The value of incorporating carcass trait phenotypes in terminal sire selection indexes to improve carcass weight and quality of heavy lambs

Genetic selection for carcass traits is paramount to maximize the profitability and long‐term sustainability of any meat‐producing livestock species. The main objectives of this research were to evaluate the efficiency of indicator traits for the genetic improvement of lamb carcass traits and to determine the value of including carcass traits into terminal sire selection indexes for the Canadian sheep industry. The carcass traits included hot carcass weight (HCW), fat depth at the GR site (FATGR) and average carcass conformation score (AVGCONF), and were measured on heavy lambs (slaughter age less than 365 days and HCW greater than 16.3 kg) in commercial abattoirs. Growth traits were found to be moderately efficient indicator traits for the genetic improvement of HCW but selection on ultrasound traits was necessary to substantially improve the carcass quality traits (FATGR and AVGCONF). Economic selection indexes were designed by adding various combinations of carcass traits into the Canadian Sheep Genetic Evaluation System terminal indexes. Records measured on individuals and progeny were assumed to be the sources of information for live animal and carcass traits, respectively. The changes in index accuracy, efficiency and expected correlated response were used to assess the value of their inclusion. HCW was found to have a large economic value, and its inclusion into terminal selection indexes was expected to substantially increase their accuracy (0.08–0.12 points) and efficiency (20%–30%). However, further including FATGR (measured 110 mm from the carcass midline over the 12th rib) and AVGCONF had little impact on the accuracy (≤0.03) and efficiency (1%–7%) of the proposed indexes. Thus, the inclusion of carcass traits into the existing terminal selection indexes could be beneficial for the genetic improvement of HCW, but further research is needed to determine optimal methods of increasing carcass fatness and muscularity.     

口感化及颗粒化开食料对早期断奶羔羊生长和胃肠道发育的影响

分析探讨口感化及颗粒化开食料对早期断奶羔羊生长和胃肠道发育的影响。选取新生健康的双羔湖羊公羔42只,随机分为两组,分别饲喂颗粒化和口感化开食料,试验期42 d。两组羔羊21日龄之前的采食量、体重和绝对生长的变化趋势相似。21日龄以后,口感化开食料组羔羊的采食量、体重、绝对生长和相对生长均明显高于颗粒化开食料组,42日龄体重、后两周的采食量及15～21日龄的相对生长率在两组间有显著差异(P < 0.05)。口感化开食料还显著提高(P < 0.05)了羔羊42日龄时的育肥指数、体长指数、胸围指数、管围指数和断奶前的瘤胃质量和瘤胃/胴体。以上结果表明,与颗粒化开食料相比,口感化开食料更有利于羔羊早期断奶前后的瘤胃发育、采食量提高、体重和体尺的发育,但对其他胃室及肠道发育没有影响。     

计算机视觉技术在智慧羊场中的研究进展

智慧羊场具有科学化、标准化管理的优点,是羊场转型发展的趋势。计算机视觉技术是人工智能的核心,可以实现非接触性、自动化、实时监测羊的个体信息。本文总结并分析了计算机视觉在羊场的个体识别方法、行为识别方法、体尺与体重估测、疾病监测的研究现状,并指出计算机视觉在智慧羊场的进一步发展趋势。 [关键词] 计算机视觉|智慧羊场|个体识别|行为识别|体尺与体重估测|疾病监测     

香猪基因组外显子SNPs检测及繁殖和体型性状候选基因分析

为从基因组水平上探究香猪性成熟早、产仔数少、体型小的分子机理,本研究下载与香猪在繁殖和体型性状方面有明显差异的梅山猪、杜洛克猪的重测序数据作为参照,对26头香猪、24头梅山猪和24头杜洛克猪的重测序数据进行SNPs检测和等位基因频率差值分析,筛选香猪基因组外显子上与梅山猪、杜洛克猪高度分化的SNPs位点,并使用AS-PCR方法和Sanger测序方法统计其中8个SNPs位点的群体等位基因频率。最后,对含有高度分化SNPs位点的基因进行GO功能富集和KEGG通路分析。结果显示,SNPs检测获得香猪基因组外显子上SNPs共236 710个,包括193个终止密码子丢失、1 238个终止密码子获得、90 945个错义SNPs和144 334个同义SNPs。得到1 046个香猪高度分化SNPs,包括429个错义SNPs、2个终止子丢失、6个终止子获得和609个同义SNPs,影响524个蛋白质编码基因;并发现X染色体上44-58 Mb的一段富含高度分化SNPs的热点区域。群体等位基因频率验证结果与重测序结果一致,鉴定了8个位点均为香猪与梅山猪、杜洛克猪高度分化的SNPs。对524个含有高度分化SNPs的基因进行GO和KEGG分析,富集到卵母细胞减数分裂、雌激素信号途径等繁殖相关通路;GO功能注释到细胞内雌激素受体信号、纤毛运动等繁殖相关条目,骨骼系统形态发生、骨骼发育、成骨细胞分化等体型相关条目。得到含有香猪高度分化SNPs的18个繁殖性状候选基因PTGFR、TRO、DNAH17、PKDREJ、KAT8、DNAI2、VDR、TEX14、QSOX1、AR、WNK3、ADCY3、SPEF1、MIGA2、SLC2A8、PSMF1、TBC1D20、IFT172和7个体型相关基因IBSP、NR6A1、HSPG2、TARS、PDZD2、FGF4、AMER1,可能是决定香猪性成熟早、产仔数少、体型小的关键基因。     

