Gestation length, birth weight and offspring gender ratio of in vitro-produced Gyr (Bos indicus) cattle embryos.

In vitro embryo production (IVP) has been suggested to result in a greater proportion of male calves, longer gestation and heavier offspring than artificial insemination in Bos taurus cattle. Despite the increasing use of IVP in tropical countries, its effects upon these traits in Bos indicus have not been conclusively investigated. Gyr is a B.

[Lesions in cross-breed pregnant cows, experimentally infected with Sarcocystis cruzi (Hasselmann, 1923) Wenyon, 1926 (Apicomplexa: Sarcocytidae)].

To identify pathologic alterations, sixteen cows, in the last 3 months of gestation, all cross-breed, Holstein x Zebu, serum positive for Sarcocystis, were selected and divided into four groups of four animals each. The first group was considered as control and the other three groups were experimentally infected with 1x10(4) (2nd group), 5x10(4) (3rd group) and 1x10(5) (4th group) sporocysts obtained from dog's feces. The gross lesions in the cows were consisted of pale mucous membranes, paleness of the skeletal striated muscle and enlargement of lymph nodes, heart, liver, spleen and lungs.

Short intervals between ultrasonographically guided follicle aspiration improve oocyte quality but do not prevent establishment of dominant follicles in the Gir breed (Bos indicus) of cattle.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate oocyte recovery and embryo yield using two different ovarian follicular aspiration schedules in donor cows of the Gir breed. Pluriparous, non-lactating Gir cows (n = 14) were randomly allocated to one of two groups, one of which had aspirations of ovarian follicular contents conducted once a week (TVFA-1x) and the other twice weekly (TVFA-2x), for nine consecutive weeks. Before follicle aspiration, follicular population was recorded in three classes according to size (> 6 mm, 6-9 mm and > 9 mm).