The effects of late gestation nutrient restriction of dams on beef heifer intake,metabolites and hormones during an ad libitum feeding trial

This study's objective was to determine if nutrient restriction during late gestation affected beef heifer feed intake, body weight (BW) gain and endocrine regulation during a 10‐week feeding trial. During the last 100 days of gestation, control (CON) dams were fed to increase body condition score (BCS). Whereas, nutrient‐restricted dams (NR) and NR dams protein supplemented 3 days/week (NRS) were fed to decrease BCS by 1.2. After parturition, all cow‐calf pairs were moved to a common pasture and fed in excess of requirements until weaning. At 15 months of age, heifers were randomly sorted into two pens and adjusted to a commercial total mixed ration over a 2‐week period. Blood samples and BW were taken at the initiation of feeding and on a biweekly basis for the duration of the feeding trial. Feed intake was monitored for 10 weeks using a GrowSafe System. After 10 weeks, an intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) was performed on 21 randomly subsampled heifers. During the feeding trial, NR heifers consumed more feed than CON and NRS heifers. Heifers from NR dams tended to increase BW compared to NRS and CON heifers when adjusted for initial BW. Heifers from NR and NRS dams had a greater increase in BCS compared to heifers from CON dams. Plasma glucose and insulin concentrations during the feeding trial increased in NR heifers compared to the other groups beginning at 2 and 4 weeks respectively. Plasma leptin concentrations were increased in the NR and NRS heifers compared to the CON heifers beginning at week 4 of feeding. During the IVGTT at the conclusion of the feeding challenge, plasma glucose and insulin were increased in NR heifers compared to other treatment groups. These results show that nutrient restriction during late gestation alters appetite and endocrine regulation in heifer offspring.     

Determining spatial feed distribution in sea cage aquaculture using an aerial camera platform

Within this paper we describe an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) based method to estimate the spatial feed pellet distribution in salmon fish-cages and exploit it within a case study to determine the radial pellet distribution for different rotor spreaders and blower configurations. Compared to previously used methods, capturing pellets thrown from a rotary feed spreader in rows of Styrofoam boxes, the UAV based method is simpler and faster to setup and allows to cover a larger portion of the sea cage surface area. We compare results obtained with the Styrofoam box method with results we obtained by an automatic analysis of aerial videos taken by the UAV during feeding experiments. The employed method helps to gain insight into the spatial feed pellet distribution in full-scale salmon fish-cages where the feeding pipe and actual fixation of the spreader may influence the dynamic behaviour of the feeding system. This can also be seen as a step towards a continuous measuring of the feed pellet distribution, particularly in view of possible future feeding systems that may allow to adapt the feed pellet distribution to the actual fish distribution.     

