No abstract

Twenty crossbred steers (400±40.1 kg of initial body weight) were used to assess the effects of a dietary supplementation with crude glycerin (CG) as a substitute for corn grain on performance, carcass traits, and meat quality. Four isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets were offered to the experimental animals (5 steers per treatment) for 121 days using randomized complete block design. The steers individually received dietary treatments containing 0%, 7%, 14%, and 21% of CG (88.91% pure) on a dry matter (DM) basis. The diets were offered ad libitum as total mixed rations twice daily. Weight gain and carcass traits were determined. At the end of the experimental period, the harvest data and carcass characteristics of the steers were recorded, and meat quality was determined. No significant effect of CG inclusion was observed in any of the growth performance and carcass characteristics traits studied. Also, there were no apparent effects of diets (p>0.05) on meat quality (pH, water holding capacity, drip losses, and cooking losses). The study concluded that CG could be used as a substitute for corn grain up to the level of approximately 21% of DM in the diets of finishing steers.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the growth curve of 525 monthly body weight data of 19 males (n=313) and 8 females (n=212) swamp buffaloes (Bubalus b. carabanensis), from birth to slaughter age (25 months). The nonlinear models used were: logistic, Gompertz, Von Bertalanffy and Brody. The parameters were estimated by NLIN procedure, and the criteria used to evaluate the adjustment given by the models were Akaike’s information criterion (AIC), Bayesian information criterion (BIC) and coefficient of determination (R2). The results indicated that the better fit of Brody model than the Logistic, Gompertz, and Von Bertalanffy models to our data. The parameters estimate for Brody model [WT = α * (1-βe-k*AGE)] were α = 902.00±45.9912, β = 0,9727±0.0089, k = 0.0483±0.0044, R2 = 0.9748. The estimation of birth and slaughter weights were 24.6596±8.8367 and 639.6467 6.4019 kg, respectively as well as the maturation rate (k) to achieve the mature weigh (α) of 902.00±45.9912 kg was 0.0483±0.0044. Growth curve of weight vs. age of swamp buffalo rearing under intensive system from birth to 25 months old adjusted to the Brody nonlinear model showed growth in a sigmoid-curve model and more accurate in expecting the birth weight of these animals.

Although intravaginal progesterone supplement protocols are commonly used to prepare cattle and river buffalo for insemination or embryo transfer, swamp buffalo have unique reproductive characteristics (such as difficulty of oestrous detection and a small reproductive tract) that make this procedure problematic. Ovulation synchronization (Ovsynch) is a practical alternative preparatory program that does not require oestrous detection and is used worldwide for cattle and river buffalo breeding. Published studies on the efficacy of its use in swamp buffalo, however, are rare. Our objective was to determine the efficacy of the Ovsynch regimen in swamp buffalo in terms of conception rate, economic cost, and potential health complications. Thirty healthy swamp buffaloes (n = 24 cows and n = 6 heifers) were selected by a breeding soundness examination (BSE) as in our previous study (Chaikhun-Marcou et al. 2017 Agric. Sci. J. 48(Suppl.), 929-938). The animals had the following characteristics: >300 kg of body weight, a body condition score of 2.5 to 3.5/5, cervix diameter >2.5 cm, and ovarian diameter >1.5 cm with a dominant follicle (with or without corpus luteum). The standard Ovsynch program was applied in the animals during January to March 2017. All buffaloes were fixed-time inseminated at 20 ± 2 h and 32 ± 2 h after the 2nd gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) injection. Pregnancy diagnosis was detected by plasma progesterone analysis on Day 24 after insemination (≥1 ng mL−1). Our oestrous synchronization rate, published in a previous study (Chaikhun-Marcou et al. 2017 Agric. Sci. J. 48(Suppl.), 929-938), was 96.67% (n = 29/30). The conception rate was 70% (n = 21/30). This result is much higher than a previous Ovsynch study in swamp buffalo, which was 34% (n = 18/52) (Chaikhun et al. 2010 Theriogenology 74, 1371-1376). This difference demonstrates the importance of pre-screening animals for BSE before subjecting them to this procedure. If this pre-selection protocol is applied, the Ovsynch program, as shown in this study, can be a convenient, effective, and noninvasive preparatory procedure for insemination. Because recipients of both AI and embryo transfer require the same basic biological preconditions, the Ovsynch protocol should be an equally effective preparation for this procedure. Ovsynch, moreover, requires much less labour (only 3 animal handling sessions, with no need for complicated heat detection), entails fewer possible complications (such as the danger of vaginitis when using an intravaginal progesterone device, which can lead to problems with embryonic implantation), and is economically affordable (approximately US$20/animal). In conclusion, the Ovsynch program, combined with BSE pre-screening, could be a practical, stress-free procedure for preparation of swamp buffalo embryo transfer recipients in the near future. This research was sponsored by Agricultural Research Development Agency (PRP5805011500).