جستجوی مقالات مرتبط با کلیدواژه « fertility » در نشریات گروه « کشاورزی »

Fertility is one of the main factors influencing the economic result in poultry flocks and it is influenced by several variables including breed, nutrition quality, flock age and sperm quality. As a result, the decrease in the fertility of beef mother herds after the peak of production is one of the most important factors in reducing the economic profit of breeding units. It has been shown that fertility decline at the end of the productive period can be partially prevented through artificial insemination. The requirement for optimal use of artificial insemination in any species is the possibility of storing sperm in liquid and frozen form. Fertility rate of poultry sperm in frozen conditions is facing a serious challenge compared to other species, this challenge may be related to some special physiological characteristics of rooster sperm that lead to increased sensitivity in frozen conditions. Ginger is a plant that has strong antioxidant substances, which increases the level of antioxidant enzymes and collects free radicals and protects the cell membrane against the risk of oxidation and peroxidation of fats. The main antioxidant compounds in ginger are gingerols, sesquiterpenes, shogaols and some phenolic ketone derivatives, which have the ability to neutralize superoxide and hydroxyl radicals. This evidence shows that adding ginger powder to the diet of broilers can improve the quality of sperm after thawing and increase the fertility rate by improving the antioxidant properties of semen and protecting sperm from damage caused by freezing-thawing. In this research, twenty-seven Ras 308 breeding broilers were tested in the southern desert research farm in collaboration with Khuzestan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.  At the age of 47 weeks, the sows were habituated for two weeks in individual cages and fed with basic ration and abdominal rubbing method for sperm collection. From the age of 49 to 60 weeks for 12 weeks, the sows were fed with a basic diet (control group) or diets with different levels of ginger powder (treatment groups) and kept at a temperature of 19-23 degrees Celsius and a photoperiod of 14 hours of light and 10 hours of darkness.  Experimental treatments included: control diet (no feeding of ginger powder), daily feeding of 7.5 grams of ginger powder and daily feeding of 15 g of ginger powder per kg of diet. During the test period, sperm samples were collected weekly by abdominal rub method and after initial evaluation, from the age of 51 weeks, they were frozen, and the quality parameters of semen, including total and progressive aspect, plasma membrane function, sperm viability and morphology after thawing were evaluated. took Frozen semen samples from weeks 59 and 60 were inoculated into broiler hens to evaluate sperm fertility after thawing. The effect of treatment and test weeks on most of the parameters measured including total and progressive motility, viability and function of sperm plasma membrane was significant. The interaction of treatment and test weeks significantly affected overall and progressive behavior, but its effect on survival tended to be significant. The effects of treatment, week and the interaction of treatment in week had no significant effect on the percentage of abnormal sperms. The study by Shafiq et al. (2015) improved the storage of rooster sperm using rosemary essential oil after the freezing and thawing process; The results of the research showed that the use of rosemary essential oil in the diluent improves the quality of rooster sperm, which is consistent with the present research.  Ginger comprises essential antioxidant compounds such as gingerols, sesquiterpenes, shogaols, and certain phenolic ketone derivatives. These compounds possess the remarkable ability to neutralize superoxide and hydroxyl radicals, contributing to their sustained antioxidant activity. Furthermore, the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase plays a crucial role in safeguarding sperm in the tissues of the testis and epididymis. A decline in the levels of this enzyme within the body has been associated with infertility. Recognizing the significance of these antioxidant components and enzymes underscores their continuous impact on maintaining reproductive health. By being placed in the sperm plasma membrane, this enzyme protects the sperm nucleus and epididymal fluid from the attack of free radicals and causes the final swelling and development of sperms. Fertility percentage and sperm yield in chicks of hens fed with 7.5 and 15 g/kg of ginger powder in the diet increased significantly compared to the control group. Among the sperm parameters, sperm motility and viability are considered to be the most important factors influencing sperm transfer to SSTs; In this research, the total and progressive motility and survival were increased in the groups of 7.5 and 15 grams per kg of diet, which can be the reasons for increasing the fertility and hatching of chicks in these groups. In a research by Masoudi et al. (2021), they investigated the effect of milk thistle, carob and ginger on the reproductive performance of Ras breed broilers and reported that supplementing the diet with plant additives significantly improved the quality of sperm and fertility of the sows compared to the control group. In generally, the results of the present study showed that the addition of 7.5 and 15 g per kg of ginger powder in the diet significantly increased the total and progressive motility, the integrity and function of the plasma membrane, and finally, the fertility and egg retrieval of sperm after thawing.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of vitamin A injection on reproductive performance in repeat breeder cows. One hundred and sixty-two multiparous Holstein cows with at least three consecutive unsuccessful inseminations were randomly assigned to experimental treatments. Treatments included (1) control: twice intramuscular injection 10 ml placebo30 days apart: 0.9% sodium chloride (n=87) and (2) vitamin A:  twice intramuscular injection 10 ml retinol palmitate 30 days apart (n=75). Animals submitted to double-ovsynch protocol and received their experimental treatments on the tenth day of the protocol (the day of the second injection of GnRH). The injection of retinol palmitate significantly increased the number of ovarian follicles larger than 10 mm compared to the control (P <0.05). Plasma concentration of superoxide dismutase enzyme tended to increase (P = 0.09) and malondialdehyde concentration tended to decrease (P = 0.08) under the influence of vitamin A injection. The conception rate at first artificial insemination was 25.29% and 34.66% for control and vitamin A treatments respectively, this difference was not significant (P = 0.19). The odds ratio of conception in the first service for vitamin A treatment was 1.57 times higher than the control treatment but was not statistically significant (P = 0.19). In conclusion, vitamin A injection improved antioxidant function and ovarian function. The reproductive performance improved, although not statistically significant.

