Browsing by Author "Prabhakaran Nair, K"

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Effect of different dietary levels on the postpartum reproductive performance of cross-bred cows
(Department of Animal Reproduction, College of Veterinary and animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 1983) Alexander, M I; Prabhakaran Nair, K
The object of the present study was to asses the influence of higher dietary levels on the postpartum re productive performance of cross-bred cows. The meterials consisted of 30 crossbred cows in advanced stage of gestation. They were weighed on 270th day of gestation and on the day of calving and were randomly allotted to control, treatments 1st and 2nd . the control received ration based on Sen and Ray standard whereas, treatments 1 st and 2nd received 115 and 130 precent of control ration. The weight of the cows was recorded at 15 days interval from calving to oestrum.serum inorganic phosphorous, protein, glucose and haemoglobin percentage of 5 cows from each group was estimated. A decline of body weight wad observed in the first fortnight in all the three groups. This trend continued upto 30 days in the control whereas, in the treatment an increasing trend was observed from fifteenth day. Cows in all three groups showed postpartum oestrum, while there was in gain in body weight. The postpartum oestrous interval of control ,treatment 1st and treatment 2nd were 62.1+4.63, 56.60+5.53 and 53.22+3.75 days respectively and these values did not very significantly. However, postpartum oestrous interval of treatments 1st snd 2d was significantly less than that of the herd. Serum in organic phosphorous was significantly higher on the day of oestrum in control and treatment II. There was significant difference in serum protein values between groups at certain time intervals. It was also significantly more on the day of oestrum in both control and treatment I. Similarly blood glucose and haemoglobin were significantly higher on the day of oestrum in treatment I. Results of this study indicated that Sen and Ray ration is adequate to meet the requirement for both production and reproduction of cross- bred cows.
Effect of frequency of ejaculation on semen characteristics and libido in cross-bred bucks
(Department of Animal Reproduction, College of Veterinary and animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 1983) Metilda Joseph; Prabhakaran Nair, K
The objective of the study was to find out the optimum number of collections per day which can be taken from adult cross – bred bucks without adversely affecting their libido and semen quality. Ejaculation frequencies of once, twice and thrice daily for a continuous period of three months were adopted for the study. Epididymal sperm reserves and Daily Sperm Production were estimated to assess the sperm reserves of bucks. While colour, density, mass activity, concentration and MBR time were found to be influenced by ejaculation frequencies, volume, pH, percentage of dead sperms, percentage of abnormal sperms and sperm vialbility were unaffected. Frequency of ejaculation was not found to affect the libido of bucks. Bucks within group were found to influence all seminal attributes except mass activity, percentage of dead sperms and MBR time. Similarly all the seminal attributes with the exception of proximal and distal protoplasmic droplets were influenced by months within groups. A positive correlation between sperm viability at 46.50C for 30 minutes and preservation at 6 to 80C for 96 hrs.was observed. While in group II bucks only density, mass activity, pH, concentration and MBR time showed significant difference between ejaculates, in group 111, all seminal attributes except percentage of dead sperms were observed to be significantly different between ejaculates. The Daily Sperm Production per buck (X 109), per gram of testis (X 106), Daily Sperm Output (X 109) and dpididymal Sprem reserves (X 109) were respectively 3.7949 + 0.2032, 22.1974 + 0.3775, 1.2680 and 25.72 + 1.95. The average transit time of spermatozoa through epididymis was found to be 6.78 days. Increasing the frequency of collection from once daily to twice or thrice daily resulted in a significant drop in spermatozoan concentration, thus affecting seminal attributes such as colour, density, mass activity and MBR time. The very fact that other important seminal attributes such as volume, pH, motility, percentage of abnormal sperms, percentage of dead sperms, percentage of proximal and distal protoplasmic droplets and spermatozoan viability were unaffected, clearly points out that there is no deterioration of semen quality with increasing collection frequency. Similarly there was no deterioration in the sex libido and fertility of bucks even with three collections daily. However, there dose not seem to be any definite advantage in increasing collection frequency from 2 to 3 times daily, as the total harvest of sperms from group 11 and group 111 were almost same. But increasing the frequency of collection from one to two times daily has definite advantage, as it yields more spermatozoa for artificial insemination and hence is recommended for adoption.
