Organic Matter Added to Bareroot Nursery Beds Influences Soil Properties and Morphology of Fraxinus pennsylvanica and Quercus rubra Seedlings

Bareroot hardwood seedling production involves intensive soil management. To increase soil organic matter (OM), nurseries commonly grow a cover crop for 1 year after every 1–2 year of seedling production. Raising soil OM levels can also be achieved through addition of soil amendments. We studied the influence of chicken manure (CM) and composted leaf, tree, and lawn trimmings (Cp) on soil properties and morphology of green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh.) and northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) seedlings. CM was applied at 725, 1450, or 2900 kg ha⁻¹ (CM725, CM1450, and CM2900, respectively) and Cp was applied at 200 m³ ha⁻¹. Addition of CM and Cp significantly raised soil OM levels and altered soil chemical properties compared to the control (Ctrl). Root-collar diameter increased with addition of CM1450, CM2900, or Cp compared to CM725 or Ctrl plots for northern red oak, but was largest in soils amended with CM2900 for green ash. Conversely, height was greatest with addition of CM725 for northern red oak, but green ash seedlings were shorter in Ctrl plots than in all amendments except for CM725. Root volume of green ash and northern red oak seedlings was positively influenced by addition of CM or Cp. Seedling responses to nursery soil amendments vary with different forms and amounts of OM. Benefits to seedling growth through application of appropriate materials in the proper balance can improve seedling morphological quality and positively influence soil chemical properties.     

The consequence of low mannose-binding lectin plasma concentration in relation to susceptibility to Salmonella Infantis in chickens

Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) is a key protein in innate immunity. MBL binds to carbohydrates on the surface of pathogens, where it initiates complement activation via the lectin-dependent pathway or facilitates opsonophagocytosis. In vitro studies have shown that human MBL is able to bind to Salmonella, but knowledge in relation to chicken MBL and Salmonella is lacking. In order to study this relation day-old chickens from two selected lines L10H and L10L, differing in MBL serum concentration, were either orally infected with S. Infantis (S.123443) or kept as non-infected controls. The differences between healthy L10H and L10L chicken sublines were more profound than differences caused by the S. Infantis infection. The average daily body weight was higher for L10H than for L10L, regardless of infection, indicating beneficial effects of MBL selection on growth. Salmonella was detected in cloacal swabs and the number of Salmonella positive chickens during the experiment was significantly higher in L10L than L10H, indicating that MBL may affect the magnitude of Salmonella colonisation in day-old chickens. MBL expression was determined in ceca tissue by real-time RT-PCR. L10H chickens showed a significantly higher relative expression than L10L at days 1 and 41 pi, regardless of infection. Finally, flow cytometric analysis of whole blood from infected chickens showed that L10H had a significantly higher count of all assessed leucocyte subsets on day 5 pi, and also a higher count of monocytes on day 12 pi than L10L. No difference was observed between infected and non-infected L10L chicken.     

灵芝孢子粉和大豆异黄酮对文昌鸡生长性能、肉品质及抗氧化能力的影响

为研究灵芝孢子粉与大豆异黄酮对110~140日龄文昌鸡生长性能、肉品质与抗氧化能力的影响,试验选取540只110日龄文昌母鸡,随机分成3个处理组,每组6个重复,每个重复30只,试验周期30天,对照组饲喂基础日粮,处理组分别在基础饲粮中添加500 mg/kg灵芝孢子粉和300 mg/kg大豆异黄酮预混剂,试验期满后,测定试鸡生长性能,采集试鸡血浆、胸肌样品,测定血液与胸肌抗氧化指标、胸肌肉质性状、肉感官评定及货架期指标。结果表明,与对照组相比,1)大豆异黄酮组试鸡的生长末重与平均日增重均显著增加(P<0.05),料重比降低(P<0.05);2)灵芝孢子粉显著提高试鸡胸肌宰后24 h的pH(P<0.05)、降低剪切力(P<0.05);大豆异黄酮显著降低胸肌宰后45 min的a^*值(P<0.05),提高胸肌宰后24 h的L^*值和pH(P<0.05);3)灵芝孢子粉组试鸡的肉汤鲜味评分显著提高(P<0.05);4)灵芝孢子粉可显著降低文昌鸡胸肌宰后24 h的丙二醛(MDA)与宰后45 min的挥发性盐基氮含量(P<0.05);大豆异黄酮显著降低试鸡胸肌宰后45 min和24 h的MDA含量(P<0.05);5)饲粮添加灵芝孢子粉与大豆异黄酮显著降低了文昌鸡血浆MDA含量(P<0.05),灵芝孢子粉还增加了血浆谷胱甘肽含量(P<0.05)。综上,500 mg/kg灵芝孢子粉和300 mg/kg大豆异黄酮预混剂均可提高文昌鸡的抗氧化能力,改善肌肉品质。二者比较,500 mg/kg灵芝孢子粉作用更优。     

