• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.59 no.5
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• pp.10.1-10.11
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• 2017

Background: Transfer of pesticides from environment to animal products is inevitable, so the purpose of the present work was to evaluate phosalone consumption via feeding with or without sodium bentonite (SB) on performance, blood metabolites and its transition to milk of Iranian Baluchi sheep. Methods: Twenty Baluchi ewes were divided into four treatments (P1 as control, P2, P3, and P4) of five animals in which phosalone, an organophosphate pesticide, was given via diet (only for P2 and P3) at a dose of 280 mg/sheep/day for 63 consecutive days. The SB (32 g/sheep/day; for P3 and P4) was also evaluated for its ability to reduce deleterious effects of phosalone in the sheep diets. The control group (P1) did not receive any phosalone and SB during the experiment. Sampling was conducted in two periods of time including weeks 5 and 9. Results: Phosalone residues were observed in the milk samples of P2 and P3 groups during two sampling periods. During period 1, the transfer rate of phosalone from feed to milk was 0.23 and 0.02%, respectively for the contaminated diets (P2 and P3), which is relatively similar to period 2 (0.22 and 0.02%). Only 0.34 (period 1) and 0. 36% (period 2) of phosalone residue are excreted in the feces of P2 group following its daily consumption. Transfer of phosalone from feed to milk was affected (P < 0.05) by the dietary inclusion of a commercial SB, as it (SB) decreased excretion of phosalone via milk (P3). The phosalone and SB alone or together had no significant effect (P > 0.05) on the dry matter intake (DMI) and body weight (BW) gain, but feed efficiency, milk production, milk fat, dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) digestibility, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity, hemoglobin (Hb), red blood cell (RBC), serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), albumin and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) affected by the treatments in period 1 or 2 (P < 0.05). The Hb, RBC, and MCHC were significantly decreased (P < 0.05) by about 9.72, 20.77, and 9.71%, respectively in the group P2 as compared to those of the control group during period 1. The AChE inhibitory activity (period 1 and 2) significantly increased when phosalone administered via the diet (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Although there were no adverse effects on the performance of sheep following the intake of phosalone alone (P2 vs. P1), but other research on the long and short times to the phosalone in high and low doses with more animals is suggested. Overall, compared to the control group, addition of SB in the diet of sheep improved nutrient digestibility, animal performance, and milk health.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.1719-1724
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• 2002

An investigation was made to evaluate the native range of western India in terms of nutrient supply during different physiological stages in goats. One hundred female and 5 male Kutchi adult goats were grazed on a 35 ha plot of native range. They were maintained on sole grazing. Four experiments, one in a defined physiological stage was carried out. Stage I, when maximum number of females were bred; stage II, when bucks were used for breeding purpose; stage III, 3-months old (weaner) kids were allowed to graze on ranges and stage IV, when the goats were in early stage of lactation. During oestrous period, diet contained 15.2% crude protein (CP), 54.0% neutral detergent fibre (NDF), 31.5% acid detergent fibre (ADF) and 12.6% acid detergent lignin (ADL). Digestibility coefficient of dry matter (DM), CP, NDF and ADF was 0.586,0.531, 0.431 and 0.239, respectively. DM, digestible crude protein (DCP) and metabolizable energy (ME) intakes were $82.7,\;6.71g\;kg^{-1}\;W^{0.75}$ and $0.99MJ\;kg^{-1}\;W^{0.75}$. Diet of buck was constituted by $230g\;kg^{-1}$ DM of grasses and forb and $770g\;kg^{-1}$ DM of tree foliage. CP, NDF, ADF and ADL contents of the diet were 13.6, 57.8, 43.5 and 20.0%, respectively. DM, DCP and ME intakes were $57.9,\;4.13g\;kg^{-1}\;W^{0.75}$ and $0.82MJ\;kg^{-1}\;W^{0.75}$. Digestibility coefficient of CP, NDF and ADF were 0.496, 0.432 and 0.346, respectively. Diet of kids was constituted by Prosopis cineraria ($900g\;kg^{-1}DM$) and Zizyphus nummularia ($100g\;kg^{-1}DM$) leaves. Digestibility of CP, NDF and ADF were 0.456, 0.415 and 0.201, respectively. DM, DCP and ME intakes were $85.8,\;6.44g\;kg^{-1}\;W^{0.75}$ and $1.22MJ\;kg^{-1}\;W^{0.75}$. Lactation phase of goat fell between October-December and tree foliage formed the major portion of the diet. Diet of lactating goat contained only 6.8% CP and 16.5% ADL. Digestibility of DM, CP, NDF and ADF was 0.567, 0.221, 0.307 and 0.233, respectively. DM, DCP and ME intakes were $108.2,\;1.62g\;kg^{-1}\;W^{0.75}$ and $1.50MJ\;kg^{-1}\;W^{0.75}$, respectively. Present study establishes that goats on semiarid range with sufficient number of fodder trees were able to meet the nutrient requirement of ewes during oestrous and bucks during breeding season. However, during lactation and active growth phase, only DM requirement is met. Thus, it is recommended to supplement concentrate mixture to goats grazing on range during lactation and growth phase.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.107-113
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• 1993

