Reproductive efficiency of Thoroughbred and Standardbred horses in north-east Victoria

Objective To evaluate the reproductive efficiency of horse farms in north-east Victoria and identify aspects of management to be targeted for improving reproductive efficiency. Design Retrospective study. Procedure Records from seven Thoroughbred (TB) and four Standardbred (STB) studs in north-east Victoria from 1990 to 2001 were reviewed; 8813 cycles in 4455 mares were analysed. TB mares were inseminated by natural mating, whereas STB mares (89%) were artificially inseminated. Results The overall early pregnancy rate per cycle was 68.8% for TB mares and for STB mares, 68.3%. Multiple pregnancy per cycle was more frequent in TB (8.3%) than in STB (4.6%) mares (P < 0.001). Early embryonic death occurred in 7.1% of TB and 7.5% of STB pregnancies. TB mares had fewer inseminations per cycle (1.03) than STB mares (1.43) (P < 0.001). There was a significantly lower proportion of barren reproductive status within the TB than the STB mares. Pregnancy rate per cycle among stallions ranged from 48% to 79%. Conclusions On-farm pregnancy rates in both breeds were higher than previously reported and likely reflect improvements in reproductive management. The disparity between breeds in the inseminations per cycle and proportion of barren mares exposed the differing structures of the two industries, and presents a target for improving the reproductive efficiency in STBs. The difference between breeds in the multiple pregnancy rate per cycle likely reflects the higher ovulation rate of TB mares. The variability in pregnancy rate per cycle between the 22 stallions was associated with differences in individual inherent fertility and the quality of stallion management.     

Determination of the Trace Element Contents in Plants Using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer

The aim of the study is to investigate the contents of trace dement Se, Cd, Pb in three plants including burdock, ginkgol and garlic via graphite fumace atomic absorption and standard addition method. The results show that Se in burdock stem, skin and leaf are 32.40, 48.63, 38.10 μg/g, respec-tively; Cd in burdock stem, skin and leaf are 0. 160 0, 0.300 0, O. 140 0 isg/g, respectively; Cd in burdock stem, skin and leaf are 2.020, 3.960,2. 410 μg/g, respectively. In the ginkgo and ginko leaf, Se contents are 17.63 and 16.91 la.g/g, respectively; for Cd are 0.181 0 and 0.202 0 μg/g, respec-tively ; for Pb are 3.572 and 4.021 μg/g, respectively. In garlic, $e, Cd and Pb are 73. 900 O, 6.900 0 and 0.390 0, respectively. All the standard devi-ations of measured results are below 2.3%, recovery rate are from 99% to 101%.     

Comparison on left ventricular contractility between Tibetan antelope and Tibetan sheep

AIM: To investigate the characteristics of adaptation of the heart to high altitude in Tibetan antelope.METHODS: Both Tibetan antelope and Tibetan sheep were captured at altitude of 4 300 m and then transported to Gurmud (2,800 m), where the study was conducted immediately after arrival. The heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and the maximum rate of change in left ventricular pressure (±dp/dt) were measured directly by cardiac catheterization. After the baselines of the parameters were obtained, the animals were inhaled hypoxic gas of 14.6% O₂ or 12.5% O₂, which was simulated to the altitudes of 5,300 m and 6,300 m, and then those measurements were repeated within 15 min. The ratios of heart weight to body weight (HW/BW) and right to left ventricular plus septum weights were determined.The Ultra-structural changes of the cardiac muscle were also observed under electron microscope.RESULTS: The HW/BW of Tibetan antelope was significantly greater than that of Tibetan sheep (P<0.01), and no difference of RV/(LV+IVS) was observed between both animals. At baselines, HR and SBP of Tibetan antelope were significantly lower than those of Tibetan sheep . The value of +dp/dt in Tibetan antelope was similar to that of Tibetan sheep . However, after inhaled 14.6% or 12.5% hypoxic-gas for simulating the altitudes of 5,300 m and 6,300 m, the +dp/dt of Tibetan antelope was significantly increased to 145.1% and 148.1% respectively, while the Tibetan sheep was decreased to 68.4% and 70.5% of those in normoxia condition, respectively. Ultra-structural changes of the cardiac muscle indicated that there were more abundant mitochondria in the myocardium of the Tibetan antelope than those in the Tibetan sheep.CONCLUSION: The heart functions of Tibetan antelope are well adapted to hypoxic environment in the high altitude by increasing myocardial weight and mitochondria. On the other hand, the cardiac contractility of Tibetan antelope is normal in the rest, but obviously increases under stress conditions.     

