The Recipients' Parity Does Not Influence Their Reproductive Performance Following Non‐Surgical Deep Uterine Porcine Embryo Transfer

With the development of the non‐surgical deep uterine (NsDU) embryo transfer (ET) technology, the commercial applicability of ET in pigs is now possible. There are, nevertheless, many factors that influence NsDU‐ET effectiveness that need to be addressed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the weaned recipients' parity on fertility and prolificacy following NsDU‐ET. The recipients (n = 120) were selected based on their reproductive history and body condition and grouped into three categories according to their parity: primiparous sows, sows of parity 2 and sows of parities from 3 to 5. Thirty fresh embryos (morulae and unhatched blastocysts) were non‐surgically transferred into one uterine horn of each recipient. It was possible to insert the NsDU‐ET catheter through the cervix along a uterine horn in 98.3% of the recipients. The parity had no influence on the difficulty grade of the insertions or on the percentage of correct insertions. The cervix and uterine wall were not perforated during the insertions, and vaginal discharge was not observed after transfer in any of the recipients. There were no differences in the pregnancy rates (74.8%), farrowing rates (71.2%) or litter sizes (9.6 ± 3.3) between groups. Also, there were no differences between groups regarding to the piglets' birthweights or piglet production efficiency. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that weaned sows from parity 1 to 5 are appropriate to be used as recipients in NsDU‐ET programs, which increase the possibilities for the utilization of ET in the recipient farms.     

Gene body-specific methylation on the active X chromosome

Differential DNA methylation is important for the epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Allele-specific methylation of the inactive X chromosome has been demonstrated at promoter CpG islands, but the overall pattern of methylation on the active X(Xa) and inactive X (Xi) chromosomes is unknown. We performed allele-specific analysis of more than 1000 informative loci along the human X chromosome. The Xa displays more than two times as much allele-specific methylation as Xi. This methylation is concentrated at gene bodies, affecting multiple neighboring CpGs. Before X inactivation, all of these Xa gene body-methylated sites are biallelically methylated. Thus, a bipartite methylation-demethylation program results in Xa-specific hypomethylation at gene promoters and hypermethylation at gene bodies. These results suggest a relationship between global methylation and expression potentiality.     

不同日龄混合柄瘤蚜茧蜂对寄主虫龄的选择及子代蜂发育表现

对同一头混合柄瘤蚜茧蜂雌蜂连续观察5 d,比较其对蚕豆蚜若蚜和成蚜的选择,并观察了子代蜂的发育特性。结果表明:5日龄蜂对不同虫龄蚜虫的寄生率无显著差异,子代蜂羽化率和雌性比亦无显著差异,但寄生2、3龄若蚜的子代雌蜂体型显著大于寄生其他蚜虫的子代雌蜂,寄生3龄若蚜的子代雄蜂显著大于寄生成蚜的子代雄蜂。在其他日龄(1～4)蜂中,1、4日龄蜂对不同龄若蚜的寄生率无显著差异,但均高于对成蚜的寄生,2、3日龄蜂对2龄若蚜的寄生偏好显著高于对更高虫龄的寄生;3日龄蜂的子代蜂羽化率在各虫龄蚜虫之间无显著差异,其他日龄蜂寄生低龄若蚜的子代羽化率高于寄生较高虫龄蚜虫;寄生中间龄期若蚜(3、4龄)的子代蜂雌性比显著高于寄生1龄或成蚜的子代蜂;1日龄蜂子代雌蜂体型在不同虫龄蚜虫间无显著差异,但2～4日龄蜂寄生2、3龄若蚜的子代雌性体型大于寄生1龄、4龄或成蚜的子代雌蜂;1、2日龄蜂的子代雄蜂体型在各虫龄蚜虫间无显著差异,3、4日龄蜂寄生中间龄期若蚜的子代雄性体型大于寄生1龄若蚜或成蚜。根据本研究结果推测,与低龄蜂相比高龄蜂对寄主品质要求更高,其幼虫对寄主的调节能力更强。     

Effect of Recombinant Bovine Somatotropin on Plasma Concentrations of Insulin‐like Growth Factor I,Insulin and Membrane Integrity of Bull Spermatozoa

