W. Pitala

Pregnancy-associated glycoprotein concentrations during pregnancy and the postpartum period in Azawak Zebu cattle

Specific RIA systems were developed and used to measure pregnancy-associated glycoprotein (PAG) concentrations during gestation and the postpartum period in Azawak Zebu cows. Twelve females were palpated per rectum and diagnosed as pregnant. Blood samples were taken at 5-10-day intervals from approximately Week 8 of gestation until Week 10 postpartum (pp). One Zebu cow (Z15) initially diagnosed as pregnant showed PAG concentrations lower than the assay sensitivity (<0.20 ng/ml) and did not calve. Another cow (ZSand) showed abnormally high PAG concentrations during gestation and was excluded from the general PAG profile. The 10 other Zebu cows exhibited a very similar PAG profile. In these animals, concentrations increased progressively from Week 8 to 35 of gestation (from 6.0+/-4.2 to 196.0+/-34.8 ng/ml), remaining relatively constant until Week 39 (210.8+/-74.8 ng/ml), when they increased sharply to reach their highest level (1095.6+/-607.2 ng/ml) at around parturition. After delivery, PAG concentrations declined significantly (P<0.05) until Week 2 postpartum (348.4+/-85.6 ng/ml) and slowly until Week 10 postpartum. Our results revealed that the PAG pattern in Zebu cattle was similar to those of taurine breeds during the first two trimesters of pregnancy, but differed in the peripartum period.

Imagerie échographique de la glande mammaire de la chèvre en lactation

L’echographie est appliquee a la mamelle. L’objectif est d’apprecier l’anatomie interne et le flux de lait des citernes mammaires pendant la lactation chez la chevre sahelienne. L’etude a porte sur 5 chevres multipares, d’âge compris entre [36-48] mois et de poids moyen de 32,5±7,3 kilogrammes. Les examens ont ete realises une fois par semaine pendant cinq semaines. Ils sont pratiques sur des femelles separees de leurs petits pendant au moins 12 heures. Le remplissage des citernes a ete realise a 2, 4, 6 et 8 heures apres la tetee. Sur la mamelle rasee, la sonde a ete appliquee longitudinalement a l’angle du trayon. Le volume moyen de lait apres 12 heures a ete de 59,13±37,63 millilitres. Apres la tetee le volume moyen de lait residuel a ete de 6,72±4,16 millilitres. Le remplissage des citernes au fil du temps apres la tetee a ete de 9,33±5,28, 15,01±8,10, 22,74±10,54, et 36,04±20,41 millilitres respectivement. La vitesse moyenne de remplissage des citernes mammaires a ete de 3,66±2,25 millilitre /heure. La vitesse de remplissage a ete plus elevee (5,26±1,97 millilitre /heure) pendant les quatre dernieres heures. En somme, l’echographie a permis d’apprecier les flux de lait des citernes mammaires de la chevre sahelienne en lactation. Mots cles : Chevre sahelienne, echographie, citerne mammaire.

Efficacite d’un traitement de maitrise des cycles chez les zebus: oestrus induit et fertilite

L’efficacite d’un traitement de maitrise des cycles oestraux a ete appreciee sur deux races de zebus en elevage semi-intensif du Burkina Faso. L’essai a permis de determiner les proportions d’oestrus induits et de fertilite sur 170 femelles zebus Azawak et zebu Goudali traitees aux implants de norgestomet. Le traitement au norgestomet a consiste a la pose d’un implant a l’oreille pour une duree de 10 jours. Cette pose a ete suivie de deux injections de 2 ml (500 μg) de prostaglandine (Eustrumate) et 2 ml (400 UI) de PMSG (folligon) respectivement aux jours 8 et 10. Le critere majeur de venu en oestrus a ete l’acceptation du chevauchement. Les inseminations ont ete pratiquees en double 48 heures et 72 heures apres la fin du traitement. Le taux moyen d’oestrus induit a ete de 92,9%. Le delai moyen d’apparition de l’oestrus a ete de 33,15 ± 4,35 heures avec des variations entre types raciales. La duree moyenne de l’oestrus a ete de 11,7 ± 1,9 heures. Le taux moyen de fertilite a ete de 31,1%. Mot cles: zebu, oestrus induit, insemination artificielle, norgestomet English Abstract The efficiency of a estrous induced treatments was monitored on two zebu race in semi-intensives farms of Burkina Faso. The assay determined the rate of induced estrus and fertility on 170 zebu Azawak and zebu Goudali cows treated with norgestomet implant. The treatment Azawak zebu cows received Norgestomet ear implant for 10 days associated with estradiol valerate (2ml), and followed with PGF 2α ( 500 μg) and PMSG (400 UI) im injections respectively at days 8 and 10. Inseminations were practiced in double 48 hours and 72 hours after the end of the treatment. The proportion of estrus induced was 92.9% and was significantly affected (P < 0.05) by hormonal treatment. The elapsed time of estrus display was 33.15 ± 4.35 hours with variations between zebu types. The average length of estrus was 11.7 ± 1.9 hours. The average rate of fertility was of 31.1%. Keywords: zebu, estrus induced, artificial insemination, norgestomet