Failure of an intramuscular injection of an analogue of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone 11 to 13 days after insemination to increase pregnancy rates in dairy cattle

At 11 to 13 d after insemination, 1028 dairy cows on 19 farms were given an intramuscular injection of 10 micrograms of the GnRH analogue buserelin. Their reproductive performance was compared to 1022 control cows receiving a placebo. The GnRH analogue-treated cows had fewer short interoestrous intervals compared to the control cows, but there were no significant differences in pregnancy rates to either the insemination preceding or following treatment, in calving to conception interval, or to percent pregnant by the end of mating. There were no differences between treatments in herds of high, average or low pregnancy rate, in 2-year-old cows or cows greater than 2-years-old and in cows calved 40 d or less, or greater than 40 d. The use of 10 micrograms of the GnRH analogue, buserelin, 11 to 13 d after insemination, cannot be recommended as a method of improving reproductive performance in dairy herds.     

Reproductive performance of Thoroughbred mares on six commercial stud farms

The records of 1630 mare years from 6 Thoroughbred stud farms in south eastern Australia were analysed for the years 1981 to 1986. Overall pregnancy and foaling rates were 83.9% and 69.3%, respectively. When calculated per served oestrous cycle, pregnancy and foaling rates were 54.7% and 43.1%, respectively. Pregnancy and foaling rates were higher (P < 0.001) for mares 3 to 10 years of age than for older mares. There was no difference in the pregnancy rates of maiden, barren and foaling mares. The foaling rate was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in mares that became pregnant during the first served oestrous cycle (77.8%) than in mares that needed two served oestrous cycles to become pregnant (65.4%). Of all diagnosed pregnancies, 19.5% were not completed. Pregnancy loss was lower (P < 0.05) in maiden (12.4%) than in barren (19.7%) or foaling (20.9%) mares. Twins were diagnosed in 7.8% of all pregnancies. If one conceptus was lost without external interference, 84.1% of pregnancies went to term. If one conceptus was manually crushed, 55.9% of pregnancies were maintained. If prostaglandin was used to terminate twin pregnancies, 60% of mares so treated produced foals the following year.     

Follicle Turnover and Pregnancy Rates Following Oestrus Synchronization Protocols in Mediterranean Italian Buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis)

An ultrasound assessment of follicle turnover following two different protocols for synchronization of oestrus and ovulation, as well as an assessment of achieved synchronization between ovulation and AI and conception rates in nulliparous and pluriparous buffaloes were carried out during months of increasing day length. Nulliparous buffaloes (n = 30) were subjected only to Ovsynch protocol whereas pluriparous buffaloes (n = 31) were assigned to Ovsynch (n = 14) or to PRID-pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) (n = 17) protocol according to the presence of functional CL confirming cyclic and acyclic conditions. Ultrasound examination of ovarian follicular dynamics at critical days in the course of synchronization treatments was employed to monitor the fate of the largest available follicles at the beginning of treatments. Such available dominant follicle would persist throughout the protocol as ovulating follicle (no-follicle shift) or would regress giving way to a new follicle to become dominant and ovulate (follicle shift). Furthermore, ultrasound monitoring would determine the degree of synchronization of ovulation and final outcome represented by pregnancy rates. Pregnancy rate following Ovsynch protocol was 40% (12/30) and 42.8% (6/14) in nulliparous and pluriparous buffaloes respectively (p = 0.8575). Most ovulations were synchronized and recorded at AI and the following day in nulliparous (24/30; 80%) and pluriparous (12/14; 85.7%) buffaloes respectively (p = 1.000). A follicle shift was recorded in 14 of 30 (46.6%) and 11 of 14 (78.5%) in nulliparous and pluriparous buffaloes respectively (p = 0.0466). Among established pregnancies: eight derived from follicle shift (66.6%) and four from no-follicle shift (33.3%) in nulliparous buffaloes, p = 0.0729 whereas in pluriparous buffaloes five (83.3%) derived from follicle shift and one from no-follicle shift (16.6%), p = 0.6154. Collectively, from 18 pregnancies in nulliparous and pluriparous buffaloes following Ovsynch protocol, 13 derived from follicle shift (72.2%) and five from no-follicle shift (27.7%), p = 0.0860. Pregnancy rate in pluriparous buffaloes following PRID-PMSG protocol was 70.5% (12/17). The majority of ovulations were synchronized and recorded at first, second AI and following day (13/17; 76.4%). A follicle shift occurred in 15/17 buffaloes (88.2%) and among the 12 recorded pregnancies, 11 derived from follicle shift (91.6%), p = 0.5147. In conclusion, pregnancy rates following Ovsynch protocol were similar in nulliparous and pluriparous cyclic buffaloes. A progestagen treatment on acyclic buffaloes but still displaying some ovarian follicular dynamics, resulted in significantly higher pregnancy rate compared with Ovsynch (p = 0.0376). According to the time of scheduled AI, a high degree of synchronized ovulations were recorded following the implementation of both protocols.     

