II but the difference between freezing rates I and III was not significant.