• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.213-216
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• 2010

This study was carried out between November 2008 and October 2009 in the experimental farm of Chunnam National University to investigate the effect of feeding of Sudangrass silage on the reproductive performance of Hanwoo cows. Two diets, rice straw or Sudangrass silage separately from concentrate were fed 19 Hanwoo cows. In control group (=CON), cows (n=9) were fed 5 kg (/head) rice straw and 3 kg (/head) commercial diet. In Sudangrass silage group (=SGS), cows (n=10) were fed 12.5 kg (/head) Sudangrass silage and 1 kg (/head) commercial diet. 1. Days to post-partum insemination were $78.8{\pm}25.3$ days for CON and $84.7{\pm}24.6$ days for SGS group and days to post-partum conception in CON or SGS were $90.1{\pm}24.1$ and $87.7{\pm}26.8$ days, respectively. 2. Post-partum conception rates for first service in CON or SGS was 66.7% and 90.0%, respectively, and caving interval was $375.1{\pm}46.7$ days for CON and $370.2{\pm}34.4$ days for SGS group. 3. Body Condition Scores of Hanwoo cows at artificial insemination was 5.36 for CON group and 4.93 for SGS group.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.179-182
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• 2009

This study was carried out between November 2007 and October 2008 in the experimental farm of Chunnam National University to investigate the effect of feeding of whole crop barley silage on the reproductive performance of Hanwoo heifers and cows. Two diets, rice straw or whole crop barley silage separately from concentrate were fed 11 Hanwoo heifers and 26 Hanwoo cows. In control group (=CON), heifers (n=6) and cows (n=13) were fed 7 kg (/head) rice straw and 4 kg (/head) commercial diet. In whole crop barley silage group (=WBG), heifers (n=5) and cows (n=13) were fed 8 kg (/head) whole crop barley silage and 1 kg (/head) commercial diet. 1. Conception rates for first service in CON or WBG heifers were 66.7% (4/6) and 60.0% (3/5), respectively, and the services per conception cows were $1.5{\pm}0.2$ for CON and $1.4{\pm}0.2$ for WBG group. 2. Days to post-partum insemination were $106.6{\pm}26.3$ days for CON and $85.6{\pm}12.6$ days for WBG group, and days to post-partum conception in CON or WBG were $128.4{\pm}27.1$ and $96.8{\pm}16.8$ days, respectively. 3. Post-partum conception rates for first service in CON or WBG were 76.9% (10/13) and 84.6% (11/13), respectively, and caving interval was $418{\pm}50.7$ days for CON and $392.8{\pm}20.7$ days for WBG group.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.331-334
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• 2003

The assessment of reproductive potentials of female gayal under semi-intensive management was conducted with 18 animals in Bandarban hilly area of Bangladesh. Age at first estrous (days), age at first conception (days), length of estrous cycle (days), number of service per conception (natural), gestation period (days), age at first calving (days), and calving interval (natural service) (days) of gayal were $598.2{\pm}168.44$, $723{\pm}169.94$, $21.86{\pm}2.93$, 1.41, $296.05{\pm}3.87$, $1014.42{\pm}260.32$ and $465{\pm}80.48$ respectively. Daily milk yield and lactation length of gayal were $304.98{\pm}30.46ml/day$ and $116.67{\pm}8.08days$. Gayal male calves had higher birth weight (19.67 kg) than female calves (15.58 kg) in first lactation. Birth weight increases in second and third lactation than first lactation in both male and female calves. Highest conception rate observed in winter season and 70.60% successful conception occur when service was given within 21-30 h of estrous. Maximum number of female gayal use to come in estrous in winter and calved in monsoon and autumn. Cervicitis and irregular heat were the most reproductive problems followed by metritis, case of abortion, anestrous and repeat breeding. From this study it was observed that the reproductive performance of gayal is very close with the domestic cattle. It may use as beef cattle for the hilly regions of Bangladesh.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.61 no.6
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• pp.340-351
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• 2019

