High protein intakes elevate plasma urea and ammonia concentrations and this can be negatively associated with plasma progesterone concentrations in cows (Jordan and Swanson 1979; Jordan et al. 1983). Low plasma progesterone concentrations may compromise embryo survival and there are reports of negative relationships between protein intake and conception rate in dairy cattle (eg Jordan and Swan...

Background: Since both fetal and postnatal development is determined by early embryonic the molecular mechanism organogenesis process of mouse embryos have been thoroughly studied. However, specific in Mongolian sheep remains poorly understood. Methods: The 16-day 25-day embryo samples Inner Mongolia Hulunbuir short-tailed were evaluated transcriptome sequencing technique genes with significant...

Background: Hyaluronan (HA) is a structural component of extracellular matrix synthesised by HA synthases HAS1-3, which produce HA of different molecular sizes with distinct biological functions associated with reproductive processes. Hyaluronidase (HYAL) cleaves the HA into biologically active small fragments which are known to regulate cell proliferation through CD44 receptor signaling. HA is...

Rous sarcoma virus was shown to induce in chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF) a 4.1-kilobase mRNA (designated CEF-147) encoding a 603-amino acid protein. Analysis of the protein sequence showed that it shared 59% amino acid identity with sheep prostaglandin G/H synthase, the enzyme that catalyzes the rate-limiting steps in the production of prostaglandins. Significant differences, at both the prot...

Genetic approaches, including the sterile insect technique (SIT), have previously been considered for control of the Australian sheep blow fly Lucilia cuprina, a major pest of sheep. In an SIT program, females consume 50% of the diet but are ineffective as control agents and compete with females in the field for mating with sterile males, thereby decreasing the efficiency of the program. Conseq...

The CD44 family belongs to a larger group of hyaluronic acid-binding proteins and plays important roles in oocyte maturation, fertilization and preimplantational embryo development. We analyzed the CD44 receptor in sheep oocytes and embryos. Immature oocytes (N = 66) were obtained from a local abattoir; mature oocytes (N = 35) and embryos (N = 41) were obtained by laparotomy from adult hai...

Outbreaks of bluetongue (BT) have occurred for the first time among sheep in Khartoum province, the Sudan. The morbidity rate approach­ ed 100% while the mortality rate was 40%. The disease was successfully repro­ duced by experimentally infecting lambs, and the virus was reisolated from them. Viral antigen was detected directly in the blood plasma and serum from the naturally and experimentall...