• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.623-628
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• 1992

Records on weaning (3803) and yearling weight (2990) of beef cattle (Bibos banteng) from the Bali Cattle Improvement Project were examined. A mixed model analysis involving all main non-genetic effects (village, year of birth, season of birth, age of dam, sex of calf, all significant interactions and age at weighing as a covariate) as fixed effects and sire nested within village as a random effect was undertaken. Variance components were estimated by Henderson's Method III. Paternal half-sib components of variance and covariance were used to estimate heritabilities of weaning and yearling weights, as well as their genetic and phenotypic correlations. Heritability estimates ($\pm$ standard error) obtained by Henderson's Method III for weaning and yearling weights were $.11{\pm}.03$ and $.13{\pm}.04$, respectively while the phenotypic and genetic correlations were estimated as .32 and $.64{\pm}.10$, respectively. The parameters estimated in this study were at the lower end of the range of reported values from various breeds. It is concluded that further information should be gathered to assist in estimating genetic parameters for other economic traits of Bali beef cattle and to provide more accurate estimates for weaning and yearling weights. These parameters should then be used to formulate a selection program to enable the genetic improvement of Bali Beef cattle.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.509-513
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• 1996

The data analysed consisted of body weight records at birth, and at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of age of 549 half Friesian $\times$ Bunaji crossbred heifers collected over a twenty-five year period (1965-1989). Least squares $means{\pm}s.e$. of body weights at birth, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of age were $26.7{\pm}1.3$, $72.4{\pm}4.5$, $112.9{\pm}6.9$, $147.2{\pm}9.2$ and $182.1{\pm}11.1kg$, respectively. Year of birth was highly significant (p < 0.01) in affecting body weights at all ages, while the effect of month of birth was not. Seasonal influence on birth weight and body weights at 3 and 6 months of age was significant (p < 0.05). Phenotypic correlations between body weights at all ages were positive and highly significant (p < 0.01), ranging from 0.30 to 0.79. The results of this study showed that the beneficial effect of crossbreeding Friesian with Bunaji cattle was reflected in the growth performance of the $F_1$ crosses, since they grew faster than the indigenous Bunaji from brith to yearling age. The study also indicated that heifer selection for yearling body weight can be done early on the basis of weights at 3 and 6 months of age.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.1484-1490
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• 2004

Mitochondrial DNA haplotypes from the displacement-loop (D-loop) region (436 bp) were genotyped and sequenced in Japanese Black beef cattle raised in the same herd. Correlation coefficients between mitochondrial DNA haplotypes, maternal lineage, birth weight, preweaning average daily gain, weaning weight, post weaning average daily gain and yearling weight were computed. The objective was to study the relationship between maternal and postnatal growth traits and to investigate if postnatal growth of calves to yearling age could be accurately predicted from mitochondrial DNA haplotypes. Results of the phylogenetic analysis revealed 17 maternal lineages and four mitochondrial DNA haplotypes. There were strong, positive and highly significant (p<0.001) correlations among maternal traits ranging from 0.52 to 0.98. Similarly, among postnatal growth traits, most of the correlations were also strong, positive and highly significant (p<0.001); the highest correlation of 0.94 was between preweaning average daily gain and weaning weight. However, correlations between mitochondrial DNA haplotypes and postnatal growth traits were very low, mostly negative and non-significant (p>0.05) ranging from -0.05 to 0.1. Prediction of postnatal growth from mitochondrial DNA yielded very low $R^{2}$ values ranging from 0.002 to 0.019. It was concluded that mitochondrial DNA polymorphism has no significant association with postnatal growth from birth to yearling age, and by implication, nuclear rather than cytoplasmic DNA, accounts for most of the genetic variation observed in postnatal growth of Japanese Black cattle. Therefore, mitochondrial DNA genotyping at an early age has no bearing on the accurate prediction of the future growth performance of calves.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.614-620
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• 1997

