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This research aimed to investigate the reproductive performance of Ongole crossbred (PO) cows offered zinc methionine (ZincMeth) during the late gestation and early lactation. Thirty-two PO pregnant cows, 400 kg live weight (LW) were weighed and measured body condition score (BCS) before the experiment. The experimental design was a 2 x 2 factorial with two nutritional and two ZincMeth treatments, with eight cows in each nutrition x ZincMeth group. All cows were offered elephant grass (EG), 16 cows offered a concentrate diet (CONS) containing 15% crude protein (CP) and 16 cows offered a CONS containing 11% CP at 3% LW on a DM basis, the ratio of EG: CONS was 40:60. Five grams of ZincMeth was added to the CONS prepared for individual cows. The parameters observed were LW gain, BCS, post-partum anestrus period, luteinizing hormone, volatile fatty acid, and blood metabolite concentrations. The results showed that the BCS change was greater in cows fed a high CP diet, they also had high plasma glucose, urea, and total protein concentrations. ZincMeth prevented LW loss in the early lactation and increased plasma urea concentration. Thus, the ZincMeth maintained the LWG during the critical period but did not affect any reproductive parameters.

Gamma-ray irradiation as a physical mutagen has high penetrating power. Therefore, it is most often used to increase genetic variability or produce new mutant plants. This research was conducted to obtain the lethal dose of gamma-rays in Leersia hexandra plants. The used plant part was a single node stolon which had a length of 10 cm with the node in the middle of the stolon. The irradiation doses given were 0, 25, 50, 75, 100 Gy. Stolons were inserted into plastic clips and irradiated using a Cobalt-60 gamma irradiation source at the Center for Irradiation and Radioisotope Applications (PAIR), National Nuclear Energy Agency (BATAN) Jakarta. Gamma-irradiation has a significant effect on inhibiting shoot growth. The growth of irradiated Leersia hexandra with the best number of plants and the highest shoots was obtained at a dose of 25 Gy and decreased with increasing irradiation dose. The lethal dose (LD50) was determined eight days after irradiation using CurveExpert 1.4 software. Leersia hexandra plants that can sprout and regenerate followed the linear equation y = 1.02 -7.5x with LD50 at 68.85 Gy and LD20 at 29.36 Gy.

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