金定鸭的性双态分化和性行为发育

金定鸭的外型分化，受自然选择和性选择的双重影响。在生长发育过程中，依羽域在适应水域环境的重要性，雌雄金定鸭的正羽都按共同的羽域顺序陆续更换生长；与此同时，一日龄外型相同的异性雏鸭，逐渐表现出性双态，包括喙色、羽色、声音、性羽、体重和行为的表型差异，以满足繁殖竞争的需要。金定鸭性行为的出现以其性双态分化为基础，而性行为的分化又是其生理成熟的前提条件。对雄鸭的观察分析结果表明，性双态分化和性行为发育速度的快慢与其生理成熟的早迟是一致的。黑色尾羽的雄鸭，体重较小，其发育速度和性成熟均快于体重较大的白喙或端白尾羽者，因此，建议将尾羽颜色、性双态分化和性行为发育速度作为雄鸭的选育指标。     

Assessment of Negative Training on the Use of Cubicle Beds by Heifers

40 in-calf heifers were observed to examine the effect of timbers placing in passage area on their use of cubicle beds. Prior to the experiment preliminary observation was taken on these 40 heifers and they were divided into two even groups (cubicle user(or control) group versus cubicle refusal (or experimental) group by whether they properly used the cubicle beds or not. The timbers were placed in passage and feeding areas for the cubicle refusal group to force the animls to lie in the cubicle beds. The results of this experiment showed that feeding behaviour was unaffected by the presence of the timbers, but lying acitvity was about 8% higher for the experimental group, which led to a mean of almost 2 hours longer lying time over 24 h. After the timbers were removed, there was a significant decline in lying by the experimental group. The diurnal pattern of lying behaviour in cubicles indicated that the major effect on lying activity exerted by the presence of the timbers was seen during midnight to 10:00 a     

母猪卧向行为学的观察

本文通过2个试验对母猪在分娩圈和分娩栏中的卧向行为进行了观察,试验一中, 选择10头大白(Yorkshire)经产母猪作为观察对象,试验二中分别选择10头大白(Yorkshire) 经产母猪和10头长白(Landrace)经产母猪作为观察对象。观察采用瞬时记录方法,每周观察 三次,隔日观察,每天上午、下午各观察一次,每次3 h,每次观察间隔5 min。观察中发现,母猪 卧向以向外为主。分娩栏(四周是栏杆)中的母猪以选择卧向外(向北)为主,其次是卧向内(向 南),卧向左和卧向右最少且差异不显著,上栏前和下栏后差异不显著。分娩圈(四周是墙壁)中 母猪以选择卧向外为主,卧向内最少,卧向左和卧向右差异不显著。长白母猪比大白母猪选择 卧向外的多,妊娠阶段比哺乳阶段选择卧向外的多。     

管氏肿腿蜂的寄生与产卵行为研究

本文研究了管氏肿腿蜂在双条杉天牛幼虫上的产卵行为，其行为过程包括聚集、检验、蛰刺、清理寄主、取食、游走、产卵、休息。在不同寄主上，管氏肿腿蜂卵的分布存在差异：在桑虎天牛幼虫上卵大部分横向排列在寄主体表，两侧和背腹面卵的数量差异极显著；在黄粉虫幼虫体表卵的分布是随机的，卵的排列方向无规律性．从接蜂到产卵，有产卵经验的雌蜂所需的时间显著短于无产卵经验的雌蜂。     

Effects of three short-term pasture allocation methods on milk production,methane emission and grazing behaviour by dairy cows

Two short-term grazing experiments were conducted with Norwegian Red cows. In Exp 1, 24 cows were randomly assigned to one of the following three pasture allocation methods (PAM): weekly pasture allowance (7RG), grazing 1/7 of 7RG each day (1SG), or grazing as 1SG but had access to grazed part of the paddock within one week (1FG). In Exp 2, 7RG was shortened to 5 days (5RG). We hypothesized that PAM will affect sward quality, quantity, intake and production differently. Pasture chemical composition changed with advancing grazing days but were not different between treatments. Pasture intake, milk yield, and methane emission were not affected by PAM. In Exp 1, 7RG cows spent less time on grazing, whereas in Exp 2, 1FG cows spent longer on grazing than others. Patterns observed in sward quality, and behavioural and physiological adaptations of cows to short-term changes in nutrient supply may explain the observed effects.     

Male-to-female aggression in cage-housed common pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) during the breeding season was not related to male plasma testosterone level

1. The aim of this study was to investigate if male-to-female aggression of common pheasants in the course of the breeding season was related to the concentration of plasma testosterone and/or other biochemical plasma indicators in male pheasants housed in breeding cages. The influence of season on the concentration of testosterone and biochemical indicators was also investigated.

2. Males were divided into non-aggressive and aggressive groups during the breeding season based on ethological evaluation. At the beginning, in the middle and at the end of the breeding season, a blood sample was taken from all males on the same day and the concentration of selected biochemical indicators and the total circulating testosterone in the plasma were determined.

3. Male-to-female aggression during the breeding season of pheasants was not influenced by the total plasma testosterone of males.

4. The concentration of total plasma testosterone in males decreased gradually during the breeding season.

5. Male-to-female aggression of pheasants did not have a significant effect on any of the assessed biochemical indicators.

6. The influence of the breeding season affected the activities of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase as well as the concentrations of glucose, magnesium, potassium and chloride in the blood plasma of cage-housed male pheasants.     

Performance,milk fatty acid composition and behaviour of high-yielding Holstein dairy cows given a limited grazing period

The effects of a limited grazing period on the performance, behaviour and milk composition of high-yielding dairy cows were examined. A total of 56 Holstein cows yielding 44.7 ± 0.42 kg/day were allocated to one of four treatments in one of two, 4-week periods. Treatments were as follows: control (C)—cows housed and offered TMR ad libitum; early grazing (EG)—cows grazed for 6 hr after morning milking then housed; delayed grazing (DG)—cows returned to housing for 1 hr after morning milking followed by grazing for 6 hr, then housed; restricted TMR (RT)—cows grazed for 6 hr after morning milking, then housed and fed TMR at 75% of ad libitum. Intake of TMR was highest in cows receiving C, intermediate in EG and DG, and lowest in RT at 26.9, 23.6, 24.7 and 20.3 kg DM/day respectively. Pasture intake was similar in cows receiving EG or DG, but was higher in RT at 2.4, 2.0 and 3.5 kg DM/day respectively. Milk yield was similar between cows receiving C, EG or DG, but lowest in RT at 45.7, 44.2, 44.9 and 41.7 kg/cow, respectively, while milk fat content of C18:3 n-3 was increased by grazing. Cows in C spent more than 55 min/day longer lying and had three additional lying bouts/day, while lying bouts were shorter than for cows receiving EG, RT or DG. It is concluded that high-yielding cows can be grazed for 6 hr/day with little impact on performance, provided TMR is available ad libitum when housed.