• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.325-335
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• 2013

The study was set for one year to measure the effects of concentrate supplementation on reproductive performances and semen quality in indigenous rams. The study was conducted at the Department of Surgery and Obstetrics, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh during the period from May 2011 to April 2012. Forteen ram lambs (4~5 months) were randomly divided into two equal groups (n=7); supplemented vs control. The animals of control group were maintained on natural grazing. Along with natural grazing the supplemented group was on supplemented feeding. The concentrate supplementation (Wheat bran, Crushed maize, Soy bean meal, Fish meal, DCP powder, Vitamin mineral premix, Salt) was provided @ 300 g/head /day to the supplemented group. Body weight, scrotal circumference, BCS and libido index were measured weekly. Age, body weight and scrotal circumference at puberty were recorded. Semen was collected once in a weak using artificial vagina and chilled at $5^{\circ}C$ for 48h for evaluation. Concentrate supplementation did not influence (p>0.05) body condition score, age, weight, scrotal circumference at puberty and libido index. Final body weight (kg), growth rate (g/d), scrotal circumference (cm) and scrotal growth rate (mm/15d) were significantly (p<0.05) higher in supplemented group of rams compared to control. Volume, concentration, motility and membrane potentiality of spermatozoa were varied significantly (p<0.05) in supplemented and control groups. However, density, mass motility, viability and sperm with normal acrosome, midpiece and tail were not differed insignificantly (p>0.05) in different observation times. It was concluded that concentrate supplementation with free grazing improved weight and scrotal circumference gain and semen production with increased quality in indigenous ram.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.1690-1694
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• 2002

Genetic parameters were estimated for birth weight and weaning weight from three year (1991-1993) data totalling 1100 records of 25 rams to 205 ewes of Indigenous Sabi flock maintained at Grasslands Research Station in Zimbabwe. AIREML procedures were used fitting an Animal Model. The statistical model included the fixed effects of year of lambing, sex of lamb, birth type and the random effect of ewe. Weight of ewe when first joined with ram was included as a covariate. Direct heritability estimates of 0.27 and 0.38, and maternal heritability estimates of 0.24 and 0.09, were obtained for birth weight and weaning weight, respectively. The total heritability estimates were 0.69 and 0.77 for birth weight and weaning weight, respectively. Direct-aternal genetic correlations were high and positive. The corresponding genetic covariance estimates between direct and maternal effects were positive and low, 0.25 and 0.18 for birth weight and weaning weight, respectively. Responses to selection were 0.8 kg and 0.14 kg for birth weight and weaning weight, respectively. The estimated expected correlated response to selection for birth weight by directly selecting for weaning weight was 0.26. Direct heritabilities were moderate; as a result selection for any of these traits should be successful. Maternal heritabilities were low for weaning weight and should have less effect on selection response. Indirect selection can give lower response than direct selection.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.212-219
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• 2021

The aims of this study were to measure the ultrasonographic biometry of genitalia of the indigenous rams and observe the relationship of biometry on semen parameters. The epididymal volume was significantly reduced (p < 0.01) after semen collection compared with before collection for both left and right part in all rams. The cumulative results showed that although there was no significant difference in length, width and volume of epididymis between before and after semen collection, however the values were lower after collection. The epididymal length was significantly correlated with epididymal volume (p < 0.01), semen motility (p < 0.05) and semen morphology (p < 0.01). Epididymal width was only significantly correlated with epididymal volume (p < 0.01) not with the semen parameters. Epididymal volume had a significant correlation only with semen morphology (p < 0.01).The scrotal circumference had the significant correlation with semen density, mass activity, concentration and motility (p < 0.01). The epididymis had the similar or slightly increased echogenicity as compared to the normal testis. During whole study, some white spots were found on testis which did not affect the semen quantity and quality. Significant variation was observed only for semen concentration and motility among the rams (p < 0.05). The overall normal morphology was 90.5 ± 4.6% with highest percentage of coiled tail abnormalities.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.60 no.5
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• pp.14.1-14.12
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• 2018

