An Outbreak of Gangrenous Syndrome among Buffaloes and Cattle in West Bengal: Clinicopathological Studies

Gangrenous syndrome/Degnala disease was recorded in a large number of buffaloes and cattle in Murshidabad district of West Bengal, India. Fusarium spp. had been isolated from the mouldy paddy straw which were fed to the animals. There was a reduction in the incidence of the disease following withdrawal of the mouldy paddy straw. Histopathological examination showed necrosis and loss of architectural details in the skin.     

Transmission of Theileriosis in the Traditional Farming Sector in the Southern Province of Zambia during 1995–1996

The incidence of first contact with the protozoan Theileria parva was determined in three traditional cattle herds in the Southern Province of Zambia in 1995 and 1996. The majority of first contacts occurred during the dry season in June, July and August, at a time of nymphal activity and in the absence of Rhipicephalus appendiculatus adults, indicating that larva to nymph transmission plays a more prominent role than nymph to adult transmission under the prevailing conditions.     

秦川牛运铁蛋白多态性与体尺、体重性状的关系分析

秦川牛运铁蛋白 (Tf)多态性与体尺、体重性状之间的关系分析表明 :( 1 )秦川牛体尺、体重的优势基因为TfD1与TfE ;( 2 )在胸深性状上 ,TfEF型的LSE值极显著地大于其它各基因型值 (P <0 .0 1 ) ,TfD1E、TfD1D2 、TfAA、TfEE、TfD2 E、TfD1D1、TfD2 D2 、TfAD1的LSE值显著地大于TfD2 F值 (P <0 .0 5) ;( 3)其他 8个性状各基因型值间差异不显著 (P >0 .0 5)。     

The effect of pig farming on copper and zinc accumulation in cattle in Galicia (north-western Spain)

Copper and zinc are frequently added at high concentrations to pig diets as growth promoters. Livestock grazing pasture contaminated with pig slurry may, therefore, be at risk from excessive intake of these elements. High liver copper concentrations have been detected in cattle from the agricultural region of Galicia (NW Spain), especially where there is intensive pig farming. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether pig farming does affect accumulation of copper and zinc in cattle in Galicia. Hepatic copper and zinc concentrations in calves were elevated in areas with naturally high levels of these elements in the soil. The densities of young pigs (piglets and growing-finishing pigs), but not reproductive sows, also influenced copper accumulation in calves. Liver copper levels in calves were significantly and positively related to the density of young pigs in the region. In areas with the highest pig densities, more than 20% of the cattle analysed had hepatic copper concentrations that exceeded the potentially toxic concentration of 150 mg/kg fresh weight. There was no evidence that zinc accumulation in calves was affected by pig density.     

全株玉米青贮饲养肉牛最佳日粮组合模式研究

对肉牛常用饲料进行营养价值评定,并选择36头6～24月龄西杂肉牛分4组分别采食不同组合日粮,试验期63～68 d.结果表明,不同饲料之间蛋白含量、有效降解率和有效能含量存在较大的差异.肉牛代谢体重干物质采食量与日粮粗蛋白含量之间存在极显著正相关关系,日增重随代谢体重采食量的增加呈直线增加,经济效益随肉牛日增重的增加而增加.以青贮 秸秆 0.5 kg肉牛浓缩料、青贮 秸秆 2 kg肉牛精料补充料、青贮 牧草 0.5 kg肉牛浓缩料、青贮 牧草 2 kg肉牛精料补充料日粮组合分别饲养西杂肉牛,日增重(ADG)分别为0.66 kg、0.90 kg、0.92 kg、1.08 kg;体况评分(BCS)分别增加0.33分、0.42分、0.56分、0.69分;日盈利分别为3.44元、4.22元、4.70元、4.41元.说明,以全株玉米青贮 优质牧草粗饲料组合饲养肉牛,再补饲含高蛋白和能促进肉牛生长及提高纤维饲料消化率的瘤胃微生物所必须矿物质的肉牛浓缩料或肉牛精料补充料,可使肉牛达到较好的增重,并获得较高的收益.     

