Modulation of broilers’ caecal microflora and metabolites in response to a potential probiotic Bacillus amyloliquefaciens

Studies have found that a dietary supplement of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens improved the growth performance, increased the nutrient digestibility of hosts and modulated the intestinal microflora. A total of 360 1‐day‐old Ross broilers were randomly divided into three treatments: a control group with a basal diet, an antibiotic group with a basal diet and added colistin sulphate, and a probiotics group with a basal diet and added Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. The HiSeq high‐throughput sequencing analysis of 16S rRNA was used to investigate the differences in birds’ caecal microflora, and metabolomics was used to analyse changes in caecal metabolites. Results showed that the supplementation of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens significantly improved the BW and ADG compared with the control birds. Results of sequencing indicated that (i) 645, 670, 596 unique operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were found in birds supplemented with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens on day 7, 21 and 42, separately, (ii) due to the diversity and relative abundance of the birds’ caecal microflora, the OTUs of the caecal microflora clustered according to age and treatment, except on day 42, (iii) among the six predominate families (Ruminococcaceae, Lachnospiraceae, Enterobacteriaceae, Erysipelotrichaceae, Lactobacillaceae and Rikenellaceae), the supplementation of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens significantly increased Enterobacteriaceae on day 42, (iv) Bacillus amyloliquefaciens increased the relative abundance of Faecalibacterium and Ruminococcus on day 21, increased the Faecalibacterium and Blautia and decreased the Ruminococcus on day 42. The metabolomics of caecal metabolites showed that the dietary Bacillus amyloliquefaciens changed the caecal metabolites involved of amino acid metabolism and glyceride metabolism, and the antibiotics changed the caecal metabolites that were related to carbohydrates and amino acid metabolism on day 21.     

Efficacy of essential oils combination on performance,ileal bacterial counts,intestinal histology and immunocompetence of laying hens fed alternative lipid sources

This study was carried out to assess the effects of a blend of herbal essential oils (namely Thymus vulgaris, Mentha piperita, Rosmarinus offisinalis and Anethum graveolens) and different dietary lipid sources on the performance, ileal bacterial enumeration, intestinal histological alterations and immune responses in laying hens. For this purpose, a total of 150 laying hens were randomly allocated to six experimental treatments with five replicates of five birds each. Dietary treatments consisted of three levels of a mixture of essential oils (0, 100 and 200 mg/kg) and two sources of lipid (soybean oil and fish oil containing different ratios of n‐6 to n‐3 fatty acids) fed to the animals during an 80‐days feeding trial. Findings indicated that dietary administration of fish oil not only increased significantly the spleen relative weight (p < 0.01) and the antibody titre against Newcastle virus (p < 0.05) but also led to reductions in liver relative weight (p < 0.05) and feed conversion ratio (p < 0.05). Moreover, the mixture of herbal essential oils brought about declines in hepatic relative weight, heterophile to lymphocyte ratio (p < 0.05) and intestinal pathogen populations (p < 0.01). Mention must also be made of the improvements it made in spleen weight (p < 0.01), antibody titres against SRBC (p < 0.01) and Newcastle virus (p < 0.05), villus height to crypt depth ratio (p < 0.01), goblet cell numbers (p < 0.05), lamina propria lymphatic follicle diameters (p < 0.01) and feed conversion ratio (p = 0.06). It may be claimed that the enhancements observed in the performance of laying hens fed fish oil and 200 mg/kg of the blend of essential oils could have potentially been associated with improved intestinal health indices as well as cellular and humoral immune responses.     

Methyl donors dietary supplementation to gestating sows diet improves the growth rate of offspring and is associating with changes in expression and DNA methylation of insulin‐like growth factor‐1 gene

The study aimed to investigate the effects of maternal dietary methyl donors on the performance of sows and their offspring, and the associated hepatic insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1) expression of the offspring. A total of 24 multiparous sows were randomly fed the control (CON) or the CON diet supplemented with methyl donors (MD) at 3 g/kg betaine, 15 mg/kg folic acid, 400 mg/kg choline and 150 μg/kg VB₁₂, from mating until delivery. After farrowing, sows were fed a common lactation diet through a 28‐days lactation period and six litters per treatment were selected to be fed until at approximately 110 kg BW. Maternal MD supplementation resulted in greater birthweight (p < 0.05) and increased the piglet weights (p < 0.01) and litter weights (p < 0.05) at the age of day 28, compared with that in CON group. The offspring pigs in the MD group had greater ADG (p < 0.05) and tended to lower F:G ratio (p = 0.07) compared with that of CON group from day 28 to 180 of age. The offspring pigs from MD group had greater serum IGF‐1 concentrations and expressions of hepatic IGF‐1 gene and muscular IGF‐1 receptor (IGF‐1r) protein at birth (p < 0.05), and greater hepatic IGF‐1 protein (p = 0.03) and muscular IGF‐1r gene expressions (p < 0.05) at slaughter, than that from the CON group. Moreover, the methylation at the promoter of IGF‐1 gene in the liver of newborn piglets and finishing pigs was greater in the MD group than that of the CON group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, maternal MD supplementation throughout gestation could enhance the birthweight and postnatal growth rate of offspring, associated with an increased expression of the IGF‐1 gene and IGF‐1r, as well as the altered DNA methylation of IGF‐1 gene promotor.     