Epidemiological Description of Cystic Ovarian Disease in Argentine Dairy Herds: Risk Factors and Effects on the Reproductive Performance of Lactating Cows

To describe the epidemiology of cystic ovarian disease (COD), to find possible risk factors associated with the incidence of cysts and to analyse the impact of COD on the reproductive performance of dairy cows, databases from 22 dairy herds from the main dairy region in Argentina were retrospectively evaluated throughout a 3‐year period (2009–2011). A total of 248 COD cases over 9156 parturitions were recorded, resulting in a cumulative incidence rate of 2.7%. Cystic ovarian disease incidence density was lower during the first 100 days post‐partum (DPP) than during later stages of lactation. Seasonality had a significant influence on the disease presentation with higher incidence rates during winter and spring. Cows with a previous diagnosis of clinical mastitis showed 2.72 times more chances of developing ovarian cysts. Cystic cows had longer calving to first service and calving to conception intervals and lower conception rate than controls.     

玉树州特色中藏药发展对策及前景分析

根据玉树特殊的地理环境,气候特点,特色中藏药自然资源优势及其形态特征,提出了玉树特色中藏药发展对策。     

施肥与灌水对硝态氮在土壤中残留的影响

通过田间试验研究不同施氮量与灌水量对春玉米和冬小麦田土壤中硝态氮分布与累积的影响,结果表明,春玉米收获后0~2 m土壤中累积硝态氮185.7~748.0 kg/hm2,其中1 m以上占57.9%~70.1%。由于施用氮肥而增加的硝态氮占施N量的1.8%(N 112.5 kg/hm2),50.7%(N 225 kg/hm2),56.7%(N 337.5 kg/hm2)和77.0%(N450 kg/hm2)。不施N和施N 112.5 kg/hm2时春玉米田土壤剖面没有明显累积峰;施N等于或高于225 kg/hm2时在60~80 cm土层有明显累积峰,施氮量高的峰值较高;施N 450 kg/hm2时在120~140 cm深度出现另一个累积高峰。冬小麦收获后土壤0~2 m硝态氮累积量为74.9~328.8 kg/hm2,其中1m以上占67.8%~90.7%。由于施用氮肥而增加的硝态氮占施N量的19.5%(N 112.5 kg/hm2),35.6%(N 225 kg/hm2),58.9%(N 337.5 kg/hm2)和56.4%(N 450 kg/hm2)。冬小麦田收获后土壤深层(1~2 m)没有明显的硝态氮累积,即使施氮量高达450 kg/hm2时也只在表层40 cm以上累积较多。不论是春玉米还是冬小麦,当生育期施氮量大于225 kg/hm2时0~2 m土层均有明显的硝态氮累积,施氮量高的累积量较高。施氮量是造成土壤中硝酸盐累积的主要因素,灌水量对春玉米田硝态氮的向下迁移有显著影响。