Maternal effects are the influence of maternal phenotype and maternally-provided environment on (i.e., expression traits) offspring. Frequently, manifest both before after parturition. Pre-parturition primarily direct allocation energy to offspring that is in utero . Post-parturition can include (e.g., nursing defending offspring) indirect selection habitat relatively safe or has high nutrition...

Milk samples were collected from 180 heifers from 20 herds around parturition to study the prevalence and persistence of intramammary infection (IMI). A total of 3382 quarter milk samples was collected each week from 4 wk before parturition to 4 wk after parturition. Staphylococcus chromogenes, the most commonly found bacterial species before parturition, was isolated from 15% of all quarters. ...

Evaluating how management practices influence the population dynamics of ungulates may enhance future management of these species. For example, in mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), changes in male/female ratio due to male-biased harvest may alter rates of pregnancy, timing of parturition, and synchrony of parturition if inadequate numbers of males are present to fertilize females during their fi...

Respiratory rate (RR) and rectal temperature (RT) of seven crossbred, second-litter sows and 11 crossbred gilts and rates of sitting and standing activity of 10 sows and gilts were measured from about 109 days of gestation to 5 days after farrowing at thermoneutral (T, 20.5 C) or hot (H, 29.8 C) ambient temperatures. Respiratory rate and RT were higher in heat-stressed sows and gilts (P~.05) be...

Plasma samples were obtained before and during parturition from conscious rats implanted chronically with a jugular cannula. Rats were either allowed to remain in their nesting cage throughout parturition, or were moved immediately following the birth of the second or third pup into an empty glass chamber. The time-course of parturition was prolonged for mother rats which were moved in mid-part...

negative energy balance in pregnant ewes during last two month of gestation could result in fatal pregnancy toxemia and affects ewe and lamb health. the understanding of variations of energy related metabolites during this critical period may cast light upon to a better management of the situation. this study describes the variations of serum energy related biochemical metabolites at a period o...

In ungulates, parturition is correlated with a reduction in movement rate. With advances in movement-based technologies comes an opportunity to develop new techniques to assess reproduction in wild ungulates that are less invasive and reduce biases. DeMars et al. (2013, Ecology and Evolution 3:4149-4160) proposed two promising new methods (individual- and population-based; the DeMars model) tha...

Reproduction is associated to the profitability of beef herds, which affects level productivity and influenced by nutritional level. The objective this study was evaluate effect protein energy supplementation, before after parturition, on reproductive variables Nellore primiparous cows extensively raised in Brazilian tropical savannah. Eighty pregnant heifers with parturition estimated for a 45...

The present study was conducted with the objective to the iron, copper and zinc variations in serum of Nili-Ravi buffaloes during pre and post partum periods determine. The study was carried out on 35 pregnant Nili-Ravi buffaloes during June 2008 to October 2008 at Buffalo Research Institute, Pattoki, District Kasur. Blood samples were taken from these buffaloes during three, two and one week b...

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of two lactation sow feeds, differing in n-6:n-3 ratio, given to sows before parturition on body condition and feed intake, periparturient metabolism (leptin, insulin, triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4)), inflammatory parameters (TNFalpha, IL-6, serum amyloid A (SAA)) and on piglet performance (birth weight, survivability). The feed conta...