Influence of organic phosphorus on reproductive performance and metabolic profiles of anoestrous Farafra ewes in subtropics at the end of breeding season

The effect of organic phosphorus on metabolic, haematological and hormonal status, restoration of ovarian functions and conception rate in anoestrous Farafra ewes in subtropics were evaluated. Anoestrous Farafra ewes (n  = 24; 34.72 ± 0.52 kg body weight) were allocated into two equal groups: control and phosphorus groups. The ewes of phosphorus group were treated with sodium 4‐dimethylamino‐2‐methyl‐phenyl‐phosphonate as an organic bound phosphorous twice a week for successive 3 weeks. Ovarian follicle development and corpora lutea were checked three times a week till occurrence of oestrus using ultrasonography while pregnancy was confirmed at 30 days post‐service. Plasma metabolites, reproductive hormones, thyroid hormones and minerals were detected at weeks ?2, ?1, 0 (mating day) and + 4 weeks post‐oestrus. Phosphorus group had significantly (p  < .05) short interval to oestrous resumption if compared to control ewes (2.1 ± 0.8 weeks vs . 4.6 ± 1.1 weeks). In addition, phosphorous supplementation significantly (p  < .05) increased the number of antral follicles (developed and their sizes in addition to sizes of corpora lutea (8.72 ± 0.3 mm vs . 7.46 ± 0.9 mm) as well. Number of services per conception (2.6 vs . 1.4; p  < .01) was higher in control group than that of phosphorus group. Pregnancy rate (80 vs . 50%) was significantly (p  < .01) higher in phosphorus group when compared to control. White blood cells in treated ewes (10.8 ± 0.44; p  < .05) and monocytes (2.93 ± 0.13; p  < .01) were higher than that of control group (white blood cells; 9.53 ± 0.50 and monocytes; 2.24 ± 0.14). Metabolic parameters did not differ between phosphorus and control groups during different times of treatment. It could be concluded that phosphorous administration to anoestrous Farafra ewes in subtropics could improve reproductive performance and restore ovarian activity at the end of spring and early summer.     

拖拉机电液耦合转向试验平台设计与硬件在环试验

针对电液耦合转向方案转向特性尚不明晰、转向数据采集和记录困难等问题，提出一种硬件在环拖拉机电液耦合转向试验平台设计方案。平台参数设计过程主要考虑功率损耗，为了满足电液耦合转向系统的性能要求，进行精度设计与量程设计。通过总体参数设计，得到电动助力、液压助力和阻力加载系统的参数计算模型，并基于AMESim建立电液耦合转向系统的控制与机械模型仿真进行了参数优化。通过基于dSPACE以及PXI的硬件在环控制方案，进行了各类转向工况试验验证，验证结果表明：阻力加载模拟系统能根据不同的地面条件、行驶工况等参数实现动态加载，响应速度和控制精度均能实现田间阻力模拟要求；电液助力转向系统能够产生较好的平滑助力，具有良好的转向路感；控制系统能与各传感器硬件协同配合，使拖拉机电液耦合转向试验平台具有良好的响应特性，能够真实还原拖拉机转向过程。     

The effect of depopulation and restocking on reproductive and growth performances on Japanese commercial swine farms

This study compared the reproductive and growth performances of pigs before and after depopulation and restocking after a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Japan. Data for the time period before and after depopulation and restocking were obtained from three farrow-to-finish farms. As a result of depopulation and restocking, hygiene levels were improved, and common infectious diseases, such as porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome and Aujeszky’s disease, remained undetected on the farms. Compared with before depopulation, reproductive and growth performances improved after depopulation; the number of total pigs born was higher, the postweaning mortality rate was lower, and the age at slaughter was lower (P<0.05). In summary, depopulation and restocking improved the reproductive and growth performances of pigs.     

