mahdi vodjgani

Traditional dairy farms produce low milk. Reproductive performance is very important for their economic viability. "Days open" is one of the reproductive performance measures, including the time between parturition and the next conception of a dairy cow.

This study aims to investigate days open and some reproductive characteristics, and examine the effect of these characteristics on days open in traditional dairy farms.

In this study, a questionnaire was used to collect data from 870 dairy cows belonging to 363 traditional dairy farms. This research was carried out in Miandoab County, in West Azerbaijan province, Iran. To determine the effects of ovarian cyst, dystocia, abortion, and parity of dam on days open, the multiple linear regression analysis in SPSS software was used.

In the cows, the mean days open in the last calving was 132.28 days, and the mean insemination for each pregnancy was 2.27 inseminations. Prevalence of dystocia, abortion, and ovarian cysts was 78%, 1.26%, and 1.95%, respectively. The results of Cox regression showed that parity, abortion, ovarian cysts, and dystocia significantly increased days open. The dystocia in the cows was prevalent mostly due to unknown causes and the owner's hasty intervention during the natural parturition process.

Dystocia, parity, abortion, and ovarian cysts have a significant effect on days open in traditional dairy farms. By training livestock farm workers on issues related to the reproductive management of dairy cows and their parturition period, we can expect an improvement in the reproductive performance of traditional dairy farms.

 Infectious and non-infectious abortions are necessary to be evaluated in Saanen and Alpine breeds as they have been recently imported to Iran whith out enough information about their susceptibility to diseases in the country situation. The present study aimed to investigate the causes of abortion in Saanen and Alpine to compare their susceptibility to each identified abortion factor.

 A total of 600 Saanen and 600 Alpine breeds were studied. Abomasal contents of foeti and serum samples from aborted does were analyzed by PCR and conventional culture methods and beta-hydroxy butyrate was measured in the serum of aborted animals.

Among 1200 pregnant goats, 59 Saanens and 80 Alpines aborted their fetus. Escherichia coli was isolated from 4 Saanens and 3 Alpines. Trueperella pyogenes was isolated from 5 Saanens and 7 Alpines. Pregnancy toxemia was the cause of abortion in 12 Saanens and 30 Alpines which showed a significant difference between the two breeds. Six Saanens and 10 Alpines aborted their fetus following trauma.

  As abortion is an economically important issue, especially for the breeds which we have less information about, the susceptibility of animals and the frequency of each abortifacient should be evaluated.

Brucellosis or Malta fever is one of the most prevalent zoonotic diseases considered as a health and economic concern.

The current study aimed to employ several methods to detect Brucella in blood and milk samples of saanen goat and use a safe and definitive method to diagnose this disease.

In this study, 122 blood samples and 122 milk samples were collected from saanen goats. After culture and serological-based isolation methods (RBPT, Wright, 2ME, and Ring test), DNA was extracted from all the blood and milk samples. PCR was carried out using B4 and B5 primers on all the extracted DNAs in order to detect the B. abortus and B. melitensis; PCR was carried out with Br.a and Br.m primers.

The results of all the blood samples were negative, but bacterial growth was observed in three milk samples, which was detected in biotyping, biovar 1 melitenensis. The PCR results for detection of Brucella spp. of nine blood samples and nine milk samples were positive. Using mPCR primers, B. melitensis were identified through all the nine milk and blood samples.

Herein, we found that better bacterial diagnostic system and choosing an appropriate technique for rapid detection, such as PCR and Real Time PCR, in addition to popular awareness and other functions of national veterinary medicine institute could control the diseases and decrease their incidence successfully.

The incidence of diseases among dairy cows is high in the postpartum period, which reduces dairy enterprise and higher demands for antibiotics. Considering this, the notion of promoting heath and reducing antibiotic application in dairy cow medicine by taking advantages of bioactive phytochemicals in herbal extracts is emerging.

This study's main purpose was to investigate the effects of supplementing Holstein dairy cows' ration in the close-up period by Immunofin® polyherbal aqueous extract on the normal physiology, clinical health, and hematological and biochemical parameters of postpartum dairy cows.

In this experiment, the herbal extract was supplemented in a close-up period diet for cows in the treatment group (n=10). However, cows in the control group (n=10) received precisely the same ratio as the placebo. The clinical health of cows was assessed, and some of their biochemical and hematological parameters were com-pared between the two groups.

Cows in the treatment group had a lower incidence of retained fetal membrane and metritis (P=0.01). In addition, cows in the treatment group had a lower concentration of serum nonesterified fatty acid (P<0.001), and a lower number of peripheral blood leukocytes and lymphocytes count among cows in the treatment group (P<0.0001). In contrast, their mean corpuscular hemoglobin and mean corpuscular volume were higher (P<0.0001).

In conclusion, Immunofin® supplementation in a close-up period had no negative impacts on prepartum cows' clinical health and could desirably alter some of the clinical, biochemical and hematological pa-rameters.

Early resumption of ovarian activity after parturition could positively influence the fertility of dairy cows. Ovulation of the first postpartum follicular wave and formation of corpus luteum that secretes progesterone can sub-stantially benefit the resumption of ovarian cyclicity in cows. In this regard, the presence of a dominant follicle in the ovary before day 10 postpartum could enhance ovulation rate in the first postpartum follicular wave. Pregnant mare serum gon-adotropin (PMSG) is one of the hormones with the potential to improve the growth of follicles.

Accordingly, the present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of PMSG injection six days after parturition on reproductive parameters in dairy cows.

