A case study of improving milking cow performance and milking system performance with using a flow simulator

Efforts to improve dairy performance have been focused on increasing milk productivity of cows through improved feeding systems and genetic potential. However, methods for evaluating milking system performance based on milk productivity have not yet been established. Milking system performance was evaluated by measuring the claw vacuum at five flow rates (1.9–8.7 kg/min) produced using a flow simulator for a single eight‐swing milking parlor with a high‐line system. Based on these results, a double eight‐parallel milking parlor with a low‐line system was installed and tested. Farmers can take data obtained from evaluations of milking system performance into account for future management decisions, such as renewing the milking system. By renewing the milking system, average milking productivity, somatic cell linear score (LS) of bulk milk, and LS of each cow were significantly improved in the year after installing the new system (p < .01). In addition to checking conventional milking systems, this novel diagnostic method using a flow simulator can be used for checking new installations and also for proposing renovations.     

Mercury Speciation in the Water of Minamata Bay, Japan

The speciation of mercury (Hg) in Minamata Bay (Japan) was studied over a 2-year period (2006?C2008). Concentrations of dissolved total Hg, dissolved methylmercury (MeHg), particulate total Hg, and suspended solids were 0.43?±?0.14 ng/l (mean?±?standard deviation), 0.10?±?0.06 ng/l, 3.04?±?2.96 ng/l, and 5.94?±?2.10 mg/l, respectively. Correlations between concentrations of particulate total Hg and suspended solids at four depths (surface: 0 m; mid-depth: ?6 m, ?10 m; and bottom +1 m layer) were only significant in the bottom +1 m layer. The mean dissolved MeHg concentration and the ratio of dissolved MeHg to dissolved total Hg were considerably higher in summer compared to other seasons. The data suggest that bottom sediment was not the sole source of MeHg, and that MeHg may be produced in the water column by the conversion of divalent Hg eluted from resuspended bottom sediment. The correlation between seawater characteristics such as salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), and dissolved MeHg concentration indicates that Hg methylation could be influenced by the heterotrophic activity of microorganisms in the seawater. In particular, inverse correlations were observed between DO, salinity, and MeHg concentration. However, dissolved MeHg concentrations did not correlate with seawater characteristics such as pH or chlorophyll-a.     

Identification and characterization of intergeneric hybrid of commercial sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrid) and Erianthus arundinaceus (Retz.) Jeswiet

To generate drought-tolerant sugarcane, we obtained hybrid lines by the intergeneric hybridization of a Saccharum spp. hybrid with Erianthus arundinaceus. A test using 5S rDNA as a marker identified five intergeneric hybrid lines with a production efficiency of approximately 3 %. There was difficulty in maintaining these hybrid lines because they were weak, and one line only survived. We examined the amount of roots and polyphenol content of the roots, which are related to drought tolerance, in the surviving line. Although the shoot–root ratio, an indicator of the amount of roots, was high in sugarcane and low in E. arundinaceus, the shoot–root ratio of the hybrid line was intermediate between those of the parents. Regarding the polyphenol content of the roots, only the surface of a root sample was stained by NaNO₃ in sugarcane, whereas the entire cross section of a root sample was stained in E. arundinaceus. For the hybrid line, the entire cross section of the root was faintly stained. From these results, we concluded that the roots characteristics were introduced by the intergeneric hybridization between a Saccharum spp. hybrid and E. arundinaceus.     

Insect growth regulating activity of 1,5-disubstituted imidazoles against Bombyx mori and Oncopeltus fasciatus

Seventeen 1,5-disubstituted imidazoles possessing a variety of substituents were tested on Bombyx mori and Oncopeltus fasciatus. All compounds induced precocious metamorphosis from 4th-instar larvae of B. mori. Of the compounds tested, 1-benzyl-5-[(E)-2,6-dimethyl-1,5-heptadienyl]imidazole (KK-42) was the most active against B. mori larvae. However, none of the compounds induced precocious metamorphosis in O. fasciatus nymphs, although several showed delayed toxicity. Treated nymphs died during or immediately after the moult. A series of 1-isobutylimidazoles exhibited high activity against O. fasciatus, whereas KK-42 was inactive even at high doses. There was no apparent correlation between the ability of imidazoles to cause precocious metamorphosis in B. mori and the delayed toxicity for O. fasciatus.     

