Study on cortisol,cortisone and prednisolone presence in urine of Chianina cattle breed

The Chianina, one of the oldest and most important cattle breeds of Italy, is now reared all over the world. The Chianina has been known and appreciated since ancient times because, from a nutritional point of view, its meat has no proper rivals. To date, studies have been performed to evaluate the genetic profile of the breed, but knowledge about the chemical profile is generally lacking. Due to the increased interest from farmers regarding breeding of the Chianina, this study proposes a preliminary evaluation of main endogenous urinary corticosteroids (cortisol and cortisone) and most commonly used synthetic one (dexamethasone). Moreover, after recent findings regarding the presence of endogenous prednisolone in the urine of more popular breeds, particular attention was given to analysis of the presence of prednisolone and prednisone, as well. For this aim, the urine samples of 12 young cows and 30 young bulls was collected at the farms and analysed using a fit‐for‐purpose LC‐MS/MS method. The preliminary results of this study show that prednisolone was found only in Chianina females (3 out of 12). Cortisol and cortisone were found at concentrations that showed a high inter‐individual variability, and that were higher in female urine compared to that of males.     

Genetic evaluation of laying performance in the Zatorska goose: contribution to the conservation programme

1. The aim of the study was to estimate the heritability of the laying performance in the cumulative and partial production of eggs and predict the breeding values of native Zatorska geese in a conservation programme using Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (BLUP) methodology. Second, the trajectory of the egg production curve was examined.

2. The data contain information about the laying performance of 1831 individuals in the first year of laying. To describe the trajectory of the laying performance, 10 mathematical models were tested. For the genetic parameter estimation of egg production, data from 1038 birds were used with a production higher than 20 eggs during the first season of laying.

3. The analysis of egg production was based on single and multi-trait models. Heritability, genetic and phenotypic correlations between phases of the laying performance as well as breeding values were estimated.

4. The best adaptation to the goose egg laying curve was the Ali and Schaeffer model. The estimates of heritability were 0.20 (0.06 SE) using the single-trait model and ranged from 0.12 to 0.24 using the multi-trait model.

5. The results suggest that the BLUP method can support the conservation programme.     

信阳市林木良种化进程中存在的问题及对策

对信阳林木良种化发展的现状进行分析,并针对良种意识不强、种质资源保护、良种选育工作滞后、良种基地建设水平不高、政策支持不够等问题,提出加快良种化进程的措施。     

加速发展社会主义现代化草原畜牧业

目前我国进入“WTO后过渡期”,加快向市场经济和自由贸易制度靠拢。这就要求我国草原畜牧业要改变传统经营方式,从宏观层面合理配置畜牧业资源。通过实施“北繁南育”战略,将北方地区草食家畜的繁殖优势与南方区域的草食家畜育肥优势有机结合起来,生产符合国内外市场需要的绿色畜产品,同时有效解决我国生态环境恶化、畜产品竞争力低下、农牧民增收困难的矛盾,实现我国传统草原畜牧业向现代化草原畜牧业的转变。     

三疣梭子蟹快速生长品系核心种质有效群体含量

三疣梭子蟹是我国海水养殖的重要种类之一,良种选育核心种质的繁衍与更新是制约品种选育成功的技术瓶颈。根据Doyle和Talbot提出的计算有效群体含量的计算公式,对2008年三疣梭子蟹快速生长品系核心育种群有效群体含量进行估算,得出实际群体有效含量为213,实际近交系数为0.002 3,其近交系数较小,近交衰退控制在较低的水平。但三疣梭子蟹保种数量和留种方式仍然困扰育种群体控制,因此,借鉴畜禽的保种模式,从留种方式、雌雄比例、保种数量等方面对三疣梭子蟹快速生长品系核心基础群进行保种研究。结果表明,采用随机留种,雌雄1∶1比例交尾,雌雄数量各131只,此保种模式既能保证三疣梭子蟹快速生长品系核心基础群遗传多样性处于较高水平,使其具有较大的选育潜力,又能使保种成本维持在一个合理水平。此研究模式也为理论保种模式,需要在以后的实际群体选育过程中逐步完善。     

免疫应激对不同品种猪氨基酸消化率的影响

本试验通过注射大肠杆菌脂多糖（LPS）构建免疫应激模型，旨在探讨免疫应激对不同品种猪氨基酸消化率的影响。分别选用6头体重为32±3.6 kg莱芜猪、鲁莱猪和大约克夏猪，采用2×3因子设计（免疫应激*品种类型），实施回肠末端T型瘘管手术。试验猪单栏饲养，术后经过14 d适应期，进行氨基酸代谢试验。结果表明：在所测定的16种氨基酸中，除了半胱氨酸和组氨酸，免疫应激降低了不同品种猪的氨基酸的回肠表观消化率（P < 0.01）（P < 0.05）；大约克猪对总氨基酸的回肠表观消化率的降低量高于鲁莱猪和莱芜猪（P < 0.05）。     

