Beziehungen zwischen Kriterien der Eigenleistungsprüfung, der Spermaqualität and dem Befruchtungserfolg von Besamungsebern

Inhalt Anhand des Datenmaterials eines Zuchtunternehmens wurden die Beziehungen zwischen Mastleistungs- und Spermaqualitätsmerkmalen und der Reproduktionsleistung an 220 Besamungsebern mit insgesamt 3740 Ejakulaten untersucht. Zwischen Merkmalen der Mast- und Reproduktionsleistung konnten keine statistisch gesicherten Beziehungen gefunden werden, obwohl eine Tendenz bestand, daβ Eber mit geringerer Speckdicke auch weniger Ferkel je Besamung brachten. Zwei Merkmale der Mastleistung (Muskel- und Rückenspeckdicke) zeigten Beziehungen zu Spermaqualitätsmerkmalen. Diese hatten allerdings keinen Einfluβ auf die Reproduktionsleistung der Eber. Contents Relationship between performance testing, sperm quality and success of insemination in boars. Using data from a breeder, the relationship between fattening performance and criteria of sperm quality and reproduction performance of 220 Al-boars with in toto 3,740 ejaculates was investigated. There was no statistically conclusive relationship between fattening and reproductive performance, although boars with less fat tended to beget fewer piglets per insemination. Two characteristics of fattening performance showed a relationship to criteria of sperm quality. These had, however, no influence on the breeding performance of the boars.     

Genetic and environmental trends in German swine herdbook populations

Environmental and genetic trends for swine herdbook populations for Germany for the years 1979 to 1987 were estimated using mixed model methodology on test station data. Daily gain (DG), feed conversion efficiency (FCE), lean-to-fat ratio (R) and meat quality (Goefo) were analyzed simultaneously with different incidence matrices. Breed, season and test station were fixed effects; herd, litter and additive genetic effects for sib groups were random effects. Because the relationship data were incomplete, unknown ancestors were assigned to genetic groups. Carcass weight was included as a covariable for R. In DG, FCE and R, season was defined as month of test over all breeds and test stations. On the other hand, season for Goefo was replaced by slaughter location-date interaction. Cumulative genetic responses from the multivariate analysis for the component traits of the aggregate genotype ranged from 22 g to 55 g in DG, -.7 to 3.2 units in Goefo, -.1 to .5 in valuable cuts, and -.04 to -.15 in FCE. Cumulative monetary response over these 9 yr. per pig were $4.3, $3.7, $6.2 and $5.1 for German Landrace, German Large White, Pietrain and German Landrace B. Important environmental trends were found in FCE, Goefo and R. Total genetic improvement amounted to 1.6% of the value of national pork production in Germany during these 9 yr. With incomplete convergence, the genetic response was underestimated and environmental trends were overestimated.     

Effects of time of day, season and stratum on Haemonchus contortus and Haemonchus placei third-stage larvae on irrigated pasture.

The effect of time of day, season and stratum of herbage and soil on the availability of Haemonchus contortus and Haemonchus placei third-stage larvae (L3) on pasture was assessed. Feces from infected calves and lambs were placed on pasture plots and samples of upper herbage, lower herbage, mat and soil were collected at five intervals per day throughout the daylight hours on 18 sample days over 12 months. Using recovery rate factors derived from a preliminary investigation on the efficacy of larval recovery from each stratum, the data on larval recoveries were analyzed for the effect of season, time and stratum, and their interactions. Significant (P less than 0.05) differences were found for season, stratum and the season-with-stratum interaction for both parasites. No significant differences were detected for larval counts at different times of the day. Larval recoveries of H. contortus were larger throughout the study than those of H. placei. Most H. contortus L3 were recovered in the summer and autumn, and H. placei in the spring and summer. For both parasites, the recoveries of larvae from the upper and lower herbage were larger than those from the mat and soil. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of control strategies.     

First case of pithomycotoxicosis (facial eczema) in the Netherlands

Between mid September and the beginning of November 2005, the Animal Health Service (AHS) received thirteen reports offarms on which several animals showed severe symptoms of solar eczema. Blood chemistry showed very high levels of GOT/AST and GGT indicative of severe liver damage. Farm visits to eight farms showed that the animals--previous to the start of the symptoms--had been grazing 24 hours/day and received no additional feed. Ingestion of poisonous plants or medications was considered unlikely to have caused the liver damage, and liver fluke infections were present on only two farms. Microscopic examination of specimens of grass revealed the presence of spores of Pithomyces chartarum in samples taken from six of nine farms. This fungus produces the mycotoxin sporidesmin, which causes severe liver damage and pithomycotoxicosis (facial eczema). This article is the first to describe Pithomyces chartarum in cattle in mainland Europe. Further research on the distribution and re-occurrence of Pithomyces chartarum infection and sporidesmin survival in grass silage is recommended.     

A domain-specific language framework for farm management information systems in precision agriculture

Precision Agriculture - Farm management information system (FMIS) is an important element of precision agriculture to support the decision making process in the agricultural business. Developing...     

Simultaneous estimation of variances and covariances using REML and Henderson 3 in a selected population of white leghorns

1. Genetic and residual variances and covariances were estimated on performance data from 5943 laying hens from a 7 generation selection experiment for the traits: egg number up to day 270 (EN270), egg weight (EW), body weight at day 215 (BW), egg mass 100 g of food (EMFC), and residual food consumption (RFC) by a Henderson 3 and REML procedure.

2. Simultaneous REML estimates of all 30 components were obtained by a software package is based on numerical optimisation of the log likelihood using a multivariate animal model. Henderson 3 estimates were computed on the basis of a hierarchical sire‐dam model. Estimates were generated beginning with a data set comprising only the first generation, and then successively adding one generation after the other.

3. REML estimates for heritabilities h ² on the basis of all performance records were 0.40, 0.75, 0.62, 0.21 and 0.22 for traits EN270, EW, BW, EMFC, and RFC, respectively. The corresponding Henderson 3 estimates were: 0.30, 0.57, 0.43, 0.21, and 0.20.

4. The results indicate that some REML h ² estimates are substantially different from those obtained by Henderson 3 once the data set included three generations as opposed to those based on Henderson 3.     

Development and evaluation of a real-time polymerase chain reaction test for the detection of Theileria parva infections in Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) and cattle

Corridor disease, caused by the tick-borne protozoan parasite Theileria parva, is a controlled disease in South Africa. The Cape buffalo is the reservoir host and uninfected buffalo have become sought-after by the game industry in South Africa, particularly for introduction into Corridor disease-free areas. A real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for detection of T. parva DNA in buffalo and cattle was developed to improve the sensitivity and specificity of the official diagnostic test package in South Africa. Oligonucleotide primers and hybridization probes were designed based on the 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene. Amplification of control DNA using Theileria genus-specific primers resulted in detection of T. taurotragi and T. annulata, in addition to T. parva. A T. parva-specific forward primer was designed which eliminated amplification of all other Theileria species, except for Theileria sp. (buffalo); however only the T. parva product was detected by the T. parva-specific hybridization probe set. The real-time PCR assay requires less time to perform, is more sensitive than the other molecular assays previously used in T. parva diagnostics and can reliably detect the parasite in carrier animals with a piroplasm parasitaemia as low as 8.79 x 10(-4)%.