More than 80% of Iran's area is arid and semi-arid. Arid and semi-arid soils have various problems and limitations. One of the most important factors limiting soil fertility and crop production in these areas is the lack of soil organic matter (SOM). In more than 60% of Iran's agricultural lands, the amount of SOM is less than 1%; While its optimal level in soils should be 2-3%. SOM, as one of the most important indicators of soil health, plays a vital role in soil fertility and crop production; So, by increasing the amount of SOM, the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the soil and crop yield can be improved. However, the stability and residual effects of the fertilizers and organic wastes in the soil are low. Nowadays, converting organic wastes and residues into biochar and adding them to the soil is one of the new methods of increasing soil organic carbon, which enhance soil fertility and crop yield and has high residual effects due to its high stability. However, due to the specific characteristics of the soils of arid and semi-arid regions, using biochar in these regions is associated with challenges and has received less attention. In this review article, while reviewing the positive effects of biochar on soil quality indicators and crop production, the challenges of using biochar in the soils of arid and semi-arid areas, especially in drylands, and the solutions to overcome these challenges have been reviewed.

The banning of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) application for estrus synchronization by ethics committee for protection of animal rights, has caused the development of alternative protocols. One of the alternative protocols based on a short-term progesterone treatment and single dose injection of GnRH after termination of progesterone treatment. Half-life of GnRH is very short and it is rapidly degraded by peptidases and cleared by glomerular filtration. One of the suggested approaches is to prolong the action of GnRH and protect it against peptidases. Propyleneglycol and aluminum-hydroxide-gel nanoparticles absorb protein compounds and reduce their release rate. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the effect of GnRH dissolved in aluminum-hydroxide-gel nanoparticles or propyleneglycol on estrus synchronization, ovulation induction and fertility outcome after artificial insemination in Mehraban ewes.

In the breeding season total of 67 non-pregnant ewes (with weight average of 57.72±5.33 Kg, aged 2-4 years and BCS 3-3.5) were selected and treated by progesterone impregnated sponge for a 7 days period. All of ewes were received 5 mg PGF2α (Dynoprost) with sponge removal and were divided into four treatments, randomly. Each ewe in T1 was received 400 IU eCG (i.m) immediately after removing the sponge. Ewes in T2 and T3 were received 50 µg of GnRH (s.c) dissolved in aluminum-hydroxide-gel and propyleneglycol 36 h after removing the sponge, respectively. Each ewe in T4 was received 50 µg of GnRH (i.m) dissolved in distilled water 56 h after removing the sponge. All of the ewes were inseminated laparoscopically at 56 h after removing the sponge. During insemination, ewes with estrus signs were determined and uterine status were scored by uterine tone. Blood plasma estradiol (E2) concentration was evaluated at 36 and 56 after removing the sponge. Ovulation rate and plasma progesterone (P4) concentration was measured 11 days after insemination. Conception rate, fecundity and prolificacy were calculated after parturition.

Percentage of estrus, estrus quality, occurrence of ovulation, ovulation rate, and plasma P4 concentration were similar among groups. Plasma E2 concentration in T1 was significantly higher 36 after removing the sponge (P<0.05) but, it was similar among groups at 56 after removing the sponge. Conception rate with regards to ovulated ewes was higher in T3 compared to T2 (P<0.05). Conception rate with regards to inseminated ewes, lambing rate and fecundity were higher in T3 compared to other groups although these differences were not statistically significant.