德州驴生产性能的初步研究

德州驴是优秀的皮肉兼用驴,包括“三粉驴”和“乌头驴”两个品系,但是关于德州驴的研究较少。为了向驴产业提供可靠的德州驴生产性能数据,该研究以40头三粉驴和9头乌头驴为研究对象,系统研究了德州驴的体尺性状、屠宰性能、脏器系数及胸腰椎数等性状特点。结果表明,三粉驴的屠宰率为54.02%,净肉率为42.43%,净皮率为8.12%;乌头驴的屠宰率为53.71%,净肉率为40.32%,净皮率为9.41%。表明三粉驴更适合于向肉用驴品系进行培育,乌头驴更适合于向皮用驴品系进行培育。与乌头驴相比,三粉驴的肝脏系数较高,并且小肠、盲肠显著较长(P<0.01),说明三粉驴具有更加优良的消化及代谢能力,可能是其具有更优异产肉性能的原因之一。调查发现,德州驴群体内存在胸腰椎数的变异,胸椎数为17~19个,腰椎数为5~6个;胸椎数与腰椎数存在不同形式的组合,18胸椎5腰椎占比为73.47%,18胸椎6腰椎占比为12.24%,19胸椎5腰椎占比为2.04%,17胸椎6腰椎占比为12.24%。统计发现,多一个胸椎或者腰椎可使驴皮产量增加。该试验结果可为德州驴产业健康可持续发展提供重要理论支撑,为品种及新品系培育提供数据支持。     

Soil aggregate formation and stability induced by starch and cellulose

Soil aggregate (SA) can be formed and stabilized when soil organic matter (SOM) is decomposed in the soil. However, the relationships between the SA dynamics and SOM with different decomposition rates have not been clarified. Therefore, this study examined the effects of the addition of polysaccharides to soil on SA formation and stability. A Japanese tropical soil was incubated for 99 d at 30 °C in a dark environment following the addition of 0.5% (w/w) starch or cellulose. The decomposition rates of the amendments, and SA formation and stability were evaluated by measuring soil respiration rates, and distribution fractions of soil aggregate sizes and mean weight diameter (MWD) of SA, respectively. The cumulative soil respirations with all treatments rapidly increased until Day 12 of the incubation. The initial slope of the cumulative soil respiration in the soil with starch was significantly higher than that in the soil with cellulose. In either soil with starch or cellulose, the fractions of macro-aggregates (>1000 μm in diameter) significantly increased, respectively, compared with control soil. However, the fractions of meso-aggregates (250–1000 μm) and nano-aggregate (<20 μm) in the soil with starch significantly decreased, while those fractions in the soil with cellulose fluctuated until Day 6. The MWDs reached the maximum on Day 6, indicating the SA formation in the soils with starch or cellulose. The increasing rate of the SA formation in the starch-amended soil was greatly higher than that in the cellulose-amended soil. After Day 6, the MWDs in the soils with either polysaccharide decreased with similar trends with no significant differences between treatments, indicating similar stability of the SA in both treatments. This study showed that the different decomposability of the organic amendments might influence the SA formation differently, but not the SA stability.     

基于PSR模型的兰州市土地生态安全时空差异评价

研究了兰州市2006~2013年土地生态安全的时空差异。主要依据PSR模型建立评价指标体系,运用熵权法与综合评价法对不同时期兰州市及各县区土地生态安全状况进行分析。结果表明:(1)兰州市土地生态安全由2006年的"恶劣"状态转变为2013年的"良好"状态;(2)土地生态压力指数从0.176下降为0.145,土地生态状态与土地生态响应指数分别从0.063、0.160提升到0.295、0.290;(3)区域内空间分布差异较为明显,土地生态状态改善与响应增强主要集中在土地生态压力过大的地方。据此可知,兰州市土地生态结构和功能基本完善,已步入良好阶段,但是各县区土地生态空间分布差异较大。     

FEASIBILITY FOR USING HYPOFRACTIONATED STEREOTACTIC VOLUMETRIC MODULATED ARC RADIOTHERAPY (VMAT) WITH ADAPTIVE PLANNING FOR TREATMENT OF THYMOMA IN RABBITS: 15 CASES

Thymoma is a relatively common tumor in rabbits. Treatment with surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy alone or in combination has been reported with varying outcomes. Stereotactic volumetric modulated arc radiotherapy delivered in a hypofractionated manner allows high doses of radiation to be delivered to the target volume while allowing sparing of adjacent critical structures. This therapy is ideally suited for thymomas in rabbits given their size, the difficulty of multiple anesthesia episodes and the complexity of the radiotherapy plans required due to the tumor's proximity to the heart, lungs, and mediastinal structures. Fifteen rabbits with thymoma were prospectively recruited for this observational, single institution, single arm clinical study. All rabbits were imaged with both computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A total dose of 40 Gy in six fractions was delivered using a single arc over an 11‐day period with repeat CT simulation done every other fraction for adaptive planning. Follow‐up evaluation was done through repeat CT and MRI imaging and revealed complete responses using the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) criteria. Two rabbits had died at 618 and 718 days, 10 were alive and three were lost to follow‐up. Observed acute and late effects were graded according to the Veterinary Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (VRTOG) criteria and were found to be minimal.     

IMAGING DIAGNOSIS—URETHROVAGINAL FISTULA CAUSED BY A MIGRATING GRASS AWN IN THE VAGINA

A young intact female dog was presented with urinary incontinence. Abdominal ultrasound revealed the presence of hyperechoic linear structures within the cranial vagina suggestive of foreign material. A computed tomography (CT) retrograde vaginourethrogram demonstrated the presence of a fistulous tract between the urethra and vagina. A presumptive diagnosis of urethrovaginal fistula due to migration of foreign material was made. The grass awn was removed with vaginoscopic‐guided retrieval. Fourteen days later, surgical repair of the fistula and an ovariohysterectomy were done. This case report emphasizes the usefulness of CT for diagnosis and precise anatomical localization of genitourinary tract fistulas.