Hot environments can affect feed intake and lactation, and the subsequent unavailability of important micronutrients to the newborn piglet can impair piglet growth, reduce the viability of newborn piglets and limit their subsequent performance. This work addresses the effects of hot environments (summer season) upon the reproductive performance of sows during gestation and lactation as well as on the serum levels of vitamins and the concentration of immunoglobulins in their litters in comparison with the winter season. Fourteen sows were evaluated over 100 ± 2 days of gestation in each season. The temperature and humidity index (THI) was used as an indirect measure of heat stress during gestation. The reproductive performance, milk yield, and body condition of the sows were recorded. The concentrations of vitamin E and vitamin A in piglets and in sow serum, colostrum, milk and feed were determined by HPLC; immunoglobulins were assessed by an ELISA. The THI index indicated that animals were subject to heat stress only in during the summer. Although the effect was not significant, there were a lower number of piglets at birth and at weaning and the milk yield in summer compared with winter. There was no difference (p > 0.05) in the body condition of sows between seasons. Season had an effect (p < 0.05) on the vitamin A concentration of postpartum sow serum (0.29 ㎍/mL in winter vs 0.21 ㎍/mL in summer) and on the vitamin E concentration before birth (2.00 ㎍/mL in winter vs 0.90 ㎍/mL in summer). Vitamin E in milk was higher (p < 0.05) in winter than in summer (2.23 vs 1.81 ㎍/mL). Serum levels of vitamins A and E in piglets at birth were lower (p < 0.05) in winter than in summer. The concentrations of immunoglobulins (IgG and IgA) in colostrum and milk were similar between seasons (p > 0.05), but the IgA in piglet serum was higher in winter than in summer (p < 0.05). High temperatures produced heat stress in sows, which affected certain aspects of production that can be translated into economic losses for this sector.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.178-185
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• 2013

This study evaluated the effects of milk yield on the postpartum health and reproductive performance of dairy cows. In total, data were collected from 1,060 cows on six dairy farms, including their milk production, body condition score (BCS), postpartum disorders, and reproductive performance. The lactation data were grouped based on the 305-day milk yield into control (< 10,000 kg, n = 445) and high milk yield (${\geq}$ 10,000 kg, n = 615) groups. The milk fat and protein, and BCS were lower during the first 5 months postpartum in the high milk yield group compared with the control group (p < 0.01). Ovarian cysts were more frequent (p < 0.0001) in the high milk yield group (28.6%) than in the control group (15.3%), whereas endometritis tended to be less frequent in the high milk yield group (29.6%) than in the control group (35.1%, p = 0.06). A higher proportion of cows tended to receive reproductive hormones (p = 0.06) in the high milk yield group (62.4%) than in the control group (56.6%). The probability of a pregnancy after first insemination tended to be lower (odds ratio = 0.78, p = 0.07) in the high milk yield group (30.2%) than in the control group (35.2%). Furthermore, the hazard of pregnancy by 210 days in milk was lower in the high milk yield group (hazard ratio = 0.84, p = 0.04) than in the control group, which resulted in a 20-day increase in the median interval to pregnancy. In conclusion, high milk yield was related to lower milk fat and protein, lower BCS, an increased incidence of ovarian cysts, and increased use of reproductive hormones, which resulted in decreased reproductive performance of dairy cows.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Developmental Biology Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.59-59
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• 2001

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.249-254
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• 2005

The objective of this study was to investigate effects of dietary level of CLA and the duration of feeding CLAcontaining diets on reproductive performance in sows and piglet growth rate. Tallow (3% in gestation diet and 5% in lactation diet, respectively) was incorporated as a fat source in control diet, and each 50% (dietary CLA level of 0.75% in gestation diet, and 1.50% in lactation diet, respectively) or 100% (dietary CLA level of 1.50% in gestation diet, and 2.50% in lactation diet, respectively) of tallow was replaced by a commercial CLA preparation containing 50% CLA isomers. Diets containing CLA were fed either from d 15 premating to weaning or d 74 post-mating to weaning. The level of dietary CLA and feeding duration did not affect litter size. High dietary level of CLA, however, decreased piglet weights at birth (p<0.01) and tended to decrease backfat thickness of sows at weaning. Longterm feeding of CLA-containing diets decreased piglet weights at weaning (p<0.05) and backfat thickness of sows at weaning (p<0.05). CLA supplemented in sow diet was transferred to fetus and piglets during pregnancy and nursing period, respectively. CLA contents of femoral muscle of piglets were 2.08 to 2.57 mg per g of fat at birth, and 2.36 to 4.47 mg at 10 days of age in CLA groups, while CLA was not detected in the control group. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of CLA tended to lower backfat thickness of sow and piglets' weight at birth or weaning, but did not affect total litter size. Dietary CLA was transferred efficiently during prenatal and postnatal periods of time through the placenta and milk, respectively.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.372-378
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• 2010