Slowing and extending the release of GnRH by dissolving in propyleneglycol or aluminum-hydroxide-gel nanoparticles induces estrus and ovulation similar to eCG. However, propyleneglycol has better efficiency in synchronizing the animals for artificial insemination.

Early vigor, stress resistance, uniformity, high yield, and breeder right protection have turned hybrid cultivar development into the most successful breeding strategy in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.). The goals of this research were to develop the first CMS based rapeseed hybrids in Iran and to evaluate their performance and fertility. The effect of different traits on yield increasing of hybrids was also studied. Seven CMS lines were crossed with R2000 (a restorer-line) and the seed yield of hybrids was tested using a randomized complete block design with three replications in 2019-2020 and 2020-2021. Three of hybrids with 4.64, 4.40, and 4.38 tons per hectare, showed considerable yield and were significantly different than Nilufar, Neptune, and Nima (3.44, 3.37, and 3.30 tons per hectare, respectively), as check cultivars. R2000×A8 demonstrated the highest heterosis (34.71%) to high-check cultivar. All hybrids obtained were normal in terms of fertility, having no male-sterile flowers. Based on the results of principal component analysis and cluster analysis, the simultaneous increase in the number of pods per plant and the thousand seed weight, together with crossing the more distant parents will lead to more high yielding hybrids. The promising hybrids with high yield and remarkable fertility could be released as new cultivars after passing adaptability and stability experiments.

Although, unlike many livestock, no intense artificial selection has been made on dromedary camels, traces of natural selection along with selection by the human can still be found as selection signatures in the camel genome. Due to the development of new technologies as well as bioinformatics tools, the detection of these genomic regions can be done with high accuracy. This study aimed to identify the selection signatures on the X chromosome in Iranian dromedary camels using whole genome sequencing data.

For the present study, the genomic data from six Iranian dromedary camels were used as the target population and also eight samples of dromedary camels from the Arabian Peninsula as the reference population. Signatures of selection were identified using two methods, including Fst and XP-EHH. A window size of 50kb and a step size of 25kb were used for this analysis, and genomic windows with scores higher than the 99th percentile of ZFst and XP-EHH distribution were considered as putative selection signatures. BEDtools program was used to extract genes located in these regions. Gene ontology analysis was performed on mentioned genes using g:profiler program.

Based on the results, 13 and 27 genes identified using Fst and XP-EHH approaches as positively selected genes on the X chromosome in Iranian dromedary camels, respectively. The results of gene ontology (GO) analysis showed that terms related to fat metabolism have a significant contribution among the significant GO terms. Among the important identified genes, the genes of DGAT2L6 and AWAT2 may involve in the camel's resistance to high levels of ultraviolet radiation in desert conditions. Also, the NSDHL gene, which is involved in cholesterol biosynthesis, play a role in male fertility. The only significant KEGG pathway in this study was related to vitamin A metabolism.

It seems that the positive selection of genes related to fat metabolism, behavior and resistance to ultraviolet radiation in Iranian dromedary camels has been for interaction with humans and harsh desert conditions. Due to the lack of breeding programs on camels, it seems that knowing the genomic features of this species can be considered as a prerequisite for designing breeding strategies.

 The main aim of dairy farms is to increase the economic milk production of each cow in each lactation period. Therefore, the effective genetic and environmental factors should be identified and evaluated. Today, the main cause of economic losses to dairy herds is low reproductive efficiency. Any factor that causes delay or non-pregnancy of dairy cows leads to reduced milk production and calf birth. Stress is known as a major factor in reducing of fertility of dairy farms. Therefore, it is necessary to find management solutions that can reduce the side effects of this factor. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of insemination in pre- and post-milking time on pregnancy rate of Holstein Cows in Isfahan province. 

This research was conducted in the winter season between 2015 and 2020 in two large industrial herds in Isfahan. 2340 Holstein cows with 1 to 5 lactations were studied. The cows were randomly divided into two equal groups. According to the time of estrus observation and calculation of insemination time, half of the cows (1170 heads) were inseminated during 2 hours after milking and the other half during 2 hours before milking. Statistical analyzes were done using SAS software version 9.4. Descriptive statistics were estimated for enumerated data with frequency procedure (Proc FREQ) and for continuous data with mean procedure (Proc MEANS). Logistic regression method (Proc GLIMMIX) was used to analyze the results of insemination (1 = lead to pregnancy and 0 = no lead to pregnancy). The final model was including the fix effects of herd-year-season, insemination time compared to milking (pre- and post-milking), age at insemination time (2 levels including less equal and more than 40 months), MIM (nine levels), interaction effect of insemination time and age, interaction effect of insemination time and milk yield level (low and high producing) and the random effect of semen as bulls.

