Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone treatment in cattle: a meta-analysis of the effects on conception at the time of insemination

SUMMARY Data from 40 trials described in 27 published papers were analysed by meta-analysis (pooling of data from numerous trials into a single analysis) to evaluate the effects of injecting gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) In cattle at the time of Insemination on the risk of pregnancy. A total of 19 019 cows were involved In these studies. Analyses were stratified by trial and by the effects of dose of GnRH, type of GnRH and Insemination number (first, second or third and greater). Mantel-Haenszel analysis revealed that use of GnRH at Insemination significantly Increased the overall risk of pregnancy by 12.5% In treated cows (P < 0.05). However, Increases In risk of pregnancy were greatest (22.5%) when repeat breeders were treated. Results for use of GnRH or analogue at first service were similar, with Increased risks of pregnancy in treated cows of 5.2 and 8.0%, respectively. The risk of pregnancy tended to be higher (11.1%) when the dose of GnRH was 250 μg and when used at second Insemination (9.9%). The analyses demonstrated that while treatment at Insemination with GnRH and GnRH analogues Increased conception rates In dairy cattle, some variation In study results was attributable to the number of Inseminations after calving at which GnRH Is administered. Further efforts should be made to determine characteristics of populations of cows that have good fertility responses to GnRH and to determine the mode of action of GnRH in Increasing fertility. Meta-analysis proved to be a useful technique for evaluating the apparently conflicting results from trials and in evaluating the effect of factors such as Insemination number, dose and type of GnRH on responses to treatment.     

A case-control study to identify farm factors affecting fertility of dairy herds: univariate description of factors

Objective To identify farm factors which were associated with reproductive performance in dairy herds in New South Wales.
Procedure A survey was administered by face to face interview to examine the responses of producers drawn from 757 herds, which used the New South Wales Agriculture Department Dairy Herd Improvement scheme. A case-control approach was used to select a total of 126 herds from the first (top group - cases) and fourth quartiles (low group - controls) for intercalving interval.
Results We found that the estimated interval from calving to first mating was significantly different between groups (P = 0.03) and that the groups significantly differed in both their target for interval to first mating (P = 0.02) and their perceived optimum time for first mating (P = 0.04). Other factors associated with a longer intercalving interval included, use of embryo transfer programs (P = 0.08), younger managers (P = 0.02), fewer breedings per day (P = 0.01), a greater number of people detecting heats (P = 0.07), but less hours spent detecting heats while handling the cows (P = 0.11), and a failure to vaccinate bulls for campylobacteriosis (P = 0.14).
Conclusions Managers of herds with poorer reproductive performance did not intend to mate cattle as soon after calving as managers with better reproductive performance, were not as active in seeking veterinary advice on reproduction, and were attempting to treat reproductive diseases and disorders themselves.     

A comparison of the autecology of Quercus robur L. and Q. pyrenaica Wild.: present habitat in Galicia, NW Spain

The biotopes occupied by pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.)and rebollo oak (Quercus pyrenaica Willd.) in Galicia were characterizedusing different parameters, enabling a comparative analysisof its habitats. Thirty-nine plots of pedunculate oak and 40of rebollo oak were inventoried and 25 ecological parameters(physiographic, climatic and edaphic) were measured to describethe biotopes, along with 14 stand parameters to characterizethe structure and the silviculture of these forests; some ofthem were used in previous works about the autecology of bothspecies. Quercus robur was found to occupy a wider range ofecological habitats and their distribution is oceanic; Q. pyrenaicapresents a more Mediterranean phytoclimatic position. The resultsindicated that the distribution of oak forests in Galicia ismore closely related to physiographic and climatic featuresthan to edaphic, because the nature of the substrates that theyoccupy is similar. Analysis of fragility/aggressiveness betweenboth species and chestnut shows that the aggressiveness of bothoaks, mainly pedunculate, was much higher, except at high altitudes,and in areas with a high mean temperature, where rebollo ismore aggressiveness. Comparison of the two Quercus shows formost of the parameters that Q. robur is the more aggressivespecies.     

Replacement of fishmeal in diets for Australian silver perch Bidyanus bidyanus (Mitchell). II. Effects of cooking on digestibility of a practical diet containing different starch products

Abstract The interactive effects of cooking and starch type on the dry matter, gross energy and protein digestibility of diets fed to fingerling silver perch were examined. Nine experimental diets were made: a reference diet either uncooked or cooked, six other diets comprising uncooked reference diet supplemented with 30% uncooked or cooked wheat, maize or potato starch and one diet comprising uncooked reference diet supplemented with 15% pregelatinized maize starch. Cooking involved autoclaving at 121 °C for 15 min. The indirect method was used to calculate apparent digestibility coefficients, and chromic oxide (1%) was used as the inert indicator. Both ingredient type and cooking influenced dry matter and gross energy digestibility of diets. All diets had significantly different digestibility coefficients in the following order (from most to least digestible): reference > wheat > maize > potato, for both dry matter and gross energy. Cooking significantly increased the apparent digestibility of diets for both dry matter and gross energy. There was no significant effect of ingredient or cooking or their interaction on protein digestibility. Dry matter and energy digestibility of the diet containing pregelatinized maize starch were significantly higher than for diets containing cooked or uncooked starch products. Ingredient digestibility followed the same trend as diet digestibility. The results from this study indicate that the successful use of starch in practical diets for silver perch is dependent on the origin and processing of the starch. The significant benefits of cooking in the reference diet suggest that pelleted diets should be cooked (e.g. steam conditioned or extruded).