This study determined the concentrations of micro-minerals in pastures, in feed supplements and in grazing, reproducing ewes, at different times during the year, at three farms in Northern China. Samples were collected 5 to 8 times during the year and analysed for selenium, copper, iron, molybdenum and zinc. On two farms selenium concentrations in both pastures and animal tissues were low for part of the year. The lowest concentrations in pasture (< $30{\mu}g/kg$ DM) and liver (< $100{\mu}g/kg$ wet weight) indicated that productivity of the sheep may be reduced by a deficiency of this element. On one farm copper concentrations in the lever were in the liver were in the deficient range (< $5{\mu}g/kg$ wet weight) for part of the year. It is likely that this is a result of high intakes of iron from pasture (up to 4.5 g Fe/kg DM) and soil, as indicated by high concentrations of iron in faeces (up to 7 g Fe/kg DM). Molybdenum intake is unlikely to have had much influence on copper absorption because pasture concentrations of this element were not unusually high (1 to 5 mg/kg DM). Zinc in pastures on two farms was below 10 mg/kg DM for part of the year. On one of these farms, the concentration of zinc in faeces was below 30 mg/kg DM throughout the year and this is consistent with zinc intakes of 7 to 15 mg/kg. Despite these low intakes, the concentratons of zinc in plasma were consistently above deficient levels. No clinical signs of deficiencies of any of the elements studied were observed.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.59 no.8
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• pp.17.1-17.13
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• 2017

Background: Omega-3 long-chain (${\geq}C_{20}$) polyunsaturated fatty acids (${\omega}3$ LC-PUFA) confer important attributes to health-conscious meat consumers due to the significant role they play in brain development, prevention of coronary heart disease, obesity and hypertension. In this study, the ${\omega}3$ LC-PUFA content of raw and cooked Longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) muscle from genetically divergent Australian prime lambs supplemented with dietary degummed crude canola oil (DCCO) was evaluated. Methods: Samples of LTL muscle were sourced from 24 first cross ewe and wether lambs sired by Dorset, White Suffolk and Merino rams joined to Merino dams that were assigned to supplemental regimes of degummed crude canola oil (DCCO): a control diet at 0 mL/kg DM of DCCO (DCCOC); 25 mL/kg DM of DCCO (DCCOM) and 50 mL/kg DCCO (DCCOH). Lambs were individually housed and offered 1 kg/day/head for 42 days before being slaughtered. Samples for cooked analysis were prepared to a core temperature of $70^{\circ}C$ using conductive dry-heat. Results: Within raw meats: DCCOH supplemented lambs had significantly (P < 0.05) higher concentrations of eicosapentaenoic (EPA, $20:5{\omega}3$) and EPA + docosahexaenoic (DHA, $22:6{\omega}3$) acids than those supplemented with DCCOM or DCCOC; Dorset sired lambs contained significantly (P < 0.05) more EPA and EPA + DHA than other sire breeds; diet and sire breed interactions were significant (P < 0.05) in affecting EPA and EPA + DHA concentrations. In cooked meat, ${\omega}3$ LC-PUFA concentrations in DCCOM (32 mg/100 g), DCCOH (38 mg/100 g), Dorset (36 mg/100 g), White Suffolk (32 mg/100 g), ewes (32 mg/100 g) and wethers (33 mg/100 g), all exceeded the minimum content of 30 mg/100 g of edible cooked portion of EPA + DHA for Australian defined 'source' level ${\omega}3$ LC-PUFA classification. Conclusion: These results present that combinations of dietary degummed crude canola oil, sheep genetics and culinary preparation method can be used as effective management tools to deliver nutritionally improved ${\omega}3$ LC-PUFA lamb to meat consumers.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.217-223
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• 2019

