Animal Science Journal最新文献

We investigated the potential of Kaempferia parviflora (KP) extract, rich in phenolic compounds, for enhancing boar semen quality during cryopreservation. We evaluated the impact of various KP extract concentrations (0%–8% w/v) in freezing extenders on postthawed semen quality and oxidative stress markers, along with the effects of cholesterol-loaded cyclodextrins (CLC). Semen was frozen using liquid nitrogen vapor before being plunged into liquid nitrogen, and postthaw semen quality and lipid peroxidation were analyzed. Results showed that 2%–4% KP extract significantly improved total and progressive motility, sperm viability, and acrosome integrity compared to the control (p < 0.05), likely due to reduced lipid peroxidation indicated by lower malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (p < 0.05). However, higher concentrations (6%–8%) negatively affected sperm quality. Adding CLC further enhanced the positive effects of KP extract, improving sperm motility and acrosome integrity and reducing lipid peroxidation (p < 0.05). In conclusion, supplementation of boar semen cryopreservation media with 2% KP extract significantly enhanced sperm quality postthawing, likely through its potent antioxidant properties. Combining KP extract with CLC amplified these beneficial effects. These findings highlight a promising natural strategy for improving boar semen cryopreservation outcomes.

Resveratrol is a potent antioxidant that improves the quality, development, and freezing resistance of mammalian oocytes and embryos by reducing oxidative stress. This study examined the effects of resveratrol supplementation during in vitro maturation (IVM), in vitro culture (IVC), and post-vitrification on the developmental competence of bovine embryos derived from vitrified blastocysts. Oocytes were matured in media with resveratrol at concentrations of 0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 μM. Mitochondrial analysis indicated that vitrified oocytes matured with resveratrol exhibited significantly higher mitochondrial activity than controls (p < 0.05). In IVC, zygotes treated with 0.5 μM resveratrol exhibited significantly higher cleavage (81.70%) and blastocyst rates (37.75%) than untreated embryos (p < 0.05). Vitrified blastocysts derived from resveratrol-supplemented IVC and subsequently cultured without resveratrol for 48 h showed the highest development to the hatching and hatched blastocyst stage (64.15%). Gene expression analysis revealed the BCL2 and SIRT1 upregulation and BAX downregulation. These findings suggest that resveratrol enhances oocyte and embryo quality, mitochondrial function, and cryotolerance.

High ambient temperature (HTa) in tropical conditions leads to evaporative heat dissipation by panting in lactating dairy goats. This panting causes respiratory hypocapnia, which increases the renal excretion of buffer molecules including sodium, potassium, and bicarbonate. In response, renal acid excretion decreases to preserve acidity. Besides hypocapnia, lactation and HTa could further deplete buffer molecules, enhancing acid preservation. This current study restored buffer molecules using high dietary cation and anion difference (DCAD) regimen and hypothesized that renal acid excretion during acute acid load would be increased in dairy goats fed high DCAD under HTa. To investigate this, 12 early-lactating dairy goats were randomly assigned to two groups: control and DCAD, which were fed control and high-DCAD diets, respectively, for 8 weeks. Acute acid loading during HTa was induced by high-dose ascorbic acid (AA) supplementation. During Weeks 4 and 8, the vehicle and AA were supplemented on the last two consecutive days of each week. The results showed that the renal acid excretion in DCAD group was higher than control group during high-dose AA supplementation. Together with high renal buffer excretion by DCAD, an increased renal acid excretion may be partially mediated by an increase in buffer reserve.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the sexual behavior of rams based on their social dominance (SD) when paired into dyads consisting of dominant rams (DRams) and subordinate rams (SRams) across two breeding seasons (BS) and to assess its impact on the number of lambs sired and lambing rate. Twelve adult rams (six dyads per BS) were used and introduced to 17 and 18 ewes during the summer breeding (SumB) and winter breeding (WinB) seasons, respectively. There were no differences in SD, except for the flehmen response (p < 0.0001). Significant differences (p < 0.05) were found in body development and scrotal circumference, as well as in the sexual inspection traits between BS and ram group. The breeding week influenced each sexual behavior variable (p < 0.05). A higher percentage of single lambing was observed in WinB (46.2%) compared to SumB (27.4%) (p < 0.05). SD had an effect on the type of lambing (p < 0.05), with DRams exhibiting 35.6% twin lambing, while SRams showed only 10.6%. In conclusion, SD did not impact the sexual behavior of hair rams. SD influenced the lambing rate, with DRams producing a higher percentage of twin lambs compared to SRams in hair ewes during the breeding season.

This experiment was to evaluate the effect of fermented spent mushroom substrate from Pleurotus eryngii (FSMPE) instead of brewers spent grain (BSG) on growth performance, apparent digestibility, serum indices, and fecal bacterial community of Yanbian cattle. Thirty heifers were randomly divided into three groups: T0 group (control group, fed a diet without FSMPE); T1 group (fed a diet with FSMPE instead of 50% BSG); T2 group (fed a diet with FSMPE instead of 100% BSG). The results showed that replacing BSG with FSMPE increased nutrient intake (except ether extract), average daily gain and economic efficiency, among which T1 group had the best effect. The apparent digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, and neutral detergent fiber in the T1 group was not affected by FSMPE, but decreased significantly in the T2 group. In addition, FSMPE instead of BSG improved the serum biochemical and antioxidant indices of cattle. Meanwhile, FSMPE not only had no adverse effects on the bacterial diversity, but also improved the abundance of certain cellulose-degrading bacteria and potentially probiotic bacteria in rectal feces. These findings showed that replacing 50% BSG with FSMPE had positive effects on growth performance, economic efficiency, and health status of Yanbian cattle.

We evaluated the effects of feeding early-harvested first-cut orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) silage (EGS) instead of silage harvested at a more mature stage (LGS) while increasing forage-to-concentrate ratio on feed intake, behavior, milk production, milk fatty acids profile, and N balance in dairy cows. Six multiparous cows were used in a crossover design with two isoenergetic and isonitrogenous dietary treatments: (1) ET, containing EGS (51.5% dry matter, DM), ear corn silage (ECS; 20% DM), and concentrate (28.5% DM), and (2) LT, containing LGS (36.5% DM), ECS (20% DM), and concentrate (43.5% DM). Compared to LT, ET maintained DM intake (DMI), milk yield (fat-corrected milk [FCM] and energy-corrected milk [ECM]), and feed efficiency (FCM/DMI and ECM/DMI) and increased eating and ruminating times and milk fat content with a lower concentration of C18:1 trans-10; however, it did not affect the concentration of de novo fatty acid and milk fat yield. ET did not affect fecal, urinary, retained, or productive N compared to LT but decreased milk N. The results indicate that feeding EGS instead of LGS could be a good approach to reduce concentrate supplementation without adversely affecting milk production and N efficiency; however, it could decrease milk N utilization.