Pronuclear Embryo Yield in Canindé and Saanen Goats for DNA Microinjection

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of donor breed on pronuclear‐stage embryo yield to be used for DNA microinjection in a transgenesis goat program. Twelve Canindé and twelve Saanen goats were heat synchronized using a progestagen‐cloprostenol treatment. Forty‐eight hours before the sponge removal, superovulation was induced with a total administration of 4.4 mg/kg bodyweight NIH‐FSH‐P1, given twice daily in decreasing doses over 3 days. In addition, goats received 100 μg of GnRH and they were hand‐mated at 36 and 48 h after progestagen removal. Embryo recovery was performed by oviduct flushing at 72 h after sponge removal. Embryos were microinjected with a DNA construct and noticeable swelling of the nuclei was the criterion for successful microinjection. The total diameter, cytoplasm diameter, zona pellucida thickness and pronuclei diameter were measured for each microinjected embryo. A higher (p < 0.05) percentage of fertilized ova was observed in Canindé (89.9%) than Saanen (36.2%) goats. In addition, Canindé donors produced a higher percentage of pronuclear embryos when compared with Saanen: 72.5% vs 20.6% (p < 0.05), respectively. Successful microinjection was verified in 96.7% and 73.3% of times in Canindé and Saanen embryos, respectively (p < 0.05). Significant differences were observed for all morphometric parameters except for cytoplasm diameter. In conclusion, under our study experimental conditions, Canindé were more efficient than Saanen goats concerning the pronuclear embryo yield and manipulation. The use of Canindé goats in transgenesis programs could be increase the interest in their breeding and could be contribute to saving them from extinction.     

Epidemiological studies of pig diseases: 1. Use of French protocols for risk factor assessment to predict the health status of Australian herds

Objective To determine in Australian pig herds the accuracy of French protocols for risk factor assessment.
Procedure Data on health indicators and risk factors were collected for three syndromes, 'pre-weaning diarrhoea', 'post-weaning diarrhoea' and 'respiratory problems', using the French protocols. The protocols were used on 118 occasions in 32 Western Australian pig herds during 3 years (1988 to 1991).
Results There was a wide variation in pre-weaning performance, for example growth rate was 107 to 273 g/day (< 200 g/day in 33% of herds). Respiratory lesions at weaning were associated with poor pre-weaning performance. Post-weaning (21 days after weaning) growth rate was 114 to 408 g/day (< 250 g/day in 54% of herds). In the grower herds, 91% of herds had pneumonia, and growth rate was 439 to 625 g/day (< 550 g/day in 54% of herds). Pleurisy as well as pneumonia was associated with reduced growth rate. The risk factor most closely associated with respiratory health status was air volume per pig.
Conclusion Risk factors were most accurate at predicting the health status in post-weaning problems. A weaning weight of at least 7.9 kg and weaning age of 30 days optimised weaner performance. Stocking densities and shed designs providing at least 3 m³ air volume and 0.6 m² floor space per pig throughout the growing phase should be considered for an improved respiratory health status. Australian pig sheds often do not provide a satisfactory environment for optimum health. The technique of risk factor assessment as an aid to the maintenance of health in pig herds is applicable in Australia, but further research is necessary to determine the most important Australian risk factors.     

The Post‐Cervical Insemination does not Impair the Reproductive Performance of Primiparous Sows

