Effect of FMD vaccination on semen quality parameters in Karan Fries and Murrah buffalo bulls

Effect of Foot and Mouth disease (FMD) vaccination was studied on semen quality parameters of 19 Karan Fries (KF) and eight Murrah (MU) breeding bulls during the period 2002 to 2004 at Artificial Breeding Complex, NDRI, Karnal. A total of non-vaccinated 155 KF and 72 MU bulls' ejaculates were taken as control, while 169 KF and 51 MU bulls' ejaculates, collected after vaccination, were used to study the effect of vaccination stress. The results showed that FMD vaccination had no significant (P > 0.05) effect on ejaculate volume and total volume per day of semen in both KF and MU bulls. Volume of semen increased slightly during post-vaccination period in both the breeds. After FMD vaccination, there was significant (P < 0.01) decrease in mass activity (2.27 ± 0.06 vs. 1.67 ± 0.07 and 2.49 ± 0.09. vs. 1.75 ± 0.10, for KF and MU, respectively), initial motility (56.89 ± 0.03% vs. 44.62 ± 0.02% and 62.26 ± 0.04% vs. 47.08 ± 0.05%, for KF and MU, respectively), sperm concentration (754.19 ± 23.96 vs. 554.14 ± 22.95 × 10⁶/ml and 848.61 ± 33.65 vs. 571.57 ± 39.99 × 10⁶/ml, for KF and MU, respectively), and total sperm output per ejaculate (3,685.94 ± 158.40 vs. 2,781.54 ± 151.70 × 10⁶ and 2,218.75 ± 133.14 vs. 1,582.84 ± 158.20 × 10⁶, for KF and MU, respectively). Application of FMD vaccine had significantly (P < 0.05) adverse effect on most of the seminal attributes during post-vaccination in KF and MU buffalo bulls. So, the spermiograms affected following vaccination suggest that in bovines, the semen collection and preservation should be suspended till normal fertility of sperm is restored to avoid the failure of conception from artificial insemination using such semen.     

Effect of cattle-specific estrus molecules on libido and semen production of zebu bulls under tropical climate

Zebu bulls are a shy breeder and they exhibit optimum libido in the presence of females with estrus phase. Continuous semen collection with the use of male dummy leads to lack of adequate sexual stimulation. Therefore, the present study was designed to test the effect of estrus-specific molecule(s) for effective sexual preparation of donor bulls. The bulls were divided into normal and poor libido group, five bulls in each group by taking 1-month control study data after collecting the information of individual bull’s sexual behaviour during semen collection by regular semen collector. The bulls were never being exposed to female animals and semen was collected by an artificial vagina. The ten animals were exposed to a glycerol-water solution (50/50 v:v) as control and then exposed to estrus-specific molecules one by one. The estrus-specific molecules like squalene, 1-iodoundecane, acetic acid, coumarin, propionic acid, oleic acid, and 2-butanone were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich Company, USA, and the molecules were solubilised individually in a non-pressurised aerosol dispenser as 1.0% concentration in glycerol-water solution (50/50, v:v). Identical bulls were used as the control and exposed to each molecule one by one by giving a refractory period of 14 days. A nasal spray of acetic acid or 2-butanone significantly (p < 0.05) reduced reaction time (RT) and total time taken to ejaculate (TTTE) in normal libido bull group. Semen volume, sperm concentration, and the total number of sperm per ejaculation obtained did not show significant improvement in the normal libido group of bulls after the application of estrus-specific molecules as compared to the control. In poor libido group, acetic acid, oleic acid, and 2-butanone application showed significant (p < 0.01) improvement in RT and TTTE as compared to the control group, whereas semen production variables like sperm concentration and total sperm output per ejaculation increased significantly (p < 0.05) except semen volume. There was significant (p < 0.01) reduction in RT (%) and TTTE (%) after the application of acetic acid followed by 2-butanone and oleic acid. The sperm concentration and total sperm output per ejaculation were more after the application of each molecule but significant increase (p < 0.05) in sperm concentration was observed with 2-butanone (11.42%), acetic acid (11.42%), and oleic acid (10.13%), whereas total sperm output per ejaculation increased significantly (p < 0.05) only after the application of acetic acid and 2-butanone (24.75% and 26.84%). Hence, it can be concluded that acetic acid, 2-butanone, and oleic acid are effective for better sexual preparation of Sahiwal bulls and total sperm output per ejaculation.

     

Effect of age and season on semen quality parameters in Sahiwal bulls

The objective of the study was to determine the effect of season, period, age, bull, and ejaculate on semen quality in Sahiwal bulls. Semen production records from 1996 to 2006 of 5,483 ejaculates from 46 Sahiwal bulls maintained at Artificial Breeding Complex, NDRI, Karnal, India were analyzed using least square analysis of variance by LSML software package. The overall least squares means of ejaculate volume (VOL), total volume per day (VOLD), mass activity (MA), initial motility (IM), sperm concentration per ml (SPC), and sperm concentration per ejaculate (SPCE) were 3.79 ± 0.02 ml, 5.81 ± 0.06 ml, 2.32 ± 0.01, 55.47 ± 0.001%, 766.69 ± 5.50 × 10⁶/ml and 3023.25 ± 30.15 × 10⁶, respectively. All semen traits (VOL, VOLD, MA, IM and SPCE) were significantly (P < 0.01) affected by age groups, season and period, whereas season had significant effect on VOL at 5% level. During hot-humid season, highest value of VOL, VOLD, MA, IM, SPC, and SPCE were observed followed by summer and cold season. Highest value of VOL, VOLD, IM, and SPCE were observed during period-3 (2004–2006), whereas highest value of MA and SPC were observed during period-1 (1996–1999). However, lowest magnitude of MA, IM, SPC, and SPCE during period-2 (2000–2003) was observed. Ejaculate characteristics like VOL, VOLD, and SPCE increased with the increasing age of bull up to 5 years and then decreased. Significant (P < 0.01) bull to bull variation was found in VOL, VOLD, MA, IM, SPC, and SPCE traits. First ejaculate had significantly (P < 0.01) higher MA, IM, SPC, and SPCE. Hence, it could be concluded that during rainy season and period-1 and period-3 the quality of semen is quantitatively and qualitatively good. Better quality semen was obtained up to 5 years of age in Sahiwal bulls.     

Impact of extension interventions in improving livelihood of dairy farmers of Nadia district of West Bengal,India

Tropical Animal Health and Production - Livestock is a one of the major sources of livelihood for most of the small and marginal farmers in India, particularly for rural households who live in...