中国河西走廊东灰山和西灰山作物遗存研究

河西走廊是古代中原文化和西域文化的交叉地带,也是古丝绸之路的重要通道。为了给研究东西方物质和文化交流在中国农业发展史上的作用提供实物证据,对甘肃民乐东灰山和西灰山现有材料采用遗址剖面土壤样本浮选、分拣、鉴定和理化分析方法,以现代作物种子为对照,确定遗址炭化作物籽粒的种类、性状差异及年纪。结果显示,东灰山遗址发现了炭化小麦、大麦、谷子(粟)、糜子(黍、稷)、黑麦、荞麦和燕麦籽粒,以及胡桃壳、枣核等;西灰山遗址发现了炭化小麦、谷子、糜子和大麦籽粒;两个遗址的作物种植结构基本一致。东灰山和西灰山发现的作物以小麦最为古老,距今在3 800~3 600年之间,西灰山小麦种植历史稍早于东灰山。在新石器晚期至青铜器时代,河西走廊的粮食生产已有比较合理的作物种类结构,包括小麦、大麦、谷子、糜子、黑麦、荞麦和燕麦等。炭化小麦籽粒较小,且大小不均匀,说明人工选育程度低。如对东灰山和西灰山作物和植物遗存开展系统性发掘,可能还会有更多新发现或新认知。     

表达鸡传染性法氏囊病病毒VP2基因的重组火鸡疱疹病毒的构建及生物学特性分析

鸡传染性法氏囊病（IBD）是一种严重危害养禽业的高度致死性和免疫抑制性传染病。为研制IBD重组火鸡疱疹病毒（HVT）活载体疫苗,本研究构建了表达鸡传染性法氏囊病病毒（IBDV）保护性抗原VP2基因的重组HVT并对其体外生物学特性进行了分析。通过RT-PCR扩增IBDV超强毒株VP2基因并克隆入pCI载体,获得重组真核表达质粒pCI-VP2。用限制性内切酶将携带CMV启动子的VP2基因表达框架切下,连接于入门质粒pENTR,构建获得重组入门质粒pENTR-VP2。将pENTR-VP2与HVT重组黏粒H3-Kan/ccdB进行LR重组反应,构建重组表达黏粒H3-VP2。用H3-VP2与其他4个相互重叠并覆盖HVT全基因组的黏粒共同转染鸡胚成纤维细胞（CEF）,拯救获得重组病毒rHVT-VP2。将重组病毒在CEF中连续传至20代后用PCR、间接免疫荧光试验和免疫印迹试验进行检测,并绘制重组病毒体外生长曲线,分析其体外复制特性。结果表明,重组病毒rHVT-VP2能够稳定表达VP2蛋白,rHVT-VP2在CEF中的复制能力与亲本病毒无明显差异。重组病毒rHVT-VP2免疫鸡后能够诱导产生IBDV中和抗体,并对IBDV强毒株攻击引起的死亡提供90%免疫保护。重组病毒rHVT-VP2的构建为研制IBD重组HVT活载体疫苗奠定了基础,对IBD的防控具有重要意义。     

A Long-Term Study of the Environment Within a Tunnel Incubator for Turkey Eggs

A 6-mo study of the temperatures within a tunnel incubator in a commercial turkey hatchery was conducted to determine the extent that the incubation environment varied with the type of egg incubated. The tunnel incubator moves air through the mass of eggs from the oldest to the youngest embryos, and air temperature was found to increase by approximately 1°F as it passed through the eggs. The temperature of the air entering the eggs was maintained at a constant temperature by the incubator, but the temperature of the air leaving the eggs showed considerable day-to-day variation. The main cause of temperature variation within the incubator was the setting of fresh eggs into and the transferring of d-25 eggs out of the incubator. However, the temperature was also found to vary with the predicted total embryo metabolic heat production within the incubator estimated from the age of the embryo, egg mass, and breeder flock fertility. The temperature of air within the egg mass was also measured and shown to correspond more closely to the temperature of the air where it exits the eggs rather than where it enters the eggs or the machine-operating temperature.     

Hepatic lipidosis: Liver characteristics and acute phase proteins in affected turkeys

The hepatic lipidosis (HL) in fattening turkeys is a disease has been known for a long time, but the cause and pathogenesis is still not clarified. A recent study reported unexplained high levels of iron in liver tissue of fattening turkeys suffering from HL. In this study, the iron status, possible infectious or inflammatory influences in form of an acute phase reaction and the analysis of fatty acid pattern in liver tissue of turkeys affected by HL were examined. Three cases of HL on three different fattening turkey farms were investigated during the outbreak of the disease. Clinically affected and non-affected animals were subjected to a pathological examination, where the diagnosis HL or non-affected was made. In total, 70 birds were examined (40 with HL, 30 without HL) and blood and liver samples were taken. Additionally, samples from 15 slaughtered birds were taken as a further control group. In liver tissue, the iron content and the content of long-chain fatty acids were determined; in blood samples, ferritin and transferrin were measured. The iron content in liver tissue was more than three times higher for animals with HL than among non-affected animals and the control group. The transferrin levels were lowest for animals with HL, highest in the control group and in between for non-affected animals. The fatty acid pattern in liver tissue of affected animals indicated a shift from polyunsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids compared to the control group and the non-affected animals. Overall, the non-affected animals of a flock affected by HL were similar to the healthy animals of the abattoir. The low acute phase protein levels for animals with HL together with high iron contents could indicate a previous malnutrition/starvation period and/or severe liver damage for those animals suffering from HL.     