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of an oral drench of propylene glycol (PG) on milk production, serum metabolites and reproductive performance during the transition period of animals. Twenty-four 2-3 multiparous Holstein cows (average body weight 565 kg, body condition score about 3.6, at the $9^{th}$ month of gestation) were selected, blocked, and then randomly assigned into a PG and a control group. The control and the PG group cows were orally drenched with water or 50 ml sugarcane molasses mixed with 500 ml PG from 7 days pre-partum to 30 days post-partum, respectively. Experimental results indicated that the oral drench PG had no effect on dry matter intake (DMI). The milk yield of the PG group was significantly higher than that of the control group (p<0.05), whereas milk fat content, milk protein and somatic cell counts (SCC) were not significantly different between groups. Concentration of plasma glucose in the PG group was significantly higher than that of the control group (p<0.05). Conversely, the concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) in the PG group were lower than those of the control group (p<0.05). Concentrations of insulin and ketone bodies were not significantly difference between groups. Body condition score (BCS) in the PG group was significantly higher than that of the control group (p<0.05). In reproductive performance there was no difference between groups. The experimental results indicate that supplementation of PG during the transition period of dairy cows can supply energy rapidly, resulting in reduced catabolism of body tissue and increased milk yield.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.519-524
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• 2017

The present study investigated the impacts of mating age of gilts (A1, < 230 days; A2, 230 - 249 days and A3, $250{\leq}days$) on reproductive performance and litter size of sows at farrowing to weaning. A total of 102 crossbred gilts ($Yorkshire{\times}Landrace$; average days old, 90 days) were purchased from a commercial breeding company. After identification of third estrus, the gilts were artificially inseminated using semen of Duroc boars. Pregnant pigs were allotted to one of three groups including A1, A2, and A3. Experimental diets and water were fed ad libitum during each experimental period which included the first, second, and third parities. Backfat thickness (BFT) of sows was higher in A3 at farrowing in the first parity than in others. At weaning time in the second parity, sows in A3 group showed a numerically higher BFT than those in A1. There was no effect of mating age on the total number of piglets born and total weaned piglets. There was a tendency to decrease the wean-to estrus-interval in the first parity as age increased at mating. Results obtained in the present study indicate that the first mating age does not affect the subsequent parites' reproductive performance; however, weaned to estrus interval tended to decrease in A2 at the first parity.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.149-154
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• 2020

The aim of the current study was to compare the effects of season and breed on the reproductive performance of male and female sheep using 12 rams and 318 ewes of Assaf and Awassi breeds under the seasonal environmental condition of United Arab Emirates for two years. The blood level of testosterone hormone was measured monthly. Semen was collected twice a month from each male using artificial vagina and evaluated for volume, motility, livability, abnormality and concentration. The scrotal circumference and thickness as well as the left testicular length, width, height and volume were measured at one-month intervals. The level of testosterone in Assaf breed was significantly higher in autumn than winter and summer. The scrotal circumference and thickness as well as the left testicular length were significantly higher in Assaf breed than Awassi breed. While, left testicular width and volume were significantly higher in Awassi breed than Assaf breed. Scrotal circumference which was higher in spring and summer than in autumn and winter season in both breeds. The SCC of semen was significantly higher in autumn than in other seasons in both breeds. The sperm abnormality was significantly higher in summer than other seasons in both breeds. The livability was significantly lower in summer in both breeds. Fecundity and prolificacy were significantly higher in Assaf than Awassi breed during autumn season. Assaf breed showed the superior reproductive performance in the autumn season when compared with Awassi breed in the same season and other seasons. The Assaf breed tolerated the climatic conditions in UAE and kept the litter size of 1.72 in comparison to Awassi breed which showed litter size of 1.09. in conclusion, the results showed the superiority of Assaf over Awassi breed and offer a good model of breeding with increased fecundity and prolificacy specially in autumn season.