Odds of pregnancy of inseminated cows in the post-milking time was more than inseminated cows in the pre-milking time (1.5 times). Also, in the group of high producing cows (with a milk average yield of more than 51 kg) and low aging cows group (less equal 40 months), the odds ratio of pregnancy of post-milking insemination was estimated higher than pre-milking insemination (1.6 and 1.85, respectively). Comparison of least squares mean (LS Means) of pregnancy rate in cows based on the time of insemination showed that in generally there is a 0.09 pregnancy difference between insemination time in pre- and post-milking. The mean of pregnancy rate in pre- and post-milking insemination was 0.31 and 0.40, respectively. Due to be significant of the odds ratio in the group of high producing cows (with a milk average yield of more than 51 kg), comparison of least squares mean of pregnancy rate in insemination times showed a difference of 0.1 in this group. The mean of pregnancy rate of high producing cows in pre- and post-milking insemination was 0.30 and 0.40, respectively. Also, due to be significant of the odds ratio in the group of low aging cows (less than equal to 40 months), the difference of least squares mean of pregnancy rate at insemination times was estimated 0.15. In other words, the mean of pregnancy rate of low aging cows in pre- and post-milking insemination was 0.34 and 0.49, respectively. For low producing (less than 51 kg) and high aging cows (more than 40 months), although the mean of pregnancy rate at insemination time of post-milking was numerically higher than pre-milking, no significant difference was observed. Although there is a little information for the physiological factors of higher pregnancy in cows that have been inseminated in post-milking, it seems that reducing stress and consequently lower cortisol concentrations due to discharging milk of udder can be an effective factor. 

The results of this study showed that the time of insemination based on milking time makes a significant difference in the pregnancy rate of Holstein cows. It was also found that high producing cows with a milk average yield of more than 51 kg and low aging cows with age of less than equal to 40 months had the maximum chance of pregnancy at the time of insemination of post-milking due to reduced effect of milking stress at insemination time. Although the physiological reasons need to be carefully investigated, the findings of this study can be recommended as a suitable solution for insemination of low aging and high producing cows to increase herd fertility.

Generally, genetic markers, associated with metabolic pathways, might be used in marker-assisted selection to improve production and reproduction traits in farm animals. Especially, some traits with low heritabilities, such as reproduction and health traits could not be easily improved by classic selection strategies. However, the use of genetic markers and marker-assisted selection are considered powerful tools for the genetic improvement of low-heritable traits. Thus, detection of genetic markers associated with production and reproduction traits is an effective way to save endangered indigenous breeds, such as the Markhoz goat, a mohair-producing breed in Iran. The thyroid hormone-responsive (THRSP) gene is a candidate gene involved in thyroid hormone functions and the lipogenesis process. This gene is a protein-coding gene, with two exons, located on chromosome 29 in goats. There are some reports on the association of THRSP with production traits in farm animals. There are limited studies on metabolic pathways of THRSP and its associations with important economic traits in small ruminants and no study on the association of THRSP and reproduction traits was found in the literature. The aim of the present study was the investigation of the THRSP gene polymorphism and its association with body weight and litter size traits in Markhoz goats.

A total of 140 blood samples of Markhoz goats were randomly collected from the Research and Breeding Station in Kurdistan province in western Iran. Genomic DNA was extracted from whole blood samples. A pair of primers were designed using the Primer 3 online software to amplify a 486 bp fragment in THRSP gene exon 1. The designed primers were as follows:Forward: 5’-AGTCTGCGGGACTCCATATG-3’ Reverse: 5’-AAAATGGGACAGGCCATGT-3’ Polymorphism of the amplified fragment was investigated using the single-strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) method and sequencing of three random samples for each SSCP pattern. The observed sequences were aligned to the GenBank reference sequence using the MegAlign module of DNAStar software and compared based on the Clustal W method. The sequences were translated by the Translate section of the ExPASy website (us.expasy.org/translatetool). Associations of body weight traits, including birth weight, three-month, six-month, nine-month, and 12-month body weights, with the observed genotypes were investigated using a general linear model, fitting genotype, birth year, birth type, and dam age as the fixed factors. The association of the observed genotypes with litter size was investigated using a two-way Chi-squared test. The SAS 9.4 program was employed for the association analyses.

