An eight‐week research was conducted to investigate the effects of single or combined administration of sodium propionate (Na‐P) and sodium acetate (Na‐A) on the performance of yellowfin seabream (Acanthopagrus latus) juveniles (6.5 ± 0.3 g). A plant protein (PP)‐rich diet was supplemented with sole or blends of organic acid salts (OAS) namely Na‐P and Na‐A to design six experimental feeds including control (without OAS), Na‐P5 (5 g/kg Na‐P), Na‐P10 (10 g/kg Na‐P), Na‐A5 (5 g/kg Na‐A), Na‐A10 (10 g/kg Na‐A) and Na‐P + A (5 g/kg Na‐P + 5 g/kg Na‐A). Except for Na‐A5 group, the other OAS‐supplemented treatments had higher growth and feed efficiency ratio than the control (p < .05). The inclusion of OAS in the experimental feeds pronouncedly enhanced plasma lysozyme and alternative complement pathway activities compared to the control. Furthermore, fish fed on the OAS‐supplemented diets had greater catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities in the liver than the control (p < .05). Total antioxidant capacity in the liver of fish fed on the OAS‐supplemented diet also was higher than the control. Fish fed on the OAS‐supplemented diets had higher pepsin, trypsin and lipase activities than the control. The insulin‐like growth factor 1 (IGF‐1) gene expression was remarkably down‐regulated in the liver of fish fed on the OAS‐supplemented diets compared to the control especially in groups fed on the Na‐P10 and Na‐A10 diets. The greatest IGF‐1 gene down‐regulation level in the gut was in fish fed on the Na‐P5 and Na‐P10 diets. The interleukine‐1β in the gut was remarkably up‐regulated in the control compared to the other groups (p < .05). The lactic acid bacterial colonies count in the gut of the control was lower than the OAS‐supplemented groups. Based on the findings of the present study, supplementing PP‐rich diets with 10 g/kg Na‐P or blends of Na‐P (5 g/kg) and Na‐A (5 g/kg) beneficially alleviated inflammatory responses and improved immune parameters and digestive capacity in yellowfin seabream juveniles.

The main objective of this study was to investigate the polymorphism of GDF9 and BMPR1B genes and their relationship with litter size in Markhoz goats. The polymorphism of GDF9 and BMPR1B genes as well-documented genes regarding fecundity in sheep and goat was investigated using RFLP-PCR and a tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system-PCR (T-ARMS-PCR) in Markhoz goats. The 164 blood samples were collected from the raised goats in Sanandaj Markhoz goat Performance Testing Station. The DNA extraction was carried out by salting-out procedure, and then, PCR was performed using four and two pairs of primers to detect polymorphism in GDF9 and BMPR1B genes, respectively. To disclose GDF9 loci polymorphism, PCR products were digested with SspI (G3288A), PvuII (G423A), MvaI (A959C) and MspI (G1189A) restriction enzymes. The results showed that these mutations are available in tested animals. Parity had no significant effect on litter size. Also, the effects of different genotypes of GDF9 and BMPR1B had no significant effect on litter size. Further studies with a high number of animals with minimum relatedness for testing the association of these SNPs and others in the fecundity genes with reproductive traits may be worthwhile.

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Melatonin is the main hormone of seasonal breeding in sheep and goat which has an effect on reproductive organs via its receptors. Studies have shown that mutations in melatonin receptor 1A ( MTNR 1A) gene are related to litter size as well as the ovulation rate in sheep and goats. In this study, polymorphism of two loci in MTNR 1A melatonin receptor gene was studied in order to survey their relationship with litter size in Markhoz goats. PCR primers were employed to mask polymorphisms of MTNR 1A in 150 does by PCR ‐ RFLP method. After DNA extraction, the PCR ‐ RFLP was performed using Ecol31 I and Hpa I restriction enzymes. Results showed that these loci were not polymorphic. These results show that the fecundity of Markhoz goats is not linked to MTNR 1A. No polymorphism in MTNR 1A was found in Markhoz goats, therefore, it is essential to test polymorphism of other genes or loci to facilitate marker‐assisted selection techniques to improve reproduction traits in Markhoz goats.