Pregnancy‐Associated Glycoprotein Secretion in North Moroccan Goats

The plasma profile of pregnancy‐associated glycoprotein (PAG) and its relationship with fetal number were studied in 14 North Moroccan goats using a semi‐heterologous radioimmunoassay (RIA). Peripheral blood was collected every day during the first month of pregnancy, afterward the blood samples were collected trice a week. The PAG were first detected at day 20 of pregnancy, their levels increase to week 8 of gestation then decrease slightly until parturition. Statistical differences between goats carrying one or two foetuses are observed from week 5 of pregnancy until parturition. Factorial Discriminant Analysis provides mathematical models for the discrimination between the litter size using the PAG level and the week of pregnancy. Using only one blood sample per week, high sensitivity, specificity and overall accuracy (74%, 88% and 81%) were obtained using these models. It is concluded that the PAG RIA is an effective tool for early diagnosis of pregnancy and for discrimination between the litter sizes in North Moroccan goats.     

Evaluation of different hormonal treatments on oestral and ovarian responses in Moroccan Beni Arouss goats during anoestrus and breeding season

The efficacy of eight combinations of fluorogestone acetate (FGA, 20 or 40 mg as intravaginal device during 11 days), equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG, 300 or 500 UI injected 48 hr before FGA removal) and prostaglandin F_2α (cloprostenol, 0 or 50 μg injected 48 hr before FGA removal) aiming at induction and synchronization of oestrus and ovulation was evaluated during the anoestrus season in spring and during the breeding season in autumn in adult Beni Arouss goats. Oestrous behaviour was recorded between 12 and 60 hr after FGA removal. Blood samplings allowing to assess onset of the pre‐ovulatory LH surge and increase of progesterone as sign of an active corpus luteum were performed, respectively, between 20 and 60 hr and 3, 5, 8 and 15 days after FGA removal. No season‐related differences (spring vs. autumn) were observed for oestrous response (95% vs. 93%), pre‐ovulatory LH surge (94% vs. 84%) and luteal response after 3–8 and 11–15 days post‐treatment (respectively 92% vs. 66% and 92% vs. 98%). The onset of oestrus (21 [13–53] vs. 32 [12–54] hr) and LH surge (26 [20–60] vs. 38 [22–60] hr) occurred significantly later in autumn. FGA (40 vs. 20 mg) in autumn significantly delayed the onset of oestrus (36 [16–54] vs. 23 [12–47] hr) and LH surge (44 [26–58] vs. 33 [22–60] hr). Significant treatment‐related differences were recorded for onset of LH surge (earliest for 20 mg FGA, 300 IU eCG, 50 μg PGF_2α) and onset of luteal phase (latest for 40 mg FGA, 300 IU eCG, 50 μg PGF_2α). In conclusion, the hormone combinations tested appeared equally effective in terms of oestrous and ovulation rates. Season has influenced significantly the onset of oestrus and LH surge, and the high dose regimen of FGA delayed the ovarian response in autumn.     

Thymus satureioides and Origanum majorana essential oils improve the quality of Beni Arouss buck semen during storage at 4°C

This study aims to investigate the effects of essential oils (EOs), extracted from Thymus satureioides (TS) and Origanum majorana (OM), on Beni Arouss buck semen quality stored in skimmed milk at 4°C. EOs were extracted by hydro-distillation, and the chemical compounds were determined. Ejaculates were collected from six Beni Arouss bucks, once a week for 10 weeks, and they were pooled, divided into five equal aliquots and diluted to 400 × 10⁶ sperm/ml with skimmed milk supplemented with 0.01% of OM EO, 0.01% of TS EO, 0.05% of OM EO and 0.05% of TS EO. Non-supplemented skimmed milk was considered as a control. Semen motility, kinematic parameters, viability, abnormality, membrane integrity and lipid peroxidation were evaluated at 0, 4, 8, 24, 28, 32 and 48 hr of liquid storage at 4°C. The main EO components were carvacrol (31.7%), thymol (28.0%) and borneol (14.4%) for TS, and terpinene-4-ol (31.2%), γ-terpinene (17.4%) and α-terpinene (12.7%) for OM. The results highlighted a dose-dependent effect of TS and OM EOs on all semen quality parameters. 0.01% of both EOs had a beneficial effect on the sperm preservation stored at 4°C compared with control (p < .05) excepted for the straight-line velocity. The 0.05% EO addition had harmful effects during storage particularly for TS EO. In conclusion, 0.01% of TS and OM EOs are recommended to improve the Beni Arouss buck semen preservation at 4°C.