The subjects were randomly assigned to the two groups of control (N=74) and treatment (N=79). Cows in the control group received no treatment, while animals in the treatment group received 500 IU PMSG on day six postpartum. In both experimental groups, cows were subjected to Presynch-Ovsynch protocol 30-35 days postpartum. The subjects that experienced estrus during the Presynch-Ovsynch protocol were inseminated. On the other hand, the cows that were not in estrus during this period were subjected to fixed-time insemination at the end of the Presynch-Ovsynch protocol. Pregnancy was diagnosed 45 days after artificial insemination using the rectal examination.

In the control group, 66.22% of cows were inseminated based on estrus detection and 33.78% of cows were inseminated at fixed times. In the intervention group, 68.35% of cows were inseminated based on estrus detection and 31.65% of cows were inseminated at fixed times. The first-service conception rate (FSCR) was 27.03% and 48.1% in the control and treatment groups, respectively (p =0.01).

The present study showed that the injection of 500 IU PMSG six days after parturition could enhance FSCR in dairy cows.

Timed breeding programs are essential to implementing extensive artificial insemination (AI) programs in sheep.

This study aimed to evaluate whether application of pre-synchronization and controlled internal drug releasing (CIDR) before and during fixed time AI protocol, respectively, could enhance estrus synchronization and fertility of ewes.

A total of 120 ewes were randomly assigned into four experimental groups (n=30 in each group) considering age, weight, and body condition score (BCS). All ewes received GnRH (25 μg of alarelin acetate), and five days afterwards, PGF2α (75 μg d-cloprostenol) plus eCG (400 IU). In the control group, ewes received no additional treatment. In Pre-synch group, ewes received two injections of PGF2α at 9-day interval three days before GnRH administration of main estrus syn-chronization protocol. In CIDR group, ewes received 5-day CIDR between GnRH and PGF2α of main estrus synchronization protocol. In Pre-synch-CIDR group, ewes received both two injections of PGF2α at 9-day interval and 5-day CIDR. Blood serum progesterone concentrations were measured in all ewes prior to injection of PGF  2α (day 5). All ewes were subjected to fixed time laparoscopic AI 48 hours after administration of the last PGF  2α.

No interaction was found between CIDR and pre-synchronization protocols (p >0.05). Progesterone concen-tration was higher in the CIDR groups than in groups without CIDR (p <0.0001). Estrous cycle was not affected by pre-synchronization and CIDR (p >0.05). The estrus was earlier in ewes with pre-synchronization compared to ewes without pre-synchronization following the last injection of prostaglandin (p =0.022). Pregnancy rate, lambing rate, prolificacy rate, fecundity rate, lamb weight at birth, and lamb gender were not significantly different between the treatment groups (p >0.05).

In our study, estrus rate and reproductive parameters showed no significant differences between dif-ferent groups, although pre-synchronization advanced onset of estrus expression.

Estrus synchronization is a valuable tool in ewe reproductive management.

This study was performed to evaluate the efficiency and determine the best time of eCG injection in short-term synchronization program based on GnRH-PGF 2α in Shal ewes during the breeding season.

One hundred and sixty non-pregnant Shal ewes, aged 2-6 years old were selected and randomly stratified to four equal groups. 25µg Alarelin acetate (GnRH analogue) and 75µg D-cloprostenol (PGF 2α analogue) were injected to all ewes, on days 0 and 5, respectively. The first group (control) did not receive any other treatment. Groups 2 to 4 received 400 IU of eCG, 48 hours before, 24 hours before and concurrent with PGF2α, respectively. Ewes were exposed to fertile rams during 96 hours post PGF2α injection. Blood serum progesterone concentrations were measured just before PGF2α injection and 10 days later.

No difference was observed in the first serum progesterone evaluation among experimental groups (P>0.05). However, progesterone had significantly higher concentrations 10 days after PGF 2α injection in groups 2 and 3 in comparison with groups 1 and 4 (P<0.05). Simultaneous use of eCG with PGF2α led to a higher estrus response in comparison with other groups (P<0.05). During the first day after PGF2α, a higher percentage of ewes in group 2 and 3 exhibited estrus compared with groups 1 and 4 (P<0.05). Conversely, estrus expression was higher 24-48 hours after prostaglandin injection in groups 1 and 4 than the other two (P<0.05). Thus, the interval to estrus was earlier in group 2 and 3 than groups 1 and 4 (P<0.05). No significant differences were detected in terms of conception rate, lambing rate, prolificacy and fecundity among study groups (P>0.05).

Use of eCG in different times (48 and 24 hours before and concurrent with PGF2α) in short-term synchronization program based on GnRH-PGF2α during the breeding season can be effective on estrus indices. Regarding the diversity of sheep's masses in Iran, it seems that acceptable results may be achieved when eCG is used concurrently with PGF2α in short-term protocol.

Perosomus elumbis is an occasional congenital anomaly of cattle, swine, sheep, and dogs with unknown etiology. This congenital abnormality occurs in both sexes. A dead Holstein calf characterized by musculoskeletal and external genitalia abnormalities was referred to the large animal hospital of University of Tehran. Radiographic evaluation and subsequent dissection revealed that the vertebral column was truncated at the level of first lumbar vertebra (L1). Moreover, L2-L5, sacrum and coccygeal vertebrae were absent. The dorsum of the lumbosacral region contained only soft tissues. Urogenital tract was incomplete, and it contained agenesis of the ovaries, uterine tubes, cervix, and vulva concurrent with unilateral umbilical artery agenesis. Small and large intestine contained blind-ended sacs. No testes, scrotum, and penis were found. The intact ureter was attached to a thin-walled fluid fill sac. The laboratory finding showed that the pH of the fluid was 6 and contained hemoglobin, white blood cells, bacteria, a few red blood cells, oxalate crystalline, and epithelial cells. It was concluded that the collected fluid was urine. This is the first report of perosomus elumbis in a Holstein calf having a lot of visceral abnormalities in Iran.