Comparative responses to sodium selenite and organic selenium supplements in Belgian Blue cows and calves

Belgian Blue (BB) beef cattle is particularly prone to selenium (Se) deficiency due to the poor Se content of soil and roughages on rearing farms and the higher requirements of this hypermuscled breed. The goal of this trial was to compare the effects of different forms and concentrations of Se supplementation on Se status, health and performance in 60 pregnant Se-deficient BB cows. Cows were allocated to 3 experimental groups receiving selenized-yeast at 0.5 ppm Se on total ration (Y–Se 0.5), Na–selenite at 0.5 ppm Se on total ration (Na–Se 0.5) and Na–selenite at 0.1 ppm Se on total ration (Na–Se 0.1), respectively. Cows were supplemented from 2 months before calving until 2 months after calving. Data on performance, health and Se status of the dams and their calves were analyzed using a linear model, least squares means and logistic regression. At the end of the study, plasmatic Se (pSe) was significantly higher (P < 0.01) in cows receiving Y–Se than in cows from other groups. Glutathion-peroxidase in erythrocytes (GSH-pxe) was higher in Y–Se and Na–Se 0.5 than Na–Se 0.1 group (P < 0.01). Se content in colostrum and milk was significantly higher (P < 0.01) in Y–Se than other groups. At birth, Se status of calves from group Y–Se was significantly higher than those of other groups (P < 0.01). Plasmatic Se in calves remained higher for 75 days after birth in Y–Se compared to other groups (P < 0.01). Diarrhoea was the most commonly observed disease in the calves and, during the first 15 days of life, diarrhoea occurred in 6%, 21% and 35% of calves from groups Y–Se, Na–Se 0.5 and Na–Se 0.1, respectively. Over the whole 75 days trial period, incidence of diarrhoea was 19, 29 and 65%, respectively. Average daily gain (ADG) in calves born from Y–Se group of cows tended to be higher than in Na–Se 0.5 (P = 0.06) and Na–Se 0.1 (P < 0.05) but there was no difference between Na–Se 0.5 and Na–Se 0.1 (P > 0.1). At the same dosage, Y–Se conferred better Se status in both dams and their calves than did Na–Se. Requirement of 0.1 ppm Se seems to be insufficient in BB to optimise health and performance. Regarding health status and ADG in calves, Y–Se seems also to result in better performance.     

Hemophilia A in a Belgian Shepherd Malinois dog: case report

This case report presents a Belgian Shepherd Malinois dog affected by hemophilia A recognized at the age of seven months. The clinical follow-up including all the diagnostic procedures leading to the final diagnosis and the course of this disorder are presented.     

德本F1蓝本F1牛适应性分析研究

研究了德国黄牛和比利时蓝牛的杂种后代德本F1、蓝本F1牛在甘肃省陇东地区肉牛带的适应性能,主要包括生长发育、增重、抗病性和繁殖性能等因素。结果表明德本F1、蓝本F1牛在试验期内（0～12月龄）的各项指标均优于本地牛,对当地饲养条件和环境条件表现出了良好的适应能力,可以在当地推广应用。     

Assessment of plasma anti-elastin antibodies for use as a diagnostic aid for chronic progressive lymphoedema in Belgian Draught Horses

Diagnosis of chronic progressive lymphoedema (CPL) in draught horses, including the Belgian Draught Horse, is mainly based on clinical evaluation of typical lower limb lesions. A deficient perilymphatic elastic support, caused by a pathological elastin degradation in skin and subcutis, has been suggested as a contributing factor for CPL. Elastin degradation products induce the generation of anti-elastin Ab (AEAb), detectable in horse serum by ELISA. For a clinically healthy group of draught horses, a significantly lower average AEAb-level than 3 clinically affected groups (mild, moderate and severe symptoms) was demonstrated previously. To improve CPL-diagnosis, we evaluated the AEAb-ELISA as an in vitro diagnostic aid in individual horses. Test reproducibility was assessed, performing assays independently in 2 laboratories on a total of 345 horses. Possible factors associated with AEAb-levels (age, gender, pregnancy, test lab and date of blood collection) were analyzed using a mixed statistical model. Results were reproducible in both laboratories. AEAb-levels in moderately and severely affected horses were significantly higher than in healthy horses. Nevertheless, this was only demonstrated in barren mares, and, there was a very large overlap between the clinical groups. Consequently, even when a high AEAb cut-off was handled to obtain a reasonable specificity of 90%, a very low sensitivity (21%) of AEAb for CPL-diagnosis was obtained. Results on the present sample demonstrate that the described ELISA procedure is of no use as a diagnostic test for CPL in individual horses.     

