Cloning of Inhibin-α Gene and its mRNA Expression Pattern in the Ovary of Congjiang Xiang Pig

To reveal the relationship between inhibin-α(INHA) gene and the reproductive traits of Congjiang Xiang pig, INHA gene was cloned and sequenced taking the genomic DNA of Congjiang Xiang pigs as templates by polymerase chain reaction(PCR) method.The polymorphisms of INHA gene were tested in Congjiang Xiang pig populations with high-litter size and low-litter size using allele-specific PCR(AS-PCR) method.The expression profile of INHA gene in ovaries was detected from Congjiang Xiang pigs with high-litter yiled or low-litter yiled by Real-time PCR method.The complete coding region of INHA gene was 1095 bp in length, which coded for 364 amino acid residues.Compared with the known sequence, two candidate sites, G359A and A373G, were found out from exon 2 region of INHA gene in Congjiang Xiang pig.After investigation for the two sites in a large population, the frequency of alleles between two populations was not significant and without obvious relativity with the litter yiled of Congjiang Xiang pig.However, the INHA mRNA level in the ovary of Congjiang Xiang pig with high-litter yiled was higher than that with low-litter yiled.It suggested that INHA gene was much conserved, INHA gene expression level might be concerned for the regulation of ovary growth and follicle development in Congjiang Xiang pig breed.     

Expression Analysis of THBS3 Gene in Different Tissues and Skeletal Muscles at Different Periods from Landrace and Tongcheng Pigs

To study the expression pattern of THBS3 gene in different tissues and during skeletal muscle development, the THBS3 gene expression in different tissues and skeletal muscles during prenatal periods (33, 45, 65, 70 and 90 d) and postnatal periods (0, 9, 30, 60, 120 and 160 d) from Landrace and Tongcheng pigs were detected by Real-time quantification PCR.The results showed that THBS3 gene widely expressed in all tissues examined, exhibiting similar spatial expression patterns with expression peaks in lung in both pig breeds except in stomach and intestine.Moreover, although THBS3 gene showed a significant higher expression level in gestation than after birth in Landrace and Tongcheng pigs (P<0.05), it exhibited different expression patterns between Landrace and Tongcheng pigs, the expression peak was detected at gestation day 45 in Landrace pig, while was detected at gestation day 65 in Tongcheng pig.The results suggested that THBS3 gene involved in skeletal muscle growth and development in pigs, as well as the regulation of asynchronization of skeletal muscle development in different pig breeds.     

Rearing conditions affected responses of weaned pigs to organic acids showing a positive effect on digestibility,microflora and immunity

Three experiments were conducted to assess the response of weaned pigs to organic acid SF3, which contains 34% calcium formate, 16% calcium lactate, 7% citric acid and 13% medium chain fatty acids. Dietary treatments had no effect on growth performance of piglets (21‐day weaning) fed the commercial prestart diet for 1 week before receiving the experimental diets supplemented with SF3 at 0, 3 or 5 g/kg diet (Exp. 1), whereas diarrhea frequency averaged across a week was decreased by SF3 supplementation (5 g/kg diet) in piglets fed the experimental diets immediately after weaning (Exp. 2). In Exp. 3, piglets (28‐day weaning) were fed the control (containing pure colistin sulfate and enramycin, respectively, at 20 mg/kg diet) for 1 week and then were fed the control or SF3‐supplemented (5 g/kg diet) diet for 2 weeks. The SF3‐fed piglets had greater apparent ileal digestibility of calcium and dry matter, while also demonstrating greater overall gross energy, up‐regulated jejunal expression of sodium‐glucose cotransporter‐1 and transforming growth factor‐β, down‐regulated jejunal expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α, higher ileal Lactobacillus, with lower total bacteria content, lower plasma TNF‐α but higher IgG levels than the control‐fed piglets. Collectively, SF3 consumption improved diarrhea resistance of weaned pigs by improving nutrient digestibility, piglet immunity and intestinal bacteria profile. © 2016 Japanese Society of Animal Science     

