The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the season of ejaculate collection influences seminal quality parameters of pre‐ and post‐freeze–thawing in Xinong Saanen bucks. Ejaculates were collected from eight bucks throughout the four seasons (spring, summer, autumn and winter) in a 12 months’ time period, identified in the Northern Hemisphere. Semen samples were evaluated by the combinations of conventional and Computer‐Assisted Sperm Analysis (CASA) when fresh and after frozen–thawed, respectively. The results clearly demonstrated that season of ejaculate collection influenced (p < 0.05) fresh semen quality. Highest semen quality was observed during autumn. On the contrary, undesirable indices (significantly lower, p < 0.05) were observed in winter as compared with the other remaining seasons. CASA has clearly shown the influences of seasonal variations on semen motility parameters. Furthermore, season of ejaculate collection was also found to influence sperm freezability. Semen characteristics after frozen–thawed followed a similar pattern with that of fresh ejaculate except in spring. The results revealed that sperm quality was higher (p < 0.01) in summer and autumn than in spring and winter. In conclusion, seasonal variation influences semen quality in Xinong Saanen bucks. In addition to summer and autumn, fresh ejaculates in spring can also be successfully used for AI. Sperm from ejaculates collected during summer and autumn are more suitable for cryopreservation. Hence, it is possible to increase the efficiency of goat breeding by manipulating the seasonal variations of semen quality for immediate AI and/or cryopreservation. 相似文献
The advantage of supplemental sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) on eggshell quality in laying hens changes with age. Besides increasing calcium (Ca) secretion in the eggshell gland, it may improve Ca absorption in the intestine or kidney.
Hy-Line Brown layers (n = 384), 25 weeks of age, were allocated to two treatment groups in two experiments, each of which included 4 replicates of 24 hens. Hens were fed a basal diet (control) or the basal diet containing 3 g NaHCO3 g/kg for 50 or 20 weeks in Experiment 1 or 2, respectively. A 24-h continuous lighting regimen was used to allow hens to consume the dietary supplements during the period of active eggshell formation.
In Experiment 1, particularly from 25 to 50 weeks of age, and in Experiment 2, NaHCO3 supplementation favoured hen-d egg production at the expense of lower egg weight. The increased eggshell thickness should have nothing to do with the additional eggshell formation, because of the unchanged egg mass and daily eggshell calcification.
At 35 weeks of age in both experiments, NaHCO3 supplementation increased duodenal expression of calbindin-d28k (CaBP-D28k) protein, contributing to higher Ca retention and balance.
From 50 to 75 weeks of age in Experiment 1, the hens had little response to NaHCO3 supplementation and showed a negative trend on eggshell thickness and strength.
It is concluded that dietary supplementation with 3 g NaHCO3 g/kg improves Ca absorption and eggshell quality of laying hens during the peak but not late production period, with the introduction of continuous lighting.
The effects of different fibre sources on the growth performance, carcass characteristics and gastrointestinal tract development were studied in growing Greylag geese (Anser anser).
Four experimental diets were formulated with corn (maize) straw silage (CSS), steam-exploded corn (maize) straw, steam-exploded wheat straw, and steam-exploded rice straw as fibre sources. A total of 224 male Greylag geese at 28 d of age were randomly assigned to one of the 4 experimental diets.
The birds fed on the CSS diets had higher average daily feed intakes than those fed on the steam-exploded straws. However, the 4 treatments had similar average daily gain, which contributed to significant differences in feed conversion ratios. The different fibre sources had no significant effects on the carcass characteristics.
The CSS-fed birds had larger gizzards and lower relative length of the caeca than the other three groups. However, the relative weights and lengths of the other gut segments, the relative weights of major organs and the pH values of the gastrointestinal contents were similar between the 4 treatments.
It was concluded that straw fibres with different physico-chemical properties exerted an effect on daily feed intake and gastrointestinal development, especially for the gizzard. The pretreatment of straw had a large effect on utilisation efficiency and animal performance. Steam explosion is a promising straw pretreatment for inclusion in diets for geese.
