Growth,Reproductive Performance,Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality in F1 and F2 Progenies of Somatic Cell-Cloned Pigs

The objective of this study was to examine the health and meat production of cloned sows and their progenies in order to demonstrate the application of somatic cell cloning to the pig industry. This study compared the growth, reproductive performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality of Landrace cloned sows, F1 progenies and F2 progenies. We measured their body weight, growth rate and feed conversion and performed a pathological analysis of their anatomy to detect abnormalities. Three of the five cloned pigs were used for a growth test. Cloned pigs grew normally and had characteristics similar to those of the control purebred Landrace pigs. Two cloned gilts were bred with a Landrace boar and used for a progeny test. F1 progenies had characteristics similar to those of the controls. Two of the F1 progeny gilts were bred with a Duroc or Large White boar and used for the progeny test. F2 progenies grew normally. There were no biological differences in growth, carcass characteristics and amino acid composition among cloned sows, F1 progenies, F2 progenies and conventional pigs. The cloned sows and F1 progenies showed normal reproductive performance. No specific abnormalities were observed by pathological analysis, with the exception of periarteritis in the F1 progenies. All pigs had a normal karyotype. These results demonstrate that cloned female pigs and their progenies have similar growth, reproductive performance and carcass quality characteristics and that somatic cell cloning could be a useful technique for conserving superior pig breeds in conventional meat production.     

猪氟烷基因对繁殖性能的影响初探

本文采用PCR—RFLP技术检测了德阳市种畜场“九五”期间长白猪选育群第三世代123个个体的氟烷基因型,并统计分析了其中80头母猪(NN型52头,Nn型28头)头胎繁殖性状受氟烷敏感基因(Haln)影响的情况。研究结果表明,该猪群中Haln基因的频率为13.82%;NN型个体35日龄断奶成活率显著高于Nn型个体,在其他繁殖性状上二者间无显著差异,研究结果为全面了解Haln基因的遗传效应及其合理利用提供了理论依据和参考。     

Effects of Using Live Grass Shrimp (Palaemonetes varians) as the only Source of Food for the Culture of Cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis (Linnaeus, 1758)

The life cycle of cuttlefish fed ad libitum exclusively on live grass shrimp (Palaemonetes varians) was studied during 5 consecutive generations. Different culture temperatures promoted different (P < 0.05) exponential growth for each life cycle, being summer generations shorter than those of winter. Higher temperatures promoted higher IGR’s and mortality, while lower temperatures promoted increased life span, reproduction stages, total fecundity and total egg biomass. Increased generations also seemed to increase fertility. A “hybrid” generation promoted the best results in terms of hatchling weight, individual fecundity and fertility. Mean egg weight was related to female size and embryonic development took longer at lower temperatures. Brood stock sex ratios seemed to be temperature related. All of these culture aspects were also compared between themselves in order to establish future brood stock methodologies. Grass shrimp proved to be a good diet for the culture of cuttlefish throughout the life cycle. The use of only one species reduces costs and labor associated to cuttlefish culture.     

Ionic composition and osmolality of paddlefish (Polyodon spathula, Acipenseriformes) seminal fluid

Changes in ionic composition as Na⁺,K⁺, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺, osmolality inseminal fluid, percentage of motile spermatozoaand velocity were investigated in response toCPP and different dosage of LHRHa. The lowestvelocity of sperm was observed after use CPPtreatment. The velocity of spermatozoa,significant main effect of the treatment(P < 0.0001) and the time of sperm collection(P < 0.0104) were evaluated. The osmolality ofseminal fluid was different betweenexperimental groups of LHRHa (48.0–62.7mOsmol.kg^–1) and CPP (33.0–46.3mOsmol.kg^–1) treatments. The osmolalitywas significantly higher on the first day andone-half, then declined on day three, rangingfrom 33.0 to 62.7 mOsmol.kg^–1. Analysisof variance showed significant main effects ofthe treatment (P < 0.0001) and the time ofsperm collection (P < 0.0002) on the osmolalityof seminal fluid. The level of Na⁺ andK⁺ ion was different between experimentalgroups of LHRHa and CPP treatment. The highestconcentration of 11.11 mmol.l^–1 wasobserved at Na⁺ ion. Then theconcentrations declined on the level 1.56, 0.52and 0.36 mmol.l^–1 for K⁺, Ca²⁺and Mg²⁺ ions, respectively. There werehighly positive correlations between osmolalityof seminal fluid and dosage of LHRHa treatment(r = 0.84), velocity of spermatozoa andosmolality of seminal fluid (r = 0.57) andosmolality of seminal fluid and Na⁺concentration at seminal fluid (r = 0.70).Injection with LHRHa increased quality of spermas velocity of sperm, level of Na⁺,K⁺ and osmolality at seminal fluidcompared to CPP treatments.     

