Nonwithdrawal Molting Programs

In the commercial egg industry the management practice of using feed withdrawal to induce a flock to molt has been under extreme scrutiny. This is because animal rights groups have voiced their concern about using this practice. Thus, about 5 yr ago, the United Egg Producers (UEP) commissioned 5 universities to conduct experiments to develop alternative molting programs that used nonwithdrawal feeding programs to molt laying hens. The studies conducted to date used techniques ranging from feeding hens without added salt in the diet to using readily available, low-cost feed ingredients to develop molt diets that are low in energy level and protein content. The results of these studies indicated that molting laying hens without feed withdrawal could be done successfully. Research at the University of Illinois found that feeding laying hens diets consisting of wheat middlings, soybean hulls, and corn (low protein and low energy) were successful in providing for acceptable postmolt egg production performance and economic benefit compared with using a standard feed withdrawal method. Therefore, after 5 yr of experimenting with nonwithdrawal molting methods done in several university settings, the egg industry has successfully adopted these methods of molting laying hens. In addition, based on the finding of these experiments, the UEP has revised their recommended molting guidelines to state that only nonwithdrawal molting methods will be permitted after January 1, 2006. Thus, these guidelines will apply to approximately 82% of the US egg industry.     

Estimation of terminal molting probability of snow crab <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chionoecetes opilio</Emphasis> using instar- and state-structured model in the waters off the Pacific coast of northern Japan

Terminal molting probability (TMP) of snow crab Chionoecetes opilio was estimated using instar- and state-structured model incorporating the terminal molt in the waters off the Pacific coast of northern Honshu, Japan. TMP is defined as the probability that terminal molt occurs within a year in an instar and is an important parameter for stock assessment. TMP was estimated from the model and the rate of terminal molted crabs (RTM) for instars, which means carapace widths over 30 mm. Carapace widths at RTM of 0.5 were 81 mm for males and 66 mm for females. TMP was estimated as 0.23 and 0.29 for these carapace widths, respectively. Carapace widths at TMP of 0.5 were 94 mm for males and 71 mm for females, and for these carapace widths 57% of male and 50% of female crabs were considered as old-shell which had survived 1 year or more from terminal molt. Changing the fishing or natural mortality by ±0.1, the maximum difference of TMP was less than 0.1 from default estimates.     

稚蚕期O_2含量变化及对家蚕生长发育的影响

在实验条件下,饲养框内的O_2含量随家蚕的生长和时间的延长而减少,2龄眠蚕体重与O_2含量有强相关性,全茧量、茧层量等指标无显著差异;添食1.0×10~5 PIB·mL^-1、1.0×10~6 PIB·mL^-1、1.0×10~7 PIB·mL^-1的BmCPV,随着O_2含量的降低,家蚕对BmCPV的抵抗力也随之降低,说明保持饲养环境的O_2含量对增强家蚕体质具有重要意义。     

Diel timing of molting and metamorphosis of Panulirus japonicus phyllosoma larvae under laboratory conditions

ABSTRACT:   The timing of molting and metamorphosis was monitored for Panulirus japonicus phyllosoma larvae cultured in the laboratory. Larvae cultured under natural light–dark cycle molted synchronously within approximately 1.0 h before and after sunrise, except for a short period after hatching; the timing of molting changed with time of sunrise. When three artificial light–dark cycles were introduced, larvae molted around the start of lighting, irrespective of the light–dark cycles. In the event of a sudden change in the start or end of lighting, molting was regulated by an endogenous rhythm. The start of lighting had a greater impact on the timing of molting than the end of lighting, suggesting that sunrise is probably the critical signal for phase-setting in molting rhythm. Metamorphosis to the puerulus stage occurred within 0.4 h before and 1.2 h after sunset under a natural light–dark cycle, and the timing of metamorphosis was also changed artificially by regulating the end of lighting.     

Comparison of the fast‐induced and high dietary zinc‐induced molting: trace elements dynamic in serum and eggs at different production stages in hens (Gallus domesticus)

A number of 252, 70 week old, single comb white leghorn hens at the end of their first production cycle were divided into two groups: group‐I; molted by fasting and group‐II; by high dietary zinc to obtain the second and third production cycle. Sampling was carried out at 5%, peak and end of the second production cycle and at 5% and peak of the third production cycle. Serum zinc decreased at the peak of the second production cycle, while increased at the 5% of the third production cycle in zinc‐molted group. Serum copper and manganese increased at the 5% and peak of the second production cycle in zinc‐molted group. Egg albumin zinc and copper increased at the 5% and peak of the second as well as third production cycles in zinc‐molted group. Egg albumin manganese increased at 5% during the second production cycle in fasting molted group. Egg yolk zinc increased at the peak of the second production cycle in zinc‐molted group. Egg yolk copper increased at the 5% of second production cycle but decreased during the third production cycle in zinc‐molted group. Egg yolk manganese increased at the 5% and at the end of the second production cycle in zinc molted group. Egg yolk manganese and iron decreased during the third production cycle in zinc‐molted group. Eggshell zinc decreased at the end of the second production cycle in the zinc‐molted group, while eggshell copper increased at the peak of the second as well as third production cycles in fasting molted group.     