In the studied samples, two different SSCP patterns and two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected in 148 and 173 bp locations of the studied fragment, as g.148G>A (resulting in Arginine to Glutamine amino acids exchange) and g.173A>G (a synonymous mutation), both as heterozygous loci. In the studied population, the frequency of the double-homozygous genotype, GG/AA (0.743), was noticeably higher than the double-heterozygous genotype, which is GA/AG (0.257). The alleles G and A had high frequencies, both equal to 0.871 in the 148 and 173 bp loci, respectively. Both loci had a significant deviation from Hardy-Weinburg equilibrium (P<0.0001). Polymorphism of the studied fragment did not have any significant effect on body weight traits. A significant association was observed between the detected genotypes and litter size. Whereby, litter size in double-heterozygous does (1.21) was significantly higher than the double-homozygous individuals (1.04), (P = 0.015). The present study is probably the first report on the association of the THRSP gene with litter size in goats. The THRSP is a protein which involves in thyroid hormone function and therefore might affect many metabolic pathways. However, a significant association of the observed genotypes with prolificacy is probably due to the role of THRSP in lipids metabolism and the association of lipids metabolism with reproduction performance.

The THRSP exon 1 is polymorphic in Markhoz goats. The studied fragment did not have any significant associations with body weight traits, but it had a significant effect on litter size. Based on the results of this study, the THRSP gene could be considered a candidate gene for litter size, and the detected SNPs at 148 and 173 bp of the studied fragment, could be used for marker-assisted selection in Markhoz goats. However, more studies on possible associations between THRSP polymorphism and production and reproduction traits are still needed in other goat breeds.

Fertilizer management is one of the most important managements to improve production and also to minimize its harmful effects on the environment. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of optimal and conventional application of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) on the yield of low-yielding (Deylamani and Hashemi) and high-yielding (Fajr and Shirodi) rice varieties. The experiment was conducted as a split plot in a randomized complete block design three replications at a research farms of Sari University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources in 2019. In the absence of any of N, K and P fertilizers, yield of Shiroodi cultivar was 5458, 8399 and 9926 kg ha-1, respectively, and yield of Fajr cultivar was 4894, 7364 and 8903 kg ha-1, respectively. In low-yield cultivars, in the absence of any of N, K and P fertilizers, yield in Hashemi cultivar was 2969, 5134 and 4925 kg ha-1, respectively, and yield in Deylamani cultivar was 3028, 5408 and 5384 kg ha-1, respectively. Optimal application of N, P and K fertilizers caused a significant increase of 82, 65, 55 and 34% of yield in Shiroodi, Fajr, Hashemi Tarom and local Tarom cultivars, respectively, compared with the current application of these three nutrients. The results showed that a suboptimal application of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers is a main limiting factor for rice production, and improving the amount and split application of these fertilizers simultaneously can increase yield by 59% compared to their current application in the region.

Most of the Iranian soils are poor in organic matter due to poor management; including monoculture system and lake of crop rotation, removal of plant residues from the field, arid and semi-arid climates and non-utilization of organic fertilizers and organic amendment. Improper use of chemical fertilizers to increase agricultural production has initiated environmental issue and diminish soil fertility. Nowadays, with the development of organic farming, the use of organic amendments to replace the application of chemical fertilizers took a pay attention. The sugarcane is a plant that accumulates silicon. The poor management of sugarcane cultivation can reduce available silicon. Biochar is one of the most important organic compounds for improving soil properties, carbon content and improving the concentration of available silicon. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of biochar types application on the concentrations of silicon and some essential elements of the sugarcane field soil.

In order to investigate the effects of biochar types application on the concentration of silicon and some essential nutrients in the sugarcane field soil, an experimental design was carried out as a factorial experiment based on a randomized complete design with two factors including biochar and chemical fertilizer in a completely randomized design with three replications in the greenhouse of Imam Khomeini Agro-Industrial Company in Khuzestan. The applied biochar was included sugarcane bagasse, rice husk, rice straw, wheat straw and dicer wood chips, which were produced at 300 °C for 3 hours in a pyrolysis furnace. Experimental treatments included the control (soil without any biochar or chemical fertilizers), biochar, chemical fertilizers and mixture of biochar and chemical fertilizers. Biochar was added to the soil based on one percent weight and the treatments were incubated for three months in the field capacity water content. At the end of the incubation period, the concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, silicon, iron, manganese, copper and zinc were measured.

The results showed that the effects of treatments on the concentration of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, silicon, iron, manganese, copper and zinc in the soil was significant. The mixture of rice straw biochar and nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium from chemical fertilizer sources (RSB + NPK) treatment had the highest available concentration of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the soil. The highest available soil silicon concentrations were related to the treatments of mixture of rice straw biochar and nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium from chemical fertilizer sources (RSB + NPK), mixture of rice straw biochar and nitrogen and phosphorus from chemical fertilizer sources (RSB + NP) and mixture of rice straw biochar and phosphorus from chemical fertilizer sources (RSB + P). There was no significant difference between these treatments and treatments of rice straw biochar along with phosphorus and potassium (RSB + PK) and rice straw biochar (RSB).

