Advanced pregnant healthy HF crossbred cows (n=20) of 2-4 parity were equally divided in to control (routine farm feeding-RFF) and treatment/nutrients supplementation (RFF + bypass fat @ 100-200 g/h/d and ASMM @ 50 g/h/d) groups and were studied from 2 wks prepartum to 8 wks postpartum for plasma profile of steroid hormones and metabolites on days -14, -3, 0, +3, +14, +28 and +42 as well as for puerperal events and postpartum fertility. The mean plasma progesterone values were maximum (>6 ng/ml) on day 14 prepartum, which declined significantly (p<0.01) on day 3 prepartum reached to the basal levels (<1 ng/ml) on the day of calving, remained basal till day 14, and thereafter showed a rising trend on days 28 and 42 postpartum. The oestradiol-17 values were at its peak on the day of calving (p<0.01), showed a rapid fall by day 3 postpartum and remained low till recrudesce of follicular activity around day 35 postpartum. However, there were no statistical differences between the two groups in either of the hormones, except on day 42 postpartum. The levels of cortisol and PGF 2  Metabolites (PGFM) were 3-8 times higher on the day of parturition as compared to values at day 14 pre-and postpartum, and declined further till day 42 postpartum reaching to prepartum levels. The plasma cholesterol gradually decreased as parturition approached and increased in postpartum days to reach the highest value (p<0.01) at day 42. The nutrients supplemented cows had significantly (p<0.01) higher plasma cortisol, PGFM and cholesterol values than the control cows around parturition. However, no such variation was noted in plasma protein profile. The period of uterine involution in control and supplemented groups was identical (31.97±1.82 and 30.27±1.41 days), yet the cows in treatment group resumed estrous cycle earlier (38.00±1.95 vs 42.32±4.14 days, p<0.05) and had shorter service period (85.22±7.17 vs 100.67±5.60 days) with improved pregnancy rate (80 vs 60 %) as compared to those in control group. Thus, the peripartum nutrient supplementation in crossbred cows was beneficial and had positive effect on the postpartum fertility and plasma cortisol, PGFM and cholesterol profile.

Aim:The study was conducted to evaluate the levels of exogenous fibrolytic enzymes (EFE) on in vitro digestibilities of dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM), total gas production (TGP), metabolizable energy (ME) content, and microbial biomass production (MBP).Materials and Methods:The total mixed ration (TMR) was prepared using 30% each of sorghum hay and groundnut straw and 40% compound concentrate mixture to meet nutritional requirement of cow (500 kg) producing 12 kg fat corrected milk. The EFE was incorporated at 0, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140, 160, 180, 200, 220, 240, 260, 280, 300, 320, 340, 360, 380, and 400 mg/kg TMR. The TMR substrates with different levels of EFE were in vitro incubated to ascertain their effect on digestibility, gas production, and nutritive values.Results:The significantly (p<0.05) higher and optimum in vitro digestibilities of DM (63.03%) and OM (63.62%) as well as TGP (72.35 ml/500 mg TMR) were observed at supplementation of 240 mg EFE/kg TMR, while ME (7.16 MJ/kg DM) and MBP (97.63 mg/500 mg TMR) were also better.Conclusion:The incorporation of EFE at 240 mg/kg TMR resulted significantly (p<0.05) higher and optimum in vitro digestibilities of DM and OM. The TGP, ME, and MBP were also better. The levels of EFE 240 mg/kg TMR were found suitable for further in vivo study in crossbred cows.

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Oesophageal disorders are relatively uncommon in large animals. Oesophageal obstruction is the most frequently encountered clinical presentation in bovine and it may be intraluminal or extra luminal (Haven, 1990). Intraluminal obstruction or “choke” is the most common abnormality that usually occurs when foreign objects, large feedstuff, medicated boluses, trichobezoars, or oesophageal granuloma lodge in the lumen of the oesophagus. Oesophageal obstructions in bovine commonly occur at the pharynx, the cranial aspect of the cervical oesophagus, the thoracic inlet, or the base of the heart (Choudhary et al., 2010). Diagnosis of such problem depends on the history of eating particular foodstuff and clinical signs as bloat, tenesmus, retching, and salivation

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