Liver metabolism and health in dairy cows during the periparturient period are affected by plane of nutrition prepartum. Long-term adaptations in hepatic gene expression are important for complete understanding of liver function. We examined temporal gene expression profiles during the dry period and early lactation in liver of Holstein cows fed moderate dietary energy ad libitum or restricted ...

To obtain blood biochemical basic data of Japanese Black breeding cows in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, blood samples were obtained from 857 clinically healthy multiparous cows on 71 farms. Cows were divided into three stages: the prepartum stage (between 20 and 80 days before parturition, n=290), lactation stage (between 20 and 80 days after parturition, n=283) and maintenance stage (between 12...

In past research on human and nonhuman primates, maternal responsiveness and behavior has been thought of as an experiential, cognitive mechanism; however, recent findings have shown that maternal motivation and behavior may not be entirely divorced from the endocrine system. To investigate the relationship between interest in infants and the hormonal changes related to pregnancy, we examined t...

Plant essential plant oils (EO) are volatile aromatic compounds with antimicrobial activity that can alter ruminal fermentation when used as dietary supplements. A feeding trial was conducted to determine the effects of dietary supplementation of periparturient and early lactation dairy cows with a specific mixture of EO. Forty multiparous Holstein cows were randomly assigned to either control ...

As the critical gatekeeper for birth, prepartum remodeling of the cervix is associated with increased resident macrophages (Mφ), proinflammatory processes, and extracellular matrix degradation. This study tested the hypothesis that expression of genes unique to Mφs characterizes the prepartum from unremodeled nonpregnant cervix. Perfused cervix from prepartum day 21 postbreeding (D21) or nonpre...

In order to investigate the relationship between insulin to glucagon ratio and metabolic factors in transitional period of dairy cows, 28 cows heifers with body condition score of 3.25- 3.75 were selected. Dairy cows received close up diet, from 21 days prepartum until parturition and lactation diet according to nutritional requirements after parturition. Blood was sampled at 10 days before and...

The concentration of plasma progesterone, oestradiol-17 beta, oestrone sulphate, corticosteroids and 13,14-dihydro-15-ketoprostaglandin F2 alpha (PGFM) was measured in 12 buffalo cows during the whole period of gestation, around parturition and for 15 d postpartum. The concentration of progesterone and oestradiol-17 beta increased slightly during the first 2 months (3.5 +/- ng/ml) and 4 months ...

BACKGROUND Maternal depression during pregnancy has been studied less than depression in postpartum period. The aims of this study were to find out the prevalence of prepartum and postpartum depression and the risk factors associated in a cohort of Afro-Jamaican pregnant women in Jamaica. METHODS The Zung self-rating depression scale instrument was administered to 73 healthy pregnant women at...