In general, the results of this study showed that treatments with biochar (either biochar alone or mixture of biochar and chemical fertilizer) increased the available concentration of soil nutrients more than treatments without biochar (control and chemical fertilizer). Among the biochars, rice straw biochar, sugarcane bagasse biochar and rice husk biochar were most useful to increase the available concentration of nutrients. In general, it can be concluded that because biochar is a rich source of the nutrients and has a positive effect on soil properties, Hence, it can be used as useful material factor to improve soil fertility.

Unlike evaluation of male fertility which is done based on the phenotype records of females e.g., conception rate, semen traits are directly measured in bulls. The objective of this study was to identify genomic regions associated with sperm traits in Holstein bulls using the genome wide association based on gene set enrichment analysis.

For this purpose, phenotype records included 1508 genotyped Holstein bulls were used for ejaculate volume, sperm concentration, number of motile sperm, progressive sperm motility, and number of progressive motile sperm in each ejaculation. The evaluation of genome-wide association was carried out PLINK software (v. 1.90). In the next step, using the biomaRt2 R package R the SNP was assigned to genes if they were within the genomic sequence of the gene or within a flanking region of 15 kb up- and downstream of the gene. For the assignment of the genes to functional categories, the GO, KEGG, DAVID and PANTHER databases were used.

In this research, 11 SNP markers on chromosomes 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 15, 18, 20, 21, 25, and 27 associated with SPEF2, SEPT12, SLC24A, BSP3, ETNK1, ERBB4 (sperm motility and number of progressive motile sperm), DSCAML, MYH3, RPM1 , RPM2, CAPSL (number of sperm and sperm concentration), DMRT1, and PPARγ genes (ejaculate volume) were identified. Some of these genes in the significant regions were consistent with some previous studies. In pathway analysis, 15 pathways from gene ontology were associated with the sperm traits. Among those pathways, the purine nucleotide metabolic process, cellular calcium ion homeostasis and regulation of fertilization biological pathway had an important role in the progressive sperm motility and number of progressive motile sperm. Also, the calcium channel regulator activity, PPAR signaling pathway, steroid hormone mediated signaling pathway and focal adhesion had significant association with ejaculate volume and sperm concentration.

The Identification of these candidate genes and selection bulls using genomic selection can considerable to improve male fertility and benefits of animal breeding centers and decrease production prices for consumers.

The main challenge of breeding broiler chicken breeders is to increase the production of fertile eggs. About 70% of the decline in production during different stages of incubation is due to infertile eggs and fetal mortality. The fertility reduction in male broiler breeders after 50 weeks has been reported as the major reason for production loss. This reduction can be attributed to different factors, such as age, weight, and low semen quality. The composition of seminal long chain fatty acids (FA) is affected by the diet. Thus, a diet enriched with n-3 and n-6 FAs can alter the proportion of fatty acids in the sperm and semen plasma. The amount of n-6 FAs in the sperm membrane phospholipid increased as a result of the consumption of a commercial diet.
The phospholipid of the bird sperm is identified with a very high amount of C20-22n-6 (PUFA). The increased amount of n-3 FAs in poultry sperm has a positive effect on the quality of sperm and fertility, which leads to increased sperm motility in the oviduct and fertilization. Flaxseed is the richest dietary source of n-3 FAs, i.e. α-linolenic acid, and lignan. Flaxseed dietary increases the amount of n-3 FAs (PUFA) in the phospholipid membrane of the sperm body, while it decreases n-6 FAs in the membrane of the sperm head and the ratio of n-3:n-6. In addition, the sperm motility has a positive correlation with the amount of phospholipid and a negative correlation with the amount of free cholesterol. The ability to synthesize C20-22 polyunsaturated FAs is decreased in phospholipids with age. Thus, the inclusion of α-linolenic acid in the diet of male birds results in an accurate balance of n-6/n-3 and a rise in the ratio of phospholipid/cholesterol, which would lead to a potential dramatic change in the fertility. The present study was aimed to investigate the effects of dietary flaxseed on the sperm quality and fertility of broiler breeder roosters.

