The aim of this work was to determine the effect of the season of the year (photoperiod) on scrotal circumference (SC), testicular weight (TW), testicular volume (TV), serving capacity test (SCT), plasma testosterone concentration and semen quality traits in Highlander rams. The study was carried out in the humid pampas of Argentina (130 m above sea level) with six adult rams (5-6 years old). Monthly determinations of body weight, body condition score, SC, TW [TW = 0.5533 x (L) x (W)2], TV [TV=4/3 x (π) x (L/2) x (W/2)2], being L=long and W=width of the testicle, and plasma testosterone. The SCT was performed twice per season and the semen evaluation twice per week during the central month of each season. The analysis was done using linear mixed models for repeated measures (R Core Team). In summer (March) the highest values of SC (mean ± SE; p<0.05) (34.2 ± 0.7 cm), TW (506.7 ± 2...

The effect of suckling restriction with nasal flaps on Angus and Creole calves and dam’s performance fixed time artificially inseminated (FTAI) in an arid zone of Argentina was evaluated. The first experiment was carried out with 146 multiparous cows with calf at foot and 76.2±3.0 days postpartum, assigned to four treatments: Angus cows (n=37) and Creole cows (n=37) with restricted suckling (RS, calves with nasal flaps for 14 days) and Angus (n=35) and Creole (n=37) cows with non-restricted suckling calves (Control, C). On Day 0, the cows received an intravaginal device with progesterone for 8 days and nasal flaps were placed to calves. The FTAI was performed on Day 10 and the pregnancy diagnosis was made at 35 days by ultrasound. In calves, weight was measured on Days 0 and 14 and at weaning (6 months of age). The pregnancy rate was similar between treatments (RS=51.0%; C=53.0%), reg...

The effect of suckling restriction with nasal flaps on Angus and Creole calves and dam’s performance fixed time artificially inseminated (FTAI) in an arid zone of Argentina was evaluated. The first experiment was carried out with 146 multiparous cows with calf at foot and 76.2±3.0 days postpartum, assigned to four treatments: Angus cows (n=37) and Creole cows (n=37) with restricted suckling (RS, calves with nasal flaps for 14 days) and Angus (n=35) and Creole (n=37) cows with non-restricted suckling calves (Control, C). On Day 0, the cows received an intravaginal device with progesterone for 8 days and nasal flaps were placed to calves. The FTAI was performed on Day 10 and the pregnancy diagnosis was made at 35 days by ultrasound. In calves, weight was measured on Days 0 and 14 and at weaning (6 months of age). The pregnancy rate was similar between treatments (RS=51.0%; C=53.0%), reg...