Molecular and biological characterisation of Cryptosporidium in pigs

OBJECTIVE: Genetic and biological characterisation of 12 isolates of Cryptosporidium from pigs and comparing them with Cryptosporidium isolates from humans and cattle. DESIGN: Cryptosporidium isolates from pigs were compared with those obtained from human and cattle using rDNA sequence analysis. The infectivity of two of the porcine isolates was determined in neonatal mice and the clinical history of the infected pigs recorded. RESULTS: Pig-derived isolates of Cryptosporidium exhibited two distinct genotypes; a porcine genotype and a bovine genotype, which is common to cattle and other livestock. The porcine genotype did not produce any infection in neonatal mice whereas the bovine genotype did. CONCLUSION: Two distinct genetically and biologically differing strains of Cryptosporidium appeared to be associated with acute diarrhoea in pigs. Whether Cryptosporidium was a primary or secondary pathogen is unclear but warrants further investigation. As the bovine genotype is known to infect humans, the results suggest that pigs can act as reservoirs of cryptosporidial infections for humans and other live-stock. The zoonotic potential of the pig-adapted genotype is uncertain and requires further study.     

Ultrastructure of Colonic Epithelial Cells in Vitamin E and Selenium Deficient Pigs

Pigs deficient in vitamin E and selenium had a decreased contrast of the intracellular membranes compared with pigs supplemented with vitamin E and selenium. Other common changes in the deficient animals included a reduced number of microvilli, with a short and irregular appearance, numerous swollen mitochondria with empty spaces and intercellular oedema. It is suggested that these morphological changes are attributed to the insufficient supply of vitamin E and selenium, though it is not excluded that particular intestinal factors may participate in the development of the lesions.     

湘黄猪杂交配合力测定

为了给湘黄猪的深化选育及开发推广提供依据,采用非完全双列杂交配合力测定模型,对湘黄、大约克、长白和湘白等4个猪种进行配合力测定.结果表明,繁殖性状以湘白猪为优,其一般配合力:产仔数0.53头,产活仔数0.84头,21日龄育成仔数0.85头,窝重2.74kg;生长肥育和胴体肉质性状以湘黄猪为优,其一般配合力:日增重49.44g,料重比-0.07,后腿率0.60%,均膘厚-0.05cm,眼肌面积0.89cm2,瘦肉率1.50%,失水率-0.31%.在组合效应上,繁殖性状以黄×长为强,其特殊配合力:产活仔数0.25头,21日龄育成数0.32头,21日龄窝重0.61kg;生长肥育性状以黄×湘为强,其特殊配合力:日增重25.69g;胴体性状以黄×大为强,其特殊配合力:膘厚-0.03cm,瘦肉率0.22%.这既反映了湘黄猪、湘白猪分别作为瘦肉型猪父系、母系猪种较强优势的一般配合力,也体现出湘黄猪与长白、大约克和湘白等猪种在多项重要经济性状上所具有的较强的特殊配合力.     

沙子岭猪肥育性能与肉质特性研究

本试验选择16头沙子岭纯种仔猪,随机分成二组,分别饲喂不同能量、蛋白水平的日粮,探讨营养水平对沙子岭猪肥育性能与胴体品质性状的影响。结果表明:低水平和高水平组日增重分别为411.38g、445.75g,差异不显著(P>0.05);饲料报酬分别为4.82∶1、4.48∶1;每公斤增重饲料成本分别为6.60元、6.54元;胴体瘦肉率分别为44.59%、40.82%,差异不显著(P>0.05)。与国内地方猪种比较,沙子岭猪具有生长速度较快、屠宰率较高、眼肌面积较大、背膘较薄、瘦肉率较高的特点。     

Comparison of antibody values in sera of pigs vaccinated with a subunit or an attenuated vaccine against classical swine fever

Ten pigs, aged 85 days, were vaccinated with a subunit vaccine containing 32 g of classical swine fever virus glycoprotein E2 (gp E2) (group 1), and a further 10 pigs were vaccinated with a C strain vaccine (10^4±0.15 TCID₅₀/ml), produced by amplification in minipig kidney (MPK) cell culture (group 2). Nine non-vaccinated pigs served as a control group (group 3). Serum samples were collected before (day 0) and at 4, 10, 21 and 28 days after vaccination and were analysed by two commercially available enzyme immunoassays and by a neutralizing peroxidase-linked assay (NPLA). At the same times, peripheral blood was taken for determining the total leukocyte count and the body temperature was taken daily. Antibodies were not detected in serum samples collected before vaccination (day 0), and no side-effects that could be connected with vaccination were observed during the trial. Ten days after vaccination 6/10 pigs vaccinated with the subunit vaccine were seropositive. On days 21 and 28, the ratios of serologically positive to vaccinated pigs were 9/10 and 10/10, respectively. Four of the ten pigs that were vaccinated with the C strain vaccine were positive on day 21 and 9/10 on day 28. However, the results of the NPLA showed that only 4/10 pigs had an antibody titre >1:32 at the end of the trial in both the vaccinated groups, even though the subunit vaccine initiated an earlier and higher level of neutralizing antibodies than the vaccine produced from the C strain. Challenge was performed 28 days after vaccination on four randomly selected pigs from both vaccinated groups. The pigs survived the challenge without showing any clinical signs of classical swine fever (CSF), while two nonvaccinated control pigs died on the 10th and 12th days after infection.     

