Mammary carcinoma arising in an adenoma in a ewe

A large, firm, multi-cystic mammary gland mass grew slowly over 4 y in a 12-y-old, female Finn–Shetland cross sheep. A diagnosis of epithelial malignancy was suspected following fine-needle aspiration cytology at 30 mo after initial observation. The sheep was euthanized when the flock was downsized 18 mo later. A field postmortem examination revealed a large mammary mass, but an absence of metastases to internal organs. Imprint cytology of the mammary tissue supported a benign proliferative process. Histologically, mammary tissue was obliterated by cystic, tubular, and papillary adenomatous arrangements of mammary epithelium, with an anaplastic component, consistent with mammary carcinoma arising in an adenoma. IHC showed strong nuclear positivity to the antibody against progesterone receptor and minimal positivity to the antibody against estrogen receptor alpha expression. Intrinsic subtyping for basal or luminal epithelial origin was attempted through adaptation of companion animal IHC classification panels; high- and low-molecular-weight cytokeratins (CK5, CK8, CK18) failed to stain, but p63 expression for basal epithelium was positive.     

Impact of grassland contract policy on soil organic carbon losses from alpine grassland on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

Carbon storage in the soils on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau plays a very important role in the global carbon budget. In the 1990s, a policy of contracting collective grasslands to smaller units was implemented, resulting in a change from the traditional collective grassland management to two new management patterns: a multi‐household management pattern (MMP: grassland shared by several households without enclosures) and a single‐household management pattern (SMP: grassland enclosed and used by only one household). In 2016, 50 MMP and 54 SMP winter pastures on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau were sampled to assess the differences in soil organic carbon (SOC) between the two management patterns. Results showed that average SOC was significantly greater under MMP than under SMP, with an estimated 0.41 Mg C/ha/yr lost due to SMP following the new grassland contract. Based on the government's grassland policy, four grassland utilization scenarios were developed for both summer and winter pastures. We found that if the grassland were managed under SMP, likely C losses ranged between 0.31 × 10⁷ and 6.15 × 10⁷ Mg C/yr across the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau relative to MMP, which more closely resembles pre‐1990s grassland management. Previous estimates of C losses have only considered land use change (with cover change) and ignored the impacts driven by land management pattern changes (without cover change). The new data suggest that C losses from the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau are greater than previously estimated, and therefore that the grassland contract policy should be reviewed and SMP households should be encouraged to reunite into the MMP. These findings have potential implications for land management strategies not only on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau but also other grazing regions globally where such practices may exist.     

Comparison of the microbial communities of alpacas and sheep fed diets with three different ratios of corn stalk to concentrate

The objective of this study was to investigate the characteristics of ruminal microbial communities of alpacas (Lama pacos) and sheep (Ovis aries) fed three diets with varying ratios of roughage (corn stalk) to concentrate, 3:7 (LS), 5:5 (MS) and 7:3 (HS). Six alpacas (one-year-old and weighing 29.5 ± 7.1 kg) and six sheep (one-year-old and weighing 27.9 ± 2.7 kg) were used in this study, in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square experiment. Total protozoa concentration was determined under the microscope; total fungi and methanogens were assessed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction and expressed as a percentage of total bacterial 16S rRNA gene copies; bacterial communities were investigated by targeted 16S rRNA gene (V3–V4 region) sequencing. The percentage of fungi was significantly higher in alpacas than in sheep under the LS diet, while the concentration of protozoa was significantly lower in alpacas under HS, MS and LS diets. The alpha diversity including Shannon, Chao l and ACE indices of bacterial communities was higher in alpacas than in sheep, under the LS diet. A total of 299 genera belonging to 22 phyla were observed in the forestomach of alpaca and sheep, with Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes dominating both animal species. Phyla Armatimonadetes and Fusobacteria, as well as 64 genera, were detected only in alpacas, whereas phyla Acidobacteria and Nitrospira, as well as 44 genera, were found only in sheep. The abundance of cellulolytic bacteria, including Butyrivibrio and Pseudobutyrivibrio, was higher in alpacas than in sheep under all three diets. These differences in the forestomach microbial communities partly explained why alpacas displayed a higher poor-quality roughage digestibility, and a lower methane production. Results also revealed that the adverse effects of high-concentrate diets (70%) were lesser in alpacas than in sheep.     

A comparison of the effects of carbon dioxide and medical air for abdominal insufflation on respiratory parameters in xylazine-sedated sheep undergoing laparoscopic artificial insemination

AIMS: To determine if abdominal insufflation with medical air will improve oxygenation and ventilation parameters when compared to insufflation with CO₂ in xylazine-sedated sheep undergoing laparoscopic artificial insemination (AI).

METHODS: Forty-seven sheep underwent oestrus synchronisation and were fasted for 24 hours prior to laparoscopic AI. Each animal was randomised to receive either CO₂ or medical air for abdominal insufflation. An auricular arterial catheter was placed and utilised for serial blood sampling. Respiratory rates (RR) and arterial blood samples were collected at baseline, after xylazine (0.1?mg/kg I/V) sedation, 2 minutes after Trendelenburg positioning, 5 minutes after abdominal insufflation, and 10 minutes after being returned to a standing position. Blood samples were collected in heparinised syringes, stored on ice, and analysed for arterial pH, partial pressure of arterial O₂ (PaO₂), and CO₂ (PaCO₂). The number of ewes conceiving to AI was also determined.

