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The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of 8% virgin coconut oil (VCO) combined with different percentages of egg yolk in Tris extender on the quality of chilled and frozen-thawed bull semen. A total of 24 ejaculates from four bulls were collected using an electroejaculator. Semen samples were diluted with 8% VCO in Tris extender which contained different concentrations 0% (control), 4%, 8%, 12%, 16% and 20% egg yolk. The diluted semen samples were divided into two fractions: one was chilled and stored at 4°C until evaluation after 24, 72, and 144h; the second fraction was processed by chilling for 3h at 4°C to equilibrate, then packaged in 0.25ml straws and frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen at -196°C until evaluation after 7 and 14 days. Both chilled and frozen semen samples were then thawed at 37°C and assessed for general motility using computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA), viability, acrosome integrity, and morphology (eosin-nigrosin), membrane integrity (hypo-osmotic swelling test) and lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS)). The results indicate treatments with 8%, 12%, 16% and 20% egg yolk with 8% VCO had greater sperm quality (P<0.05) as compared with the control. The treatment with 20% egg yolk had the greatest sperm quality (P<0.05) among the treated groups for both chilled and frozen-thawed semen. In conclusion, the use of 8% VCO combined with 20% egg yolk in a Tris-based extender enhanced the values for chilled and frozen-thawed quality variables of bull sperm.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of 8% virgin coconut oil (VCO) combined with different percentages of egg yolk in Tris extender on the quality of chilled and frozen-thawed bull semen. A total of 24 ejaculates from four bulls were collected using an electroejaculator. Semen samples were diluted with 8% VCO in Tris extender which contained different concentrations 0% (control), 4%, 8%, 12%, 16% and 20% egg yolk. The diluted semen samples were divided into two fractions: one was chilled and stored at 4°C until evaluation after 24, 72, and 144h; the second fraction was processed by chilling for 3h at 4°C to equilibrate, then packaged in 0.25ml straws and frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen at -196°C until evaluation after 7 and 14 days. Both chilled and frozen semen samples were then thawed at 37°C and assessed for general motility using computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA), viability, acrosome integrity, and morphology (eosin-nigrosin), membrane integrity (hypo-osmotic swelling test) and lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS)). The results indicate treatments with 8%, 12%, 16% and 20% egg yolk with 8% VCO had greater sperm quality (P<0.05) as compared with the control. The treatment with 20% egg yolk had the greatest sperm quality (P<0.05) among the treated groups for both chilled and frozen-thawed semen. In conclusion, the use of 8% VCO combined with 20% egg yolk in a Tris-based extender enhanced the values for chilled and frozen-thawed quality variables of bull sperm.

Caseous lymphadenitis (CLA) is a chronic disease caused by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis. However, there is a paucity of data about the C. pseudotuberculosis exotoxin, phospholipase D (PLD) response during the course of CLA. Therefore, this study was conducted to observe the clinical signs and the cellular changes after an experimental infection of the C. pseudotuberculosis and phospholipase D challenge. Twenty six crossbred Boer goats aged 12-14 months were divided into 3 groups; the first group n=6 was inoculated with 1ml sterile PBS s.c. as the control. The second group n=10 was inoculated with live C. pseudotuberculosis 1×109 cfu s.c. The third group n=10 was i.v. inoculated with PLD 1mL/20 kg, BW. Both the C. pseudotuberculosis and the PLD treated groups showed a significant increase (p<0.05) in body temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate and body score. Pathologically, the C. pseudotuberculosis and the PLD treated groups showed a significant cellular changes (p<0.05) manifested as edema, congestion, infiltration of inflammatory cells mainly lymphocytes and macrophages, hemorrhage, degeneration and necrosis in the visceral organs including the lungs, heart, liver, spleen, kidneys and lymph nodes. C. pseudotuberculosis infected group showed abscessation of the lymph nodes and some of the visceral organs. In contrast, PLD inoculation did not lead to any abscess formation in the lymph nodes neither in the visceral organs. It concluded that the C. pseudotuberculosis caused typical CLA disease with short incubation period of two weeks. The PLD inoculation showed little clinical signs and it did not lead to abscesses formation externally neither internally, however, it caused obvious cellular changes in the visceral organs as well as in the lymph nodes. PLD play a key role in CLA development, yet it is impossible to trigger granulomatous lesion without the C. pseudotuberculosis being present.