石塘镇牛品改工作现状及整改措施

据笔者在石塘镇水产畜牧兽医站工作十余年,本文对石塘镇牛品改工作存在的问题及整改措施进行了分析,只有剖析与解决了制约牛品改工作发展的不利因素,才能促进石塘镇牛品改工作的顺利发展,提高广大养殖户的经济收入。     

不同鸭品种在“稻鸭共作”系统中的行为学差异及对水稻产量的影响

为探究鸭在稻田间的运动规律，揭示不同鸭品种在田间的行为学差异以及对水稻产量的影响。本研究选取稻鸭共作试验田9块（766 m2/块），按225只/hm2分别放入役用鸭（绿头野鸭♂?金定鸭♀）、金定鸭、白改鸭等3个鸭品种，通过视频监控系统，采用连续观察法记录鸭在每天的5:00—20:00时间段内在田间的游动、休息、采食等行为的发生时间和持续时间，连续观察5天。经观察发现，鸭田间活动高峰一般是在早上5:00—7:00，8:00—11:00以及15:00—18:00等时间段，役用鸭和金定鸭每天的活动时间分别为324.50 min(36.06%)，315.75 min(35.08%)，极显著高于白改鸭264.50 min (29.39%) (P＜0.01)。采用役用鸭、金定鸭、白改鸭进行稻鸭共作后，水稻产量分别比对照组提高了22.75%，20.14%和10.89%。水稻产量构成因素与鸭游动时间相关性分析发现，结实率、理论产量与游动时间呈极显著正相关(r=0.959，P＜0.01；r=0.858，P＜0.01)，千粒重、实际产量与游动时间呈显著正相关(r=0.627，P＜0.05；r=0.767，P＜0.05)。研究结果表明：役用鸭对水稻的增产效果最好，且发现游动时间可作为影响稻鸭共作水稻产量的重要评价指标。该研究结果为稻鸭共作鸭品种的筛选以及稻鸭共作系统水稻产量的提升提供了重要的参考数据。     

Effect of catheter size and injection rate of contrast agent on enhancement and image quality for triple‐phase helical computed tomography of the liver in small dogs

Rapid contrast injection is recommended for triple‐phase helical computed tomography (CT) of the liver. However, a large‐gauge catheter is needed for faster contrast injection and this is not practical for small breed dogs or cats. The purpose of this crossover group study was to evaluate applicability of a lower injection rate with a small‐gauge (G) catheter for triple‐phase hepatic CT in small dogs. Triple‐phase CT images were acquired for six beagle dogs using three protocols: an injection rate of 1.5 ml/s with a 24 G catheter, 3.0 ml/s with a 22 G catheter, and 4.5 ml/s with a 20 G catheter. Enhancement of the aorta, portal vein, and hepatic parenchyma was measured in each phase (arterial, portal, and delayed) and image quality was scored subjectively by two observers. Injection duration, time to scan delay, and time to peak enhancement were also recorded. Contrast injection duration decreased with a higher injection rate (n = 6, P ≤ 0.01), but time to peak enhancement and time to scan delay were not significantly affected by injection rates and catheter sizes. Contrast injection rate did not significantly affect aortic, portal, and hepatic enhancement. In addition, separation between each phase and quality of images was subjectively scored as good regardless of injection rate. Findings from the current study supported using an injection rate of 1.5 ml/s with a catheter size of 24 G for triple‐phase hepatic CT in small dogs (weight < 12 kg).     

Comparison on accuracy of different nonlinear models in predicting growth of Podolica bulls

Animal growth does not follow a linear pattern, being explained mathematically by functions that have parameters with biological meaning. These parameters are used to estimate the expected weight of animals at specific ages. Several nonlinear models have been used to describe growth. This study was carried out to estimate the parameters of logistic, Gompertz, Richards and von Bertalanffy growth curve models in a sample of Podolica young bulls to determine the goodness of fit. Animals were weighed every 3 months from birth to 810 days of age. The results indicate that all the growth models used were easily fitted to the observed data with Gompertz and logistic functions presenting less computational difficulty in terms of number of iterations to achieve convergence. Moreover, logistic and Richards equations provided the best overall fit being useful to describe the growth of Podolica bulls. Considering that the literature lacks information on growth curves in Podolica breed, the study of a mathematical model for growth describing the developmental pattern of a specific population within a peculiar environment is a useful tool to improve Podolica breed production.