The effect of a direct-fed microbial (Primalac) on turkey live performance

Two pen trials and 2 field trials were conducted to determine whether a direct-fed microbial (DFM; Primalac) was effective in improving turkey productive performance. In the pen trials, typical turkey diets were formulated with and without Primalac. All feed was provided by a commercial feed mill. In trial 1, Large White male turkey poults were placed in 48 pens (18 birds/pen, 24 pens/treatment) on the day of hatch and were reared to 20 wk. In trial 2, Large White female turkey poults were placed in 48 pens (30 birds/pen, 24 pens/treatment) on the day of hatch and were reared to 18 wk. Cumulative FCR was significantly improved for birds fed DFM feed compared with birds fed control feed at 20 wk in trial 1 and at 8 wk in trial 2. Body weight was significantly greater for birds fed DFM feed compared with birds fed the control feed through 12 wk in both trials. In 2 field trials, 2 brooder houses and 4 grow-out houses were paired on each farm (4 brooder houses and 8 grow-out houses total). All birds received the same feed provided by the integrator. The DFM was provided in the water from placement to market in 1 brooder house and in the 2 matching grow-out houses. Breeder flocks were equally represented in both brooder houses within each trial. Approximately 12,000 male poults were placed in each brooder house and were transferred to 2 grow-out houses at 5 wk. Although no statistical analyses were computed for the field trials, there was a nominal improvement in performance associated with the DFM: mean livability was increased by 3.5%, mean BW was increased by 0.9 kg (2 lb), mean total weight removed from the farms was increased by 13,706 kg (30,153 lb), mean FCR was improved by 0.165, and cost of production was reduced by $0.0195/kg ($0.043/lb) of BW by the DFM. In conclusion, the DFM product (Primalac) used in these studies was effective in improving turkey live performance.     

Summary of Ammonia and Particulate Matter Emission Factors for Poultry Operations

Limited data on pollutant emissions from poultry operations are available to assess the effect of these operations on the environment and to put their contribution in perspective with other sources of pollutants. To alleviate this problem, numerous studies at various poultry facilities have been undertaken to improve the knowledge base in quantifying emissions of NH₃ and size-fractionated particulate matter (PM). For these emission data to be of practical use for government agencies and policy makers, the emission rates must be reported as an emission factor with a production unit that enables the emissions from one poultry operation to be correlated to another poultry operation. This paper presents a compilation of NH₃ and PM emission data from several studies in the form of emission factor on a per-500 kg of live weight or animal unit basis. In addition, best management practices that lower pollutant emissions from poultry operations have been reported along with their effectiveness at reducing NH₃ and PM. Unfortunately, the compiled data were insufficient to characterize the variability in emissions caused by differences in house design, suggesting that more studies are needed to complete a comprehensive emission inventory. Once complete, this inventory will enable poultry producers to estimate emissions from their facilities and, if necessary, select management practice(s) to lessen their emissions of NH₃, PM, or both.     

Comparison of Metabolic Energy Content of Organic Cereal Grains for Chickens and Turkeys

Although there is an extensive database on the nutrient content of conventionally produced feedstuffs, there is very little published research on the nutrient content of feedstuffs that are organically grown. Industrial and organic crop production differ in both crop and soil management. There are data to suggest that these differences may result in differences in the nutrient content of organic grown feedstuffs. The purpose of this study was to determine the ME content of organically grown amaranth, buckwheat, white corn, yellow corn, and wheat samples obtained from the University of Minnesota's organic research farm. Both chickens and turkeys were used in the assays to compare the ME content for these 2 species. The TME_n content, on an as-fed basis, of amaranth, buckwheat, yellow corn, white corn, and wheat for chickens were found to be 3,146, 3,072, 3,603, 3,324, and 3,592 kcal/kg, respectively. The TME_n content of the same samples, on an as-fed basis, determined with turkeys were found to be 2,748, 2,227, 2,810, 2,757, and 2,959 kcal/kg, respectively. True ME content of the organically grown feed ingredients was found to be greater when chickens were used in the bioassay as compared with turkeys and differed significantly from published values for the same cereals grown using conventional means.