Effect of processing and freezing procedures on the acrosome morphology of buck spermatozoa
(Department of Animal Reproduction, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 1998) Ranjini, A; Prabhakaran Nair, K
Six pooled semen samples (two ejaculates) of good quality from five Malabari crossbred bucks were processed and frozen in two different protocols to evaluate the effect of processing and freezing procedures on the acrosome morphology of buck spermatozoa. In protocol I, the samples were diluted 10 fold in Tris buffer before centrifuging twice and the final pellet was re-suspended in the non glycerolated fraction of Tris yolk diluent. The sample was glycerolated (six per cent), equilibrated (four hours), frozen (eight minutes), and thawed (250 C for 30 seconds). In protocol 11, centrifugation was done only once, after 15 fold dilution in Tris buffer. The re suspended pellet was glycerolated (seven per cent), equilibrated (three hours), frozen (10 minutes) and thawed (60° C for 10 seconds). The semen characters such as motility, live sperm, sperm abnormalities and acrosome abnormalities were evaluated at the end of washing and initial extension (stage I), cooling to 5° C (stage II), glycerolisation and equilibration (stage Ill) and freezing and thawing (stage IV). The results were compiled to evaluate the effect of different processing and freezing procedures on the semen characters in general and acrosome morphology in particular. The semen sample used for split sample dilution had a mean volume of 1.3282± 0.067 ml, creamy in colour, DDDD density, ++++ mass activity, pH of 7.275 2± 0.040 and a concentration of 2972 2± 293 millions per ml. No significant difference in the above semen characters were found between bucks. The initial sperm motility of 82.000 2± 0.606 was found to drop significantly during processing and freezing and the final post thaw motility obtained was 44.000 2± 0.790 in protocol I. Similarly in protocol II the initial motility dropped from 81.375 2± 1.089 to 44.750 2± 1.075 at the end of stage IV. Even though there was significant drop in motility between stages in both the protocols, there was no significant difference in the corresponding stages of the two protocols. It could be inferred that good post thaw motility was obtained in both the protocols. The fact that a single washing and centrifugation was only adopted in protocol II makes it a more acceptable procedure for buck semen freezing. The mean live sperm percentage of fresh semen was evaluated using both NE and NEG staining technique. The percentage of live sperms of 90.050 2± 0.801 was found to decrease to 54.250 2± 0.593 after freezing and thawing in protocol by NE staining. Similarly in protocol 11, the mean percentage of live sperms was found to reduce to 53.125 2± 0.793 with the same staining. Even though there was significant difference in the live sperm percentage between stages within protocol I and II no significant difference in the live sperm percentage between the corresponding stages of protocol I and I I . With NEG staining the initial live sperm percentage of 80.850 ± 1.494 was found to drop to 54.875 ± 0.677 in protocol I as against 53.400 ± 0.730 in protocol II. While there was significant difference in the live sperm percentage between stages within protocol I and II there was no variation between corresponding stages of the two protocols. A significantly lower percentage of live sperms was recorded with NEG staining when compared with NE staining probably on account of the fact that the differentiation of live and dead sperm was difficult in the former staining method as live sperms were stained light blue instead of colourless. The mean percentage of abnormal sperms of 3.050 ± 0.245 in fresh semen did not register any significant increase during processing. However, there was significant increase in the percentage of sperm abnormalities during freezing and thawing with the final abnormality percentage of 7.125± 0.706 in protocol I and 6.300± 0.36 in protocol II. The initial acrosomal abnormality of 8.825 in the fresh semen steadily rose to 23.375 in protocol I as against 19.825 in protocol II at the end of stage IV. There was no significant difference in the percentage of various acrosomal abnormalities between corresponding stages of the two protocols. However, there was significant increase in the acrosomal abnormalities during glycerolisation, equilibration, freezing and thawing under both the protocols. It was concluded that the processing and freezing under two different protocols did not significantly alter the post thaw motility, percentage abnormal and dead sperms and acrosomal abnormalities. A good post thaw motility and low acrosomal abnormality was obtained with a single washing of buck semen with 15 fold Tris buffer which was comparable with double washing with 10 fold Tris buffer.
