This study was carried out to evaluate the influencing factors that affect the reproductive performance of cows at the Monirampur upazila in Jessore district of Bangladesh. A total of 224 cows were brought to the upazila livestock hospital for artificial insemination (AI). The cows were inseminated between 12 to 18 hours from the onset of estrus and data was obtained from the owner. Out of 224 cows, 133 became pregnant and 91 were non pregnant. In this study, the overall pregnancy rate was 59.29%. Among the age variability, the highest pregnancy rate (70.27%) was at the age of 4 years old. In case of breed variation, the highest pregnancy rate was observed in local breed (69.07%) compared with other crossbred cows. Hence the breed variations significantly influence the conception rate of cows. According to the parity, we found that the pregnancy rate was increasing with their parity but decreasing after 4th parity. The highest conception rate was observed in 3rd parity (67.74%) which was significantly higher than that of heifers (Parity-0). Here we also found that the types of bull semen used for AI had no significant effect for pregnancy rate. The skills of AI technician for AI to cows were significantly affecting the pregnancy rate. However, this study is not enough for rating and comment about the reproduction performance of cows. Therefore, further extensive study is needed for rating and recommendation for the cattle up gradation at that particular area.

The study was carried out to assess the production performances of Japanese quail parent stock raised under open housing system and the study was conducted in a local farm with 2000 Japanese parent stock quail birds (Coturnix coturnix japonica). Observed body weight gain was recorded in each weekend up to 7 weeks of their age; birds gained weight 15.73, 31.45, 47.20, 90.80, 125.27, 153.14 and 175.20 grams, respectively. There have been observed sharp decline of fertility and hatchability of birds with increase of their age. Optimum fertility was recorded at third week and optimum hatchability at fifth week of their age. Average flock uniformity was found 83.68%. The hen day egg production of the flock was recorded 81, 83, 85, 86, 89, 89, 89, 89 and 88% in each weekend, respectively. It may therefore be concluded that Japanese quail parent stock performs well under open housing system in Bangladesh and future study can be taken to better understand their production performances.

Salmonellosis is one of the life-threating diseases of goat in Bangladesh. Therefore, the present study was designed to study the prevalence of Salmonellosis, and isolation and characterizations of the Salmonella spp. from apparently healthy and diarrheic goat. A total of 47 faces samples were collected from selected place and cultured onto different prescribed medium to isolate it. In this study, 12.76% (6/47) samples were found to be positive for Salmonella spp. During culture on SS agar medium, all of the Salmonella isolates produced round, smooth, opaque, translucent and black color colonies on SS agar media. All of the isolated Salmonella spp. fermented dextrose, maltose and mannitol with production of acid and gas but did not ferment sucrose and lactose. However, these isolates had showed Indole and Voges-Proskauer test negative, Methyl-Red test positive. All of these isolates were subjected to rapid plate agglutination test with polyvalent “O” (Poly ‘O’) and polyvalent “H” (poly ‘H’) antisera where positive agglutination were observed. They were highly sensitive to ciprofloxacin, spiramycin and gentamycin; moderately sensitive to oxytetracyline, streptomycin and amoxicillin; less sensitive to sulphamethoxazole and resistant to penicillin-G. Based on the present findings, it may be concluded that the investigated Salmonella spp. from goats might be S. typhimurium, S. enteritidis, S. brandenburg, S. salford, S. newbrunswick, S. newport or S. dublin. Further study will be needed, therefore it requires further characterization using other serological and molecular techniques.

This study was conducted among 120 different breed cows at selected areas of Sirajgonj district from March to July 2010 to compare the reproductive performance of crossbred and Desi cows at farmer’s level. The results showed that the average daily milk yield of Desi, Shahiwal × Desi, Friesian × Desi and Jersey × Desi cows was 2.3 ± 0.2, 4.9 ± 0.9, 6.0 ± 1.0 and 5.7 ± 0.9 liters, respectively. The milk yield of crossbred cows (5.5 ± 0.6 liters/day) was significantly (p<0.01) higher than Desi cows (2.3 ± 0.2 liters/day). The average age at puberty of Shahiwal × Desi, Friesian × Desi and Jersey × Desi was significantly (p<0.01) lower than that of Desi breed. The crossbred cows had significantly (p<0.01) lower pubertal age (20.4 ± 1.2) than Desi (25.9 ± 1.1). The age at first calving in Desi cows was significantly (p<0.01) higher (37.6 ± 1.1 months) than crossbred cows (31.2 ± 1.3 months). The average gestation length of Desi, Shahiwal × Desi, Friesian × Desi and Jersey × Desi was 289.9 ± 1.4, 285.0 ± 0.0, 285.0 ± 4.2 and 282.1 ± 2.4 days, respectively. It is suggested that the overall reproductive performance of Friesian × Desi, Jersey × Desi and Shahiwal × Desi cows were better than that of Desi cow.

Alpha-tocopherol as an antioxidant acts in preservation of chilled semen by preserving cell membrane damage from lipid peroxidation. Optimum concentrations of α-tocopherol in egg yolk-citrate (EYC) extender need to be studied in crossbred bull’s semen. Different concentrations of α-tocopherol viz. 0, 1, 2, 4 and 6mg per ml of extender were used. Semen was collected once a week from four bulls used to regular collection, aged 4 to 7 years, weighing 320 to 450 kg, and with body condition score 4 to 4.5 and scrotal circumference 23 to 32 cm. Semen was evaluated routinely and sperm morphology was viewed under light microscope at ×1,000 magnification after fixing with buffered formal saline. Over 90% had normal head, acrosome, mid-piece and tail. Semen was diluted with egg-yolk-citrate extender to produce 15×106 spermatozoa/ml and 0, 1, 2, 4 and 6 mg/ml α-tocopherol were added. The semens amples were kept at 8℃. Sperm motility and viability were examined daily up to 5 days under light microscopy at ×200 magnification. Sperm viability was acceptable (≥40%) up to the 4th day with all concentrations of α-tocopherol and up to the 5th day with 2 mg/ml α-tocopherol. Sperm motility was acceptable (≥40%) up to the 3rd day irrespective of α-tocopherol concentration, and up to the 4th day with 2 mg/ml α-tocopherol. It is suggested that the lifespan of chilled semen may be extended up to 4 days by adding 2mg/ml α-tocopherol.