In the Drosophila embryo, a subset of muscles require expression and function of the RYK subfamily RTK gene derailed (drl) for correct attachment. We have isolated a second RYK homolog, doughnut (dnt), from Drosophila. The DNT protein exhibits 60% amino acid identity to DRL, and is structurally as similar to the mammalian RYK proteins as is DRL, indicating an ancient duplication event. dnt is e...

Two directions can be distinguished in the development of high-tech milking equipment: 1) high-capacity milking parlors with a high throughput of cows per person per hour and 2) automatic milking systems in which manual labor is replaced by a milking robot. High-capacity milking parlors are developed in such a way that one operator is able to milk many cows, partly by automation and partly by o...

Recent studies have done much to clarify the biosynthetic mechanism of normal long chain fatty acid synthesis (l-$)., However, very little is known about the biogenesis of odd-m bered and branched long chain fatty acids. Odd-numbered fat@ acids have been identified as minor components of ruminant milk (5), human milk (6), human blood (7), human sebum (8), rat phospolipids (9), and the lipids of...

Sixty-three Friesian heifers were assigned to three different diets (21 per group) of 11 MJ ME per kg DM containing low crude protein (CP, 142 g CP per kg DM) with high rumen protected protein (REP, 270 g REP per kg CP) (diet A), high-CP (183 g CP per kg DM) with low-REP (133 g REP per kg CP) (diet B) and high-CP (182 g CP per kg DM) with high-REP (267 g REP per kg CP) (diet C) to obtain livewe...

AIM The present investigation was conducted to study the association between udder morphology and in vitro activity of milk leukocytes in high yielding crossbred cows. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 48 healthy high yielding crossbred cows were selected for the study. The udder configuration and teat/udder morphology were recorded before milking. Milk samples (100 ml/cow) were collected asep...

Genetic parameters were estimated for mobility score and 16 linear type traits of Brown Swiss dairy cattle. Mobility is an overall assessment trait that measures a cow's ability to move, as well as the structure of her feet, pasterns, and legs. Scores from 50 to 99 were assigned by appraisers for the Brown Swiss Cattle Breeders' Association of the USA beginning in June 2007. Only scores made be...

The present study focused on gaining a better insight into how subclinical mastitis at the gland level in dairy sheep and goats affects milk yield and compositional changes in relation to curd yield. Animals chosen for the study had one udder half infected with identified coagulase-negative staphyloccocci (CNS) species and the contra-lateral gland was free of bacteria. Udder halves were tested ...

Low concentrations of the essential amino acid histidine in circulation have been shown to increase mammary blood flow and it has been suggested that this effect is mediated by histamine. The hypotheses tested in this experiment were that interstitial histamine concentrations in the mammary gland are related to arterial His concentrations and that mammary blood flow is reduced by extracellular ...

The objective of this study was to evaluate the morphometric and reproductive traits of indigenous dairy goat types. It was conducted in three districts (Ebnat, Gonji-kolela and Farta) based on the agro-ecological differences, goat population potentials and experience of the farmers using goat milk. Semi-structured questionnaires, field observations, morphological and reproductive trait measure...

Continuous milking (CM) of bST-supplemented primiparous cows results in production losses of 20 to 25%, suggesting mammary growth was inhibited. We hypothesized continuous (throughout late gestation and early lactation) bST supplementation and/or early-lactation increased milking frequency (IMF) would alleviate production losses in CM glands through improved mammary epithelial cell (MEC) functi...