不同饲料效率与绵羊瘤胃组织形态学关系

【目的】利用单栏系统测定个体的饲料效率相关性状与瘤胃组织形态学指标,探讨绵羊饲料效率与瘤胃组织形态的关系,为解析绵羊饲料效率性状的影响因素研究提供基础数据。【方法】随机选取出生日龄相近、系谱信息详细、健康状况良好的187湖羊公羔,56 d断奶后转入单栏饲养,过渡期14 d,预饲期10 d,正试期100 d。正试期内所有羊只仅饲喂颗粒饲料,自由采食及饮水,并在80 d和180 d晨饲前空腹测定其体重（body weight,BW）和80—180 d间的采食量（feed intake,FI）,计算平均日增重（average daily gain,ADG）、中期代谢体重（metabolic body weight, MBW）、饲料转化率（feed conversion rate,FCR）和剩余采食量（residual feed intake,RFI）等饲料效率相关性状并对其进行描述性统计,于180 d饲养结束后屠宰采集瘤胃腹囊组织1 cm²保存于4%甲醛溶液中,用于制作组织切片并观测其瘤胃乳头长度、宽度和肌层厚度。最后将其与饲料效率相关性状进行相关分析和方差分析。【结果】饲料效率相关性状的变异系数均大于10%,且剩余采食量最大与最小的个体每天的剩余采食量之差达0.57 kg。饲料效率相关性状间的表型相关分析表明剩余采食量与饲料转化率（r= 0.68）和采食量（r= 0.48）呈极显著正相关（P<0.01）,与初始体重（r=0）、末期体重（r= -0.01）和平均日增重（r= -0.02）无显著相关（P>0.05）。饲料效率相关性状与瘤胃组织形态相关性分析发现,瘤胃乳头长度与平均日增重、采食量、初始体重和末期体重呈显著或极显著正相关（P<0.05或P<0.01）,肌层厚度与平均日增重、采食量和末期体重呈显著或极显著正相关（P<0.05或P<0.01）,而剩余采食量和饲料转化率与瘤胃组织形态无显著相关。不同RFI组羔羊采食量、饲料转化率和瘤胃肌层厚度存在显著或极显著差异（P<0.05或P<0.01）,瘤胃乳头长、宽无显著差异（P>0.05）,其中High-RFI组羔羊采食量和饲料转化率极显著高于Low-RFI组（P<0.01）,肌层厚度显著高于Medium-RFI组（P<0.05）;不同FCR组羔羊的剩余采食量、采食量、ADG、初始体重、末期体重和乳头长度存在显著或极显著差异（P<0.05或P<0.01）,肌层厚度和乳头宽度差异不显著（P>0.05）,其中High-FCR组羔羊剩余采食量、采食量、ADG、初始体重和末期体重均显著或极显著高于Low-FCR组（P<0.05或P<0.01）,Medium-FCR组羔羊乳头长度显著长于Low-FCR组（P<0.05）;除瘤胃乳头宽度外,不同FI组羔羊的上述指标均存在显著或极显著差异（P<0.05或P<0.01）,且High-FI组羔羊的剩余采食量、饲料转化率、ADG、初始体重、末期体重、肌层厚度和乳头长度均显著或极显著高于Low-FI组（P<0.05或P<0.01）;不同ADG组羔羊采食量、饲料转化率、初始体重、末期体重和肌层厚度均存在显著或极显著差异（P<0.05或P<0.01）,乳头长度和乳头宽度无显著差异（P>0.05）,其中High-ADG组羔羊采食量、剩余采食量、初始体重、末期体重和肌层厚度均显著或极显著高于Low-ADG组,饲料转化率则极显著低于Low-ADG组。【结论】剩余采食量与采食量和饲料转化率等饲料效率性状呈极显著正相关,表明其可作为衡量饲料效率的潜在指标。剩余采食量和饲料转化率与瘤胃组织形态学指标无显著相关,采食量和平均日增重与瘤胃乳头长度和肌层厚度呈显著正相关,表明羔羊瘤胃组织形态对采食量和增重有显著影响,但其进一步的作用机制有待深入研究。     

虾青素对大鳞副泥鳅幼鱼生长、体成分及抗氧化指标的影响

【目的】研究饲料不同虾青素添加水平对大鳞副泥鳅幼鱼生长、体成分及抗氧化指标的影响。【方法】选取450尾初始体质量为(3.00±0.10) g/尾的大鳞副泥鳅幼鱼,随机分成5组,每组3个重复,每个重复30尾鱼,分别饲喂基础饲料(对照组)以及添加50,100,150,200 mg/kg虾青素的试验饲料,在控温养殖系统中进行为期8周的饲养试验。试验结束后,称量鱼体质量并计算生长指标,测定试鱼体成分及肝胰脏抗氧化指标。【结果】试验期间大鳞副泥鳅成活率为100%。大鳞副泥鳅的终末体质量、平均增重率和特定生长率在虾青素添加水平为50～200 mg/kg时显著高于对照组(P0.05),饲料效率和蛋白质效率在虾青素添加水平为100～200 mg/kg时显著高于对照组(P0.05);结合抛物线回归分析结果与方差分析结果可知,大鳞副泥鳅平均增重率最大时的最适虾青素添加水平为100～151.06 mg/kg,饲料效率最大时的虾青素添加水平为100～157.04 mg/kg。当虾青素添加水平为50～200 mg/kg时,大鳞副泥鳅全鱼蛋白质含量显著高于对照组(P0.05)。肝胰脏总超氧化物歧化酶(T-SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GSH-Px)活性及谷胱甘肽(GSH)含量在虾青素添加水平为50～200 mg/kg时均显著高于对照组(P0.05);当虾青素添加水平为50～200 mg/kg时,丙二醛(MDA)含量显著低于对照组(P0.05)。【结论】本试验条件下,综合生长、体成分及抗氧化指标,大鳞副泥鳅饲料中虾青素的最适添加水平为100～151.06 mg/kg。     

多糖提取及对家禽生长、免疫和产蛋性能影响研究进展

多糖是由多个单糖通过糖苷键结合而成的高分子化合物。食用菌及植物的组织中均存在丰富的天然多糖类物质。多糖具有抗氧化、提高免疫力、改善肠道健康等多种生理功能,作为功能性添加剂在饲料中被广泛应用。文章对多糖的提取方法及对家禽生长、免疫、产蛋性能影响进行综述,为进一步获取优质多糖及在饲料中的应用提供参考。     