The study evaluated the reproductive performance of primiparous sows submitted to post‐cervical insemination (PCAI) compared with cervical artificial insemination (CAI). Difficulty with catheter introduction, the occurrence of bleeding or semen backflow during insemination, and volume and sperm cell backflow up to 60 min after insemination were also evaluated. Sows were homogenously distributed, according to body weight loss in lactation, lactation length, weaned piglets, weaning‐to‐oestrus interval and total born in previous farrowing, in two treatments: PCAI (n = 165) with 1.5 × 10⁹ sperm cells in 45 ml (2.4 ± 0.04 doses per sow) and CAI (n = 165) with 3 × 10⁹ sperm cells in 90 ml (2.5 ± 0.04 doses per sow). During PCAI, sows were inseminated in the absence of boars. Transabdominal real‐time ultrasonography was performed at oestrus onset, immediately before the first insemination and at 24 h after last insemination. There was no difference (P > 0.05) between treatments in farrowing rate (91.5% × 89.1%) and litter size (12.5 × 11.9 piglets born, respectively for PCAI and CAI sows). Successful passage of the intrauterine catheter in all the inseminations was possible in 86.8% (165/190) of sows initially allocated to PCAI treatment. Difficulty of introducing the catheter in at least one insemination did not affect the reproductive performance of PCAI sows (P > 0.05). Bleeding during insemination did not affect (P > 0.05) the farrowing rate in both treatments, but litter size was reduced in CAI and PCAI sows (P ≤ 0.06). Percentage of spermatozoa present in backflow within 1 h after insemination was greater in CAI than PCAI sows (P < 0.01). More than 85% of primiparous sows can be successfully post‐cervical inseminated with doses containing 1.5 × 10⁹ sperm cells in the absence of the boar during insemination without impairing the reproductive performance.     

Genetic‐Quantitative Study of the First‐Service Pregnancy Probability of Murrah Heifers

Because of the importance of reproduction in stock breeding systems, it is necessary to find selection criteria that increase reproductive efficiency. The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for the probability of conception on first service (PROB) in Murrah heifers, and its association with other traits of economic interest [age at first calving (AFC), service period, calving interval and milk yield at 270 days], with the purpose of evaluating their use as selection criteria. Reproductive information and first lactation records of 1200 Murrah heifers were used to perform two‐trait analyses between PROB and the other characteristics. Bayesian inference was used to estimate the variance components, considering PROB as threshold and the other as linear factors. The results demonstrate that this trait has heritability of 0.15, indicating the possibility of a genetic gain by using it for selection. With respect to the genetic correlation estimates, the only high‐magnitude association was with AFC (?0.899), which is the current criterion indicating sexual precocity of females. In the light of the parameters estimated, the first‐service pregnancy rate is an alternative for indication of sexual precocity, although presenting a smaller genetic gain than the current standard AFC. Nevertheless, additional research should be conducted regarding this trait to assess the economic importance of its use in dairy buffalo production systems.     

Genetic relationships among populations of Gibberella zeae from barley, wheat, potato, and sugar beet in the upper Midwest of the United States

Gibberella zeae, a causal agent of Fusarium head blight (FHB) in wheat and barley, is one of the most economically harmful pathogens of cereals in the United States. In recent years, the known host range of G. zeae has also expanded to noncereal crops. However, there is a lack of information on the population genetic structure of G. zeae associated with noncereal crops and across wheat cultivars. To test the hypothesis that G. zeae populations sampled from barley, wheat, potato, and sugar beet in the Upper Midwest of the United States are not mixtures of species or G. zeae clades, we analyzed sequence data of G. zeae, and confirmed that all populations studied were present in the same clade of G. zeae. Ten variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) markers were used to determine the genetic structure of G. zeae from the four crop populations. To examine the effect of wheat cultivars on the pathogen populations, 227 strains were sampled from 10 subpopulations according to wheat cultivar types. The VNTR markers also were used to analyze the genetic structure of these subpopulations. In all populations, gene (H = 0.453 to 0.612) and genotype diversity (GD = or >0.984) were high. There was little or no indication of linkage disequilibrium (LD) in all G. zeae populations and subpopulations. In addition, high gene flow (Nm) values were observed between cereal and noncereal populations (Nm = 10.69) and between FHB resistant and susceptible wheat cultivar subpopulations (Nm = 16.072), suggesting low population differentiation of G. zeae in this region. Analysis of molecular variance also revealed high genetic variation (>80%) among individuals within populations and subpopulations. However, low genetic variation (<5%) was observed between cereal and noncereal populations and between resistant and susceptible wheat subpopulations. Overall, these results suggest that the populations or subpopulations are likely a single large population of G. zeae affecting crops in the upper Midwest of the United States.     

