Search

Plasma biochemical profiles were studied in 112 mature (3 to 5-year-old) healthy cattle comprised of 61 Thai indigenous and 51 Simmental × Brahman crossbred male and cyclic female cattle at Nongkwang (Central Thailand) Livestock Research and Breeding Center, Thailand. Data were analysed for the effect of breed and sex. The results showed that the plasma glucose and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) in the two breeds were significantly ( P < 0.05) different. Furthermore, the urea, creatinine, albumin, total protein, aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels in Thai indigenous were significantly ( P < 0.01) higher than in crossbred cattle. However, creatine kinase did not significantly differ in crossbred and indigenous animals. A sex difference was found in glucose level with male Thai indigenous having significantly higher levels ( P < 0.05) than the other three groups. Plasma urea concentration in male crossbred cattle was lower than in the other groups ( P < 0.05). Female crossbred cattle had significantly ( P < 0.05) lower plasma creatinine levels than the other animals. Furthermore, levels of albumin in male and total protein in female crossbred were the lowest ( P < 0.05) among the groups. The AST, ALT, ALP and GGT levels were significantly ( P < 0.05) different between male and female. Female crossbred cattle had the lowest ( P < 0.05) AST and GGT levels, whereas lowest ( P < 0.05) ALT and ALP concentration was determined in male individuals of these breeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective was to measure the effects of cooling techniques (shade cloth vs. normal roof) on performance and physiology of 16 Friesian crossbred cows (87.5% Holstein Friesian × 12.5% Brahman) located at Sakol Nakhon Livestock Research and Testing Station, Department of Livestock Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (Sakol Nakhon, Thailand). They were divided randomly into two groups of eight. The two groups were used to evaluate the effects of modified roofing (normal roof fitted with woven polypropylene shade cloth) on the subjects' milk yield and reproductive performance under hot humid conditions. Results indicated that the modified roofing offered a more efficient way to minimize heat stress than the normal roof. The difference was sufficient to enable the cows to have a significantly lower mean rectal temperature and respiration rate (38.56 °C, 61.97 breaths/min) than that of the cows housed under normal roofing (39.86 °C; 85.16 breaths/min). The cows housed under modified roofing produced more milk (P < 0.05) but did not differ significantly in reproductive performance from the cows housed under normal roofing., (© 2010 The Authors; Journal compilation © 2010 Japanese Society of Animal Science.)