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), a lipid-soluble anti-oxidant added in different concentrations to the Tris egg yolk extenders on semen cytological parameters pre freezing and post thawing (motility, morphology, viability, acrosome integrity and membrane integrity) of Boer goat spermatozoa. A total of 40 ejaculates from four Boer goat bucks were collected using an artificial vagina. Ten replicates of the ejaculates were diluted with a Tris egg yolk based extender which contained various concentrations (0.5mM, 1.0mM, 2.0mM and 3.0mM) of butylated hydroxytoluene while one sample was processed without supplementation of antioxidant and served as control. The diluted semen was cooled at 4°C and loaded into the straw and then stored in liquid nitrogen. It was evident that supplementation of BHT produces positive effect in terms of motility, membrane integrity and acrosome integrity in comparison with the control group in cooled and frozen Boer goat semen. Results showed significant differences in motility, membrane integrity, acrosome integrity and viability of cooled and frozen Boer goat spermatozoa at different concentrations. Motility, membrane integrity, acrosome integrity and viability was significantly higher in all treated groups than the control group (P<0.05) while there was no significant differences (P>0.05) in morphology trait between all group in cooled semen. However, improvement (P<0.05) was observed only in terms of the membrane integrity and acrosome integrity compared to the control and other treated groups in frozen semen. In conclusion, BHT can be used in cryopreservation of Boer goat semen in order to reduce the oxidative stress on spermatozoa.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), a lipid-soluble anti-oxidant added in different concentrations to the Tris egg yolk extenders on semen cytological parameters pre freezing and post thawing (motility, morphology, viability, acrosome integrity and membrane integrity) of Boer goat spermatozoa. A total of 40 ejaculates from four Boer goat bucks were collected using an artificial vagina. Ten replicates of the ejaculates were diluted with a Tris egg yolk based extender which contained various concentrations (0.5mM, 1.0mM, 2.0mM and 3.0mM) of butylated hydroxytoluene while one sample was processed without supplementation of antioxidant and served as control. The diluted semen was cooled at 4°C and loaded into the straw and then stored in liquid nitrogen. It was evident that supplementation of BHT produces positive effect in terms of motility, membrane integrity and acrosome integrity in comparison with the control group in cooled and frozen Boer goat semen. Results showed significant differences in motility, membrane integrity, acrosome integrity and viability of cooled and frozen Boer goat spermatozoa at different concentrations. Motility, membrane integrity, acrosome integrity and viability was significantly higher in all treated groups than the control group (P<0.05) while there was no significant differences (P>0.05) in morphology trait between all group in cooled semen. However, improvement (P<0.05) was observed only in terms of the membrane integrity and acrosome integrity compared to the control and other treated groups in frozen semen. In conclusion, BHT can be used in cryopreservation of Boer goat semen in order to reduce the oxidative stress on spermatozoa.

Problem statement: Vitrification is replacing conventional slow freezing to cryopreserve gametes and embryos especially for in vitro production of embryo in domestic animal species. However, the results are still not satisfactory. The aim of this experiment was to study the effect of different equilibration temperatures on in vitro viability of immature bovine oocytes after vitrification. Approach: Oocytes were obtained from slaughterhouse ovaries. Only grade one oocytes were used. Oocytes were equilibrated in three different temperatures: 32, 37, or 41°C. Immature oocytes were equilibrated in VS1 (7.5 Ethylene Glycol (EG) + 7.5% DMSO) for 10-12 min and then exposed to VS2 (15% EG + 15%DMSO + 0.5M sucrose) for one min. Thereafter oocytes were loaded on hand-made Cryotop and directly plunged into liquid nitrogen. After warming, oocytes were examined for viability, maturation, cleavage and blastocyst production. Results: Oocytes that were equilibrated at 37°C had significantly higher (p<0.05) viability than 41°C, but there were no significant difference between 37 and 41 with 32°C. Maturation rate in 37°C group was significantly higher compared with other groups. The highest percentage of degenerated and germinal vesicle stage oocytes were obtained from 41°C than 32 and 37°C. Cleavage rate of 37°C group (38.77%) was greater than other groups (30.84 and 28.95% for 32 and 41°C, respectively). The highest blastocyst rate was also produced when oocytes equilibrated at 37°C (6.45%). Conclusion: In conclusion, these results indicated that immature bovine oocytes can be equilibrated successfully at 37°C while higher or lower temperature can significantly decrease their subsequent viability and development.