Effects of Medium-chain Triglyceride on Growth Performance and Serum Biochemical Indices in Broilers

The study was conducted to investigate the effects of medium-chain triglyceride replacing the soybean oil in the basal diet on growth performance and serum biochemical indices of broilers.One hundred and forty four healthy,similar body weights AA broilers at the age of 14 days were randomly assigned to four groups with six replicates ger group and six broilers per replicate.Groups A,B,C and D were respectively fed with 0,0.6%,1.2% and 2% medium-chain triglyceride substituted the equivalent amount of soybean oil (using corn flour to balance the energy levels in each group) .The test lasted for 28 days and the indexes were measured once every two weeks.The results showed that the average daily gain and average daily feed intake of groups B,C and D were higher than that of group A,and the F/G was lower than group A.The average daily gain of groups C and D at 28 to 42 days old and group D at 14 to 42 days old were significantly higher than that of group A (P < 0.05).The serum glucose,total content of amino acid,total protein and albumin of groups B,C and D at age of 28 and 42 days old were higher than that of group A,while the serum triglyceride,total cholesterol and urea nitrogen levels were lower.The total cholesterol content at 42 days old and triglyceride concentrations at 28 days old of group C were significantly lower than those of group A (P < 0.05).The results indicated that medium-chain triglyceride could raise average daily gain and reduce the total cholesterol content and triglyceride concentrations of broilers,which were useful for improving the growth performance.     

沙地生境不同播期对紫花苜蓿生产性能及其越冬率的影响

为确定科尔沁沙地种植苜蓿（Medicago sativa）的适宜播期，本研究于2017年在内蒙古阿鲁科尔沁旗，选择骑士T、公农1号、擎天柱3个紫花苜蓿品种，7月1日开始播种，每5天播种1期，共10个播期，分析播期、生产性能、越冬率之间的关系。结果表明：建植当年苜蓿播种越晚干草产量越低，骑士T干草产量在7月21日播期显著降低（P<0.05），公农1号干草产量在7月16日播期显著降低（P<0.05），擎天柱干草产量在7月11日播期显著降低（P<0.05）；随播种时期的推迟，苜蓿株高、单枝条重呈降低的变化趋势，单位面积株数和枝条数呈先增加后降低的变化趋势；苜蓿越冬率从播期7月16日开始显著降低，公农1号在7月16日以前播种越冬率显著高于骑士T和擎天柱（P<0.05）；播种翌年第1茬苜蓿干草产量和株高随着播期的推迟而逐渐降低，2，3茬则无明显变化；苜蓿单位面积株数和枝条数都随播期的推迟呈降低的变化趋势，随着刈割茬次的增加，苜蓿的株数逐渐降低。因此，在科尔沁沙地种植紫花苜蓿最佳播期为7月1日—7月16日。     

沃柑在桂林市种植表现及品质特性

为了解优良晚熟杂柑沃柑在桂林市的种植表现，引进沃柑品种并进行试种和调查分析。结果表明，沃柑在桂林市2月下旬果实成熟，平均单果质量186.65g，果实可溶性固形物和可溶性糖含量分别为14.16%和 8.91%；定植4年后平均单株产量达34.01kg，平均单位面积产量和产值分别为44893.2 kg/ha和35.91万元/ha。沃柑在桂林市综合表现较好，在柑橘品种改造中可选择作为优良品种进行推广。     

12份燕麦品种在阿鲁科尔沁旗地区的生产性能研究

【目的】筛选适宜内蒙阿鲁科尔沁旗地区种植的燕麦品种。【方法】对12份燕麦(Avena sativa)品种的生育期、草产量、茎叶比、营养特性等进行测定和分析,并运用灰色关联度分析法对各品种的生产性能进行综合评价。【结果】12份供试燕麦品种均能在阿鲁科尔沁旗地区完成整个生育期,表现出较好的适应性,生育期为83～94 d,其中枪手的生育期最短(83 d),爱沃的生育期最长(94 d)。贝勒二代和牧王的株高均达到100 cm以上。枪手、贝勒二代和牧王的干草产量较高,分别为9.99,8.69和8.59 t/hm~2。贝勒二代的茎叶比最低(1.12),适口性最好;美达的茎叶比最高(3.19)。爱沃和贝勒二代的粗蛋白含量(质量分数)较高,分别为12.20%和11.90%;太阳神、贝勒二代和领袖的中性洗涤纤维及酸性洗涤纤维含量较低,领袖和贝勒二代的相对饲喂价值较高。灰色关联度分析表明,综合评价排在前2位的燕麦品种为贝勒二代和牧王,其加权关联度分别为0.838 2和0.799 1。【结论】燕麦品种贝勒二代和牧王综合表现最好,适宜在阿鲁科尔沁旗地区推广种植。