The Effect of Harvest Moisture and Bale Wrapping on Forage Quality, Temperature, and Mold in Orchardgrass Hay

Effects of harvest moisture and bale wrapping on forage quality and mold formation in orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) hay have not been investigated. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of initial bale moisture and plastic wrapping on temperature, forage quality (protein, fiber components, and digestible energy), and mold formation in large round-baled orchardgrass hay. In all, 40 round bales of mature orchardgrass hay measuring 1.2 × 1.5 m² were baled at three different moisture ranges (eight bales per treatment): 124 to 166 g/kg (low moisture); 180 to 232 g/kg (intermediate moisture); and 259 to 337 g/kg (high moisture). Selected bales within each moisture range were individually wrapped in plastic (16 bales), and temperature sensors were placed in each bale for up to 10 weeks. The lowest (P ≤ .01) maximum temperature and heating degree-day accumulations were observed when initial bale moisture content was 124 g/kg or when hay was wrapped, regardless of initial moisture content. In 2008 and 2009, all wrapped hays resulted in similar forage quality (P ≤ .14) and mold counts (P = .94) compared with 124 g/kg moisture hay. Hay baled at 166 g/kg resulted in fiber (P ≥ .82) and mold (P = .21) components similar to higher moisture bales. Mold counts for hay baled at 166 g/kg and 124 g/kg moisture were 24.8 × 10⁶ and 2.7 × 10⁴ CFU/g, respectively, demonstrating that large round bales are prone to molding at relatively low moisture concentrations. Maintenance of forage quality and reduction in mold growth were achieved by baling dry (124 g/kg moisture) or wrapping round bales of orchardgrass hay up to 337 g/kg moisture.     

Trial design to estimate the effect of vaccination on tuberculosis incidence in badgers

The principal wildlife reservoir of Mycobacterium bovis in Ireland is the European badger. Studies in the Republic of Ireland (RoI) have shown that badgers culled in association with cattle herd tuberculosis breakdowns (focal culling) have a higher prevalence of infection than the badger population at large. This observation is one rationale for the medium term national strategy of focal badger culling. A vaccination strategy for the control of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in badgers is a preferred long-term option. The Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine has been shown to decrease disease severity in captive badgers under controlled conditions. As the vaccine has been tested in a controlled environment with precise information on infection pressure, it cannot be assumed a priori that the effects of vaccination are similar in the wild, where other environmental and/or ecological factors prevail. For this reason we have designed a vaccine field trial to assess the impact of vaccination on the incidence of TB infection in a wild badger population. The selected study area for the vaccine trial (approximately 755 square kilometers) is divided into three zones each of which has similar characteristics in terms of size, number of main badger setts, cattle herds, cattle and land classification type. Three vaccination levels (100%, 50% and 0%) will be allocated to the three zones in a way that a gradient of vaccination coverage North to South is achieved. The middle zone (zone B) will be vaccinated at a 50% coverage but zone A and C will be randomly allocated with 100% or 0% vaccination coverage. Vaccination within zone B will be done randomly at individual badger level. The objective of this paper is to describe the design of a field tuberculosis vaccination trial for badgers, the epidemiological methods that were used to design the trial and the subsequent data analysis. The analysis will enable us to quantify the magnitude of the observed vaccination effect on M. bovis transmission in badgers under field conditions and to improve our knowledge of the biological effects of vaccination on susceptibility and infectiousness.     

Ellagic acid inhibits oxidized low-density lipoprotein (OxLDL)-induced metalloproteinase (MMP) expression by modulating the protein kinase C-α/extracellular signal-regulated kinase/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ/nuclear factor-κB (PKC-α/ERK/PPAR-γ/NF-κB) signaling pathway in endothelial cells