This research was conducted on the broiler chicken farm of Kimiaparvar Company. Three experimental diets were tested on 1920 Ross 308 roosters which were located in six halls. Therefore, there were two halls for each experimental diet. The first phase were performed on the 33-41 weeks old birds, after their peak of production and the second phase was continued from 53 until 61 weeks of age. The experimental diets were as follows: control diet, which was formulated based on corn-soybean oil (n-6 FAs-rich), a diet with 0.2% omega-3 (n-3 FAs-rich (Pepin)), and a diet that contained 2% whole grain flaxseed. Five birds from each hall (n=30 in total) were randomly labeled for weighing, blood and sperm sampling. The blood tests, such as glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride and urea were performed using the spectrophotometry technique. The evaluation of sperm parameters and the analysis of fatty acids were conducted by the CASA system and the chromatography method, respectively. The labelled birds were trained for semen collection over three weeks using the method of abdominal message. The semen was collected once a week from week 57 to week 61. The collected samples from 5 birds were pooled before the analysis. In week 61th, the testicles of the birds were weighed after slaughter. In addition, the percentage of fertile and infertile eggs was calculated during the period. The birds were weighed from 33-61 weeks. The evaluation of sperm characteristics included: straight-liner velocity (VSL, µm/s), curvilinear velocity (VCL, µm/s), VAP: average path velocity (VAP, µm/s), linearity (LIN, %), wobble (WOB, %), straightness (STR, %), beat cross frequency (BCF, HZ), lateral head displacement (ALH, micron), mean angle degree (MAD, deg), progressive motility (PM, %), none progressive motility (NPM, %), immotile (IM, %), and concentration (M/ml).

The dietary treatments had no significant effect on the blood parameters and the weight of testicles. Similarly, in a study adding 3% of fish oil in the diet of broiler breeder roosters did not change the testicular weight. The overall effect of dietary treatments in CASA data and motility parameters was non-significant. This is consistent with the previous studies, which showed that diets with different sources of fats have no effect on the sperm motility parameters. It has been reported that the flaxseed oil had no effect on the volume and concentration of semen.According to our analysis, the dietary treatments increased the number of fertile eggs. The percentage of fertile eggs in the flaxseed group was significantly higher than the pepin and the control groups. However, there was no significant difference in the number of fertile eggs between the pepin and the control treatments. The researches confirmed that reducing the ratio of n-6/n-3 in rooster sperm by adding α-linolenic acid sources leads to increased fertility. The treatment and age had significant impacts on the body weight of the birds, where the lowest body weight was from the group that received the flaxseed diet. This could be beneficial for the producers as weight gain leads to reduced fertility in broiler breeders.The biological studies on the fertility of birds have shown that the lipid composition is the main determinant of the required flexibility of the membrane for the flagellar movement and the penetration ability of the sperm, which would facilitate the acrosome activity and the fertilization.

Manipulation of the phospholipid fatty acids of the sperm membrane with the enriched n-3 fatty acids diet improves the fertility in roosters. Our weekly results indicate a significant improvement in the motion parameters and the quantity of sperms over some weeks during the study. This effect coincides with a significant increase in the number of fertile eggs in the flaxseed group. The flaxseed as an easy available and cheap source of n-3 FAs and lignans has more significant effects on the fertility compared with the fish oil, which is more expensive. Therefore, the whole flaxseed is an ideal dietary supplement for the broiler breeder roosters, especially for the old flocks.

Plants polyphenolics play an important role in reducing the effects of the diseases on the body. Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) is one of the natural sources of polyphenols. Chicory leaves contain minerals and glucosides called chicory (sicorin) and its roots contain sugars, inulin, pectin and essential oil. The liver is an essential organ of the body that performs over 500 vital functions. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of consumption on liver enzymes concentration, fertility, and masculinity in rats. Thirty-two rats were divided into four groups. Chicory extract was prepared using Soxhlet method and methanol solvent. The treatment groups received the chicory extract in different amounts and concentrations for 28 days. One group was also considered as the control group. On the 29th day, blood samples were taken from the ventricular area of the heart. To determine the effects of chicory consumption on fertility and masculinity, fertilization was performed naturally in each group and the number of offspring and their gender were determined and compared. The results showed that chicory methanol extract consumption made significant differences between the different treatments compared to the control on LH (in 100 (P<0.01) and 200 (P<0.001) mg.kg-1) and FSH (in 100 (P<0.001) and 200 (P<0.001) mg.kg-1) hormones, number of births (in 100 (P<0.01) and 200 (P<0.01) mg.kg-1) and male offspring (in 100 (P<0.05) and 200 (P<0.01) mg.kg-1), but there was no significant difference in the liver enzymes concentration in different treatments compared to the control.

