• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 2021

Kisspeptin is a key player in the central control of reproductive axis. Central administration of kisspeptin has been shown to advance puberty in rats. Stimulation of hypothalamic GnRH pulse generating mechanism by kisspeptin has been proposed to be the mechanism behind the onset of puberty. We hypothesized that chronic high doses of kisspeptin administration suppresses the reproductive axis and hence delays the pubertal onset. Hence, we investigated the effect of peripheral administration of chronic high doses of kisspeptin on pubertal onset, feed intake and body weight in female rats. Rats were treated with saline or kisspeptin (100 nmoles per day; intraperitoneal) for 26 days (day 25 to day 50 postnatal) and the day of vaginal opening was marked as day of puberty. Kisspeptin treated rats had delayed pubertal onset and reduced feed intake and body weight. Gonadal GPR54 mRNA was reduced suggesting that chronic high doses of kisspeptin may suppress the reproductive functions possibly by downregulation of GPR54 receptor. However, delay in puberty due to reduction in feed intake and body weight could not be ruled out in this study. Further, our study emphasizes the importance of dosage and duration of kisspeptin administration in the manipulation of reproductive axis. Our study, for the first time, suggests that kisspeptin and its analogues, if proven beneficial, could be used to treat precocious puberty in children. It appears that, though a promising tool for enhancing fertility, kisspeptin acts as a double-edged sword and has to be cautiously used to manipulate reproduction.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.63 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2021

As a result of intensive breeding, litter size has considerably increased in pig production over the last three decades. This has resulted in an increase in farrowing complications. Prolonged farrowing will shorten the window for suckling colostrum and reduce the chances for high-quality colostrum intake. Studies also agree that increasing litter sizes concomitantly resulted in decreased piglet birth weight and increased within-litter birth weight variations. Birth weight, however, is one of the critical factors affecting the prognosis of colostrum intake, and piglet growth, welfare, and survival. Litters of uneven birth weight distribution will suffer and lead to increased piglet mortality before weaning. The proper management is key to handle the situation. Feeding strategies before farrowing, management routines during parturition (e.g., drying and moving piglets to the udder and cross-fostering) and feeding an energy source to piglets after birth may be beneficial management tools with large litters. Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1)-driven recovery from energy losses during lactation appears critical for supporting follicle development, the viability of oocytes and embryos, and, eventually, litter uniformity. This paper explores certain management routines for neonatal piglets that can lead to the optimization of their colostrum intake and thereby their survival in large litters. In addition, this paper reviews the evidence concerning nutritional factors, particularly lactation feeding that may reduce the loss of sow body reserves, affecting the growth of the next oocyte generation. In conclusion, decreasing birth weight and compromised immunity are subjects warranting investigation in the search for novel management tools. Furthermore, to increase litter uniformity, more focus should be placed on nutritional factors that affect IGF-1-driven follicle development before ovulation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.188-191
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• 2000

Appetite stimulant ether-soluble neutral extract of a high-grain compound feed was separated into four fractions with an open column of silica gel chromatograph using four carrier solutions containing n-pentane and diethyl ether as 100:0 (Fraction A), 90:10 (Fraction B), 75:25 (Fraction C) and 0:100 (Fraction D). The stimulative effects of the fractions were examined by comparing the intake of hay (with or without the fractions) in two-choice test bioassays with cattle. The Fractions A, B and C of the neutral extract stimulated (p<0.05) hay consumption in cattle, whereas Fraction D had no effect on selective feeding when compared with the control fraction. Furthermore, Fractions A, B and C had higher (p<0.05) feeding stimulative indices (FSI) than that of the Fraction D. The results suggest that chemical stimulants to increase palatability of hay are present in the neutral Fractions A, B and C of high-grain concentrate.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.177-182
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• 1991

Nutrient evaluation of sago fibre showed that the fibre has potential and could be utilized as feed for ruminants. However, as a source of nutrients, it has limitations arising from low intake, digestibility, crude protein and minerals content. The present study showed that the sago fibre is low in crude protein (3.3%) and high in neutral detergent fibre (72.5%) and acid detergent lignin (25.8%) contents. Treatment of sago fibre with urea increased the crude protein content from 3.3 to 16.7%. Both urea and sodium hydroxide treatment decreased the neutral detergent fibre level from 72.5 to 59 and 56.5%, respectively. Rumen degradation of sago fibre by nylon bag showed that both urea and sodium hydroxide treatments increased dry matter and organic matter disappearance of the fibre significantly. In vivo digestibility of 2% urea treated sago fibre was 47.5% and intake of the fibre was 1.57% of body weight of the lamb.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.7
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• pp.1019-1024
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• 1999

Fifth one Nili-Ravi dairy buffaloes were studied in North-west Frontier Province of Pakistan. Rectal examination of reproductive organs was carried out on days 14 and 21 and then fortnightly. Milk samples were collected and analyzed for progesterone levels (MPL). Feed samples were collected fortnightly and analyzed. The buffaloes calving during the normal breeding season (NBS, August to January) (p<0.01) postpartum estrus interval of 55.95 days versus 91.15 days in those calving during the low breeding season (LBS, February to July). MPL in the LBS remained lower than the NBS (p<0.01). Shortest postpartum ovulation interval was noted during autumn(August to October), followed by winter (November to January), summer (May to July) and spring (February to April). The incidence of silent ovulations was during LBS than NBS (70.6% versus 29.4%). In autumn there was minimum intake of crude protein (CPI) and maximum intake of metabolizable energy (MEI, p<0.01). Calcium intake was higher in NBS than LBS calving buffaloes (p<0.01). Phosphorus, copper and magnesium intake was lower (p<0.05) and zinc intake was higher (p<0.01) in autumn, It was (p<0.05) and zinc intake was higher (p<0.01) in autumn, It was concluded that onset of breeding season was associated with increasing MEI and decreasing CPI and minerals intake.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.1125-1128
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• 2001