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the exogenous recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) on plasma concentrations of insulin‐like growth factor I (IGF‐I), insulin and semen quality of bulls. Twenty bulls (Aberdeen Angus and Brangus) were divided by breed into two groups. Placebo group was injected with NaCl 0.9% (s.c.) and treatment group with rbST (s.c., 500 mg) at days 0 and 14 of the experiment. Immediately after semen collection, blood samples were taken on days 0, 14, 28, 42 and 56 of the experiment. Semen was also collected on day 70 of the experiment. Evaluation of sperm motility was performed at pre‐freezing and post‐thawing stage, whereas assessment of sperm membrane integrity was performed after freezing and thawing. Analysis of data revealed that the effect of treatment and treatment‐by‐collection day on plasma concentrations of IGF‐I and insulin was not significant. However, mean plasma concentrations of IGF‐I and insulin were affected (p < 0.0001) by days of blood sampling. Effect of treatment and treatment‐by‐collection day on motility of spermatozoa was similar (p > 0.05) at pre‐freezing and post‐thawing stage. Intactness of plasmalemma and tail membrane of spermatozoa at post‐thawing stage was higher (p < 0.05) in rbST‐treated group than in control. In conclusion, rbST did not affect plasma concentrations of IGF‐I and insulin, however, it did improve post‐thaw sperm membrane integrity.     

Development of Y‐chromosome‐Specific SCAR Markers Conserved in Taurine,Zebu and Bubaline Cattle

Sex pre‐selection of bovine offsprings has commercial relevance for cattle breeders and several methods have been used for embryo sex determination. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has proven to be a reliable procedure for accomplishing embryo sexing. To date, most of the PCR‐specific primers are derived from the few single‐copy Y‐chromosome‐specific gene sequences already identified in bovines. Their detection demands higher amounts of embryonic genomic material or a nested amplification reaction. In order to circumvent this, limitation we searched for new male‐specific sequences potentially useful in embryo sexing using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) assay reproducibility problems can be overcome by its conversion into Sequence Characterized Amplified Region (SCAR) markers. In this work, we describe the identification of two bovine male‐specific markers (OPC16₃₂₃ and OPF10₁₁₆₈) by means of RAPD. These markers were successfully converted into SCARs (OPC16₇₂₆ and OPF10₉₈₄) using two pairs of specific primers.Furthermore, inverse PCR (iPCR) methodology was successfully applied to elongate OPC16₃₂₃ marker in 159% (from 323 to 837 bp). Both markers are shown to be highly conserved (similarity ≥95%) among bovine zebu and taurine cattle; OPC16₃₂₃ is also highly similar to a bubaline Y‐chromosome‐specific sequence. The primers derived from the two Y‐chromosome‐specific conserved sequences described in this article showed 100% accuracy when used for identifying male and female bovine genomic DNA, thereby proving their potential usefulness for bovine embryo sexing.     

绥化市北林区农机化发展经验探讨

绥化市北林区农机事业在黑龙江省起步比较早,与全省其他市县一道,通过近两代农机人的共同努力,积累了丰富的工作经验。为此,对改革开放以来北林区农机工作进行较系统的总结,旨在为今后优化农机化发展决策提供参考.     

Associations between Theileria orientalis Ikeda type infection and the growth rates and haematocrit of suckled beef calves in the North Island of New Zealand

AIMS: The principle aim of this study was to examine the association between infection with Theileria orientalis Ikeda type and growth rates of suckled beef calves on four beef farms. In addition, associations between calf sex, sampling time, and individual farm and T. orientalis Ikeda type infection intensity and haematocrit (HCT) were investigated.

METHODS: The study was a prospective longitudinal study in which 240 calves from four purposively selected beef farms in the North Island of New Zealand were blood sampled and weighed in late spring, mid-summer and early autumn. Two farms were from high-risk (A and B) and two from low-risk (C and D) tick areas. Blood samples were analysed to determine HCT, and the number of T. orientalis Ikeda type organisms/µL of blood (infection intensity) using a quantitative PCR assay. A calf was defined as infected if >415 organisms/µL were detected in a blood sample. Linear mixed models were used to examine associations between infection intensity, mean daily liveweight gain (MDG), HCT, calf sex and time of sampling on the four farms.

RESULTS: On Farms A and B nearly all calves were infected at each sampling time, on Farm C <30% were infected at any sampling and on Farm D infection prevalence increased from 32 to 79% between late spring and early autumn. On Farms C and D, from mid-summer to early autumn, mean MDG was 0.127 (95% CI=0.072–0.183) kg/day less for infected than uninfected calves (p<0.001). On all farms MDG was negatively associated with infection intensity for mid-summer and early autumn sampling times (p=0.037). The relationship between time of sampling and infection intensity varied between farms (p<0.001), and between male and female calves (p=0.018). Females had a higher infection intensity than males at the mid-summer and early autumn samplings. The association between HCT and infection intensity varied with sampling time and farm (p=0.018). There was a strong negative association between infection intensity and HCT at the late spring sampling, but in mid-summer there was no association, and in early autumn only a weak association.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study has shown that beef farmers in the North Island of New Zealand should be concerned about the welfare effects and economic impacts of T. orientalis Ikeda type infection in suckled beef calves.