两种有效的预测方法理论分析及实践

预算实际上是一种建模,即根据过去和现在已有的信息建立一个从过去引伸到未来的模型。而时序分析法和灰色系统理论是两种有效的预测方法。为此,介绍了这两种预测方法的原理,并预测了新疆兵团的农机情况。其结果表明:未来10年,新疆农机总动力和投入将会有较大幅度的增长,而农业机械化程度将趋于最高值。     

高度重视小型农机具利用率减少资源浪费

为解决随着大、中型联合作业机具和跨区作业的发展．农村中占机具总量大部分的小型机具出现闲置．造成了农机资源的浪费问题，提出了4条提高利用率的途径和农机主管部门应做好的5项工作。     

Finding niches for whole-farm design models – contradictio in terminis?

Whole-farm design models quantitatively analyze the effects of a variety of potential changes at the farm system level. Science-driven technical information is confronted with value-driven objectives of farmers or other social groupings under explicit assumptions with respect to exogenous variables that are important drivers of agricultural systems (e.g., market conditions). Hence, farm design is an outcome of objective specification and the potential of a system. In recent publications, whole-farm design modelling has been proposed to enhance (farm) innovation processes. A number of operational modelling tools now offers the opportunity to assess the true potential of whole-farm design modelling to enhance innovation. In this paper, we demonstrate that it is not trivial to find niches for the application of goal-based farm models. Model outcomes appeared not to match questions of farm managers monitoring and learning from their own and other farmers’ practices. However, our research indicates that whole-farm design modelling possesses the capabilities to make a valuable contribution to reframing. Reframing is the phenomenon that people feel an urge to discuss and reconsider current objectives and perspectives on a problem. Reframing might take place in a situation (i) of mutually felt dependency between stakeholders, (ii) in which there is sufficient pressure and urgency for stakeholders to explore new problem definitions and make progress. Furthermore, our research suggests that the way the researcher enters a likely niche to introduce a model and/or his or her position in this niche may have significant implications for the potential of models to enhance an innovation process. Therefore, we hypothesize that the chances of capitalizing on modelling expertise are likely to be higher when researchers with such expertise are a logical and more or less permanent component of ongoing trajectories than when these researchers come from outside to purposefully search for a niche.     

Conversion to organic arable farming in The Netherlands: A dynamic linear programming analysis

Several studies show that organic farming is more profitable than conventional farming. However, in reality not many farmers convert to organic farming. Policy makers and farmers do not have clear insight into factors which hamper or stimulate the conversion to organic farming. The objective of this paper is to develop a dynamic linear programming model to analyse the effects of different limiting factors on the conversion process of farms over time. The model is developed for a typical arable farm in The Netherlands central clay region, and is based on two static liner programming models (conventional and organic). The objective of the model is to maximise the net present value over a 10-year planning horizon. The results of the analysis of a basic scenario show that conversion to organic farming is more profitable than staying conventional. In order to arrive at the actual profitable phase of organic farming, the farmer has to pass through the economically difficult 2-year conversion period. Sensitivity analysis shows that if depreciation is 25% higher than conventional fixed costs due to machinery made superfluous by conversion, conversion is less profitable than staying conventional. Also the availability of hired labour, which can be constrained in peak periods, has a strong effect on the cropping plan and the amount of area converted. Further analysis shows that a slight drop (2%) in organic prices lowers the labour income of the farmer and makes conversion less profitable than conventional farming. For farmers, a minimum labour income can be required to ‘survive’. The analysis shows that constraint on minimum labour income makes stepwise conversion the best way for farmers to overcome economic difficulties during conversion.     

陇东旱塬农作物生态潜力研究

在分析了陇东旱塬什字塬区农业资源的基础上,运用“农业生态区域法”(AEZ)估算了该区主要农作物的资源生产潜力,分析了限制农田生产力的主要因素,提出了进一步挖掘潜力的战略途径.