Overlapping moult and reproduction might be crucial for long-distance migratory birds, which are time-constrained to complete these energy-demanding functions before the onset of migration. However, proximate factors modulating the potential trade-off between moult and breeding, such as haemoparasite infection and stress, have not been studied in wild avian populations. We investigated the occu...

The relationship between individual fitness and antioxidants and oxidative stress has come under increasing scrutiny of late. In particular, associations between oxidative balance indicators and reproductive success in the wild have been inconsistent in the limited prior work on this topic. Studies spanningmultiple seasons and antioxidant types are particularly lacking. Here, we examined associ...

In this project, ovarian size and activity during the peak (November-April) and the low (May-October) breeding seasons in young and adult camels were studied. Ovaries of 92 camels (Camelus dromedarius), with clinically normal reproductive tracts, aged 3-15 years and slaughtered at Faisalabad or Lahore abattoirs over a period of 24 months, were collected. Jugular blood was collected from each an...

The ovarian surface epithelium (OSE) plays an important role in normal ovarian physiology. During each reproductive cycle, the OSE takes part in the cyclical ovulatory ruptures and repair. The aim of this study was to investigate the immunolocalization of nerve growth factor (NGF) and its receptors, tyrosine kinase A (TrkA) and p75, in the OSE cells of the wild ground squirrels during the breed...

1. The study investigated the effects of providing sight barriers in breeding pens on pheasant mortality, feather damage and behaviour. 2. Data were collected from 11 conventional pens (control) and 11 pens with additional sight barriers (barrier) over the course of a ten week breeding season. Each pen contained 8 males and 56 females at the beginning of the season. 3. There was a higher rate o...

In certain production environments, beef cows are mated during a breeding season that starts in early summer. Cows found not to be pregnant at the end of the breeding season could either be culled or retained and remated the following summer. Alternatively, nonpregnant cows could be mated in the winter. This option would result in having both a spring and a fall calving herd. The purpose of our...

The freezability of semen collected during the low (May-July) and the peak (September-November) breeding seasons from 18 Nili-Ravi buffalo bulls of young (3-4 years), adult (6-8 years) and old ( 1215 years) age groups was studied. After extension in lactose.:..fructose-egg-yolk-glycerol extender, semen samples were frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen. Post-thaw motili�y and liveability of sper...

To explore the nest survival rate of Reeves's pheasant(Syrmaticus reevesii) and the nest-site factors that affect it, we conducted artificial nest experiments with reference to natural nests at Dongzhai National Nature Reserve(DNNR), Henan Province and Pingjingguan, Hubei Province from April to June 2014 simulating the situation in its early and later breeding season. We also determined distanc...