Succesful transfer of frozen N’Dama embryos from the Gambia to Kenya

Summary Frozen embryos from N’Dama cattle were successfully transferred from The Gambia to Kenya. Of the 26 N’Dama cows used 12 were successfully programmed to superovulate and of these seven produced 30 embryos that were collected seven days after oestrus/service. Five N’Dama bulls were used for natural service. In Kenya 29 embryos were implanted into 29 Boran heifers seven days (±1) after the induction of synchronised oestrus. Eleven pregnancies were established and after one abortion of unknown aetiology at seven and a half months five female and five male calves were born and subsequently reared. During programming the N’Dama cows showed prolonged anoestrus leading to the necessity of oestrus induction using intravaginal progesterone releasing coils; pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin gave better superovulation than follicle stimulating hormone. One N’Dama bull proved to be subfertile. The success of the project has demonstrated the potential of this technique to make disease-free N’Dama available for research purposes and for the promotion of livestock development programmes in tsetse-infested areas using trypanotolerant cattle.

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Resumen Se transfirieron exitosamente embriones congelados de ganado N’Dama de Gambia a Kenia. De las 26 vacas N’Dama utilizadas, 12 fueron programadas exitosamente para superovular y de las cuales 7 produjeron 30 embriones que fueron colectados 7 días despues del servicio. Cinco toros N’Dama se utilizaron en servicio natural. En Kenia, 29 embriones fueron implantados en 29 vaquillonas Boran siete días (±I), despues de la inducción del cello sincronizado. Se establecieron II pre?eces y despues de un aborto de etiología desconocida a los 7 1/2 meses, nacieron cinco hembras y cinco machos. Durante la programación de las vacas N’Dama, éstas mostraron anestro prolongado, surgiendo la necesidad de inducir estro mediante rollos intravaginales los cuales liberan progesterona; el suero de yeguas pre?adas dió mejores resultados para inducir superovulación, que la hormona folículo estimulante. Un toro N’Dama fue subfertil. El éxito del proyecto ha demostrado plenamente la gran potencialidad de ésta técnica, la cual puede ser utilizada para obtener animales N’Dama libres de enfermedades para investigación, y para programas de desarrollo ganadero tendientes a utilizar ganado resistente a la tripanosomiasis en áreas de tsetse.

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Résumé Des embryons congelés de bovins N’Dama ont été transférés avec succès de Gambie au Kenya. Douze vaches N’Dama sur vingt-six ont pu être programmées pour superovuler; sept d’entre elles ont produit trente embryons qui ont été récoltés sept jours après l’oestrus/insémination. Cinq taureaux N’Dama ont été utilisés en monte naturelle. Au Kenya, vingt-neuf embryons ont été implantés chez vingt-neuf génisses Boran sept jours (±1) après induction d’un oestrus synchronisé. Onze gestations se sont établies et, après un avortement d’étiologie inconnue à sept mois et demi, cinq veaux males et cinq veaux femelles sont nés et ont été élevés. Lors de la phase de programmation, les vaches N’Dama ont présenté un anoestrus prolongé nécessitant une induction oestrale avec des tampons imprégnés de progestérone; la gonadotrophine de jument gravide a induit une meilleure superovulation que l’hormone FSH. Un taureau N’Dama s’est montré être à la limite de la sous-fertilité. Le succès du projet a démontré le potentiel de cette technique pour la mise à disposition de bovins N’Dama sains à des fins de recherche et pour la promotion des programmes de développement de l’élevage avec du bétail trypanotolérant dans les régions infestées de tsé-tsé.

     

Nutrient and energy retention in growing lambs. 1. Results of growth experiments

The results of a growth experiment are explained which was carried out as basis for the control slaughtering method and for N-balance experiments with hybrid fattening lambs of both sexes and of three different genetic constructions in comparison with male merino mutton lambs. The animals were kept individually on perforated floor and received pelleted fattening feed for lambs ad libitum. In the live weight range between 15 and 30 kg the male hybrid lambs reached significantly higher live weight gains than the merino mutton sheep, the former tending towards higher feed intake and lower energy expenditure. The male hybrid lambs showed a significantly higher live weight gain and a significantly lower energy expenditure than the female animals of equal live weight whereas there were no differences between the sexes in feed intake.     

IMMUNOTHERAPY OF BOVINE OCULAR SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMAS WITH PHENOL-SALINE EXTRACTS OF ALLOGENEIC CARCINOMAS

Forty cattle with unilateral ocular squamous cell carcinomas and 2 with bilateral carcinomas were treated with a single intramuscular injection of a phenol-saline extract of allogeneic bovine ocular squamous cell carcinoma. Doses of extract varied from the equivalent of 100 mg of lyophilised powder to the equivalent of 1500 mg of lyophilised powder. Thirty-three of the 44 carcinomas (78%) responded to treatment, 15 regressing completely, 9 losing at least 50% of their bulk and 9 ceasing to increase in bulk. The response was significantly better (p < 0.05) in cattle receiving 200 mg or more of lyophilised powder than in those receiving 100 mg of powder. Some 30 of 34 carcinomas (88%) responded to treatment when 200 mg or more of lyophilised powder was used. Five cattle with ocular carcinomas that had failed to respond to the initial treatment and 8 that had responded incompletely received second doses of phenol-saline extracts of allogeneic carcinomas. One carcinoma regressed completely and 2 regressed partially. Thirty cattle with untreated ocular squamous cell carcinomas were observed for periods of from one to 9 months. All the carcinomas grew progressively. Seventeen cattle with ocular squamous cell carcinomas were treated with phenol-saline extracts of bovine cutaneous papilloma, bovine foetal skin or normal bovine cornea and conjunctiva and observed for periods of from one to 14 months. A carcinoma in an animal treated with 500 mg of powder from an extract of cutaneous papilloma did not increase in size over the next 31 weeks. The other carcinomas grew progressively.     

The Role of Oestradiol in the Uterine Peristalsis in the Perfused Swine Uterus

This study was designed to examine the effects of oestradiol (E2) on sperm transport in the swine uterus. The bicornuate swine uterus is optimal for the study of the uterine transport and peristalsis because the influence of various factors can be examined on each uterine horn independently. Forty swine uteri (with or without ovarectomy) were perfused for a period of up to 7 h. Two different E2 concentrations (3 or 30 pg/ml) in the perfusion medium were administered for 30 min unilaterally. Through an intracervical catheter 1 ml of a high concentrated dextran blue solution was administered directly in the upper part of the cervix. After bilateral perfusion of the swine uterus with a bolus of 0.3 IU oxytocin the distribution of coloured particles was assessed macroscopically before and after incision of the uterine horns. Coloration was evaluated by two observers blinded to the site-specific administration of E2. In the 10 ovarectomized uteri with the 3 pg/ml E2 concentration a unilateral distribution towards the side of oestradiol administration was observed in six uteri, in four it was a bilateral distribution. In the 10 non-ovarectomized uteri with the 3 pg/ml E2 concentration a uni- and ipsilateral coloration was observed in five uteri, in five it was a bilateral distribution. In the 20 uteri with 30 pg/ml E2, a unilateral coloration of the uterus horns was observed in all uteri. Oestradiol is one of the main factors, which influences the direction of the sperm transport in a dose-dependent manner, in the perfused swine uterus.