1. Mutations in growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) and bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) are significantly associated with reproductive performance in mammals and the objective of the present study was to identify polymorphic sites and elucidate the association between genotypes in BMP15 and GDF9 and egg production.
2. Polymorphisms in BMP15 exon1 and GDF9 exon2 were detected by DNA sequencing and PCR-RFLP. Three SNPs were detected in each of BMP15 (A111G, C231T and C34T) and GDF9 (G593A, T824C and C896T). C34T leads to the substitution of Leu by Phe, which was predicted to affect protein function.
3. Results of the association analysis indicated that C34T had an effect on total egg production at 300 d of age (EN) and age at first laying (AFE). G593A affected EN and both C231T and C896T influenced AFE. The TGC1TGC1 diplotype in BMP15 had the highest EN.
4. In conclusion, EN may be significantly improved by marker-assisted selection of the BMP15 genotypes in maternal lines of Shaobo hens. 相似文献
The pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of quinocetone (QCT) in crucian carp (Carassius auratus), common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.), and grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) were compared after oral administration of QCT (50 mg/kg body weight) at water temperature of 24 ± 1 °C. Similar QCT plasma concentration–time profiles were found in the three species of cyprinid fish at the same dosage regimen and water temperature, which were all fitted two‐compartment open pharmacokinetic model. However, different pharmacokinetic parameters were observed in crucian carp, common carp, and grass carp. The absorption rate constants (Ka) of QCT were 1.65, 1.40 and 1.74/h, respectively and absorption half‐lives (t1/2kα) were 0.42, 0.49, and 0.40/h, respectively. The distribution half‐life (t1/2α) was 2.83, 0.67, and 0.88 h, respectively, and elimination half‐lives (t1/2β) of QCT were 133.97, 63.55, and 40.76 h, respectively. The maximum concentrations (Cmax) of QCT in plasma were 0.315, 0.182, and 0.139 μg/mL and the time to peak concentrations (Tp) were 1.45, 0.96, and 1.08 h, respectively. The area under the plasma concentration‐time curves (AUC) were 12.35, 5.99, and 4.52 μg·h/mL, respectively. The distribution volumes (Vd/F) of QCT were calculated as 117.81, 128.71, and 220.10 L/kg, respectively. The tissue analysis showed that a similar regularity was obtained in the three species of cyprinids with a single dose of 50 mg/kg body weight after oral administration at the same water temperature. The tissue concentration of QCT in each fish was in order of liver>kidney>muscle, while the residues of QCT in the three species of cyprinid fish were in order of crucian carp>common carp>grass carp. 相似文献
The pharmacokinetics of cefquinome was studied in plasma after a single dose (10 mg/kg) of intramuscular (i.m.) or intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration to tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in freshwater at 30 °C. Ten fish per sampling point were examined after treatment. The data were fitted to two‐compartment open models following both routes of administration. The estimates of total body clearance (CL/F), volume of distribution (Vd/F), and absorption half‐life (T1/2ka) were 0.049 and 0.037 L/h/kg, 0.41 and 0.33 L/kg, and 0.028 and 0.035 h following i.m. and i.p. administration, respectively. After i.m. injection, the elimination half‐life (T1?2β) was calculated to be 5.81 h, the maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) to be 49.40 μg/mL, the time to peak plasma cefquinome concentration (Tmax) to be 0.14 h, and the area under the plasma concentration–time curve (AUC) to be 204.6 μg h/mL. Following i.p. administration, the corresponding estimates were 6.05 h, 44.39 μg/mL, 0.17 h and 267.8 μg h/mL. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of cefquinome, determined for 30 strains of Streptococcus agalactiae isolated from diseased tilapia, ranged from 0.015 to 0.12 μg/mL. Results from these studies support that 10 mg cefquinome/kg body weight daily could be expected to control tilapia bacterial pathogens inhibited in vitro by a minimal inhibitory concentration value of ≤2 μg/mL. 相似文献