Comparative population structure and trichothecene mycotoxin profiling of Fusarium graminearum from corn and wheat in Ontario,central Canada

Fusarium graminearum causes fusarium head blight (FHB) of wheat and gibberella ear rot (GER) of corn in Canada and also contaminates grains with trichothecene mycotoxins. Very little is known about trichothecene diversity and population structure of the fungus from corn in Ontario, central Canada. Trichothecene genotypes of F. graminearum isolated from corn (n = 452) and wheat (n = 110) from 2010 to 2012 were identified. All the isolates were deoxynivalenol (DON) type. About 96% of corn isolates and 98% of wheat isolates were 15‐acetyl deoxynivalenol (15ADON) type. The fungal population structures from corn (n = 313) and wheat (n = 73) were compared using 10 variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) markers. The fungal populations and subpopulations categorized based on host, cultivar groups, years and geography showed high gene (H = 0.818–0.928) and genotypic (GD = 0.999–1.00) diversity. Gene flow was also high between corn and wheat population pairs (Nm = 8.212), and subpopulation pairs within corn (Nm = 7.13–23.614) or wheat (Nm = 19.483) populations. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that isolates from both hosts were F. graminearum clade 7. These findings provide baseline data on 3‐acetyl deoxynivalenol (3ADON) and 15ADON profiles of F. graminearum isolates from corn in Canada and are useful in evaluating mycotoxin contamination risks in corn and wheat grains. Understanding the fungal genetic structure will assist evaluation and development of resistant cultivars/germplasm for FHB on wheat and GER on corn.     

A serological survey of cattle in the Thames-Coromandel district of New Zealand for antibodies to Ross River virus

AIM: To determine if cattle exposed to the southern saltmarsh mosquito (SSM), Aedes camptorhynchus, in the Thames-Coromandel district of New Zealand had been exposed to Ross River virus (RRV).

METHODS: A purposive sampling design was used to test cattle from seven farms located in close proximity to four sites infested with A. camptorhynchus in the Thames-Coromandel district. Sera from 207 cattle were tested for antibodies to RRV, using an ELISA and confi rmatory virus neutralisation test (VNT) as the gold standard.

RESULTS: All 207 cattle tested negative for antibodies to RRV using the ELISA and VNT.

CONCLUSIONS: This study found no evidence of exposure to RRV in cattle in locations in the Thames-Coromandel district of New Zealand where populations of SSM were present.     

Combining different resistance components enhances resistance to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium</Emphasis> head blight in spring wheat

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a devastating disease in wheat throughout the world. FHB resistance consists of two components: resistance to initial infection (type I) and resistance to spread within infected spikes (type II). Current wheat breeding programs for FHB focus on type II resistance, which limits pathogen spread but may not be sufficiently durable. To combine type I with existing type II resistance, 113 F₉-derived recombinant inbred lines (RILs) were developed from a cross between three wheat genotypes Frontana, W9207, and Alsen. The RILs were evaluated for resistance to initial infection, FHB spread within spike, kernel damage, and deoxynivalenol (DON) content in two independent greenhouse experiments in 2006 and 2007. Among the 113 RILs, 20% lines showed ≤10% initial disease severity (IDS) and ≤11 to 30% final disease severity (FDS), and 19% had DON content ≤5 μg/g. Approximately 11% of the RILs showed tendency of higher resistance (as exhibited by lower IDS, FDS, and DON content) than the resistant parents. The 42 of the FHB-resistant RILs were analyzed with seven simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers or microsatellites known to be linked to FHB resistance. Approximately half of the RILs had molecular markers linked to both types of FHB resistance indicated the presence of type I and II resistance alleles in the RILs. The resistant RILs identified in this study should be useful for the future improvement of FHB resistance in spring wheat.     

Tracking the evolution of a hydrothermal event plume with a RAFOS neutrally buoyant drifter

The migration and evolution of a deep ocean hydrothermal event plume were tracked with a neutrally buoyant RAFOS float. The float remained entrained in the plume for 60 days, and the plume vorticity was calculated directly from the anticyclonic motion of the float. Concentrations of suspended particles, particulate iron, and dissolved manganese in the plume did not decay significantly during the 60 days, which indicates that event plumes would be easily detectable a year after formation.