Objective: An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of feed intake restriction during late pregnancy on the function, anti-oxidation capability and acute phase protein synthesis of ovine liver. Methods: Eighteen time-mated ewes with singleton fetuses were allocated to three groups: restricted group 1 (RG1, 0.18 MJ ME/kg $W^{0.75}$ d, n = 6), restricted group 2 (RG2, 0.33 MJ ME/kg $W^{0.75}$ d), n = 6) and a control group (CG, ad libitum, 0.67 MJ ME/kg $W^{0.75}$ d, n = 6). The feed restriction period was from 90 days to 140 days of pregnancy. Results: The ewe's body weight, liver weights, water, and protein content of liver in the restricted groups were reduced compared with the CG group (p<0.05), but the liver fat contents in the RG1 group were higher than those of the CG group (p<0.05). The increased hepatic collagen fibers and reticular fibers were observed in the restricted groups with the reduction of energy intake. The concentrations of nonesterified free fatty acids in the RG1 and RG2 groups were higher than those of the CG group with the reduction of energy intake (p<0.05), but there were decreased concentrations of lipoprotein lipase and hepatic lipase in both restricted groups compared with the CG group (p<0.05). In addition, the increased concentrations of ${\beta}$-hydroxybutyric acid, triglycerides, malondialdehyde, total antioxidant capacity and activities of superoxide dismutase activity and catalase were found in the RG1 group, and the concentrations of cholinesterase in the RG1 group were reduced compared with the CG group (p<0.05). For the concentrations of acute phase proteins, the C-reactive protein (CRP) in the RG1 group were reduced compared with the CG group, but there were no differences in haptoglobin relative to the controls (p>0.05). Conclusion: The fat accumulation, increased hepatic fibrosis, antioxidant imbalance and modified synthesis of acute phase proteins were induced in ewe's liver by maternal malnutrition during late pregnancy, which were detrimental for liver function to accommodate pregnancy.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.7
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• pp.989-998
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• 2022

Objective: This study investigated the effects of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) during late pregnancy on the cell growth, proliferation, and differentiation in ovine fetal thymuses. Methods: Eighteen time-mated Mongolian ewes with singleton fetuses were allocated to three groups at d 90 of pregnancy: restricted group 1 (RG1, 0.18 MJ ME/body weight [BW]^0.75/d, n = 6), restricted group 2 (RG2, 0.33 MJ ME/BW^0.75/d, n = 6) and control group (CG, ad libitum, 0.67 MJ ME/BW^0.75/d, n = 6). Fetuses were recovered at slaughter on d 140. Results: The G0/G1 phase cell number in fetal thymus of the RG1 group was increased but the proliferation index and the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were reduced compared with the CG group (p<0.05). Fetuses in the RG1 group exhibited decreased growth hormone receptor (GHR), insulin-like growth factor 2 receptor (IGF-2R), and their mRNA expressions (p<0.05). For the RG2 fetuses, there were no differences in the proliferation index and PCNA expression (p>0.05), but growth hormone (GH) and the mRNA expression of GHR were lower than those of the CG group (p<0.05). The thymic mRNA expressions of cyclin-dependent protein kinases (CDKs including CDK1, CDK2, and CDK4), CCNE, E2-factors (E2F1, E2F2, and E2F5) were reduced in the RG1 and RG2 groups (p<0.05), and decreased mRNA expressions of E2F4, CCNA, CCNB, and CCND were occurred in the RG1 fetuses (p<0.05). The decreased E-cadherin (E-cad) as a marker for epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) was found in the RG1 and RG2 groups (p<0.05), but the OB-cadherin which is a marker for activated fibroblasts was increased in fetal thymus of the RG1 group (p<0.05). Conclusion: These results indicate that weakened GH/IGF signaling system repressed the cell cycle progression in G0/G1 phase in IUGR fetal thymus, but the switch from reduced E-cad to increased OB-cadherin suggests that transdifferentiation process of EMT associated with fibrogenesis was strengthened. The impaired cell growth, retarded proliferation and modified differentiation were responsible for impaired maturation of IUGR fetal thymus.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.7
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• pp.1010-1020
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• 2022

