Test day milk records of a Holstein dairy farm collected during years 2004 to 2006 on 142 cows in the 1st lactation vs.140 cows in the 2nd lactation were used in this research. There were real milk yields of cows available in each part of lactation in this farm making it possible to compare functions based on the new criteria (squared error of estimation).Five functions were compared to estimate production records during each month of lactation, using test day records. These functions were incompelete gama, polynomial regression, inverse polynomial, Wilmink and mixed log function. These functions were compared with third order legender polynomial function for an estimation of total lactation milk yield (305 day milk yield). The criterion for comparing these six functions was the squared error of estimation. Functions were ranked through Quad test on squared error. The first rank in the 1st lactation belonged to incomplete gama function in the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 8th, and 9th month, polynomial regression function in the 3rd, and 6th month, mixed log function in the 7th month while Wilmink function in the 10th month of lactation. The first rank in the 2nd lactation belonged to incomplete gama function in the 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 9th month, mixed log function in the 7th, and 8th month, while Wilmink function in the the 3rd, and 10th month and polynomial regression function in the 2nd month of lactation. Incomplete gama function won the first rank for estimation of total milk yield (305 day milk yield) in the 1st, 2nd lactation.In the 1st lactation, difference between Incomplete gama function and polynomial regression, third order legender polynomial function and in the 2nd lactation the difference between incomplete gama function and polynomial regression functions were significant.

Inroduction & Objective: Major changes occurred in the mother's body during pregnancy، sometimes these changes for both mother and fetus at risk by recognizing the changes in the conditions of a woman's pregnancy can be managed. In this study، histomorphometry changes of spleen tissue during pregnancy and lactation in female Wistar rats were studied. Materials and Methods: In this study، 54 Wistar rats (12 male and 42 female) with an average weight of 220-240 g and after breeding and observation of vaginal plug 18 pregnant rats into 3 groups of 6 rats and 6 Rat non-pregnant adult female as control groups، and including the first day of pregnancy into 4 groups، control، 10 and 20 of pregnancy and the first week of lactation were divided. Then the rats were dissected and spleen tissue for histopathological examination with hematoxylin-eosin out and were. In cases the number of macrophages، white pulp megakaryocytes and diameter were evaluated. Statistical analysis ANOVA and Duncan test were examined. Results: The results indicated that in spleen tissue number of macrophages at 10 and 20 and diameter(P Conclusion: Processes of pregnancy increases changes done in spleen tissue included increases white pulp and macrophages. These changes are dependent on mother's immune system.

Background and Objectives: Methamphetamine (MAMP) is a central nervous system stimulant, which its consumption has increased among young people. In this study, the effects of methamphetamine were investigated on ovarian tissue structure in immature rats. Methods: In this experimental study, 40 immature female Wistar rats after lactation, were divided into four groups: control group that received normal saline and treatment groups that received methamphetamine at the doses of 1, 3, and 5mg/kg for 10 days intraperitoneally. After puberty, the rats were dissected and their ovary was removed. The histological sections were prepared from the ovary by hematoxylin eosin staining and examined morphologically. In the tissue sections, the number of primary follicles, growing follicles, graafian follicle, corpus luteum, and corpus albicans, were counted and compared by ANOVA between different groups. Results: There was no significant difference between mean weight of mice and ovary after puberty in the treatment groups compared to the control group. The mean number of primary follicles (at all doses) and growing follicles (at doses of 3 and 5mg/kg), were significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner (p<0. 001). Moreover, the mean number of graafian follicles, corpus luteum, and corpus albicans, significantly increased (p<0. 001) in the treatment groups of 3 and 5mg/kg compared to the control group. Conclusion: Methamphetamine may interfere with the secretion and activity of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) by mimicking the body's naturally amphetamine compounds, and consequently causes disorder in the number and growth of follicles in the ovary the number and growth of follicles in the ovary, which may lead to absence of oocyte maturation and ovulation.

This study was undertaken to estimate the genetic parameters and genetic and phenotypic trends of the dry days in the first three lactations of Holstein cows in Iran during 1985 to 2006. Calving records from 1114 dairy herds comprising 264297 calving events of Holstein cows were analyzed using univariate and bivariate linear animal models. Genetic trends were estimated by regressing yearly mean estimates of breeding values on calving year. Average dry days were from 73.3 to 82.7 days and increased over the parities. Heritability estimates for dry days varied from 0.02 to 0.09 and increased over the parities. Estimates of genetic correlations between dry days in different parities were medium and ranged from 0.26 to 0.34. Also, estimates of phenotypic correlations between dry days in different parities were low and varied from 0.07 to 0.10. The average annual phenotypic trends were estimated from fitting linear regression of annual mean dry days were negative for the first three parities of Iranian Holsteins (P<0.01). On the other hand, there were significant and decreasing genetic trends for dry days at parities 1, 2 and 3 over the years (P<0.01). The low estimates of heritability for dry days obtained in the current study could be assigned to the high phenotypic variance arising from large environmental variation. Therefore, this implies that improvement in dry days could be achieved by improving the non-genetic factors such as management and production environment.