RESULTS: Repeated measures ANOVA demonstrated temporal effects on RR, PaO₂, PaCO₂ and arterial pH during the laparoscopic AI procedure (p<0.001), but no difference between insufflation groups (p>0.01). No sheep experienced hypercapnia (PaCO₂>50?mmHg) or acidaemia (pH<7.35). Hypoxaemia (PaO₂<70?mmHg) was diagnosed during the procedure in 14/22 (64%) ewes in the CO₂ group compared with 8/23 (35%) ewes in the medical air group (p=0.053). Overall, 15/20 (75%) ewes in the CO₂ group conceived to AI compared with 16/22 (72.7%) in the medical air group (p=0.867).

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: There were no statistical or clinical differences in RR, PaO₂, PaCO₂, pH, or conception to AI when comparing the effects of CO₂ and medical air as abdominal insufflation gases. None of the sheep experienced hypercapnia or acidaemic, yet 42% (19/45) of sheep developed clinical hypoxaemia, with a higher percentage of ewes in the CO₂ group developing hypoxaemia than in the medical air group. Based on the overall analysis, medical air could be utilised as a comparable alternative for abdominal insufflation during laparoscopic AI procedures.     

放牧对土壤理化性状及植被多样性的影响

放牧是家畜饲养方式之一,是草地最简单而又有效的利用方式,但放牧中的家畜家禽通过采食牧草、践踏土壤和牧草以及粪便排泄影响着草地植被和土壤,不同的强度的放牧对地下土壤与地上植被的影响不同,本文综述了近几年来放牧对地下部土壤有机质、氮、磷、钾,土壤容重、有机碳以及微生物多样性的影响,对植被多样性及草群成分的影响等,旨在为今后家畜放牧行为研究以及放牧科学研究提供理论依据。     

凉山半细毛羊新品种的选育技术与经验

凉山半细毛羊新品种的育成,是采用表型选择和基因型选择相结合产生的结果。在初生期、断奶期、育成期和成年期采取表型鉴定、逐步选择淘汰的制度。根据羔羊断奶期性状与育成期性状之间的显著相关性对羔羊单性状进行早期选择。应用同期发情与后裔测验相结合的方法,对种公羊基因型值用BLUP法进行选择。同时,加强育种工作的组织领导,组建独具特色的三级繁育体系,改善育种羊群的饲养管理条件,圆满完成了国家下达的半细毛羊新品种选育的任务,填补了国内粗档半细毛羊品种的空白。     

羊支原体性肺炎两标准株对抗菌药物敏感性的研究

本实验测定了环丙沙星、氧氟沙星、单诺沙星、红霉素、罗红霉素、泰勒菌素、泰妙菌素、四环素等8种药物对羊肺炎支原体两个标准株Y98和Y-goat的体外抑菌浓度以及红霉素与氧氟沙星、泰勒菌素对Y-goat和四环素与氧氟沙星、泰勒菌素对Y98的联合药敏作用。对羊肺炎支原体两个标准株对抗菌药物的敏感性进行了分析。     

舍饲育肥条件下凉山半细毛羊的产肉性能研究

对三组凉山半细毛羊的 4月龄断奶公羔 ,用 3种不同的补饲水平 (Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ )进行舍饲 ,分别于 6月龄和 8月龄对各组肥羔进行屠宰测定。结果表明高营养水平组 (Ⅰ )的羔羊 6月龄和 8月龄体质量、日增质量极显著高于低营养水平组 (Ⅲ ) (P <0 .0 1) ,显著高于中等营养水平组 (Ⅱ ) (0 .0 1

0 .0 5 )。凉山半细毛羊肌肉中氨基酸种类齐全 ,含量较丰富 ,其中必需氨基酸的总量达到 2 6 .15 %。     

青海绵羊血清铁传递蛋白的电泳研究

采用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳法对青海省５个品种共１０５０只绵羊的血清铁传递蛋白进行了电泳研究。结果发现青海绵羊的血清运铁蛋白共有１１个电泳变异体（Ｉ，Ａ，Ｇ，Ｂ，Ｌ，Ｃ，Ｄ，Ｍ，Ｅ，Ｑ，），构成３７种电泳表型（ＩＡ，ＡＥ，ＡＡ，ＡＧ，ＡＢ，ＡＬ，ＡＣ，ＡＤ，ＡＭ，ＡＥ，ＡＢ，ＧＧ，ＧＢ，ＧＬ，ＧＣ，ＧＤ，ＧＭ，ＧＱ，ＢＢ，ＢＣ，ＣＤ，ＣＭ，ＬＣ，ＬＤ，ＬＥ，ＣＣ，ＣＤ，ＣＭ，ＣＥ，ＣＱ，ＣＰ，ＤＤ，ＤＭ，ＤＥＤＱ，ＫＰ，ＭＱ）。在５个品种绵羊中，藏羊血清铁传递蛋白的电泳变异体和电泳表型最多，分别为１１个和２８种，茨盖羊的最少，分别为６个和１６种，青海细毛羊，新疆细毛羊和青海半细胞毛羊介于两者之间。