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).     

日粮蛋白质水平对育雏期绿头野鸭生长性能的影响

本研究选用刚出壳的绿头野鸭90只,随机分成3组,每组30只,分别饲喂能量相同,蛋白质水平分别为17.00%、19.00%、21.00%的饲粮,通过饲养和代谢试验研究不同蛋白质水平日粮对育雏期(0～4周龄)绿头野鸭生长性能的影响。结果表明,随着饲粮蛋白质水平的提高,蛋白质的代谢率逐渐下降,各组间差异不显著(P>0.05)。从饲料报酬的角度看,19.00%的蛋白质水平完全可以满足绿头野鸭育雏期(0～4周龄)的生长需要。     

不同营养水平补饲对湘东黑山羊肥育羔羊生产性能的影响

采用80只3~4月龄的湘东黑山羊羔羊,研究3种不同营养水平补饲对肥育羔羊日增重、经济效益的影响。分别在冬、春两个季节进行为期2个月的补饲。试验按完全随机单因子设计,每个季节设4个处理,即3个精料补饲组与1个对照组,每个处理10头湘东黑山羊。参考NRC(1981)的山羊饲养标准设计补充饲料配方,每个季节的3个补饲试验组饲粮的精粗比分别按30∶70、40∶60、50∶50确定,平均补饲量依次按100、200、300g/(d.只)。结果表明冬季补饲试验1、2、3组平均日增重分别为62.75、80.00和85.92g,分别比对照组提高42.06%、81.12%、94.52%,差异显著(P<0.05)或极显著(P<0.01)。春季补饲试验1、2、3组平均日增重分别为85.33、93.50和100.83g,分别比对照组提高38.00%、51.22%、63.08%,差异均为极显著(P<0.01)。从季节对补饲效果来看,冬季的高精料补饲与低精料补饲(精粗比=30∶70)差异显著;春季的精料补饲量对增重影响不大。冬季补饲以精粗料比40∶60为好,春季以30∶70为好。冬季补饲使试验1、2、3组比对照组增加利润分别为5.14、9.23、4.49元/只;春季补饲使试验1、2、3组比对照组增加利润分别为8.97、5.98、2.35元/只。经济效益比较好的补饲量是,冬季187.5g/d,春季154.1g/d。     

菜薹(菜心)土壤氮营养诊断指标及合理施氮量

在不同地点,不同肥力水平的菜园土上进行菜薹(菜心)氮肥田间试验,经过对17个试验点菜心相对产量与土壤碱解氮含量的相关统计分析,并建立回归方程。结果表明:菜心产量与土壤碱解氮含量呈抛物线相关,在质地为中壤土的菜园上种植菜心,土壤碱解氮含量为146~277mg·kg-1时无需施氮,低于此范围应补充氮肥,超过此范围应控制施氮;菜心产量与施氮量呈抛物线相关,在低、中、高肥力水平的菜园土上种植菜心,要求菜心达到6433~6455、6633~6877、6733~7311kg·hm-2的产量水平,推荐氮肥用量分别为67~104、67~89、67~78kg·hm-2。     

Haplotype analysis of β-actin gene for its association with sperm quality and boar fertility

β‐actin (ACTB) was examined as a direct functional candidate gene for the possible association with sperm concentration, motility (MOT), semen volume per ejaculate, plasma droplet rate, abnormal sperm rate (ASR) and the fertility traits, non‐return rate and number of piglets born alive (NBA). Three polymorphisms in intron 3 (T>C) and one polymorphism in exon 4 (T>C) of porcine ACTB gene were identified by comparative sequencing of animals of the breeds Pietrain and Hampshire. Association analysis revealed that haplotypes affected the variation of the traits MOT, ASR and NBA. The beneficial haplotypes may provide considerable improvement of sperm quality and fertility in the tested commercial boar population.     

Dam and Sire Effects on Sperm Penetration of the Perivitelline Layer of Eggs Produced by Two Strains of Commercial Turkeys

The reproductive performance of 2 commercial turkey breeder lines was examined using reciprocal crosses between sires and dams of each line. One line had been selected using artificial inseminations performed at biweekly intervals, whereas the second line had been selected using inseminations performed at weekly intervals. The hypothesis was proposed that sires and dams of the 2 lines differ because of different abilities for sperm to penetrate the inner perivitelline layer (IPVL) and fertilize eggs.Fertilized eggs to hatch poults for the experiment were obtained from the primary breeders and were incubated using conditions recommended by the industry. Hens (n = 72) and toms (n = 15) from each strain were identified and reared in preparation for a reproductive cycle using commercially accepted standards. Beginning just prior to the onset of egg production and at weekly intervals thereafter, half of the hens were inseminated with semen from males of the same line, whereas the remaining half received semen from the opposite line. Eggs were collected from the pens daily and set in incubators to determine fertility and embryo survival. At biweekly intervals 3 eggs per pen were used for counting sperm penetration holes in the IPVL. Data were collected for fertility, hatchability, and time that embryos died for each of the pens. Dam and sire affected IPVL penetration independently. A dam by sire interaction influenced fertility, whereas hatchability was affected only by dam. Thus, it is concluded that selection of dam and sires for commercial breeders alters IPVL sperm penetration ability of hens as well as egg-binding ability of sires.     