Introduction: Pheromones play a great role in the reproductive and social behavior of animals. The main sources of pheromones are urine and paracrine secretions. Through the neuroendocrine system, prolactin is a safe parameter to measure and compare the effects of ph erom ones on the sexual, maternal and also lactating behavior.Methods: Female rats were divided into 19 groups (n=8). To measure the plasma prolactin levels of rats, blood samples were collected and tested with prolactin RIA kits. Effects of sexual pheromones in the lactating period (3rd, 6th, 9th and 16th days after delivery), pregnancy priod (7th, 14th and 20th days) and lactating period (6th, 9th and 16th post-delivery days) on plasma prolactin level were surveyed. The effects of sexual pherornoneson the plasma level of Prolactin were determined using a special cage without any sensory stimulation interferences, such as visual, auditory and tactile senses.Results: Data showed a significant decline in plasma levels of prolactin following sexual pheromones administration (p<0.05). Significant increase in the prolactin plasma level was observed as the female rats were kept with a castrated male rat (p<0.05). During pregnancy period, prolactin level did not show any significant change in the first week of pregnancy with or without present male rat, but it showed a significant increase during the second and third weeks of pregnancy in the presence of male rat (p<0.01). The presence of male rat during the third, sixth and ninth days after delivery causes a significant increase in prolactin level (p<0.01) The females exposed to alien pups showed a significant decline in prolactin level compared those exposed to their own pups (p<0.05), but both groups showed same level of prolactin on the ninth and sixteenth days of delivery.Conclusion: These findings suggest that male sexual pheromones change plasma levels of prolactin in the pregnancy and lactating period and subsequently affect mating reproductive activities of rats.

Objective (s): Although the importance of breastfeeding is well known, the rate of breastfeeding is low. The purpose of this study was to develop a self-care program for increasing mothers’ breastfeeding confidence.Methods: A sample of 300 primiparous mothers were selected from two hospitals (A, B) through random selection and were assigned to one of the three study arms. The control group received standard education while one group of mothers received educational package with instruction and one group received the educational package only. Breastfeeding self-efficacy was measured before intervention, and three month later by using Persian version of Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale.Results: After intervention the mean score of breastfeeding self-efficacy increased significantly in experimental groups but not in control group.Conclusion: The results indicated that educational intervention was effective to increasing breastfeeding self-efficacy among primiparous mothers in post partum.

Introduction: The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of breastfeeding counseling on the self-efficacy of lactating mothers. Methods: This study was conducted as a two-group clinical trial on 60 pregnant women referred to Malayer women's hospitals. Pregnant women were selected by available sampling method. Sampling was performed in two groups by block random method and the size of the blocks was considered as a multiple of the number of groups. Data collection tools included a demographic and midwifery characteristics questionnaire and a Fox and Dennis breastfeeding self-efficacy questionnaire. The intervention was carried out in accordance with GATHER's advisory principles. Maternal breastfeeding self-efficacy was assessed before intervention and one month after delivery in both groups. Results: The research units in the two control and test groups were homogeneous in terms of demographic characteristics. The change in mothers' breastfeeding self-efficacy score after intervention was significantly higher than before in test group (P<0. 001). Conclusion: The results of the study showed that providing counseling has been very effective in increasing the self-efficacy of breastfeeding mothers and their performance.

The present experiment is conducted to compare the composition of colostrum in Golpaigani and Holstein cows, as well as the effects of lactation number on colostral components. Eight colostral samples from 30 Golpaigani and 30 Holstein cows were obtained over 4 days (two times per day) after parturition. Concentration of fat, crude protein, lactose,and total solids of colostrums were not significantly different between Golpaigani and Holstein cows. Lactation number did not affect on colostral composition. Immunoglobulin concentration in first milking of Holstein cows was greater than that of Golpaigani cows. Density of first milking colostrum of Holstein cows was greater than that of Golpaigani cows. Although the accuracy of single radial immunodiffusion was greater than that of zinc sulfate turbidimetry method, we suggest the later method, to determine of whole Immunoglobulin concentration, as it is easier, less costly, and quicker.