3 品种工作犬幼犬警用行为测试

通过测试3品种工作犬幼犬的警用行为表现,为深入研究工作犬的品种特性,改进受训犬考评机制、提高训练的技术手段及有效建设种犬群提供数据支撑和理论依据.随机选取德国牧羊犬、昆明犬、马里努阿犬的幼犬,共计254头,测定其胆量、兴奋性及衔取等警用行为参数,以品种、品种间公母及本品种公母分组进行对比分析.结果显示,德国牧羊犬、昆明...     

家兔UCP1 第3外显子基因多态性研究

为了解兔肉质性状特征,给兔的品种选种选育提供理论依据,选择UCP1基因设计1对引物扩增其第3外显子及第2内含子部分序列,采用DNA池PCR反应,直接测序法快速检测比利时兔、新西兰兔和加利福尼亚兔3个兔品种UCP基因多态性.结果在新西兰兔中发现1个多态性位点(T387C),多态位点对UCP1基因的RNA结构产生影响,其最小自由能由-917.51 kJ/mol变为-927.12 kJ/mol,而其他2个品种没有检测到该突变.     

比利时蓝白花肉牛重复超排试验

为探讨多次重复超排的效果,自2002年10月至2004年10月对9头比利时蓝白花供体肉牛共进行8次重复超排。结果累计生产可用胚胎349枚,平均每头次5.5枚。每批获可用胚胎数依次为38、45、37、42、55、50、43、39枚,可用胚数并未随超排次数的增加而呈现逐渐下降趋势,说明比利时蓝白花肉牛以3个月的间隔连续8次重复超排是可行的。     

良种兔在黄土高原地区的适应性

研究采用单因子试验设计法，以当地饲养的大耳白兔为对照组，以引进多年的加里福尼亚和比利时兔为试验组，通过对试兔体重、体尺、采食量等品种指标的测定，表明：在同样的饲养管理条件下，各品种间呈现的品种特征差异不显著（Ｐ＞０．０５）。由此说明，饲养良种兔需较高的饲养管理水平，否则，无法充分发挥其遗传优势。在黄土高原地区以农村户养为主的商品兔生产中，克服引种的盲目性，改善现有饲养管理水平，是确保该地区商品兔生产持久稳定发展的关键之一。     

Breeding potential of Belgian landraces of leek ( Allium ampeloprasum L. var. porrum)

Western Europe is the world's greatest leek producing and consuming region. Belgium is situated in the centre of Western Europe and can be considered as a genepool of landraces of leek. Although the commercial varieties nowadays take over the successes of Belgian landraces, this paper deals with the breeding potential of the Belgian landraces. Typing the Belgian landraces was done in an observation trial together with 50 cultivars. Clustering analysis revealed that 4 of the Belgian landraces were autumn types, 2 landraces were of the early winter type and another 12 landraces were ranged with 6 commercial varieties to form the most winterhardy group of leek. For the important characteristics leaf colour and senescence resistance, the Belgian landraces were better than most of the commercial varieties. Although, for economically more important characteristics shaft length and some disease resistance they scored low. Finally, in this trial, the Belgian landraces were high yielding, especially in the late season. But also in the early season (harvest in September and November) some Belgian landraces were in the top 10 for yield. At harvest in February 9 of the 10 best yielding winterleeks were Belgian landraces. This proves that the Belgian landraces were well adapted to the soil and climate of this region. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.