Effects of Cage Location and Tier Level with Respect to Light Intensity in Semiconfined Housing on Egg Production and Quality During the Late Laying Period

This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of cage location and tier level with respect to light intensity on egg production and egg quality of hens housed in a semiconfined facility. Hens (ISA Brown, n = 225) at 75 wk of age were placed into 3-tier cages as top (T), middle (M), and bottom (B) tiers located in cages illuminated artificially (EI), by window (FW), or between corridors (C) for 2 mo. Light intensity was measured monthly for each cage at 5 cm from feeders every 6 h. Egg production was recorded daily and egg quality was assessed biweekly. Light intensity was the greatest for cages in the FW group (151.9, 119.8, and 89.8 lx for tiers T, M, and B, respectively), followed by EI (52.6, 54.5, and 51.0 lx for tiers T, M, and B, respectively), and C (44.5, 23.4, and 4.7 lx for tiers T, M, and B, respectively). Hens at location EI had greater egg production than hens at FW and C. Egg production for hens at tier T was also greater than for hens at tiers M and B. Egg production for hens at EI and C decreased quadratically, whereas that for hens at FW decreased linearly from tiers T to B. Cage location, but not tier level, affected egg weight. Hens at EI and FW produced heavier eggs than hens at C. Shape index, yolk color, and yolk index were independent of cage location and tier level. Hens at EI and FW produced eggs with thinner and weaker shells than hens at C. Moreover, eggshell strength increased linearly from tier T to B. Both albumen index and Haugh unit were the greatest for hens at FW, followed by EI and C. Their responses to cage location varied with tier levels. In conclusion, variation in light intensity in multitier cage systems in semiconfined laying hen houses may be a contributing factor for depressed laying performance and egg quality.     

The effects of potato pulp and feeding level of supplements on digestibility, in situ forage degradation and ruminal fermentation in beef steers

Six ruminally cannulated Wagyu (Japanese Black) steers (average initial bodyweight (BW) 387 ± 29 kg) were used in a split‐plot design experiment, comprising a 3 × 3 Latin square design (whole plot) and a randomized block design (subplot). The whole plot treatments were three different feeding levels of supplemental diet, fed at 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6% of BW, on a dry matter (DM) basis. Subplot treatments were two different supplemental diets: a potato pulp silage‐based diet (PPS) and a grain‐based diet (GRAIN). Chopped, medium‐quality cool‐season grass hay (predominately Timothy, Phleum pratense L) was fed daily at 0.7% BW (on a DM basis) as the basal diet. Each period consisted of 21 d, which included 11 d of adaptation to the diets and 10 d of the collection period. Chromium oxide was used as an indigestible marker. In situ forage degradation was measured using the nylon bag technique. The dry matter intake increased (linear; P < 0.01) as the feeding level increased and was not affected by the diet. Digestibility was not affected by any treatments. The GRAIN diet tended to decrease the rate of in situ forage degradation as the feeding level increased, but this trend was not found in the steers fed the PPS diet. Steers fed the GRAIN diet had a lower (P < 0.1) ruminal pH compared with steers fed the PPS diet. Ruminal pH was not significantly affected by feeding level; however, it was numerically higher for steers supplemented at 0.2% per BW than that for the steers supplemented above 0.4% per BW due probably to the higher starch intake. The total volatile fatty acids concentration numerically increased as the feeding level increased and was not affected by the diet. Increasing the feeding level decreased (linear, P < 0.01) the proportion of acetate. Neither diet nor the feeding level had any effects on the proportion of ruminal propionate. The results suggested that, for steers fed the PPS diet, there are not adverse effects on forage digestion in the rumen that occur as the feeding level is increased.     

Bridging the Gap between Centrally Defined Policies and Local Decisions – Towards more Sensitive and Creative Rural Landscape Management

European policies and instruments such as the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and many instruments for nature and landscape conservation in Europe have for some decades been dominated by centralisation and standardisation. This paper shows that this has led to the neglect of contextual and place-related approaches and an unnecessarily high degree of over-simplification. Recently, as a reaction to this over-simplification, diversity and specific character has been particularly stressed in many European and national strategies for rural landscapes and conservation, but the processes of simplification still continue. Using examples from mixed agriculture and forestry landscapes in Portugal, Slovenia and Sweden, this paper aims to contribute to understanding the gap between centrally defined strategies for rural landscapes and awareness and management practices at local level. The three countries are situated at the outer fringes of Europe, and are complementary with their different degrees of urbanisation, forest distribution and tree-richness in the agricultural landscapes. Furthermore, the aim is to show how local landscape management is driven and to identify factors contributing to a better use of public policies through a participatory process with visions for the future. Systems of landscape classifications such as landscape character assessment often recognise the specific character of these landscapes, but have so far achieved very little for the preservation of their locally specific values, nor have they contributed to the development and the creation of new visions for future management. Such systems could contribute much more if they could be opened to adaptation on a more local scale in communication-led management planning.     

牛冷冻精液质量评估研究进展

人工授精(AI)是第一代动物繁殖生物技术,最近几十年以来,研究人员已经探索出了许多评估冷冻-解冻后精液品质的新技术。由于精子质膜在低渗条件下的功能状态、离子分布及浓度和各种细胞器的功能都与冷冻解冻后精子的存活能力相关,冻精质量的评定也从最初的形态和主观活率分析,发展到更精确的染色质、质膜完整性及分解代谢活性的分子变化分析。但是,在实际应用当中,许多方法花费很大,况且单个的评估参数都与动物精子实际的受精力相关性不强。因此,要提高牛冻精质量的预言强度,应该将这些独立的参数结合起来,利用多元回归分析,建立一套更完美更精确的评估体系。