Pedigree data were used to predict the performance of 1,166 imported Americas Brahman breeder cattle, composed of 104 bulls and 1,062 heifers with an average age of 24.4 months (range of 17 to 40 months). A total of 13 full sib, 10 maternal half sib, and 228 paternal half sib groups were identified, each with average group size of 2.08, 2.00, and 4.49, respectively. Only 758 (64.9% of total) imported cattle were found to have at least one ancestor with expected progeny differences (EPDs) reported in the Spring 1995 Brahman Sire Summary. Moderate average accuracy values of .71, .69, .52, and .52 for birth weight, weaning weight, yearling weight, and maternal milk, respectively, were noted for EPDs of the ancestors. Prediction equations were derived by multiple regression analysis of available EPDs of sire, paternal grand sire, and maternal grand sire. Based on pedigree indexes that involve various combinations of available ancestral information, the average predicted EPDs (lbs) for imported cattle were $1.76{\pm}0.54$, $14.93{\pm}4.86$, $25.10{\pm}9.50$, and $5.86{\pm}2.08$ for birth weight, weaning weight, yearling weight, and maternal milk, respectively. Significant correlations (p < .05) were also found between sire and son EPDs (+.27) for yearling weight; and between sire and paternal grand sire EPDs for birth weight (+.34), weaning weight (+.51), yearling weight (+.49), and maternal milk (+.55).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.729-732
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• 2000

Weight records from birth to calving and calving scores of 407 two-year old heifers and weights of their offspring from birth to one year of age were used to study the effects of sire birth weight on maternal traits of their female progeny. The heifers (G1) were the progeny of 81 sires (G0) and were classified into three classes based on their sires' birth weights (High, Medium and Low). The heifers were from three distinct breed-groups and were mated to bulls with medium birth weights within each breed-group to produce the second generation (G2). The data were analyzed using a covariance model. The female progeny of high birth-weight sires were heavier from birth to calving than those sired by medium and low birth-weight bulls. The effect of sire birth weight on calving difficulty scores of their female progeny was not significant. Grand progeny (G2) of low birth-weight sires were lighter at birth than those from high birth-weight sires (p<0.05) but they did not differ significantly in weaning and yearling weights with the other two Grand progeny groups. The results indicated that using low birth weight sires would not result in an increase in the incidence of dystocia among their female progeny calving at two-year of age and would not have an adverse effect on weaning and yearling weights of their grand progeny.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.348-353
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• 1999

Ten Australian Stock Horses colts (five yearling and five 3-year old colts) of which 2 yearlings and 2 three year old colts served as control animals while 3 yearlings and 3 three year old colts received two GnRH immunizations within 4 weeks interval were used in this study. By the 5th to 6th week after immunization, the GnRH antibody titres in the plasma rose above 1:1000 and attained peak levels of 1:6500 by the 8th week and gradually declined to about 1:3000 by the 10th week in both the age groups. The testosterone and androstenedione concentrations of the control colts in both age groups were significantly greater (p<0.05) than that of the vaccinated groups. During the immunosuppression period, the vaccinated colts behaved like geldings. Semen could not be collected from 2 of the 3 three-year old vaccinated colts. The testicular dimensions, testicular weight, parenchymal weight, seminiferous tubule volumes, interstitial space volumes, Leydig cell volume, seminiferous tubule % of the control colts were significantly greater than those of the vaccinated colts in both the age groups. The 3-year old control colts had a significantly (p<0.05) greater % of Leydig cells than the control and vaccinated 1-year old colts. There was arrest of spermatogenesis with complete absence of sperm in the testes of the vaccinated colts while there was various stages of spermatogenesis in those of the control colts. Morphometric analysis demonstrated that the 3-year old colts had significantly (p<0.05) greater DSP/gm of testis and DSP/testis than those of the 1-year old control colts. This study elucidated that the GnRH immunization could suppress the testicular function of the 3-year old and yearling colts.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.197-200
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• 2016

Cryptosporidium, a protozoan parasite, can cause cryptosporidiosis which is a gastrointestinal disease that can infect humans and livestock. Cattle are the most common livestock that can be infected with this protozoan. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in cattle in Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia and to find out the association between the occurrence of infection and 3 different ages of cattle (calves less than 1 year, yearling, and adult cattle). The samples were processed by using formol-ether concentration technique and stained by modified Ziehl Neelsen. The results showed that 15.9% (24/151) of cattle were positive for Cryptosporidium oocysts. The occurrence of Cryptosporidium in calves less than 1 year was the highest with the percentage of 20.0% (11/55) followed by yearling and adult cattle, with the percentage occurrence of 15.6 % (7/45) and 11.8% (6/51), respectively. There was no significant association between the occurrence and age of cattle and presence of diarrhea. Good management practices and proper hygiene management must be taken in order to reduce the infection. It is highly important to control the infection since infected cattle may serve as potential reservoirs of the infection to other animals and humans, especially animal handlers.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.5-8
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• 1999