Susceptibility of the pistachio processionary mothThaumetopoea solitaria to threeBacillus thuringiensis products

The susceptibility of larvae ofThaumetopoea solitaria Freyer (Lepidoptera; Notodontidae, Thaumetopoeinae), fed on treated pistachio foliage, to three commercial control products derived fromBacillus thuringiensis (Bt), was evaluated in the laboratory. Both Dipel DF and Delfin WG were highly effective against 1 ^st and 2 ^nd instar larvae at relatively low concentrations (LC₅₀: 0.01–0.04%), whereas mortality of the 3 ^rd instar larvae reached 50% only at a Dipel DF concentration of 0.2%. The third formulation, Foray 48B, was significantly less toxic toward all tested larval instars. The susceptibility ofT. solitaria toBr decreased progressively between molts, and then increased steeply during the first days following each molt. Use of the film-forming polymer Nu-Film as a wetting agent and spreader-sticker for the commercial formulation of Dipel DF improvedBt adhesion to extremely hydrophobic youngPistacia foliage, and significantly increasedBt persistence under ambient conditions. Addition of Nu-Film improved the leaf surface coverage and extended the duration of rainproofing.     

罗氏沼虾谷氨酰胺合成酶基因的克隆与表达

谷氨酰胺合成酶(glutamine synthetase, GS)是一种广泛分布在动植物体内的酶,并参与细胞多种代谢调控。在甲壳动物中,GS在能量代谢和渗透压调节过程中起着重要作用。实验克隆了罗氏沼虾GS基因。GS基因cDNA全长1 965 bp,开放读码框(ORF)为1 086 bp,编码361个氨基酸(aa),分子量大小为40.75 ku,等电点为5.81。进化树分析发现,罗氏沼虾GS基因与凡纳滨对虾、斑节对虾和中国明对虾GS聚为一支,氨基酸相似性达到95%。氨基酸多序列比对分析结果显示,罗氏沼虾GS属于无脊椎动物分支的GSⅡ群,有5个保守区域。实验对罗氏沼虾GS蛋白进行表达并制备了多克隆抗体。采用荧光定量PCR技术(qRT-PCR)和免疫印迹(Western blot)对罗氏沼虾蜕壳前后的不同组织GS表达进行检测。qRT-PCR结果显示,GS基因在所检测的8个组织中均有表达;蜕壳前,其相对表达量顺序为:肝胰脏肌肉胃肠鳃心脏脑血淋巴。蜕壳后和蜕壳前GS基因在组织中的差异表达比较结果显示,除了在肝胰脏表达下调外,其他7个组织都表达升高,其相对表达量的差异顺序为:脑鳃胃肠肌肉心脏血淋巴。Westernblot结果显示,蜕壳后GS蛋白在鳃和肌肉组织表达量上调,与其mRNA表达一致。此外,罗氏沼虾蜕壳后肝胰脏GS酶的活性和谷氨酰胺的含量下调,而其在鳃、肌肉和血淋巴中上调,结果与其基因表达一致。研究表明,GS基因在不同组织中表达的差异可能和罗氏沼虾的能量代谢、渗透压调节有关。     

中华绒螯蟹细胞色素CYP2基因的克隆与表达分析

为研究细胞色素CYP2基因在中华绒螯蟹蜕皮及生长发育中的作用,本试验通过逆转录聚合酶链式RT-PCR反应以及cDNA末端快速扩增RACE技术获得了中华绒螯蟹CYP2基因cDNA全长。用实时荧光定量PCR技术,分析该基因在中华绒螯蟹蜕皮过程中各组织的相对表达量。试验结果显示,中华绒螯蟹CYP2的cDNA全长1772bp,编码491个氨基酸序列,包括一个84bp的5′端非编码区,一个212bp的3′端非编码区、一个1475bp的开放阅读框,经BLAST比对,该核苷酸序列与岸蟹、三疣梭子蟹的相似性分别为66%、64%。实时荧光定量PCR结果显示,中华绒螯蟹蜕皮前,CYP2基因在鳃中的表达量相对最高;在肝胰脏、肌肉中表达量略低于鳃;在Y器官、眼柄、胸神经节、脑神经节、肠中少量表达;在心和胃中表达量最低。中华绒螯蟹在不同的蜕皮时期中,通过荧光定量试验得出,肝胰脏中CYP2基因表达量在蜕皮前期和蜕皮期最高;眼柄中CYP2基因表达量从蜕皮期到蜕皮后期有上升趋势;鳃中CYP2基因表达量在蜕皮前期最高;Y器官、脑神经节和肠中CYP2基因表达量在蜕皮期最高;肌肉中CYP2基因表达量在蜕皮前期最高;胸神经节和胃中CYP2基因表达量在蜕皮后期最高;Y器官中CYP2基因在蜕皮前期表达量高于蜕皮后期和蜕皮期。以上试验结果表明,CYP2对中华绒螯蟹蜕皮生长中的调控可能起到重要作用。