Improving efficiency of sow productivity： nutrition and health

This reviews research focused to understand the nutrient requirement and balance to meet the needs of fetal growth,mammary growth,and milk production.This summary will handle how feeding strategies can be adjusted according to the nutrient needs for a sow to enhance productivity and health.Most research data used in this summary are based on the studies conducted by the authors between 1996 and 2013.Nutrient requirements of sows are affected by stage of gestation and parity of sows.Dietary antioxidant concentrations need to be re-evaluated for its sufficiency in sow diets especially to prevent excessive oxidative stress during late gestation and lactation.When feeding sows,consideration of phase feeding of gestating sows and parity feeding of lactating sows could enhances production longevity and health of sows.Use of selected nutrients and additives seems to help productivity and health of sows.     

貉妊娠、泌乳期饲料配方重复试验

本研究对貉妊娠期饲料配方做了修正与调整。结果表明，新的饲料配方对貉的配种、产仔和饲料消耗的影响均优于原饲料配方，其营养成分更符合貉繁殖期的营养需求。     

Gestational Length and First Postpartum Ovulation of Criollo Mares on a Stud Farm in Southern Brazil

The Criollo horse industry requires more efforts toward a better understanding of breed characteristics and physiology; few studies have been conducted in Criollo horses to fulfill this demand. Toward this aim, 70 Criollo mares (between 3 and 28 years of age) underwent physiologic evaluation of the length of gestation, occurrence of foal heat, and interval to postpartum ovulation. Gestation length in the 70 mares was 335.6 ± 10.5 days, varying from 312 to 364 days. The mean (±SD) interval from parturition to first ovulation of 42 mares that foaled between September and December of 2005 and 2006 was 19.9 ± 14.0 days. Eighty-three percent of the mares had an interval to foal heat ovulation shorter than 20 days (35/42). The mean (±SD) parturition to ovulation interval of these mares was 14.2 ± 3.0 days.     

Mammary histology and alveolar cell differentiation during late gestation and early lactation in mammary tissue of beef and dairy heifers

Quantitative histology of mammary parenchymal tissue from 16 Hereford and 16 Holstein heifers was determined for tissue obtained on day 150, 180, and 280 of gestation and on day 49 of lactation. Percent area occupied by stromal tissue was progressively decreased on each consecutive sample day during gestation in Herefords and was lower in both breeds during lactation. Overall, area occupied by stromal tissue elements was also greater in Herefords. Percent lumenal space and number of cells per alveolar cross section was consistently greater for Holsteins and increased across sample periods in both breeds. During lactation more than 40% of the alveolar cells in Herefords were characterized as poorly differentiated, but in Holstein heifers nearly all of the cells were classified as either intermediate or fully differentiated. These data provide additional evidence to support the idea that much of the difference in milk production between beef and dairy animals depends on increased mammary function. Whether differences in milk production within dairy breeds are also explained by altered cellular differentiation remains to be determined.     

利用初乳诱导产后奶牛提早发情技术的初步研究

应用产后1h和24h的初乳及三合激素诱导产后高产奶牛提早发情。结果表明,应用产后1h的初乳、产后24h的初乳及三合激素处理后,奶牛的发情率分别为90.00%、35%和100%;奶牛的配种受胎率分别为38.75%、41.67%和35.00%。应用产后1h的初乳处理产后高产奶牛的发情率较高,与三合激素处理的结果差异不显著（P>0.05）;三种方法处理后奶牛的受胎率差异不明显,结果相似(P>0.05)。     

长白母猪妊娠天数的影响因素及效应分析

[目的]为养猪生产实践和科学管理决策提供参考依据.[方法]分析我国华南地区长白母猪妊娠天数的影响因素,并研究妊娠天数与其他繁殖性状的关系.[结果]胎次、分娩月份及年份对妊娠天数均有极显著影响.初产母猪的妊娠天数比经产母猪显著增长,低温季节分娩比高温季节有显著增长.妊娠天数近年来有显著缩短趋势（0.2 d/a）.妊娠天数与总产仔数、产活仔数、初生窝重、死胎数间呈极显著负相关,与木乃伊数及畸形数间无显著相关性.死胎率在妊娠116 d时最低.[结论]妊娠天数可作为养猪生产的间接指标.     

