Growth performance of Black Bengal,Saanen, and their crossbred F1 as affected by sex,litter size,and season of kidding

The objective of the present study was to determine the factors that influenced growth performance of the goat kids of Black Bengal (BB), Saanen (SA), and their crossbred F1 (male Bengal × female Saanen [BBSA] and male Saanen × female Black Bengal [SABB]). Data for 674 kids were analyzed from 316 litters and 134 does. All kids were weekly measured on their characteristics (body weight, length, height at the withers, and chest girth) from birth to 11 weeks old. The kid’s breed and sex, litter size, and season of kidding influenced birth weight and other characteristics through the experiment. The SA and BBSA kids showed similar performance, which were higher than BB and SABB kids. Male kids had higher performance than female kids, and kids from a single litter showed the highest performance. Kids born during rainy season showed lower performance than those born in hot and cool seasons. In conclusion, the crossbred BBSA is superior to SABB or BB to raise in tropical climate Moreover, sex, litter size, and kidding season also affected growth performance during the preweaning period up to 11 weeks old.     

Dietary cation and anion difference: Effects on milk production and body fluid distribution in lactating dairy goats under tropical conditions

This study aimed to determine the effect of dietary cation and anion difference (DCAD) on milk production and body fluid distribution in lactating dairy goats. Ten dairy goats were selected and divided into two groups, five animals each. Animals received either control DCAD (control, 22.81 mEq/100 g dry matter (DM)) or high DCAD (DCAD, 39.08 mEq/100 g DM). The results indicated that rectal temperature (Tr), respiration rate, milk yield and compositions did not differ between groups. But the percentage change of Tr from the DCAD group was lower than the control group between 09.00 and 13.00 hours. DM intake tended to increase in the DCAD group. Dairy goats in the DCAD group drank more water, but urinary excretion and plasma antidiuretic hormone concentration remained unchanged. Apparent water balance was higher from the DCAD group over 24 h. There was no effect of DCAD on plasma and blood volumes, but tended to increase in extracellular fluid and thereby increased total body water. The present results indicate that animals supplemented with high DCAD increase their total body water and apparent water balance. These results have contributed to the process of adaptation for evaporative cooling and would be useful in slowing down the elevation in Tr.     

利用高光谱成像技术和多变量校正方法检测苹果的硬度（英）

高光谱图像集图像信息与光谱信息于一身,应用于农产品品质无损检测领域。该研究尝试利用高光谱图像技术结合多变量校正方法检测苹果硬度的可行性。试验通过获取的高光谱图像中提取有效的光谱信息来建立预测苹果硬度的预测模型。在建立模型过程中,偏最小二乘（PLS）和支持向量回归（SVR）两种多变量校正方法被比较,结果表明在785.11～872.45 nm范围内,SVR模型的性能优于PLS模型,模型对硬度预测结果的相关系数为0.6808。试验结果表明高光谱图像技术可以被用来检测苹果的硬度。     

Effects of long-term exogenous bovine somatotropin on glucose metabolism and the utilization of glucose by the mammary gland in different stages of lactation of crossbred Holstein cattle

The effects of long-term administration of recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) on glucose turnover and the utilization of glucose in the mammary gland using a continuous infusion of [3-³H]glucose and [U-¹⁴C]glucose in lactating crossbred Holstein Friesian(HF) cattle were investigated. Glucose turnover of rbST-treated animals was significantly higher than those of control animals ( P  < 0.05) in mid lactation, while plasma glucose concentrations were not affected. The utilization of glucose of non-mammary tissues of rbST-treated animals significantly increased ( P  < 0.05) as lactation advanced. The glucose taken up by the mammary gland in early lactation increased flux through the lactose synthesis and the pentose cycle pathway with significant increases in NADPH formation for fatty acid synthesis during rbST administration. The utilization of glucose carbon incorporation into milk appeared to increase in milk citrate and milk triacylglycerol but not for milk lactose as lactation advances in rbST-treated animals. The stimulant effect for milk yield by rbST treatment was transiently and significantly increased in early lactation and was decreased in late lactation even though there was a high level of udder blood flow. These findings demonstrate that the regulation of biosynthetic capacity within the mammary gland would be influenced more by local than by systemic factors. The proportion of glucose would be metabolized less for lactose synthesis, but metabolized more via the Embden-Meyerhof pathway and the tricarboxylic acid cycle as lactation advances.     