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of feeding undegradable intake protein (VIP) on body weight changes and the return to estrus of Awassi ewes during the early postpartum period. Twenty multiparous Awassi ewes $(BW=57.4{\pm}3.0kg)$ were randomly assigned to two dietary treatment (10 ewes per treatment) for 4 weeks in a completely randomized design. Experimental diets were isonitrogenous, isocaloric, and were formulated to contain either 20% (CON) or 35% (SBM) of the dietary CP as UIP. On day $9{\pm}3$ postpartum (day 0=parturition) ewes were housed in individual pens. Feed intake was recorded daily. Dry matter intake (DMI), organic matter intake (OMI), crude protein intake (CPI), undegradable protein intake (UPI) and metabolizable energy intake (MEI) were higher (p<0.05) for ewes on SBM diets compared with ewes on CON diet. Ewes receiving SBM diet gained more (p<0.05) weight than the controls (5.3 vs 0.5 kg). There was a tendency (p>0.10) for SBM ewes to have more luteal activity than the controls. Ewes in the SBM group came into estrus 4 days earlier than CON ewes (p<0.10). These results indicate that Awassi ewes receiving adequate nutrition are capable of returning to estrus one month postpartum thus posing the possibility of being able to lamb every 6 months.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 1987

1. Dry matter intake was significantly increased above the 30% red clover plant composition (p<0.05) as compared with 100% orchardgrass plant composition. However, there was a significant positive correlation (p<0.05) between the content of CP and dry matter intake, and was a significant negative correlation (p<0.05) between the content of NDF and dry matter intake. 2. Dry matter digestibility was significantly increased with the increase of red clover plant composition as compared with 100% orchardgrass plant composition (p<0.05). Digestible dry matter intake was significantly increased above the 20% red clover plant composition (p<0.05) as compared with 100% orchardgrass plant composition. However, there was a significant positive correlation (p<0.05) between the content of CP and digestible dry matter intake, and was a significant negative correlation (p<0.01) between the content of NDF and digestible dry matter intake. 3. Preference of herbage samples tended to markedly increased with the increase of red clover plant composition.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2009

Effects of dry matter intake restriction to the level of recommend by NRC (2001) on intake balance of dry matter and nutrients in Holstein lactating cow were evaluated. 24 lactating cows were divided into two groups and individually fed one of the TMR offered as ad libitum (control) and restricted amount (treatment) as recommended by NRC (2001). Milk yield including 4% FCM and FPCM were showed higher tendency in treatment group then those of control group. Also, intakes of dry matter, net energy and metabolizable protein were tended to be higher in treatment group then control group. Actual dry matter and net energy intakes in control group were higher (p<0.001) then those of recommended amount by NRC (2001), whereas no significant differences in treatment group. The estimated $NE_L$ allowable milk yield were lower (p<0.001) in both control and treatment group than those of recommended by NRC (2001). It was concluded that to allow ad libitum feeding of diet containing high levels of concentrate to the lactating cows might decrease the efficiency of feed nutrients and hence result in no positive effect on productivity of milk.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.182-187
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• 1988

Ovariectomy induced hyperphagia was reported in various animal models. It was postulated that hyperphagia resulted in interstinal hypertrophy and hyperplasia. Therefore, this study was performed to compare the food intake and intestinal changes between ovariectomized rats(OVX) and sham operated rats(Sham). Results of this study showed that the food intake and body weight of OVX animal was significantly higher than those of Sham animal. This results confirmed the effect of ovarian hormone on the food intake regulation. Hyperphagia induced by ovariectomy influence the intestinal cell growth and showed hyperplasia determined by protein/DNA ratio. Maltase and alkaline phosphatase activity suggested that the intestinal cell was fully matured in body groups. There were no difference in weight of other organs, such as liver, heart and kindney between two groups.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.1155-1162
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• 2015

This study aimed to evaluate the nutrient digestibility of growing rabbits fed diets with different levels of either Leucaena leucocephala (LLM) or Moringa oleifera (MOLM) leaf meals and also to compare total collection and $TiO_2$ marker methods for estimating digestibility. A total of 30 California growing rabbits ($1.81{\pm}0.19kg$ live weight on average) were randomly distributed into five experimental groups of six rabbits each and were housed in individual cages. The groups were control, 30% LLM, 40% LLM, 30% MOLM, and 40% MOLM. All groups received pelleted diets for two weeks; diets also contained 4 g/kg titanium dioxide as dietary marker. Daily feed intake was recorded during the whole experimental period and total feces were collected daily and weighed individually during four days. The results showed that there were no difference (p>0.05) in feed, dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), digestible energy, and crude fiber (CF) intake between the control group and the other experimental groups. The apparent digestibility values of DM, OM, CP, CF, acid detergent fiber, and gross energy were the highest for control group (p = 0.001), meanwhile MOLM diets had generally higher nutrient digestibility coefficients than LLM diets. Increasing the inclusion level of leaf meal in the diet from 30% to 40% improved the digestibility of CF from 45.02% to 51.69% for LLM and from 48.11% to 55.89% for MOLM. Similar results for apparent nutrient digestibility coefficients were obtained when either total collection or indigestible marker method was used. In conclusion, the digestibility of MOLM containing diets were better than LLM diets, furthermore $TiO_2$ as an external marker could be used as a simple, practical and reliable method to estimate nutrients digestibility in rabbit diets.