Prioritization of different regions at watersheds based on the erosion rate and sediment yield with approach of its economic effects can lead to the production of valuable information for projects of soil conservatism. The present study aim was sub-watersheds prioritization of Kan watershed based on erosion condition with the approach of economic losses from erosion and sediment. Therefore, the RUSLE model used to calculate amount of erosion and sediment of the Kan watershed at Tehran province. The average amount of erosion and sediment was 9 t ha-1 and 3.2 t ha-1, respectively, that the damage rate from direct and indirect cost estimated 220 1840.56 billion Rials, respectively. This rate calculated with amount of 10320 billion Rials for time period of 5 year. Also the results showed that the maximum and minimum costs of soil erosion is in the  C-1-2-1 and C2 sub-watersheds with rates of 79.23 and 0.50 billion Rials per year, respectively. Given that the damages caused by the non-performance of operation of watershed management will exponentially and significantly increase, therefore, the prioritization reason of work units for operation of watershed management can play the important role at reducing the damages amount at watersheds.

Among the wild relatives of wheat, species in the genus Aegilops have a close relationship to wheat. Aegilops geniculata Roth (2n = 4x = 28; MgMgUgUg) is an allotetraploid, tolerant to various biotic and abiotic stresses that can be introgressed into bread wheat via hybridization and backcrossing. Here, we crossed three bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L., 2n = 6x = 42; AABBDD) cultivars ‘Navid’, ‘Omid’ and ‘Zarin’ with two Ae. geniculata accessions ‘386’ and ‘387’. ‘Zarin’ × Ae. geniculata ‘387’ and ‘Navid’ × Ae. geniculata ‘386’ crosses showed the lowest (11.93%) and highest (48.25%) crossability, respectively. Polyploidy was induced by colchicine treatment in some F1 seedlings and their fertility was compared to non-treated plants. Non-treated hybrid plants with the exception of Zarin’ × Ae. geniculata hybrids also produced F2 seeds. Chromosome configurations in metaphase I of meiosis were mostly univalent along with 3 to 4 rod bivalents. Chromosome numbers in the root tip cells of a sample of F2 seeds ranged from 45 to 65. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using (GAA)10 and pTa535-1 as probes, could identify parental chromosomes in the resulting amphiploids.

The objective of this experiment was to determine the effects of fish meal supplementation on productive and reproduction performance in repeat breeder Holstein cows. Two hundred and sixty-one multiparous Holstein cows with at least three consecutive unsuccessful inseminations, without clinically detectable reproductive disorders, were randomly allocated to 1 of 3 dietary treatments. Dietary treatments were control, 2.5 or 5% fish meal, that replaced soybean meal. Cows were timed inseminated following the Double-Ovsynch protocol. Milk yield was (38.49, 39.92, and 41.42 kg/d, for cows fed the control, 2.5 and 5% FM diets respectively) of which the difference (P<0.01) between the control and 5% FM diets was significant. Likewise, 4% FCM was higher for treatment 5% FM relative to control (P<0.05). Milk fat, protein and lactose content (%) were not different among treatment (P>0.05) but milk protein yield was higher (P<0.05) for cows fed the 5% FM than control and 2.5% FM diets was significant. Plasma and milk urea nitrogen concentrations decreased significantly (P<0.05) affected fish meal by consumption. Plasma cholesterol concentration was higher for cows fed 5% FM compared to the control diet (P<0.01). Plasma progesterone concentration at 16 d post artificial insemination was greater for treatment 5% FM relative to control treatment (P<0.05). Pregnancy at the first service and cumulative (1st and 2nd service) for cows fed 5% FM content higher than control diet (P<0.05). These results indicated that supplementation the diet with 5% fish meal improved fertility and productive performance in repeat breeding cows.

Genetic selection for increasing milk production and economic profitability in the dairy industry has been associated with reduction in reproductive performance, including lower embryo survival and pregnancy loss. The main purpose of this study was to use the transcriptome profiles of endometrial tissue and Corpus luteum of two groups of high and low fertility Holstein dairy cows to identify genes that are effective in reproductive rate, especially in early pregnancy. By the analysis of RNA-Seq data to express the gene differences, 4538 genes were extracted, which a total of 1466 genes showed significant expression differences (P<0.000001, Fold change<0.5). Then, by comparing the relevant genes among transcriptome profiles, common genes between endometrial tissue (on days 7 and 13 of the estrous cycle) and Corpus luteum (on day 13 of the estrous cycle) including SYNM, PARM1, NXPE2, NT5DC3, COL4A3, COL12A1, ALPK3, ADAMDEC1, SERPINA14, S100A9, PI16, OAS1X, MSTN, MASP1, CD83, CA2, C2, C5, JSP.1 and SAA3 were identified. Annotation results of these genes indicated that they have a role in the main process of metabolic and signaling pathways related to the ion transport system, inflammation, immune system function, and cell-matrix structure. Overall, the present study can provide new insights into the molecular evidence for the biological mechanisms of transcriptome profiling in the uterine environment and biomarkers related to fertility in dairy cows.