Additive genetic and maternal effects on postweaning growth and carcass traits in rabbits

SUMMARY: Additive genetic and maternal effects were estimated for postweaning growth traits and carcass traits using a derivate-free REML procedure under animal model. The traits studied were weight at 84 days of age, age at slaughter, postweaning ADG, dressing percentage, weight of kidney and pelvic fat, and muscle pH value and electrical conductivity in the semimembranosus muscle. Heritability estimates from a total of 728 rabbits in a reciprocal crossbreeding experiment ranged from 0.15 to 0.26 for postweaning growth traits, 0.21 for dressing percentage, 0.38 for weight of kidney and pelvic fat, 0.02 for pH value, and 0.51 for electrical conductivity. Considerable maternal effects were present in postweaning growth traits and in weight of kidney and pelvic fat. Genetic correlation estimates indicated that genetic selection for postweaning daily gain would lead to lower dressing percentages (- 0.51) and leaner carcasses (- 0.34). The genetic relationships between ADG after weaning and pH value (- 0.90), and between ADG and electrical conductivity (0.58) illustrated a shifting towards a glycolytic energy metabolism of the muscle due to increased growth. Litter size at birth was found to be a significant source of variation for all postweaning growth traits (p < 0.001) and for electrical conductivity (p < 0.05). Genetic selection for litter size at birth would result in decreased growth rates, lower dressing percentage and enhanced adiposis. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG: Die Sch?tzung additiv-genetischer und maternaler Effekte auf Mastleistungs- und Schlachtk?rpermerkmale beim Kaninchen Additiv-genetische und maternale Effekte wurden für Mastleistungsmerkmale nach dem Absetzen und für Schlachtk?rpermerkmale anhand eines Tiermodells (DFREML-Methode) gesch?tzt. Bei den untersuchten Merkmalen handelt es sich um das 84-Tage-Gewicht, das Schlachtalter, Zunahmen nach dem Absetzen, Ausschlachtungsprozente, Nieren- und Beckenfettgewicht und um den pH-Wert und die elektrische Leitf?higkeit im M. semimembranosus. Die Heritabilit?tssch?tzungen an insgesamt 728 Tieren, die aus einem reziproken Kreuzungsversuch stammten, lagen bei den Wachstumsmerkmalen zwischen h(2) = 0,15 und h(2) = 0,26. Sie betrugen h(2) = 0,21 für die Ausschlachtungsprozente, h(2) = 0,38 für das Nieren- und Beckenfettgewicht, h(2) = 0,02 für den pH-Wert und h(2) = 0,51 für die Leitf?higkeitsmessung. Die Sch?tzung genetischer Korrelationen deutet an, da? eine genetische Selektion auf t?gliche Zunahmen nach dem Absetzen zu einer verringerten Ausschlachtung (- 0,51) und zu magereren Schlachtk?rpern führen würde. Die genetischen Beziehungen zwischen den Zunahmen und dem pH-Wert (- 0,90) und zwischen den Zunahmen und der elektrischen Leitf?higkeit (0,58) lassen eine Verschiebung in Richtung eines glykolytischen Muskelenergiestoffwechsels bei verst?rktem Wachstum erwarten. Die Wurfgr??e bei der Geburt stellt eine signifikante Variationsursache für die Mastleistungsmerkmale nach dem Absetzen (p < 0,001) una für die elektrische Leitf?higkeit (p < 0,05) dar. Bei einer Erh?hung der Wurfgr??e durch Selektion sind verminderte Wachstumsraten, geringere Ausschlachtungsprozente und verst?rkte Verfettung zu befürchten.     

Correct equations for comparing models in diallel analysis

SUMMARY: Correct equations are given to express the parameter estimates of four models for complete diallels as a function of the parameter estimates in the model of Eisen et al. (1983). In recent literature these equations have been partly incorrect. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG: Korrekte Gleichungen für den Vergleich von Modellen in der Diallelanalyse Für die Darstellung der Parametersch?tzwerte von vier Modellen für vollst?ndige Diallele als Funktion der Parametersch?tzwerte des Modells von Eisen et al. (1983), die in der Literatur teilweise fehlerhaft erfolgte, werden korrekte Formeln angegeben.     

The effects of acid rain and ozone on biomass and leaf area parameters of shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.)

Shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.) seedlings in 24 open-top chambers were exposed to combinations of ozone (carbon-filtered (control), ambient, 1.7 x ambient, and 2.5 x ambient) and acidic precipitation (pH 5.3, 4.3 and 3.3) for 16 months (1989 harvest) or 28 months (1990 harvest). Although the effects of acid rain were generally not significant, there was a trend toward increased aboveground biomass and leaf area in seedlings subjected to the low pH treatments. Because N concentrations in the soils generally increased with decreasing pH, we concluded that the effects of acid rain on aboveground biomass and leaf area were a consequence of an increasing concentration of soil N. In the 1989 harvest, seedlings in the 2.5 x ambient ozone treatment had significantly less biomass in all aboveground plant components and significantly less total leaf area than seedlings in the 1.7 x ambient ozone treatment. In the 1990 harvest, there were no significant effects of ozone on total aboveground biomass, although there was a trend toward reduced biomass in seedlings in the 2.5 x ambient ozone treatment. Both total leaf area and leaf biomass were significantly less in seedlings exposed to 2.5 x ambient ozone for 28 months than in both control seedlings and seedlings in the 1.7 x ambient ozone treatment. The greater, but not always significant, aboveground biomass and leaf area of seedlings in the 1.7 x ambient ozone treatment compared with control seedlings may be associated with the observed increase in soil nitrate concentration as a result of increased rates of leaf senescence and litterfall.     

Scale of heterogeneity of forage production and winter foraging by elk and bison

The relationship between fine-scale spatial patterns of forage abundance and the feeding patterns of large ungulates is not well known. We compared these patterns for areas grazed in winter by elk and bison in a sagebrush-grassland landscape in northern Yellowstone National Park. At a fine scale, the spatial distribution of mapped feeding stations in 30 m × 30 m sites was found to be random where there were no large patches devoid of vegetation. In areas similar to the mapped sites, the underlying spatial distribution pattern of biomass was also determined to be random. At a broad scale, forage biomass differed among communities across the northern range but forage quality did not. These results suggest that ungulates are feeding randomly within forage patches (fine scale) but may select feeding sites based upon forage abundance at broader, landscape scales. Contrary to what has been suggested in other systems, ungulates were not overmatching at finer scales.     

Skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic calcium regulation and sudden death syndrome in chickens

1. Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) is a disease of well‐developed, predominandy male broiler chickens where death appears to occur because of cardiovascular failure. The role of skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic calcium regulation as a potential cause of SDS has been investigated.

2. Calcium regulation of skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum was compared between broiler and Leghorn chickens. Calcium regulation matured from the 2nd to the 11 th week and, at any age, broiler chickens showed significandy lower calcium transport rates and transport efficiencies. The mechanism of calcium transport in broiler chickens was more energy‐consuming than that of the Leghorn chickens.

3. Sarcoplasmic calcium regulation is pivotal for muscle metabolism. As in porcine malignant hyperthermia, weaker calcium regulation might lead to hyperactivation of skeletal muscle, followed by elevated lactic acid concentrations and cardiovascular failure.