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The sero conversion to two doses of Brucella abortus strain RB59 vaccine was assessed in cattle. Vaccinafions were done in two groups of sero negative calves of four months and above age wifh 9.8X 1010 CFU and 9 X 90i0 CFU of B. abortus strain R859 vaccine respectively by subcutaneous route. Immune responses were assessed on days 0, 7, 94, 21, 28, 60, 90, 120, 150 and180 employing indirecf ELISA. Caftle vaccinated with higher dose of B. abortus SR859 produced significant antibody level earlier (seventh day) than those with lower dose (29St day) and persisted longer (upto950 days), when compared to the group I! (only upto 920 days). Buf both groups showed maximum immune response on fhe same observation period ie., on 60th day of vaccination. The proportion of animals with significant immune responses was also higher in animals vaccinated wifh higher dose.

Yak is considered the life-line of highland pastoral nomads who raise them on high altitude ranges under transhumance. Yak production at high-altitude alpine ranges may be affected due to the gradual increase of environmental temperature as a result of impending climate change. The mean environmental temperature of yak habitat at 3,000 m above mean sea level in Northeastern Indian Himalaya, varying from 1.2 to 11.1°C and 7.9 to 19.7°C during winter and summer seasons, respectively, evidencing the heat stress to the yaks in summer with THI more than 52. When environmental temperature exceeds 13°C, adaptive mechanisms of body accelerate respiration rate and heart rate to cope with heat stress in yaks. It was reported that the climate change is already witnessed at high altitude with average rise of environmental temperature 0.01 to 0.04°C/year and the expected increase of 2– 3°C have potentially catastrophic for high-altitude animals and ecosystem. The alpine pasture decreased in vegetative above ground biomass and composition which results in starvation or loss of body condition appeared to be manifested as reduced fertility in yak with low milk yield. Further, climate change may result in increase of pests and diseases at the lower permanent settlements of sub-alpine region thereby making these areas incompatible for yaks. Mitigation of heat stress in yak possibly can be done through three means by physical modification of the environment, improved nutritional management and genetic development of strains that would be less sensitive to heat stress.

Present study was aimed to evaluate sperm motility and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) in relation to the presence of heparin binding proteins (HBPs) in semen. Semen was collected from 17 Holstein Friesian breeding bulls. Seminal plasma and sperm membrane proteins were isolated by precipitation method; HBPs were isolated using heparin-sepharose affinity chromatography. SDS-PAGE was performed and bulls were categorized into 3 groups based on presence/absence of 24 and 30 kDa HBPs. Computer-assisted semen analysis revealed that fresh ejaculates of bulls positive for 30 kDa HBP had 4.24 and 14.18% of higher total motile sperm than semen with 24 kDa and negative for HBPs. Semen with 30 and 24 kDa had 18.72 and 12.34% of higher number of sperm with progressive motility and velocity than semen devoid of HBPs. Simultaneous assessment of plasma membrane integrity (PMI) and MMP by fluorescence staining revealed that post-thaw sperm of semen with 30 kDa HBP had 6.28 and 12.79% of higher intact PMI. Further, sperm of semen with 30 kDa HBP had 4.61 and 10.50% of higher MMP, which had travelled an extra distance of 9.71 and 4.95 mm through cervical mucus than semen with 24 kDa and devoid of HBPs. The mucus penetration distance showed a strong positive correlation with high MMP, PMI, sperm motility and velocity. It is to be concluded that HBPs were able to sustain higher percentage of motile sperm with progressive motility and MMP which was depicted by more mucus penetration distance.

Present study was designed to evaluate the semen quality of breeding bulls positive for 24 and 30 kDa heparin binding proteins (HBPs) in the semen. Seventeen Holstein Friesian breeding bulls were screened for 24 and 30 kDa HBPs in semen by heparin-sepharose affinity chromatography and SDS-PAGE, and grouped into three based on presence/absence of HBPs. In vitro characteristics of spermatozoa were assessed by standard analysis of sperm abnormalities, functional membrane integrity, acrosome integrity and sperm chromatin integrity in fresh and frozen- thawed semen. Bulls positive for 30 kDa had lowest sperm abnormalities and sperm chromatin fragmentation than bulls positive for 24 kDa and without HBPs in the fresh ejaculates. Further, fresh semen positive for 30 kDa had 8.76% of higher active plasma membrane with 7.63% intact acrosome. The process of cryopreservation of semen increased sperm abnormalities, acrosome damage and chromatin fragmentation in all the semen samples irrespective of presence/absence of HBPs. However, semen samples positive for 24 and 30 kDa HBPs were able to sustain lower percentage of post-thaw sperm abnormalities with higher chromatin integrity in comparison to semen devoid of HBPs. Moreover, semen with 24 and 30 kDa HBPs had higher post-thaw intact acrosome with active plasma membrane than negative semen. The results concluded that bulls positive for 30 kDa had 12.43 and 28.37 percentages of better semen quality than bulls with 24 kDa and devoid of HBPs.