Factors Affecting Gestation Length in Heavy Draft Mares

The purpose of this study was to examine the factors affecting gestation length in 209 foalings from 65 heavy draft horses by multiple linear regression analysis. The objective variable was gestation length, and the explanatory variables were stud farm, year foaled, month foaled, age of mare, parity of mare, last gestation length, foal gender, and some meteorological parameters (the mean values of prepartum 10 days: maximum temperature, minimum temperature, average barometric pressure, and hours of sunshine in a day). The mean gestation length for 209 foalings was 334.9 (standard deviation = 8.3) days, with a range of 313-352 days. Stepwise regression analysis showed that last gestation length and foal gender had significant (P < .01) effects on gestation length. Multiple regression analysis showed that last gestation length (standard partial regression coefficient = 0.54) was more influential on the present gestation length than foal gender (standard partial regression coefficient = 0.22). The present gestation length and the last gestation length were moderately positively correlated (r = 0.56, P < .01). Colt foal (n = 106) pregnancies were significantly (P < .01) longer than fillies (n = 103) (mean ± SEM: colt 337.1 ± 0.7 vs. filly 332.7 ± 0.9). According to our results, last gestation length (mare itself) and foal gender were the main factors affecting gestation length in heavy draft horses. Once several gestation lengths are known, predictions with acceptable accuracy can be made about the gestation length of that mare's following foaling.     

妊娠青山羊蛋白质需要的研究

用前列腺素处理28只5.5月龄的青山羊母羊,使之同期发情,自然交配后分为自由和限制采食两组,进行饲养试验、屠宰试验、内源氮测定试验、消化代谢试验,以研究妊娠青山羊的蛋白质需要。试验结果表明,青山羊妊娠期前三个月,内源性尿氮(Endogenous urine nitrogen,EUN)为0.105 gN/kgW~(0.75)/d,代谢性粪氮(Metabolic fecal nitrogen,MFN)为0.159 gN/kgW~(0.75)/d;妊娠期最后两个月,EUN 为0.460 gN/kgW~(0.75)/d,MFN 为0.055 gN/kgW~(0.75)/d。胚胎、胎盘和胎水中蛋白质沉积量及沉积速度和胚胎、妊娠物增重及增重速度均符合指数曲线。妊娠青山羊的蛋白质需要 Y=0.63W~(0.75)+0.58X_1+0.72X_2,其中:Y—妊娠青山羊粗蛋白每日需要量(g):W~(0.75)—代谢体重(kg);X_1—母体本身增重(g);X_2—妊娠物增重(g)。     

官庄花猪妊娠期和哺乳期血液生化指标的分析

为研究官庄花猪在不同生理期(妊娠期和哺乳期)血液生化指标的变化规律,试验测定了官庄花猪不同生理期的血液生化指标(ALT、AST、ALP、TP、ALB、GLU、TC、TG和UREA).结果 表明,官庄花猪不同生理期的血液生化指标,除UREA变化较小外(P＞0.05),其余指标均存在较大差异(P＜0.05),表明官庄花猪母...     

Maternal obesity in ewes results in reduced fetal pancreatic β-cell numbers in late gestation and decreased circulating insulin concentration at term

About 30% of U.S. women of reproductive age are obese, a condition linked to offspring obesity and diabetes. This study utilized an ovine model of maternal obesity in which ewes are overfed to induce obesity at conception and throughout gestation. At mid-gestation, fetuses from these obese ewes are macrosomic, hyperglycemic, and hyperinsulinemic, and they exhibited markedly increased pancreatic weight and β-cell numbers compared with fetuses of ewes fed to requirements. This study was conducted to establish fetal pancreatic phenotype and function in late gestation and at term in this ovine model. Multiparous ewes were fed a control (C, 100% National Research Council [NRC] recommendations) or obesogenic (OB, 150% NRC) diet from 60 days before conception to necropsy at day 135 of gestation or to lambing. No differences were observed in fetal size or weight on day 135 or in lamb birth weights between C and OB ewes. In contrast to our previously published results at mid-gestation, pancreatic weights (P < 0.01) and β-cell numbers (P < 0.05) of OB fetuses were markedly lower than those from C fetuses, whereas the β-cell apoptotic rate was increased (P < 0.05) in day 135 OB versus C fetuses. At birth, blood insulin concentration was lower (P < 0.05) and glucose level was higher (P < 0.05) in newborn lambs from OB versus C ewes. These data demonstrate differential impacts of maternal obesity on fetal pancreatic growth and β-cell numbers during early and late gestation. During the first half of gestation there was a marked increase in pancreatic growth, β-cell proliferation, and insulin secretion, followed by a reduction in pancreatic growth and β-cell numbers in late gestation, resulting in reduced circulating insulin at term. It is speculated that the failure of the pancreas to return to a normal cellular composition and function postnatally could result in glucose/insulin dysregulation, leading to obesity, glucose intolerance, and diabetes in postnatal life.