Background: Sheep production is a major component of the livestock sector in Ethiopia. The country owing to the large population of 30.70 million estimated numbers of sheep in the country and out of which about 72.14% are females, and 27.86% are males with diverse genetic resources. The real value of indigenous breeds was often under-estimated mostly due to their poor appearance and relatively low productivity. Developing countries in most cases opt for exotic breeds to increase animal productivity through crossbreeding or breed substitution without properly investigating the production potential of the indigenous breeds. The main objective of the research was to identify sheep flock composition and structure, farmers' traits of interest and breeding objective of Wollo highland sheep, and their $F_1$ crossbreed progenies. Results: Smallholder farmers' flock synthesized from breeding ewes, breeding rams, pre-weaned ewe lambs, pre-weaned ram lambs, unproductive ewes, castrated and fattened rams, with the percentage coverage of 29.2, 13.3, 15.5, 16.5, 12.4, and 12.5%, respectively. The maximum number of flock size was 289.0 sheep per flock and higher in the third stratum. The off-take rate percentage of the three strata presented as 21.9% in 1st stratum, 12% in the 2nd stratum, and 16.4% in the 3rd stratum and higher off-take rate recorded in the first stratum. Sheep producer's traits of interest ranked by growth rate (first), body size (second) and marketing value was third rank. Communal breeding (random mating), village based controlled breeding, mixed type and private ram controlled breeding practice were comprised of 39.7, 61.7, 52 and 71.3%, respectively. The percentages of ewes per flock composition were presented as 36.5, 27.1 and 25.5%, respectively in the 3rd stratum, 2nd stratum and 3rd stratum in the order of their importance's. Conclusion: Genetic improvement practices at smallholder sheep producers situation was showing promising outcome with indigenous Washera $F_1$ crossbred lambs and which designated for weaning rate, body size, marketing age, age at first lambing, good temperament and large litter size in the order of their rank. The contemporary breeding practice tendency indicated that, reduced flock size to improve flock productivity via crossbreeding practices.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.9
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• pp.1282-1288
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• 2013

A comparative slaughter trial was conducted to estimate the phosphorus (P) requirement for maintenance and growth of crossbred lambs of Dorper with a Chinese indigenous sheep breed, thin-tailed Han sheep. Thirty-five Dorper${\times}$thin-tailed Han crossbred, noncastrated ram lambs ($20.3{\pm}0.22kg$ of shrunk body weight (SBW)) were used. Seven lambs were randomly chosen and slaughtered at 20 kg SBW as the baseline group for measuring initial body composition. Another seven lambs were also randomly chosen and offered a pelleted mixed diet for ad libitum intake and slaughtered at 28 kg SBW. The remaining 21 sheep were randomly divided into 3 groups with 7 sheep each and subject to the same diet of either 70 or 40% of ad libitum intake. The 3 groups were slaughtered when the sheep fed ad libitum reached 35 kg of SBW. Body P contents were determined after slaughter. The results showed that the net P requirement for maintenance was 30.0 mg/kg of empty body weight (EBW) or 23.4 mg/kg body weight (BW), and the P requirement for growth decreased from 5.3 to 5.0 g/kg of EBW gain as the lamb grew from 20 to 35 kg. The net P requirement for growth of Dorper${\times}$thin-tailed Han crossbred ram lambs was lower than that of sheep adopted by the American nutritional system.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2017

The study was carried out to understand the inhabiting status and biological features of nutria (Myocastor coypus) in the Jeju Island from May, 2013 to August, 2016. Five individuals were captured by traps and two individuals were collected in dead. Of the 7 individuals, those whose bio-information could not be known were excluded to perform autopsy of the rest of them. The results from morphological, cranial and anatomical analyses, it was found that the females achieved sexual maturation but had no breeding experience. An adult male showed similar sizes to those found in the Korean Peninsula. After collecting the 7 individuals in 2013, 1 nutria individual was filmed by the scouting camera in May, 2014 but not captured. The long-term investigation of the research area found no inhibiting individual. It is deemed the nutria was either died of natural death or migrated. In order to establish a proper nutria control, the environmental characteristics of Jeju Island should be considered where indigenous and introduced species coexist in a limited space. Our findings will provide helpful information for understanding biological features of nutria and planning protection program of natural ecosystems of Jeju Island.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.120-129
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• 2024

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a significant risk factor in the global disease burden. The stem bark of the Betulaceae plant Alnus japonica, which is indigenous to Korea, has been used as a popular folk medicine for hepatitis and cancer. However, the preventive effect of Alnus japonica leaf extracts on alcohol-related liver damage has not been investigated. The objective of this study was to investigate the hepatoprotective effects of the extracts of Alnus japonica leaf (AJL) against ethanol-induced liver damage in HepG2/2E1 cells. Treatment with AJL significantly prevented ethanol-induced cytotoxicity in HepG2/2E1 cells by reducing the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). This protective effect was likely associated with antioxidant potential of AJL, as evidenced by the attenuation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) production and restoration of the depleted glutathione (GSH) levels in ethanol-induced HepG2/2E1 cells. Our findings suggest that FCC might be considered as a useful agent in the prevention of liver damage induced by oxidative stress by increasing the antioxidant defense mechanism.