Weight records from birth to calving and calving scores of 407 two-year old heifers and weights of their offspring from birth to one year of age were used to study the effects of sire birth weight on maternal traits of their female progeny. The heifers ($G_1$) were Ihe progeny of 81 sires ($G_0$) and were classified into three classes based on their sires' birth weights (High, Medium and Low). The heifers were from three distinct breed-groups and were mated to bulls with medium birth weights within each breed-group to produce the second generation ($G_2$). The data were analyzed using a covariance model. The female progeny of high birth-weight sires were heavier from birth to calving than those sired by medium and low birth-weight bulls. The effect of sire birth weight on calving difficulty scores of their female progeny was not significant. Grand progeny (G2) of low birth-weight sires were lighter at birth than those from high birth-weight sires (p < 0.05) but they did not differ significantly in weaning and yearling weights from the other two Grand progeny groups. The results indicated that using low birth weight sires would not result in an increase in the incidence of dystocia among their female progeny calving at two-year of age and would not have an adverse effect On weaning and yearling weights of their grand progeny.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.1395-1403
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• 2008

The objective of the present study was to estimate genetic parameters for economic traits in Markhoz goats. Data collected from 1993 to 2006 by the Markhoz goat Performance Testing Station in Sanandaj, Iran, were analyzed. The traits recorded as body weight performance at birth (BW), weaning (WW), six month (6MW), nine month (9MW), yearling (YW) and yearling fleece weight (YFW) were investigated. Least square analyses were used for estimation of environmental effects. Genetic parameters were estimated with single and multi trait analysis using restricted maximum likelihood (REML) procedures, under animal models. By ignoring or including maternal additive genetic effects and maternal permanent environmental effects, five different models were fitted for each trait. The effects of sex, type of birth, age of dam and year of birth on the all body weights were significant (p<0.01), but had no effects on YFW except year of birth. Age of kids had significant influences on WW and 6MW (p<0.01). A log likelihood ratio test was carried out for choosing the most suitable model for each trait. Total heritability estimates for YFW and growth traits varied from 0.16 for YFW and WW to 0.41 for YW. For all traits, maternal heritability was lower than direct heritability, ranging from 0.06 for BW to 0.01 for 6MW and 9MW. The magnitude of $c^2$ was more substantial for BW than the others, and relative importance was reduced from 0.12 for BW to 0.04 for 9MW. The direct additive genetic correlations estimates were positive and varied from 0.21 between BW-YW to 0.96 between WW-6MW. Direct additive genetic correlations between YFW and body weight traits were positive and ranged from 0.14 between BW-YFW to 0.67 between 6MW-YFW. For all traits, the corresponding estimates for phenotypic correlation were positive and lower than genetic correlations. The maternal additive genetic correlations between various traits were varied and ranged from -0.19 between 9MW-YFW to 0.96 between 6MW-9MW. The estimates of the maternal permanent environmental correlations between various traits were positive and ranged from 0.33 between WW-YFW to 0.93 between WW-6MW. Also, the environmental correlations between various traits ranged from 0.01 between BW-YFW and WW-YFW to 0.70 between 9MW-YW. Estimates of genetic parameters for various traits in this study confirm that selection should be applied on WW for genetic improvement in Markhoz goats.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.1215-1221
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• 2002

Normal haematological and biochemical indices along with thyroid hormone status were studied in healthy Kathiawari horses of different age groups (yearling, young stock, adults and old stock) belonging to either sex. Effect of both age and sex was observed on thyroid hormone levels, haematological and biochemical indices. In females, hemoglobin levels was significantly lower in yearlings than adult animals while total leukocyte counts were higher in yearlings than equids of other age groups. Sex had effect only on total erythrocyte counts, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration and mean corpuscular hemoglobin in horses of 1-3 years age group (young stock) and on packed cell volume in adult female and male equids. Among biochemical indices, activities of enzymes were observed to be influenced both by age and sex. Creatine kinase, gamma glutamyl transferase, glutamate pyruvate transaminase, glutamic oxaloacetate transaminase and lactate dehydrogenase activities were significantly higher in young and adult equids than animals of other age groups in Kathiawari horses while activity of alkaline phosphatase was significantly higher in yearlings than equids belonging to other age groups in both male and females. However, activity of sorbitol dehydrogenase was unaltered due to both sex and age factor. Albumin, bilirubin direct, bilirubin total, cholesterol, creatinine, protein, triglyceride and uric acid were statistically different in various age and sex groups of horses. Calcium, magnesium and chloride contents were almost same in various age groups of male horses. Significantly higher levels of $T_3$ and $T_4$ were observed in both male and female yearlings as compared to equids of other age groups in both the sexes.