The effect of pig farming on copper and zinc accumulation in cattle in Galicia (north-western Spain)

Copper and zinc are frequently added at high concentrations to pig diets as growth promoters. Livestock grazing pasture contaminated with pig slurry may, therefore, be at risk from excessive intake of these elements. High liver copper concentrations have been detected in cattle from the agricultural region of Galicia (NW Spain), especially where there is intensive pig farming. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether pig farming does affect accumulation of copper and zinc in cattle in Galicia. Hepatic copper and zinc concentrations in calves were elevated in areas with naturally high levels of these elements in the soil. The densities of young pigs (piglets and growing-finishing pigs), but not reproductive sows, also influenced copper accumulation in calves. Liver copper levels in calves were significantly and positively related to the density of young pigs in the region. In areas with the highest pig densities, more than 20% of the cattle analysed had hepatic copper concentrations that exceeded the potentially toxic concentration of 150 mg/kg fresh weight. There was no evidence that zinc accumulation in calves was affected by pig density.     

撒坝猪部分生长发育性状的典型相关分析

采用SAS统计分析系统对577头撒坝猪的3个体重性状和5个体尺性状进行了典型相关分析.结果表明,体重与体尺性状的第一、第二典型相关系数达到了显著水平(P＜0.01),分别为0.9532和0.3044,占总相关的99.97%.体重性状与体尺性状间的相关主要是由于4月龄体重、6月龄体重与6月龄胸围、6月龄腿围的相关引起的.在达到显著水平的两对典型变量中,体重性状的两个典型变量对6月龄体长、胸围和腿围的预测能力较强,体尺性状的两个典型变量对4月龄体重和6月龄体重的预测能力较强,在实际育种中,选择体尺性状可同时达到提高体重性状之目的.     

日粮色氨酸水平对生长猪的氮利用效率、血浆类胰岛素生长因子-I、生长激素及胰岛素的影响

本试验旨在研究日粮色氨酸水平对生长猪的氮利用率以及对血浆类胰岛素生长因子-I(IGF-I)、生长激素(GH)、胰岛素浓度的影响。试验以4头大白去势公猪作为试验动物,以色氨酸含量分别为1.2、1.7、2.2和2.7g/kg的4种日粮为试验处理,按照4×4拉丁方进行试验设计。结果表明,色氨酸水平对干物质消化率、有机物消化率和氮消化率没有显著性影响(P>0.05)。氮沉积和氮的生物学利用率随着日粮色氨酸水平由1.2提高到1.7、2.2和2.7g/kg而显著提高(P<0.05),但是试验处理1.7、2.2和2.7g/kg之间的氮沉积和氮的生物学价值没有显著差异(P>0.05)。不同处理之间的血浆IGF-I、GH和胰岛素浓度没有显著差异(P>0.05)。日粮色氨酸水平和血浆IGF-I、GH或胰岛素浓度之间以及氮沉积和血浆IGF-I、GH或胰岛素浓度之间均无显著的相关关系(P>0.05)。综合以上结果,日粮色氨酸水平对生长猪的氮沉积具有显著影响,而对血浆IGF-I、GH和胰岛素没有显著影响。     

MC4R基因主效位点在中外猪种中的遗传多样性及其与生长肥育性状的关联性分析

采用PCR-TaqI-RFLP技术,检测了9个中国地方猪种、3个外来猪种和1个培育猪种的612个个体及白色杜洛克×二花脸资源家系418头F2个体在MC4R基因D298N主效位点的遗传变异,统计分析了MC4R基因型与日增重、腹脂率及肩、胸、腰、臀部膘厚等生长肥育性状的关联性。结果表明:(1)G等位基因在中国地方猪种、长白和杜洛克中呈高频分布,而大白和南昌白猪具有高频率的A等位基因;(2)GG基因型个体的胸、腰、臀部膘厚较AA基因型和AG基因型个体厚,GG基因型个体的240日龄重、至240日龄平均日增重大于AA基因型个体,GG基因型个体的腹脂率高于AA基因型个体,差异显著。试验结果进一步验证了MC4R基因对猪生长肥育性状的影响效应。     

多系配套杂交群体遗传结构分析

利用8个微卫星标记对杜长大三元杂交群体5个种群，斯格配套系8个种群的遗传结构进行了分析。通过计算等位基因频率、基因杂合度、平均杂合度、多态信息含量、纯种间的遗传距离、F-统计量和迁移率进行分析。结果表明各群体的平均基因杂合度存在一定差异。纯种、祖代、父母代、商品代群体的平均座位杂合度和多态信息含量随着群体在杂交繁育体系中位置的由高到低而逐渐升高。Nei氏标准遗传距离显示，父本和母本间的遗传距离大，遗传距离大的父本和母本用于杂交，产生的杂种优势最大，这与实际的杂交组合一致。Fst衡量等位基因频率群体间方差，杜长大群体大约总变异的1．02％～15．60％来自种群间，而剩余的84．40％～98．98％来自种群内，斯格群体大约总变异的3．02％～15．22％来自种群间，而剩余的84．78％～96．98％来自种群内，斯格和杜长大纯种的遗传分化处于较小到中等之间。