Intra-uterine infusion of homologous plasma in the treatment of endometritis in cows
(Department of Animal Reproduction, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 1995) Venugopal, R; Prabhakaran Nair, K
The present study was undertaken on infertile cows with uterine infections, with the objective to evaluate the beneficial effect of intra – uterine infusion of homologous plasma as a non antibiotic alternate therapy for bovine endometritis. The luminal secretions of cows with clinical endometritis allotted to group 1 (n = 13) and 11 (n = 10) were aseptically collected at the time of oestrum and subjected to plate count to assess the uterine bacterial load prior to treatment. Cows belonging to group 1 were given 25 to 35 ml of homologous plasma as intra – uterine infusion on the day of oestrum whereas in control group (group 11) the cows were given 25 to 35 ml of sterile normal saline as intra – uterine infusion. Luminal secretions of all the cows were collected aseptically at the succeeding oestrus following treatment and the uterine bacterial load was estimated. Cows which showed recovery in terms of clinic – gynaecological findings were bred artificially. Following plasma therapy definite improvement as evidenced by clear uterine discharge, higher uterine tone and intensity of oestrum was noticed in the treatment group. These changes were not pronounced in the control group. The mean uterine bacterial load showed reduction after intra – uterine treatment in both group 1 and 11, however the reduction was statistically insignificant. The mean duration from intra – uterine treatment to succeeding oestrus was prolonged in group 1 (28.23 + 4.67 d) as against normal in group 11 (20.3 + 0.4 d). The first insemination conception rate recorded in group 1 was 53.85 per cent as against 40 per cent in group 11 showing that there was definite improvement was in conception rate following plasma treatment. Repeat breeder cows with subclinical first degree endometritis allotted to group 111 were administered 25 to 35ml homologous plasma 24 h after insemination whereas repeat breeders (group IV) were left untreated following insemination. The mean conception rate for group 111 was 36.36 as against 20 per cent for group IV. This result also signifies the beneficial effect of plasma treatment in improving conception rate of repeat breeders. An in vitro test to study the antibacterial effect of plasma was carried out by measuring the reduction in turbidity of a bacterial suspension on addition of plasma. It was found that the reduction in turbidity was significant (P < 0.05) in plasma tubes compared to saline tubes. Maximum reduction had occurred within 0 to 1 h interval in plasma tubes. This indicated an immediate antibacterial effect of plasma It could be inferred from the above findings that homologous plasma drawn from the cow at the time of oestrum has significant bactericidal and bacteriostatic properties and when infused into the uterus of cows affected with endometritis helps in quicker clinical recovery and better conception rate. Post insemination plasma infusion into the uterus also improved conception rate in repeat breeders. Hence plasma treatment is recommended as an effective less expensive and non antibiotic alternate therapy for endometritis and repeat breeding in cows.
Pathological conditions of ovary and bursa in cross-bred cattle
(Department of Animal Reproduction, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 1994) Viju George; Prabhakaran Nair, K
Two hundred and fifty two non – gravid genitalia and 13 gravid genitalia of cross – bred cows collected from slaughter houses were examined morphologically for lesions in the ovary and bursa and those with gross lesions were examined histopathologically for confirmation of the conditions. Eighty – seven pairs of ovaries showing cyclic activity, nine pairs of ovaries from pregnant animals, 12 pairs of inactive ovaries and 1.4 pairs of senile atrophic ovaries were utilised for biometrical studies of ovaries, corpora lutea and graafian follicles. While out of the 252 genitalia examined, 139 (55.16 per cent) showed one or more lesions of the ovary and bursa, only 39.28 per cent showed one or more lesions in the ovary. The ovarian pathological conditions were inactive ovaries (23.41 per cent), cystic ovaries (2.78 per cent), cystic corpora lutea (2.78 per cent), haemorrhage in the ovary (5.56 per cent), persistent corpus luteum (0.79 per cent), retention cyst (0.79 per cent), par ovarian cyst (3.17 per cent) and par ovarian abscess (0.40 per cent). The incidence of pathological conditions of bursa was 26.98 per cent, which included bursitis and ovarobursal adhesion (25.79 per cent), hydrops bursa (0.40 per cent) and haemorrhagic bursitis (0.79 per cent). The most common type of bursitis was fibrinous which was the mildest and was of no significance in causing infertility. The strandular type of ovarobursal adhesions might lead to subfertility or infertility. The weight and dimension of senile atrophic ovaries were significantly higher than those of ovaries in follicular and luteal phases of the cycle and inactive ovaries (P > 0.01). Similarly the weight and dimensions of ovaries in follicular and luteal phases of the cycle were significantly more than those of inactive ovaries (P > 0.01). However no significant differences in the weight and dimensions of ovaries in follicular and luteal phases of cycle and the right and left ovaries in both phases of cycle were noticed. It may be concluded that the pathological conditions affecting ovaries and bursa of cross – bred cows slaughtered at local slaughter houses were fairly high probably on account of the fact that most of the cows slaughtered were problem breeders. The biometrical and gross morphological studies of the ovaries of cross – bred cows in cycle, anoestrum and senility would greatly help the clinician in differential diagnosis of these conditions.
Phosphorus and trace element status of anoestrus and repeat breeder crossbred cows
(Department of Animal Reproduction, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 1995) Joy, George; Prabhakaran Nair, K