暗纹东方鱼屯生殖期两性判别的研究

暗纹东方鱼屯俗称河豚，属江海洄游性鱼类。生殖季节，雌、雄个体副性征差异不明显，不能采用常规鉴别方法进行性别鉴定。作者根据体征、体态特征，采用综合指标判别法对１９９５年３月１５日至５月３０日在江苏仪征—泰州６０ｋｍ江段渔获的１０３８尾暗纹东方鱼屯进行了雌、雄性别判定，正确率达９５．４％。该方法操作简单，不伤鱼体，仅凭眼观即可判定自由游动状河鱼屯的雌、雄。文中有关利用行为差异来判定鱼类雌、雄的方法，国内外尚未见诸报道。该项工作为鉴别鱼类性别提供了一种新方法，在鱼类人工繁殖和规模化生产中具有一定应用价值     

Effects of magnesium on the performance of sows and their piglets

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of supplemental magnesium (Mg) on the performance of gilts and parity 3 sows and their piglets. Fifty-six gilts (Trial 1) and 56 sows (Trial 2) were assigned to one of 4 treatments according to their mating weight, respectively. The treatments comprised corn-soybean meal based gestation and lactation diets (0.21% magnesium) supplemented with 0, 0.015, 0.03, or 0.045% Mg from mating until weaning. The results showed that magnesium supplementation significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the weaning to estrus interval in both gilts and sows. There were significant effects (P < 0.05) of supplemental magnesium on the total number of piglets born, born alive and weaned in sows. In late gestation and lactation, the digestibility of crude fiber (quadratic effects, P < 0.05), and crude protein (P < 0.05), were significantly influenced by magnesium in gilts and sows, respectively. There were differences among the 4 groups in terms of the apparent digestibility of dry matter and crude fiber in sows (P < 0.05) during both early and late gestation. The apparent digestibility of gross energy was increased for sows in late gestation (P < 0.05), and lactation (quadratic effects, P < 0.05). At farrowing and weaning, serum prolactin levels and alkaline phosphate activities linearly increased in sows as the Mg supplementation increased (P < 0.05). Serum Mg of sows at farrowing and serum urea nitrogen of sows at weaning was significantly influenced by Mg supplementation (P < 0.05). The Mg concentration in sow colostrum and the serum of their piglets were increased by supplemental magnesium (P < 0.05). In addition, growth hormone levels were linearly elevated (P < 0.05) in the serum of piglets suckling sows. Our data demonstrated that supplemental magnesium has the potential to improve the reproduction performance of sows, and the suitable supplemental dose ranged from 0.015% to 0.03%.     

珠江卷口鱼年龄生长、食性和繁殖的研究

本文报道了珠江卷口鱼的年龄生长、食住和繁殖方面的研究结果。通过分析确定:卷口鱼的年龄级由I—IV龄鱼组成,各龄鱼分别占渔获物总量的42.21％、38.21％、19.21％和0.38％。用统计学方法,计算出卷口鱼体长与鳞长的相关式为:L=8 43.30R(r=0.9956);体长与体重的相关式为:W=8.226×10~(-3)L~(3.374)(Γ=0.9654)。对卷口鱼各种食物的组成、季节变化及出现率作了分析探讨。卷口鱼个体绝对怀卵量波动于7878—48880粒之间,平均22250.7粒。绝对怀卵量与体长和体重的相关式为:R=4.5419L~(3.6208)和R=40.88W 1209. 文中对卷口鱼的资源繁殖保护,网具使用和合理捕捞规格等问题进行了讨论。     

Coral Farming: Past, Present and Future Trends

There Have Been Significant Technical Advances in Marine Aquarium Maintenance in The Last 20 Years. It is Now Possible to Maintain, Grow and Reproduce in Aquaria Many of the Coral Species Found on Coral Reefs. Due to the increased Demand For Live Corals and Other Reef Invertebrates, The Commercial Production of these Organisms for the Home Aquarium Market Has Become Feasible. This Paper Describes the Early Beginnings of Live Coral Propagation, Current Coral Propagation Facilities Located in Europe, North America, and the Pacific Basin Followed by a Discussion of an Example of the Possible Future for Coral Farming, Namely Propagation by Sexual Reproduction. Suggestions for Areas of Further Research in Captive Coral Propagation are Also Presented.     

Serotonin stimulates ovarian maturation and spawning in the black tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5HT) has been reported to induce ovarian maturation and spawning in the crayfish Procambarus clarkii and white Pacific shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. The aim of this study was to explore the role of exogenous 5HT on the reproductive performance of the black tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon. 5HT solution was injected into domesticated P. monodon broodstock at 50 μg/g body weight and ovarian maturation and spawning were recorded. The presence of 5HT in the ovary and oviduct of P. monodon was also studied by immunohistochemistry and its levels in the ovary by enzyme link immunoabsorbance assay (ELISA). The 5HT-injected P. monodon developed ovarian maturation and spawning rate at the level comparable to that of unilateral eyestalk-ablated shrimp. Hatching rate and the amount of nauplii produced per spawner were also significantly higher in the 5HT-injected shrimp, compared to the eyestalk-ablated shrimp. 5HT-positive reactions were found in the follicular cells of pre-vitellogenic oocytes, in the cytoplasm of early vitellogenic oocytes and on the cell membrane and cytoplasm of late vitellogenic oocytes. 5HT in the ovary was present at 3.53 ± 0.26 ng/mg protein level in previtellogenic stage and increased to 17.03 ± 0.57 ng/mg protein level in the mature stage of the ovary. The results suggest a significant role of 5HT, possibly directly on the ovary and oviduct, on the reproductive function of female P. monodon.     

4种单胞藻对卤虫生长和生殖影响的比较研究

以亚心形扁藻、小球藻、湛江等鞭金藻、绿色巴夫藻为饵料,卤虫为投喂对象,建立五个实验组分别进行研究,观察不同饵料对卤虫生长和生殖的影响,结果表明:投喂亚心形扁藻的卤虫生长最快,成活率高,生殖量也最多,其次为绿色巴夫藻组,湛江等鞭金藻的饵料效果最差.混合4种单胞藻投喂的效果也较好.