饲料中添加烟酸对夏季奶牛产奶性能的影响

试验选取9头泌乳早期处于热应激的荷斯坦牛,采用3×3拉丁方设计,分别饲喂基础日粮(对照组)和在基础日粮中添加5g/d和10g/d烟酸日粮,研究添加烟酸对奶牛生产性能影响。结果表明:添加5g/d和10g/d烟酸可使奶牛产奶量分别提高13.20%和9.39%(P<0.05);而4%标准乳量无显著差异(P>0.05);添加烟酸对乳蛋白和乳脂率无显著影响(P>0.05)。     

秦川牛血液蛋白多态性与繁殖性状关系的研究

采用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳技术测定了秦川牛（148头）血红蛋白（Hb）、运铁蛋白（Tf）、后运铁蛋白（PTf）、血清白蛋白（Alb）和后白蛋白（Pa）的遗传多样性。分析了各多态座位不同基因型与秦川牛若干繁殖性状的关系。结果表明：HbAA型母牛的初情期年龄（AFS），初产年龄（AFC）极显著早于HbAB型母牛（P〈0．01）。TfAA型母牛的初情期和初产年龄显著早于TfDD型母牛（P〈0．05）。PTf SS型母牛的初情期显著早于PTf FS型母牛和PTf FF型母牛（P〈0．05）。Alb AA型母牛的初情期显著早于Alb AC型母牛（P〈0．05）。Tf A基因对D基因的替代平均效应值初情期提前1．68d，初产年龄提前19．89d。AlbA基因对B基因的替代平均效应值初情期提前8．06d。     

鲁西黄牛体细胞克隆保种技术的研究

以体外培养的鲁西黄牛耳皮肤成纤维细胞作核供体，研究利用体细胞克隆技术保存我国地方黄牛优良品种的技术方法。通过组织块培养法建立的鲁西黄牛（1♂，4♀）成纤维细胞系，作为核移植供体细胞，利用屠宰场母牛卵巢卵母细胞经体外培养成熟后作为核受体进行核移植，试验结果表明：重构胚的融合率为62．5％（242／387），分裂率为63．6％（154／242），体外培养第7天囊胚发育率为42．9％（66／154）。体外培养第7天的囊胚的内细胞团细胞（ICM）与滋养层细胞数平均为37和47，ICM占44．2％。体外发育到7d的囊胚新鲜胚胎的移植妊娠率（新鲜胚胎）移植受体10头，60d妊娠率为20％（2／10）。     

The effect of quality of grass and maize silage on the intake and performance of beef cattle

A study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of incorporating high (HMS) and low (LMS) maturity maize silages into diets based on low (LGS) and high (HGS) feed value grass silages offered to beef cattle. Seventy-two continental cross-bred steers were used in a 14-week continuous design, randomised block experiment. The six treatments were arranged as a 2 × 3 factorial design incorporating the LGS and HGS offered as the sole forage, along with each of the two grass silages offered in a 60:40 ratio (DM basis) with the HMS and LMS. All diets were supplemented with 3 kg/head/day concentrates. Total daily DM and metabolisable energy intakes were higher (P < 0.001) for diets based on HGS compared to those based on LGS. Intakes were similar (P > 0.05) between diets containing LMS and HMS, both of which were higher (P < 0.001) than diets containing grass silage as the sole forage. Highest DM intakes were recorded with a mixture of HGS and HMS (P < 0.05 or greater). Cattle offered diets containing HGS had higher live-weight gain (P < 0.05), final live weight, carcass gain and carcass weight (P < 0.001) than those offered diets containing LGS. Feed conversion efficiency, assessed on a carcass gain basis, was poorer (P < 0.05) with diets containing LGS compared with those containing HGS, though differences between diets containing either LMS or HMS and GS as the sole forage were not significant (P > 0.05).     

Longevity of Swiss Brown cattle in different housing systems in Switzerland

A Weibull mixed survival model was used to study the effect of a change in the housing system on length of productive life (LPL) in dairy cows. The data set included records on 71,469 Swiss Brown cows in 1674 farms in eastern and central Switzerland. About 36% of the records were right-censored. The observation period lasted from January 1, 1988 to May 1, 2001. During this period, 517 farms changed their housing conditions from a tie-stall barn to a loose housing system. Besides a random time-dependent effect of herd–year–season, the model included fixed effects of housing system, lactation number and stage of lactation, within herd and parity production level (all time-dependent), and age at first calving (time-independent). All effects had a significant effect on LPL at a level of p < 0.001. Cows in loose housing systems showed the lowest risk ratios of being culled (0.93) compared to the reference system tie-stall barn (1.00). The highest relative culling rate (1.09) was observed within the changing period from tie-stall barn to loose housing system. Within the first three lactations, the relative culling risk increased stepwise with lactation stage. The hazard slightly increased from first until lactation number 8 and higher. The relative culling rates were highest (2.22) for cows yielding less than 90% compared to herd-mates of the same lactation number, whereas the lowest risk ratios were estimated for animals yielding more than 110% compared to their reference group (0.64). When heifers were older than 3 years at first calving, there was a tendency towards a higher relative culling risk (1.06).