Effects of Photoperiod on Stem Cells Activation in Cashmere Goat Hair Follicles

In order to extend the anagen of cashmere goat hair follicles and increase the production of cashmere,this study was performed with artificially shorten the daylight time among Arbas White cashmere goats. Skin tissue sections from cashmere goats were collected to compare the morphologic changes between artificial daylight and natural daylight,and immunohistochemical method was used to study the hair follicle cell proliferation and important protein expression in related signaling pathways. The results showed that strong cell proliferation occurred in cashmere goat hair follicle cells during artificial daylight,plenty of cytokeratin 15 (K15) positive signals were distributed in the outer root sheath,β-catenin protein was actively expressed in hair matrix and root sheath, indicating that the hair follicles were in the anagen growth phase;Meanwhile,cashmere goat hair follicles under natural daylight were in telogen with weak signals. Above all prove that short photoperiod played an important role in promoting hair follicle growth,the artificial short photoperiod could change hair follicle growth cycle and make hair follicles earlier enter to the anagen growth phase,causing a variety of typical gene expressions during hair follicle growth.     

短周期间歇光照对肉用仔鸡生产性能的影响

在７日龄时,肉服仔鸡由接近全日制光照改变为１ｈ光照,３ｈ黑暗的短周期简歇光照。结果表明,短周期间歇光照的肉仔鸡饲料报酬和饲料利用率提高,氮平衡试验表明,增加肉用仔鸡的光周期,粪氮分泌量减少,饲料氮在鸡体内的沉积增加,而饲料氮的摄入量并未增加,因而使得饲料氮的利用率和到提高。     

放牧条件下绒山羊绒毛季节性生长变化规律的研究

本试验研究放牧条件下绒山羊绒毛季节性生长变化的规律。选择体重及产绒性能相近的2.5岁内蒙古白绒山羊羯羊10只,随机均分为2组,分别接受自然光照和短光照处理,短光照组每天的光照时间比自然光照组减少2小时,两组试羊在同一草场放牧。结果表明,放牧条件下,随牧草营养值下降(CP含量13.9%～6.0%)和光照递减(14.6～9.4h/d),绒毛生长呈慢—快—慢增长模式,主要的生长期在9月下旬～12月上旬,11月份为高峰期;减少光照可刺激绒毛生长,使快速生长的时间提前至8月下旬,绒毛长度增加10.9%,但生长模式不变。绒毛细度(14.6～14.9μm)和强度(6.9～5.9g)不受季节影响,但绒毛伸度下降54.3%;减少光照不改变绒毛强度和伸度,但绒毛细度增加5.6%、产绒量提高12.5%。     

Characterization of the LH peak after short and long fixed‐time artificial insemination protocols in sheep raised in the tropics

The aim of this study was to evaluate the peak in luteinizing hormone (LH) and the pregnancy rate of sheep (Texel × Santa Inês) in the tropics using short‐ (6 days) and long‐term (12 days) progesterone protocols followed by artificial insemination (AI) both in and out of the breeding season. Experiment 1 was conducted within (IN) the breeding season (autumn, n = 36), and experiment 2 was conducted outside (OUT) of the breeding season (spring, n = 43). In each experiment, the sheep were divided into two groups (6 or 12 days) according to the duration of treatment with a single‐use progesterone release vaginal device (CIDR^®, Pfizer, São Paulo, SP, Brazil), and blood samples were collected from 10 animals per group every 4 hr to measure the LH and progesterone concentrations. In the spring, the characteristics of the LH peak did not differ between groups; but in the autumn, there were differences between groups at the beginning (G‐6 IN: 36.44 ± 5.46 hr; G‐12 IN: 26.57 ± 4.99 hr) and end of the LH peak (G‐6 IN: 46.22 ± 7.51 hr; G‐12 IN: 34.86 ± 8.86 hr). The results showed alterations in the LH peak during the breeding season only in the sheep undergoing the short‐term protocol.     

The production of short chain fatty acid and colonic development in weaning piglets

Weaning process widely affects the small intestinal structure and function in piglets, while the responses of large intestine to weaning stress are still obscure. The purpose of this study was to determine the developmental changes (i.e., short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) concentrations, growth parameters, crypt‐related indices and antioxidant capacity) in colon of piglet during weaning. Forty piglets were weaned at day 21 and euthanized to collect colonic tissues and digesta samples on day 0, 1, 3, 7 and 14 post‐weaning (n = 8). Piglet growth performance was improved (p < .001) on day 7 and 14 post‐weaning. The concentrations of acetate, propionate, butyrate, valerate, isobutyrate, isovalerate and total SCFAs were higher (p < .001) during the late post‐weaning period. The mRNA abundances of SCFAs transporters were greater (p < .001) on day 7 and 14. The absolute and relative weights, absolute length and perimeter of colon were greater (p < .001) on day 7 and 14. Similarly, post‐weaning increases (p < .001) in colonic crypt depth and Ki67 positive cells numbers per crypt were observed during the same period. Colonic crypt fission indices decreased (p < .01), while total crypt numbers increased (p < .001) on day 14 after weaning. Moreover, total SCFAs concentration was significantly associated with colonic growth parameters and Ki67 cells/crypt (p < .001). In addition, catalase content was decreased on day 3, 7, and 14, whereas, the concentrations of total superoxide dismutase (T‐SOD) and manganese‐containing superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) were higher (p < .05) on day 1 and 3 post‐weaning. These results showed that weaning process has a significant effect on colonic growth and development, which might be associated with the change of SCFAs concentrations in colon.     