Previous studies have shown that vascular endothelium-derived matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) contribute to the destabilization of atherosclerotic plaques, a key event triggering acute myocardial infarction. In addition, studies have reported that the PKC-MEK-PPARγ signaling pathway is involved in oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL)-induced expression of MMPs. Ellagic acid, a phenolic compound found in fruits and nuts, has potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancerous properties. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying its antiatherogenic effects remain to be clarified. This study aimed to assess whether the effects of ellagic acid on the fibrotic markers MMP-1 and MMP-3 are modulated by the PKC-ERK-PPAR-γ signaling pathway in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) that have been exposed to oxLDL. It was found that ellagic acid significantly inhibited oxLDL-induced expressions of MMP-1 and MMP-3. Pretreatment with ellagic acid and DPI, a well-known ROS inhibitor, attenuated the oxLDL-induced expression and activity of PKC-α. In addition, ellagic acid as well as pharmacological inhibitors of ROS, calcium, and PKC strongly suppressed the oxLDL-induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and NF-κB activation. Moreover, ellagic acid ameliorated the oxLDL-induced suppression of PPAR-γ expression. In conclusion, the data suggest that ellagic acid elicits its protective effects by modulating the PKC-α/ERK/PPAR-γ/NF-κB pathway, resulting in the suppression of ROS generation and, ultimately, inhibition of MMP-1 and MMP-3 expression in HUVECs exposed to oxLDL.     

Tomato responses to ammonium and nitrate nutrition under controlled root‐zone pH

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L. Mill. ‘Vendor') plants were grown for 21 days in flowing solution culture with N supplied as either 1.0 mM NO₃ ^‐ or 1.0 mM NH₄ ⁺. Acidity in the solutions was automatically maintained at pH 6.0. Accumulation and distribution of dry matter and total N and net photosynthetic rate were not affected by source of N. Thus, when rhizosphere acidity was controlled at pH 6.0 during uptake, either NO₃ ^‐ or NH₄ ⁺ can be used efficiently by tomato. Uptake of K⁺ and Ca²⁺ were not altered by N source, but uptake of Mg²⁺ was reduced in NH₄ ⁺‐fed plants. This indicates that uptake of Mg²⁺ was regulated at least partially by ionic balance within the plant.     

The Panama Tall and the Maypan hybrid coconut in Jamaica: did genetic contamination cause a loss of resistance to Lethal Yellowing?

We applied Bayesian population assignment methods to assess the trueness to type of four populations of the coconut cultivar Panama Tall (PNT) located in Jamaica and found that two of them presented a high percentage of off-types, while genetic contamination was low in the two others. The PNT is the pollen parent of the MAYPAN hybrid, which used to be planted in Jamaica to control an epidemic disease: Lethal Yellowing. The main source of contamination was the susceptible Jamaica Tall, thus increasing the susceptibility in the resulting MAYPAN progeny. The incidence of genetic contamination seems however to be insufficient to be the only cause of the latest outbreak of the disease. Neither the MAYPAN nor its parents can be said resistant in the present context of Jamaica.     

Supplemental pollination-increasing jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis L. [schneider]) seed yields in the Arid Chaco environment

Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis L. [Schneider]) is a wind-pollinated perennial shrub native to the Sonoran Desert. In recent years commercial plantations in Arizona and Catamarca, Argentina have dramatically decreased in size and number, going from 13,000 ha in the early 1980s to about 2,300 ha today. The main reason for this decrease is yields being lower than expected, with low pollination percentages considered the main source of the problem, although use of inferior genetic material has contributed to the problem. Artificial or supplemental pollination has been used successfully in other crops to increase yields, and it was thought that this could also be used for jojoba. A trial was carried out over two seasons in which pollen collected in Arizona, was mechanically applied to commercial fields in Catamarca. The first year yields were significantly (P < 0.05) greater in the fields in which pollen had been applied, than in the controls. The second year yields were not measured. Rather the number of capsules with fruit, aborts, and empty capsules were counted on a number of randomly selected branches. This technique gives a good estimate of yield, and the results showed that pollen application significantly (P < 0.05) increased expected yields. In conclusion, application of supplemental pollen increases jojoba yields and hence should be considered a viable option for commercial plantations. Additional work is required, however, to determine the correct application rate so as to minimize collection costs, and determine when application should take place to optimize efficacy.     

特殊大豆蛋白HP300对断奶仔猪生产性能影响的研究

选用４８头３０日龄断奶体重约７ｋｇ的杜长大三元杂交猪。随机分到２个处理组,每个处理３个重复,每个重复８头猪,对照组日粮为玉米－豆粕型日粮,试验组日粮在有等氨基酸水平基础上用ＨＰ３００替代普通豆粕,试验期２１ｄ。试验结果表明：断奶后第一周猪平均日增重以ＨＰ３００组为高,１７６．７ｇ／ｄ,比豆粕组高２３．１４％;第２周ＨＰ３００组猪的平均日增重显著高于豆粕组（Ｐ〈０．０５）,提高１６．３３％,但第３周