The aim was to evaluate the performance, blood lipid profile, and the relative expression of growth-related genes in purebred white and brown quail lines and their crossbred lines. A total of 240 one-day-old Japanese quail chicks of white and brown line, their crossbred line (WBQ: male white × female brown), and reciprocal crossbred line (BWQ: male brown × female white) were divided into four equal groups (60 birds each). The white quail line showed significantly higher final body weight, daily gain, and feed intake compared with the other quail lines (p < 0.001). Meanwhile, both crossbred quail lines (WBQ and BWQ) showed significantly lower FCR compared with both purebred quail lines (p = 0.001). Both crossbred quail lines showed greater dressing percentages compared with both purebred quail lines (p = 0.038). The brown quail line showed significantly (p = 0.05) higher levels of serum triglycerides and VLDL compared with the white and BWQ lines. The WBQ crossbred line exhibited significantly higher mRNA expression of GHR and IGF-1 genes compared with other quail lines (p < 0.001). Both crossbred lines (WBQ and BWQ) exhibited negative heterosis percentages for body weight (−4.39 and −3.90%, respectively) and feed intake (−10.87 and −14.59%, respectively). Meanwhile, heterosis percentages for FCR (−6.46 and −9.25%, respectively) and dressing percentage (7.54 and 6.38%, respectively) were improved in both crossbred lines. The WBQ line showed high heterosis percentages for the expression of GHR and IGF-1 genes (52.28 and 88.81%, respectively). In conclusion, the WBQ line exhibited significantly greater dressing percentage and better FCR, as well as higher mRNA expression of GHR and IGF-1 genes. These results may be helpful to improve breeding programs and to develop commercial lines of meat-type Japanese quail.

The objectives of this study were to detect genetic polymorphism in exon 10 of Follicle Stimulating Hormone Receptor gene (FSHR) by using Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) and direct sequence methods, also to investigate their possible association with infertility traits in Egyptian buffaloes. A total number of 50 female Egyptian buffaloes at Mahallet Mousa experimental farms in Kafr El-sheikh province were investigated. Animals were divided into three groups: normal fertile (20 animals), infertile due to Anestrum (15 animals) and infertile due to repeat breeding (15 animals). Genomic DNA was extracted from blood samples, then PCR was performed with annealing temperatures of 57 ºC to amplify 231 bp of FSHR exon 10 gene. The amplicons were digested with Hin1II (NlaIII) restriction enzyme. The results showed that all the investigated buffaloes were monomorphic and genotyped as A/A genotype. Moreover, the monomorphism of buffaloes FSHR exon 10 gene was confirmed by sequencing three samples from each buffaloes' group. It seems that FSHR gene are highly conserved in the investigated buffalo's population.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of some environmental factors on milk production in Egyptian buffaloes and the effect of parity and season of calving on calving interval and days open. There was a significant effect of parity (P ≤ 0.05) on 305day milk yield, while season of calving had a highly significant effect (P ≤ 0.01) on 305day milk yield. Animals with age at first service less than 21 months and age at first calving less than 35 months had higher milk yield than other animals (2489.5 and 2526.7 kg, respectively). With increasing days open, milk production increased so animals had more than 160 days open produced 2757.8 kg milk. Milk yield in winter (2600.5 kg) was higher than in summer season (2441.5 kg). Animals which conceived four or more services produce more milk yield (2529.8 kg). Season of calving had a significant effect (P ≤ 0.05) but parity had a highly significant effect (P ≤ 0.01) on calving interval and days open. There was direct relationship between milk yield with each of calving interval and days open. Animals that gave more than 3000 kg showed the maximum calving interval and days open (14 months and 111.8 days, respectively).

No abstract

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is a glycoprotein hormone. It helps in development and maturation of the follicles in females through binding to FSH receptors which consists of 10 exons and 9 introns. The objective of this study was to estimate some genetic factors affecting milk production and fertility traits and to detect polymorphisms in exon 10 of FSHR gene and determine the associations between these polymorphisms and infertility in Egyptian buffalo. Heritability estimates were (0.19, 0.18, 0.07, 0.10, 0.21 and 0.19) for calving interval, days open, dry period, days in milk, total milk yield and 305day milk yield (305 DMY), respectively. Dry period showed high positive phenotypic and genetic correlation with day's open and calving interval. The breeding value for 305 DMY ranged from-480 to 380, from-370 to 330 and between-230 to 170 kg for cow, sire and dam, respectively. There was one non synonymous SNP (A93G) at 93bp in exon 10 of FSHR gene (with 230bp size) and there was two different pattern of single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) but there was no any SNP for FSHR gene (with 306bp size) in all examined Egyptian buffaloes as shown by one SSCP pattern and nucleotide sequencing.