Objective: The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of maternal undernutrition during late pregnancy on the expressions of genes involved in growth and development in ovine fetal perirenal brown adipose tissue (BAT). Methods: Eighteen ewes with singleton fetuses were allocated to three groups at day 90 of pregnancy: restricted group 1 (RG1, 0.33 MJ metabolisable energy [ME]/kg body weight [BW]^0.75/d, n = 6), restricted group 2 (RG2, 0.18 MJ ME/kg BW^0.75/d, n = 6), and a control group (CG, ad libitum, 0.67 MJ ME/kg BW^0.75/d, n = 6). The fetuses were removed at day 140 of pregnancy. All data were analyzed by using the analysis of variance procedure. Results: The perirenal fat weight (p = 0.0077) and perirenal fat growth rate (p = 0.0074) were reduced in RG2 compared to CG. In fetal perirenal BAT, the protein level of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) (p = 0.0001) was lower in RG1 and RG2 compared with CG and UCP1 mRNA expression (p = 0.0265) was decreased in RG2. The protein level of myogenic factor 5 (Myf5) was also decreased in RG2 (p = 0.0001). In addition, mRNA expressions of CyclinA (p = 0.0109), CyclinB (p = 0.0019), CyclinD (p = 0.0015), cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) (p = 0.0001), E2F transcription factor 1 (E2F1) (p = 0.0323), E2F4 (p = 0.0101), and E2F5 (p = 0.0018) were lower in RG1 and RG2. There were decreased protein expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) (p = 0.0043) and mRNA expression of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-α (C/EBPα) (p = 0.0307) in RG2 and decreased PPARγ mRNA expression (p = 0.0008) and C/EBPα protein expression (p = 0.0015) in both RG2 and RG1. Furthermore, mRNA expression of bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) (p = 0.0083) and BMP7 (p = 0.0330) decreased in RG2 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor co-activator-1α (PGC-1α) reduced in RG2 and RG1. Conclusion: Our observations support that repression of regulatory factors promoting differentiation and development results in the inhibition of BAT maturation in fetal perirenal fat during late pregnancy with maternal undernutrition.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.11-18
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• 2004

Background: We tested the effect of indomethacine and total spinal anesthesia on the improvement of placental flow during cardiopulmonary bypass on fetal lamb. Material and Method: Twenty fetuses at 120 to 150 days of gestation were subjected to bypass via trans-sternal approach with a 12 G pulmonary arterial cannula and 14 to 18 F venous cannula for 30 minutes. All ewes received general anesthesia with ketamine. In all the fetuses, no anesthetic agents were used except muscle relaxant. Ten served as a control group in which placenta was worked as an oxygenator during bypass (Control group). The remainder worked as an experimental group in which pretreatment with indomethacine and total spinal anesthesia was performed before bypass with the same extracorporeal circulation technique as control group (Experimental group). Observations were made every 10 minutes during a 30-minute bypass and 30-minute post bypass period. Result: Weights of the fetuses ranged from 2.2 to 5.2 kg. In Control group, means of arterial pressure decreased from 44.7 to 14.4 mmHg and means of Pa$CO_2$ increased from 61.9 to 129.6 mmHg at each time points during bypass. Flow rate was suboptimal (74.3 to 97.0 $m\ell$/kg/min) during bypass. All hearts fibrillated immediately after the discontinuation of bypass. On the contrary, in Experimental group, means of arterial pressure reamined higher (45.8 to 30 mmHg) during bypass (p<0.05). Means of Pa$CO_2$ were less ranging from 59.8 to 79.4 mmHg during bypass (P<0.05). Flow rates were higher (78.8 to 120.2 $m\ell$/kg/min) during bypass (p<0.05). There were slower deterioration of cardiac function after cessation of bypass. Conclusion: In this study, we demonstrated that the placental flow was increased during fetal cardiopulmonary bypass in the group pretreated with indomethacine and total spinal anesthesia. However, further studies with modifications of the bypass including a creation of more concise bypass circuit, and a use of axial pump are mandatory for the clinical application.