光周期与氮肥互作对华农1号青饲玉米碳氮代谢相关酶的影响

于2005年3-7月,采用盆栽试验,设置3个不同光照长度处理和氮素水平,研究了不同光照时数及氮素水平对远缘玉米杂交种华农1号青饲玉米碳氮代谢相关酶活性的影响.结果表明,在苗期,16 h光照处理下植株叶片磷酸烯醇式丙酮酸羧化酶、蔗糖磷酸合成酶、蔗糖合成酶、谷氨酰胺合成酶和硝酸还原酶等酶的活性显著低于13和10 h光照处理;至抽雄期和收获期,13和10 h处理下植株叶片各种酶的活性下降速率较快,而16 h处理下酶活性下降缓慢且显著高于13和10 h处理.在抽雄期或收获期,16 h处理下叶片各种酶的活性均随施氮量的增加而增加,但在13和10 h处理下均有几种酶的活性在高氮素水平下出现下降的趋势.总的看来,在16 h光照处理下,植株苗期碳氮代谢相对较弱,到中后期代谢能力明显提高,且耐高氮能力也较强,收获期植株叶片酶的活性显著高于13和10 h处理.     

Effects of photoperiod on salsolinol‐induced prolactin secretion in goats

The aim of the present study was to clarify the relation between salsolinol (SAL)‐induced prolactin (PRL) release and photoperiod in goats. A single intravenous (i.v.) injection of SAL was given to adult female goats under short (8 h light, 16 h dark) or long (16 h light, 8 h dark) photoperiod conditions at two different ambient temperatures (20°C or 5°C), and the PRL‐releasing response to SAL was compared to that of thyrotropin‐releasing hormone (TRH) or a dopamine (DA) receptor antagonist, sulpiride. SAL, as well as TRH or sulpiride, stimulated the release of PRL promptly after each injection in both 8‐ and 16‐h daily photoperiods at 20°C (P < 0.05). The area under the response curve (AUC) of PRL for the 60‐min period after injections of saline (controls), SAL, TRH and sulpiride in the 16‐h daily photoperiod group was greater than each corresponding value in the 8‐h daily photoperiod group (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the AUC of PRL among the values produced after the injection of SAL, TRH and sulpiride in 16‐h daily photoperiod group; however, the values produced after the injection of TRH were smallest among the three in the 8‐h daily photoperiod group (P < 0.05). The PRL‐releasing responses to SAL, TRH and sulpiride under a short and long photoperiod condition at 5°C resembled those at 20°C. These results show that a long photoperiod highly enhances the PRL‐releasing response to SAL as well as TRH or sulpiride in either medium or low ambient temperature in goats.     

Effect of short‐term supplementation with rumen‐protected fat during the late luteal phase on reproduction and metabolism of ewes

This study was designed to study the effect of short‐term supplementation with rumen‐protected fat during the late luteal phase on reproduction and metabolism of sheep during breeding season. Seventy‐six ewes (Rahmani, Barki and Awassi × Barki) were allocated to two groups considering genotype: the control ewes (C‐group) received a maintenance diet, and the fat‐supplemented ewes (F‐group) received the maintenance diet plus 50 g/head/day of rumen‐ protected fat (Megalac) for 9 days during which oestrus was synchronized. The latter had been accomplished using double intramuscular injection of prostaglandin F_2α (PGF_2α) 11 days apart. Ovarian activity, serum concentration of cholesterol, glucose, insulin and reproductive performance variables were recorded. Data were analysed considering treatment (group) and genotype. Supplementation had positive effects on the overall mean serum concentrations of cholesterol (p < 0.05), glucose (p < 0.05) on day 6 of nutritional treatment and insulin (p = 0.07) on day 8. Fat supplementation did not affect the total number of follicles, follicle populations and ovulation rate. However, fat‐supplemented Rahmani ewes tended to have higher ovulation rate compared with other breeds (treatment × breed interaction, p = 0.06). Treatment also did not affect the mean concentration of serum estradiol or progesterone. Supplemented ewes had higher conception (p = 0.06) and lambing rates (p < 0.05) compared with control. In conclusion, short‐term supplementation with rumen‐protected fat as a source of energy around breeding time improved metabolism, conception and lambing rates of ewes without effects on steroidogenic capacity and ovarian activity being apparent.