川南常羽乌骨鸡肤色的遗传研究与杂交利用

通过对川南常羽乌骨鸡3种羽色系的纯繁、杂交以及与3个浅肤品种的杂交,初步揭示了川南常羽乌骨鸡肤色的遗传现象。结果表明,所用乌骨鸡的肤色主要受遗传控制,存在杂合类型,黑羽系和麻羽系的肤色遗传较为稳定。乌肤性状终生不变,且与趾色、肉骨及内膜色高度相关。乌肤公鸡与不同浅肤母鸡的杂交后代可表现出较高的不同的乌肤比例,表明适当引入浅肤血缘尚可保持乌骨鸡的乌色性状。     

鸡白细胞介素-18对H9亚型禽流感灭活油乳苗的免疫增强作用

[目的]探索鸡白细胞介素-18（IL-18）在H9禽流感（AI）灭活油乳苗免疫中的免疫佐剂作用.[方法]从鸡脾淋巴细胞中克隆鸡IL-18基因,亚克隆到真核表达载体pcDNA3.1（＋）中,构建真核表达质粒pIL-18.将重组真核表达质粒pIL-18、H9亚型AI灭活油乳苗及其二者联合分别免疫14日龄SPF鸡,检测其细胞免疫和体液免疫水平,评价鸡IL-18在H9亚型禽流感灭活油乳苗中的免疫增强作用.[结果]成功克隆了鸡IL-18全基因,大小为597 bp.质粒pIL-18和H9亚型AI灭活油乳苗联合免疫的SPF鸡所产生的HI抗体效价在接种第4周后明显高于H9亚型AI灭活油乳苗免疫组;其T淋巴细胞的增殖反应也强于H9亚型AI灭活油乳苗免疫组.[结论]质粒pIL-18能提高H9亚型禽流感灭活油乳苗诱发的免疫应答,为研究防制禽流感的新型疫苗提供了新思路.     

宁都黄鸡卵巢中卵泡生长速度的研究

试验以我省名地方鸡种－宁都黄鸡成年母鸡为研究对象，每天间隔饲喂脂类染色剂ＳｕｄａｎⅢＳｕｄａｎＢｌａｃｋ，其卵泡因其脂质被染色而形成红墨相间的染色环，根据染色环圈数判断卵泡成熟前迅速生长的天然，根据染色环半径计算出卵泡第天沉积量。     

鸡粪中雌激素的生物学测定

本试验选用性成熟前小白鼠59只,按体重随机分成四组,分别为烘干鸡粪组、鲜鸡粪组、药物处理组和空白对照组,其中烘干鸡粪组14只,其余三组均为15只,对照组和药物组喂以不含鸡粪的常规饲料,其中药物组用苯甲酸雌二醇肌注,鲜鸡粪组喂以含60％鲜鸡粪的饲料,干鸡粪组喂以含60％烘干后鸡粪的饲料试验结果表明,各组小白鼠子宫重量/体重存在极显著差异,其中空白组与各组比较差异极显著(P<0.01);干鸡粪组与鲜鸡粪饲料之间差异显著(P<0.05);干鸡粪组与药物组间差异极显著(P<0.01);鲜鸡粪饲料和药物组间差异显著(P<0.05),说明鸡粪中确实含有大量的雌激素样活性物质,在畜牧生产应用时应引起重视。     

肉种鸡公鸡腿病的诊治

肉种鸡在饲养过程中腿病发生率很高,公鸡尤为明显和敏感,对以后种蛋的生产影响较大,严重影响其生产性能,使鸡场的经济效益严重受损。本文就一例肉种鸡公鸡发生腿病进行诊治,诊断结果为细菌感染,使用敏感抗生素阿莫西林治疗有效。