Significance of honeybee pollination in increasing seed yield of Trifolium alexandrinum (Fabales: Fabaceae) and its impact on economic sustainability of smallholder farmers.

A major limitation to producing high seed yields in berseem clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.) is failure to set seed, predominantly due to lack of pollination. Despite the importance of berseem clover as a leading forage legume, the contribution of pollinators to seed set is scarce.

Red Meat Derived Glycan, N-acetylneuraminic Acid (Neu5Ac) Is a Major Sialic Acid in Different Skeletal Muscles and Organs of Nine Animal Species-A Guideline for Human Consumers.

Sialic acids (Sias) are acidic monosaccharides and red meat is a notable dietary source of Sia for humans. Among the Sias, N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) and 2-keto-3-deoxy-D-glycero-D-galacto-2-nonulosonic acid (KDN) play multiple roles in immunity and brain cognition. On the other hand, N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc) is a non-human Sia capable of potentiating cancer and inflammation in the human body.

Chitosan Oligosaccharide Supplementation Affects Immunity Markers in Ewes and Lambs during Gestation and Lactation.

Chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) is derived through deacetylation of chitin from crustacean shells. Previous studies reported the benefits of COS to gut microbiota, immunity and health of host species. In this study, 120 pregnant composite ewes were subdivided into treatment and control groups in duplicate.

Sensory and Physical Characteristics of from Older Cows Using Ginger Powder (Zingibain) and Sous Vide Cooking.

This study aimed to evaluate the sensory and physical characteristics of zingibain-injected meat combined with sous vide cooking. (BF; = 12) acquired from 6-7 year old Angus cows were cooked using the sous vide method at 65 °C, for 8 h or 12 h, either with ginger powder (GP) injected in a 2 g/L solution in water (treatment) or un-injected (control). The sensory attributes included flavour, juiciness, tenderness, and physicochemical characteristics were Warner-Bratzler shear (WBSF), hardness, total water content (TWC), cooking loss (CL) and collagen content.

The non-human glycan, N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc), is not expressed in all organs and skeletal muscles of nine animal species.

Red meat-derived sialic acid (Sia), N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc), promotes the risk of carcinoma and inflammation. Expression in skeletal muscle and organs across animal species remains unknown. We measured Neu5Gc in skeletal muscle and organ tissues from nine species using UHPLC and found that: (1) neu5Gc concentration in skeletal muscle was highest in goats (166 ± 48.

Maternal chitosan oligosaccharide intervention optimizes the production performance and health status of gilts and their offspring.

Chitosan oligosaccharides (COS) are the hydrolyzed product of chitosan and have multifunctional health benefits. The objective of this study was to elucidate the effect of COS as a dietary supplement to gilts on their productivity and health and that of their litters. Gilts were randomly assigned to either a treatment ( 30) or control group ( 30).

Characterization of porcine milk oligosaccharides over lactation between primiparous and multiparous female pigs.

Milk oligosaccharides (MOs) are complex carbohydrates with multifunctional health benefits for the neonate. Poor reproductive performance in primiparous gilts limits their productivity. Changes in the structure and abundance of porcine MO (PMOs) through lactation with parity remains unknown and may explain superior new-born growth in litters from multiparous sows relative to gilts.

Dietary lactoferrin supplementation to gilts during gestation and lactation improves pig production and immunity.

Lactoferrin (LF), a sialylated iron-binding glycoprotein, performs multiple beneficial functions including modulating immunity and improves neurodevelopment, health and growth performance. Maternal LF intervention for gilts (first parity sows) on the performance of gilts and their offspring remains unknown. In the current study gilts were fed with a commercial pig feed supplemented with 1g LF /day (treatment group) or 1g milk casein/day (control group) from day 1 post mating throughout pregnancy and lactation for about 135 days.

Kisspeptin stimulates LH secretion but not ovulation in mares during vernal transition.

Managing the return to regular cyclicity after the winter anestrous period in the mare has been a challenge for the equine breeding industry. Specifically, efforts have been made to shift or shorten the vernal transition period and to have it followed by a predictable first ovulation at the commencement of the breeding season. Intravenous administration of kisspeptin is known to stimulate an LH response in both reproductively active and inactive mares.

Physiological and nonphysiological indicators of body condition score in weaner pigs.

The aim of this study was to identify parameters that may be used as objective measures of wellbeing in weaner pigs on farm. Eighty-six weaner pigs were categorized into 3 groups based on their BCS: very compromised (VC, BCS = 1), moderately compromised (MC, BCS = 2), or healthy (HY, BCS ≥ 3). Nonphysiological and physiological measures were then collected from the pigs.

