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...

OBJECTIVES To compare the risk profile of women giving birth in private and public hospitals and the rate of obstetric intervention during birth compared with previous published rates from a decade ago. DESIGN Population-based descriptive study. SETTING New South Wales, Australia. PARTICIPANTS 691 738 women giving birth to a singleton baby during the period 2000 to 2008. MAIN OUTCOME ME...

In dairy cows the milk associated energy output in early lactation exceeds the input via voluntary feed intake. To spare glucose for mammary lactose synthesis, peripheral insulin sensitivity (IS) is reduced and fat mobilization is stimulated. For these processes a link between IS and the endocrine functions of adipose tissue (AT) is likely; we thus aimed to characterise the mRNA expression from...

A comparative study on the nutritional status of primiparous and multiparous women in the first trimester of pregnancy was conducted in the northeastern province of Thailand, Khon Kaen, to investigate differences in protein-energy-malnutrition, iron deficiency anaemia, vitamin A deficiency and carotenoid status between both parity groups. 94 subjects were recruited at first attendance of antena...

This study investigated follicular development during and after postweaning altrenogest treatment of primiparous sows in relation to subsequent reproductive performance. Primiparous sows (n = 259) were randomly assigned at weaning (d 0) to 1 of 4 groups: control (no altrenogest, n = 71), RU4 (20 mg of altrenogest from d -1 to 2, n = 62), RU8 (20 mg of altrenogest from d -1 to 6, n = 65), or RU1...

BACKGROUND Postpartum visits (PPVs) have been advocated as a way to improve health outcomes for mothers and their infants, but the rate of PPVs is still low in rural China. This study aims to investigate the utilization of PPVs and to explore the factors associated with PPVs in rural China. Parity is the most concerned factor in this study. METHODS A cross-sectional household survey was perfo...