Ruminal fermentation and microbial ecology of buffaloes and cattle fed the same diet

Although buffaloes and cattle are ruminants, their digestive capabilities and rumen microbial compositions are considered to be different. The purpose of this study was to compare the rumen microbial ecology of crossbred water buffaloes and cattle that were fed the same diet. Cattle exhibited a higher fermentation rate than buffaloes. Methane production and methanogen density were lower in buffaloes. Phylogenetic analysis of Fibrobacter succinogenes‐specific 16S ribosomal RNA gene clone library showed that the diversity of groups within a species was significantly different (P < 0.05) between buffalo and cattle and most of the clones were affiliated with group 2 of the species. Population densities of F. succinogenes, Ruminococcus albus and R. flavefaciens were higher until 6 h post‐feeding in cattle; however, buffaloes exhibited different traits. The population of anaerobic fungi decreased at 3 h in cattle compared to buffaloes and was similar at 0 h and 6 h. The diversity profiles of bacteria and fungi were similar in the two species. The present study showed that the profiles of the fermentation process, microbial population and diversity were similar in crossbred water buffaloes and crossbred cattle.     

Genome‐wide association studies reveal additional related loci for fatty acid composition in a Duroc pig multigenerational population

The aim of the present study was to detect quantitative trait loci affecting fatty acid composition in back fat and intramuscular fat in a Duroc pig population comprising seventh‐generation pedigrees using genome‐wide association studies (GWAS). In total, 305 animals were genotyped using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) array and five selected SNPs from regions containing known candidate genes related to fatty acid synthesis or metabolism. In total, 24 genome‐wide significant SNP regions were detected in 12 traits, and 76 genome‐wide suggestive SNP regions were detected in 33 traits. The Sus scrofa chromosome (SSC) 7 at 10.3 Mb was significantly associated with C17:0 in intramuscular fat, while the SSC9 at 13.6 Mb was significantly associated with C14:0 in intramuscular fat. The SSC12 at 1.0 Mb was significantly associated with C14:0 in back fat and the SSC14 at 121.0 Mb was significantly associated with C18:0 in intramuscular fat. These regions not only replicated previously reported loci containing some candidate genes involved in fatty acid composition (fatty acid synthase and stearoyl‐CoA desaturase) but also included several additional related loci.     

Purification and characterization of a lipolytic enzyme active at low temperature from Norwegian Typhula ishikariensis group III strain

An extracellular lipolytic enzyme active at low temperature was purified from the culture filtrate of the snow mold fungus, Typhula ishikariensis group III, strain 6-1-1. The molecular mass of enzyme was approximately 83 kDa (SDS-PAGE). The lipolytic enzyme was most active for p-nitrophenyl palmitate at 30 –C (pH 9.0). The lipolytic activity was 23.4% of the maximum at 4 –C, the temperature of culture. Thus, the isolated T. ishikariensis lipolytic enzyme is thought to represent a new member of a group of enzymes active at low temperature.     

Characterization of tetraploid plants regenerated via protoplast culture of Iris fulva and their crossability with Japanese irises

Characteristics such as flower form, size and color of outer and inner perianths, anthocyanins in outer perianths, size, color and fertility of pollen and self-fertility of diploid and tetraploid lines regenerated via protoplast culture of Iris fulva were examined and compared with those of the diploid wild line. Among these characteristics, flower form, inner and outer perianth sizes of the tetraploid lines were noticeable, because these lines had upward flower forms and bigger flowers than diploid lines. Furthermore, reciprocal crosses between diploid or tetraploid lines of I. fulva and I. ensata and those of I. fulva and I. laevigata were performed. Three seedlings were obtained from the cross of tetraploid I. fulva × diploid I. laevigata through embryo rescue. One of them was identified as the interspecific hybrid between tetraploid I. fulva and I. laevigata by flow cytometoric (FCM), cytological and molecular (RAPD) analyses. This is the first report on production of hybrids from these lines. I. fulva has unique brown flowers, and this trait could be very useful for flower color breeding of I. laevigata which lacks this color. Therefore, the hybrid of I. fulva (4×) × I. laevigata may be the best available gene source for brown color breeding of this species.