Data from 34 yearling Hereford or Angus bulls were used to investigate relationships of testicular size, quantitative rates of sperm production, Sertoli cell numbers, numbers of germ cells supported per Sertoli cell, and the efficiency of spermatogenesis to daily sperm output and seminal quality. Two ejaculates were collected by electroejaculation from each bull on each of 2 days/week throughout the study. The percentage of progressively motile sperm and the percentage of morphologically normal sperm were determined from aliquots of fresh semen. Additional aliquots of semen were frozen in glass ampules or plastic straws and subsequently evaluated for postthaw motility and percentage of sperm with intact acrosomes. Sertoli cell numbers, the numbers of germcells per Sertoli cell, and the efficiency of spermatogenesis were unrelated to the quality of fresh or frozen semen (P greater than 0.05). In first ejaculates, the numbers of sperm and motile sperm were related (P less than 0.05) to testicular parenchymal weight (r = 0.38, and 0.50), daily sperm production (r = 0.45 and 0.53), and spermatids per gram of testicular parenchyma (r = 0.35 and 0.34). Testicular parenchymal weight and daily sperm production also were related to daily sperm output and to the average daily motile sperm output of these bulls (P less than 0.05), but could account for less than 25% of the variability in these end points among bulls.

The objective of this experiment was to study wheather the administration of GnRH plus PGF2 alpha synchronizes the estrus in anestrus crossbred cows exposed to bull urine (BU) during the winter season (Nov to Feb). The results indicated that a greater proportion of BU-exposed cows (n=20) showed estrus as compared to control (n=8) (90 vs 37.5 % P0.05). The mean plasma progesterone concentration remained below 1ng/ml in all animals of each group during the treatment period. The overall conception rate was double in BU-exposed cows (66.7 vs 33.3 % P0.05). From this experiment it can be concluded that oro-nasal application of BU synchronizes the estrus in a greater proportion of anestrus cows treated with GnRH plus PGF2 alpha during winter season.

Firfty serum and fifty semen samples collected from cattle and buffalo bulls were subjected to ELISA and gB gene based PCR, respectively to detect antibodies in serum and viral DNA in the semen against BHV 1. Out of 50 bulls, 15 (30%) serum samples were detected positive by ELISA while 21 (42%) semen samples were positive by gB gene based PCR. While correlating the results of ELISA and PCR, some seronegative bulls revealed presence of viral genome in semen whereas few seropositive bulls could not reveal viral genome in semen, thus, suggesting application of combined serological assay and PCR assay to detect the presence of BHV-1 infection in bulls.

The effect of two thawing temperatures (37°Cfor30 sec. and 60°Cfor 7 sec.)on sperm survivability and conception rate in buffaloes with frozen semen of Murrah bulls was compared. Thawing at 60°C resulted in statistically significant increase (P0.05) in sperm survivability (motility,live spermatozoa and intact acrosomes) compared with thawing at 37°c. In all, 161 buffaloes were inseminated with frozen semen thawed at 37°Cand 159buffaloeswith semen thawed at 60°Cbetween 2006-07 and 2009-10. Conception rate of 64.15% and 50.31% was obtained with semen thawed at 60°C and 37°C, respectively, and the difference was significant (P0.05). Artificial insemination of buffaloes with frozen semen thawed at 60°C for 7 sec. could be safely used to improve both sperm survivability and conception rate in buffaloes.

In the conditions of the Republic of Belarus it was determined that application of monocalcium phosphate in a dose of 10 gram per 1 kilogram of mixed fodder and specified doses of trace elements (cuprum; zink; cobalt; manganese; iodine) in diets of growing pedigree bull calves made it possible to increase indices of body weight of young cattle stock of the third experimental group in comparison with animals of the first and the second groups on 18,3 and 11 kg or respectively on 3,9 and 2,3%; as well as to increase the intensity of their growth. The highest daily average live weight gain was noted at animals of the third experimental group – 1062 grams. It was higher than at bull calves of the first and the second groups respectively on 31,3 and 12,8 grams, or on 3 and 1,2%. Application of monocalcium phosphate in a dose of 10 gram per 1 kilogram of mixed fodder favorably affected the formation of desirable type of sexual behavior and indices of semen production quality. Thus, in the third experimental group in comparison with animals of the first and the second groups the volume of ejaculate was on 0,2 and 0,1 ml higher (or on 5,8 and 2,9%); quantity of sperm in ejaculate - on 0,7 and 0,3 billion, or on 35 and 15%.

In the conditions of the Republic of Belarus there was analyzed the productivity of 13-18-month old young stock of cattle which was bred for meat with various levels of energy value nutrition. Also, there were noted their slaughter qualities and chemical composition of meat. Administration of diet rations with an increased level of exchange energy and the best indices of protein fissility rendered a positive influence on productivity of young stock of fattening cattle and made it possible to obtain 1103-1100 gram of body weight gain. As a result, the energy value gain was 22,9-22,6 MJ along with conversion of metabolizable energy at a gain - 24,7-25,3%. Consumption of metabolizable energy per 1 MJ along with body weight gain were within 4,7-5,0 MJ. Feeding of rations with various levels of the studied factor rendered the positive influence on slaughter qualities, made it possible obtain slaughter yield of 53,6-54,6% at an optimum ratio of nutrients in meat. Feeding of bull calves with diets with excessive content (up to 10%) of metabolizable energy made it possible to lower the prime cost of obtained breeding products on 0,55%.