放牧条件下乳用伊犁马采食量的初步研究

2013年8-10月,采用模拟采食法、群牧差额法、内外指示剂结合法在昭苏马场草甸草地上进行了放牧条件下乳用伊犁马采食量的测定。结果表明,1)同种测定方法不同月份之间测定的乳用伊犁马干物质采食量差异不显著(P0.05)。2)模拟采食法测得的干物质采食量为12.79 kg·15 h-1·匹-1,群牧差额法测得为16.39kg·d-1·匹-1,内外指示剂结合法测得为13.28 kg·d-1·匹-1。3)群牧差额法与内外指示剂结合法测定的乳用伊犁马干物质采食量之间差异不显著(P0.05),初步确定乳用伊犁马平均干物质采食量为14.83 kg·d-1·匹-1。     

谷子秸秆剪切力与其饲料营养特性变化规律及相互关系

为探究谷子秸秆力学性质与其饲料特性的变化规律及相互关系，选用谷物完熟期的谷子秸秆，将其分为5段（近根部、中下部、中部、中上部、上部）并每隔7 d进行秸秆节间、茎节力学性质（剪切、压缩）和饲料特性（形态指标、营养成分）测定。试验结果表明：谷物完熟后，随着时间的推进，秸秆节间、茎节剪切力、抗压强度、干物质含量、纤维素含量、半纤维素含量和木质素含量总体上呈增大趋势，而秸秆含水率、当量直径、横截面积、线性密度和粗蛋白含量总体上呈减小趋势。谷子秸秆单位直径剪切力与含水率和线性密度呈负相关关系（R2≥0.903），与其干物质、纤维素、半纤维素和木质素含量呈正相关关系（R2≥0.845），与其粗蛋白含量无显著相关关系（P>0.05）。采收期内，谷子秸秆基部起秸秆剪切力至顶部逐渐增大，且剪切力与当量直径、横截面积呈正相关关系（R2≥0.916）。试验表明谷子秸秆饲料特性指标验证试验值与预测值相对误差不大于6.48%，预测模型合理。测量秸秆剪切力可用于预测其形态指标参数和营养成分含量，进而一定程度地反映秸秆饲用价值和反刍动物择食趋向。采收期内，谷子中部及以上秸秆单位直径剪切力显著小于其近根部（P<0.05），更适合饲用；且谷物完熟后，及时采收可避免秸秆饲用价值降低。该研究可为高效利用谷子秸秆资源提供参考。     

中国饲料粮消费问题探析

为了准确分析中国当前饲料粮供需情况及影响因素,首先通过供给法计算出1984—2013年的狭义饲料粮可供给数据,其次通过需求法计算中国饲料粮消费数据。推算得出饲料粮供需数据虽有差距但都呈增长趋势。中国粮食政策加剧了饲料粮供需失衡状况。因此提出相应政策建议:一是适当增加肉类产品进口并严厉打击走私;二是粮食政策在确保主粮(大米和小麦)基本自给基础上,适度进口饲料粮(主要是玉米),并在海关政策制订上将精饲料原料通盘考虑,制订考虑替代品如大麦、高粱、DDGS等在内的一揽子关税与配额政策。     

Simultaneous detection of multiple mycotoxins in broiler feeds using a liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry

Mycotoxins are secondary fungal metabolites that are typically present in grain and feed ingredients used for animal feeds. An analytical method using LC-ESI-MS/MS was developed to quantify nine mycotoxins, consisting of aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁), AFB₂, AFG₁, AFG₂, T-2 toxin, deoxynivalenol (DON), nivalenol (NIV), zearalenone (ZEA) and ochratoxin A (OTA) in broiler feeds. In total, 100 samples of broiler feeds were collected from poultry farms in Central Thailand. The survey found that AFB₁ and ZEA were the most prevalent mycotoxins in the feed samples at percentages of 93% and 63%, respectively. The limit of detections (LODs) of investigated mycotoxins was 0.20–0.78 ng/g. AFB₂, DON, AFG₁, NIV and T-2 toxin were also detectable at low contamination levels with percentages of 20%, 9%, 7%, 5% and 1%, respectively, whereas OTA and AFG₂ were not detected in any of the feed samples. These results suggest that there is a very low level of risk of the exposure to mycotoxins in feeds obtained from broiler farms in Central Thailand.