The influence of protein fractions from bovine colostrum digested in vivo and in vitro on human intestinal epithelial cell proliferation.

Colostrum consists of a number of biologically active proteins and peptides that influence physiological function and development of a neonate. The present study investigated the biological activity of peptides released from first day bovine colostrum through in vitro and in vivo enzymatic digestion. This was assessed for proliferative activity using a human intestinal epithelial cell line, T84.

Evidence that Notch and Delta expressions have a role in dermal condensate aggregation during wool follicle initiation.

Notch pathway genes have been implicated in the commitment of mesenchymal cells to a wool follicle cell fate. Notch1 and Delta1 transcripts were quantified in fetal skin of fine-woolled (Merino) and strong-woolled (Tukidale) sheep at two time points: either preceding (d56) or during (d70) the first wave of follicle initiation. DIG-labelled probes for both transcripts were localised in the epithelium, some mesenchymal cells, and in the dermal condensates of primordia.

Effect of diet on preweaning performance of Sahiwal calves.

The objective was to study the growth potential of Sahiwal calves given milk or milk replacer with or without concentrates. For this purpose, forty-eight Sahiwal calves were divided into four groups of 12 animals each with equal sex ratio. In each group, the calves were offered either milk or a milk replacer (MR) at a rate of 10% of their body weight adjusted weekly.

The role of native bovine alpha-lactalbumin in bovine mammary epithelial cell apoptosis and casein expression.

Folding variants of alpha-lactalbumin (alpha-la) are known to induce cell death in a number of cell types, including mammary epithelial cells (MEC). The native conformation of alpha-la however has not been observed to exhibit this biological activity. Here we report that native bovine alpha-la reduced the viability of primary bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMEC) and induced caspase activity in mammospheres, which are alveolar-like structures formed by culturing primary BMEC on extracellular matrix in the presence of lactogenic hormones.

Lactoferrin decreases primary bovine mammary epithelial cell viability and casein expression.

The concentration of lactoferrin (LTF) in milk varies during lactation, rising sharply during involution. We proposed that LTF might have a regulatory role in involution and investigated its effects in vitro on the viability of bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMEC) and on casein expression in bovine mammospheres. Mammospheres capable of milk protein expression were formed by culturing primary BMEC on extracellular matrix in the presence of lactogenic hormones.

Hormone-dependent milk protein gene expression in bovine mammary explants from biopsies at different stages of pregnancy.

A method for the collection of mammary biopsies developed previously was refined and used to study the endocrine regulation of bovine milk protein gene expression. Our surgical biopsy method used real-time ultrasound imaging and epidural analgesia to enable recovery of a sufficient quantity of mammary tissue from late-pregnant dairy cows for explant culture in vitro. The time of biopsy was critical for prolactin-dependent induction of milk protein gene expression in mammary explants, as only mammary tissue from cows nearing 30 d prepartum was hormone-responsive.

Corticotropin releasing hormone receptors: two decades later.

Hypothalamic corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) regulates pituitary ACTH secretion and mediates behavioral and autonomic responses to stress, through interaction with type 1 plasma membrane receptors (CRHR1) located in pituitary corticotrophs and the brain. Although the CHRI are essential for ACTH responses to stress, their number in the pituitary gland does not correlate with corticotroph responsiveness, suggesting that activation of a small number of receptors is sufficient for maximum ACTH production. CRH binding and hybridization studies in adrenalectomized, glucocorticoid-treated or stressed rats revealed divergent changes in CRH receptors and CRH1 mRNA in the pituitary, with a reduction in receptor binding but normal or elevated expression of CHR1 mRNA levels.

Supplementation of grazing dairy cows with rumen-protected tuna oil enriches milk fat with n-3 fatty acids without affecting milk production or sensory characteristics.

The present study was conducted to determine the pattern of incorporation of dietary EPA and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) into milk, and to evaluate consequent changes in milk fat composition and sensory characteristics. Fourteen multiparous cows in early lactation were divided into two groups and were offered supplements for 10 d. While individual stalls after each morning milking, one group was offered a mixture of rumen-protected tuna oil (RPTO)-soyabean supplement (2 kg; 30:70, w/w; +RPTO) and the second group was offered the basal ration without RPTO (-RPTO).

The development of a circadian pattern of salivary cortisol secretion in the neonatal piglet.

Saliva was collected from neonatal piglets in order to assess the secretory dynamics of cortisol in the newborn piglet. Saliva was collected from two litters of piglets (n = 16) from multiparous sows at 07.00, 11.