Aktuğ, Eray; Baytok, Erol; Türkmenoğlu, Burçin

This study aims to determine the effects of fermented concentrated potato protein (FCPP) which showed very high levels of indole acetic acid (IAA) on milk yield, fertility, and level of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) parameters in pregnant dairy cows and pregnant heifers. In total, sixty Holstein cattle were enrolled in the study. The animals were divided into three groups, as control group (n=20), 25 g FCPP group (n=20), and 50 g FCPP group (n=20). Besides, these main groups were also divided into two sub-groups, as primiparous (n=10) and multiparous cows (n=10). Oral administration of FCPP started two weeks (14±4 days) before expected parturition and continued until postpartum day 100. The affinity of IAA found in FCPP pellets to 5HT1 and JAK2 receptors, which is thought to be related to IGF-1 release, was determined by the molecular docking method that receptor affinities were found as-5.8637 kcal/mol and-4.3857 kcal/mol, respectively. Blood IGF-1 profile was followed at 7 different time points throughout the study. It was detected that the IGF-1 concentrations have significant difference in terms of both time and groups (P<0.05). Furthermore, there was a significant difference in interaction of time and parity (P<0.05). The results showed that average and total 100-day milk yield was not affected by FCCP supplementation (P>0.05). FCPP supplementation generally has improved the mathematical data of fertility parameters, but no statistical significance was detected except for calving-conception interval. It was found that calving-conception interval reduce by 16.8% in primiparous cows supplemented with 25 g FCPP. The pregnancy rates in control, 25 g and 50 g FCPP were found as 72.2 %, 78.9 % and 88.9 %, respectively (P>0.05). This study has concluded that fermented concentrated potato protein (which has indole acetic acid-indole compounds) may improve the productivity of dairy cows supplemented in transition period and it has suggested that further research must be done for its usage and beneficial effects in dairy cows.

Hanifi, Aysondu Mehmet; Selcuk, Ozyurek

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of maternal feeding status on placental characteristics and lamb birth weight in mid-gestational period in sheep. The study was carried out in a private sheep farm in Erzincan during the lambing period of 2018 (39 degrees 80' N, 40 degrees 03' E and 1617 m above sea level). In our study, Morkaraman ewes with 50 heads in 3rd lactation was used. Sheep were divided into two groups. The first group was fed only on pasture until the 80th day of pregnancy; the second group is feed 100% of the daily energy needs of ration between 30-80. days. Although live weight differences between groups were statistically insignificant in mating and 80th days. On the 30th day and at birth there was a statistically significant difference. In our study, significant differences were found between the groups in terms of BW (p <0.01), PE and ACSA (p <0.05). In our study, lamb birth weight was 11.3% higher in the treatment group. The highest BW, PE and ACSA were observed in the treatment group. The results obtained from this study showed that maternal nutrition level between 30th and 80th day was effective on birth weight (P <0.01), placental weight, placental activity and average cotyledon surface area (P <0.01). While there was no significant correlation between birth weight and placental and cotyledon characteristics in the control group, a positive correlation (r =, 829, P <0.01) was found between birth weight and placental weight (r =, 465, P <0.05) and cotyledon number in the treatment group. These data show that in the livestock industry, the manipulation of the mother in terms of nutrition in the prenatal period or the prevention of restricted feeding based only on pasture will affect birth weight, newborn losses, average daily live weight gain, market weight, healthy meat production economy and profitability.

Ozyurek, Selcuk

The research was carried out to determine the relationship between kids birth weight and placental characteristics of hair goats grown in poor condition during the critical period of pregnancy. Particularly, it was aimed to investigate the placental relation of high mortality rate especially in twin kids. Placentas were collected from 52 goats at normal kidding. There were 36 singleton and 16 twin pregnancies and 42 female and 26 male kids. During the mating period (September), the goats grazed on poor pasture for 12 hours and nothing was added to the pasture. The date of mating was recorded and goats were fed indoor after the 60th day of pregnancy. During the time they were inside, 200 g/day barley, ad libitum the hay and water were given. Kids were weighed and sexed at 12-24 h after birth. Placentas were collected immediately and brought to laboratory and placentas were carefully disturbed water and weighed. Each placenta was opened with a scalpel and the cotyledons were separated from chorioallantois and counted. The effects of birth type, sex, parity and vitality on placental and cotyledon traits were analyzed by the general linear model procedure in SPSS using a completely randomized design. When the birth weight was 2.83 +/-.07 in live kids, it was 1.31 +/-.23 in dead kids and this difference was statistically very significant (p<0.001). In addition, placental efficiency was affected by the vitality of kids (p<0.05) and we observed that there was no x large cotyledon (>51 mm diameter) in the dead kids. The low placental and cotyledon characteristics of kids who died before weaning showed that placental and cotyledon traits have an effect on kids' vitality. The result showed that there were significant differences (p<0.05) among parity for placental weight and cotyledon density. Birth type affected placental weight (p<0.001), cotyledon density (P<0.01) and average cotyledon surface area (ACSA) (p<0.05). Large cotyledon number, cotyledon length and cotyledon width were affected (P<0.01) by birth type. It was observed that there is a direct correlation between ACSA and cotyledon length (r=0.985; p<0.01), cotyledon width (r=0.969; p<0.01). However, a negative correlation between ACSA and small cotyledon number (0.553; p<0.01), cotyledon density (-0.779; p<0.01) is determined for hair goats. As a result, we suggest that cotyledon efficiency is a much more precise and reliable measure of placenta functional ability. These data have shown that manipulation of the prenatal period can affect birth weight, newborn losses, average daily live weight gain, market weight, health and meat production economy and profitability in the livestock industry.