Effects of long-term administration of recombinant bovine somatotropin on the concentration of metabolites in milk in different stages of lactation in crossbred Holstein cattle

Effects of long‐term treatment with recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) on concentrations of cellular metabolites in the milk of 87.5% crossbred Holstein cattle were performed. The peak milk yield of rbST‐treated animals was 22% higher (P < 0.05) than that of the control animals in early lactation. The mammary glucose uptake of rbST‐treated animals increased in early lactation, but decreased in mid and late lactation, while plasma glucose concentrations were not affected. Lactose and milk triacylglycerol secretion of rbST‐treated animals significantly increased (P < 0.05) when compared with those of control animals in early lactation. The concentrations of milk glucose of rbST‐treated animals significantly increased in early and mid‐lactation (P < 0.05). The concentrations of milk galactose markedly increased (P < 0.05) whereas the concentrations of milk uridine 5′‐diphosphoglucose (UDP‐glucose) and UDP‐galactose showed no significant changes as lactation advances in both groups. The concentrations of isocitrate, 2‐oxoglutarate and citrate in milk from both groups showed no significant changes throughout experiment. The concentration of glucose‐6‐phosphate (G6P), glucose‐1‐phosphate and cyclic adenosine 3,5′monophosphate in milk from both groups markedly decreased as lactation advances exception in early lactation of rbST‐treated animals, which G6P was not affected. These findings suggest that prolonged rbST treatment exerts its galactopoietic action at least in early lactation through both intramammary and extra‐mammary changes. Increases in the concentrations of glucose and G6P in milk maintained the level of pretreatment in early lactation associated with increases in milk yields during rbST administration, reflect their concentrations in the cytosol or Golgi vesicles of mammary cells, which would be one of the factors regulating intermediary metabolites in the lactose biosynthetic pathway.     

An evaluation of acute toxicity of colloidal silver nanoparticles

Tests for acute oral toxicity, eye irritation, corrosion and dermal toxicity of colloidal silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were conducted in laboratory animals following OECD guidelines. Oral administration of AgNPs at a limited dose of 5,000 mg/kg produced neither mortality nor acute toxic signs throughout the observation period. Percentage of body weight gain of the mice showed no significant difference between control and treatment groups. In the hematological analysis, there was no significant difference between mice treated with AgNPs and controls. Blood chemistry analysis also showed no differences in any of the parameter examined. There was neither any gross lesion nor histopathological change observed in various organs. The results indicated that the LD(50) of colloidal AgNPs is greater than 5,000 mg/kg body weight. In acute eye irritation and corrosion study, no mortality and toxic signs were observed when various doses of colloidal AgNPs were instilled in guinea pig eyes during 72 hr observation period. However, the instillation of AgNPs at 5,000 ppm produced transient eye irritation during early 24 hr observation time. No any gross abnormality was noted in the skins of the guinea pigs exposed to various doses of colloidal AgNPs. In addition, no significant AgNPs exposure relating to dermal tissue changes was observed microscopically. In summary, these findings of all toxicity tests in this study suggest that colloidal AgNPs could be relatively safe when administered to oral, eye and skin of the animal models for short periods of time.     

Relationships Between Degree of Azotaemia and Blood Pressure,Urinary Protein:Creatinine Ratio and Fractional Excretion of Electrolytes in Dogs with Renal Azotaemia

Blood pressure (BP) was measured in 31 renal azotaemic dogs by oscillometric measurement at the posterior tibia artery, and urine and blood samples were collected. Haematology, blood chemistry and urinalysis were performed and urinary protein:creatinine ratio (UPC) and fractional excretions of electrolytes (FE_e) were calculated. The results showed that only 19% of dogs with renal azotaemia were hypertensive, whereas almost all of them had high urinary protein and electrolyte excretions. There was no association between BP, UPC and FE_e. A positive correlation was found between all pairs of electrolyte fractional excretions. When the severity of renal impairment was observed using plasma creatinine concentration, neither BP nor UPC was correlated. Only the FE _e was associated with the degree of azotaemia. The results suggest that dogs with renal azotaemia do not necessarily have hypertension. The fractional urinary excretion of electrolytes may be a good indicator for severity of renal dysfunction in azotaemic dogs.     

Effects of long-term administration of recombinant bovine somatotropin on the plasminogen–plasmin system and milk composition of crossbred Holstein cattle

Experiments were performed to examine the effects of long‐term treatment with recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) on milk plasmin–plasminogen and milk composition by one injection of 500 mg of rbST in every 14 days throughout lactation in crossbred Holstein cattle. The animals receiving rbST gave a greater milk yield and rate of blood flow to the udder during early lactation than the control group. The milk lactose concentration remained constant while the milk protein concentration increased as lactation advanced in both groups. The level of milk fat in rbST‐treated animals was significantly greater than in controls in the early lactation period (P < 0.05). The milk sodium and chloride concentrations of the rbST‐treated animals significantly decreased in early lactation as compared with the control animals. The sodium : potassium ratio of the rbST‐treated animals was significantly lower than those of control animals in the early lactation (P < 0.05) and it markedly increased in late lactation. As lactation advanced, the concentration of plasmin in the milk gradually increased, while the milk plasminogen concentration significantly increased in both groups. The plasminogen : plasmin ratio decreased in the control animals while it increased in the rbST‐treated animals as lactation advanced. These findings demonstrate that rbST is involved the activity of the plasmin–plasminogen system but is not involved in maintaining tissue integrity in the mammary gland during late lactation in crossbred dairy cattle.