Technical set‐up and radiation exposure for standing computed tomography of the equine head

The recent adaptation of human computed tomography (CT) machines to enable scanning of the equine head via standing sedation has revolutionised our ability to acquire images of this complex anatomical region. There are a small number of CT systems installed worldwide and it is to be expected that this will increase in the next few years; however, currently, there is no publication that describes the technical set‐up required to permit CT scanning of the equine head. This paper describes the technical set‐up, technique and exposures necessary to accomplish CT scanning of the horse under standing sedation to diagnose disorders of the equine head.     

Antimicrobial‐resistant Enterobacteriaceae recovered from companion animal and livestock environments

Antimicrobial‐resistant bacteria represent an important concern impacting both veterinary medicine and public health. The rising prevalence of extended‐spectrum beta‐lactamase (ESBL), AmpC beta‐lactamase, carbapenemase (CRE) and fluoroquinolone‐resistant Enterobacteriaceae continually decreases the efficiency of clinically important antibiotics. Moreover, the potential for zoonotic transmission of antibiotic‐resistant enteric bacteria increases the risk to public health. Our objective was to estimate the prevalence of specific antibiotic‐resistant bacteria on human contact surfaces in various animal environments. Environmental surface samples were collected from companion animal shelters, private equine facilities, dairy farms, livestock auction markets and livestock areas of county fairs using electrostatic cloths. Samples were screened for Enterobacteriaceae expressing AmpC, ESBL, CRE or fluoroquinolone resistance using selective media. Livestock auction markets and county fairs had higher levels of bacteria expressing both cephalosporin and fluoroquinolone resistance than did equine, dairy, and companion animal environments. Equine facilities harboured more bacteria expressing cephalosporin resistance than companion animal shelters, but less fluoroquinolone resistance. The regular use of extended‐spectrum cephalosporins in livestock populations could account for the increased levels of cephalosporin resistance in livestock environments compared to companion animal and equine facilities. Human surfaces, as well as shared human and animal surfaces, were contaminated with resistant bacteria regardless of species environment. Detecting these bacteria on common human contact surfaces suggests that the environment can serve as a reservoir for the zoonotic transmission of antibiotic‐resistant bacteria and resistance genes. Identifying interventions to lower the prevalence of antibiotic‐resistant bacteria in animal environments will protect both animal and public health.     

Current status and future perspectives for sequencing livestock genomes

Only in recent years, the draft sequences for several agricultural animals have been assembled. Assembling an individual animal’s entire genome sequence or specific region(s) of interest is increasingly important for agricultural researchers to perform genetic comparisons between animals with different performance. We review the current status for several sequenced agricultural species and suggest that next generation sequencing (NGS) technology with decreased sequencing cost and increased speed of sequencing can benefit agricultural researchers. By taking advantage of advanced NGS technologies, genes and chromosomal regions that are more labile to the influence of environmental factors could be pinpointed. A more long term goal would be addressing the question of how animals respond at the molecular and cellular levels to different environmental models (e.g. nutrition). Upon revealing important genes and gene-environment interactions, the rate of genetic improvement can also be accelerated. It is clear that NGS technologies will be able to assist animal scientists to efficiently raise animals and to better prevent infectious diseases so that overall costs of animal production can be decreased.     

近50年全球家畜生产分析

1962-2002年,全球家畜存栏量增加2倍,禽、猪和牛分别增加3倍、1.2倍和42.8%;目前中国牛、羊和猪存栏量分别占全球的1/10、1/5和1/2;发展中国家各种家畜存栏连续增多,发达国家除禽外其余家畜开始减少,与人口和产业结构调整有关。发展中国家家畜个体生产效率虽低于发达国家,但提升幅度高于后者。当前专门化家畜生产贡献全球3/4的禽肉、1/2以上的猪肉和2/3的蛋类,猪、禽和牛肉占94%的肉类总产量,我国猪、禽和牛肉产量分别占全球的55.7%、23.6%和13.2%。1961-2008年,发展中国家肉类和奶类人均年消费量的平均增幅分别为0.43和0.57kg/年,高于发达国家的0.28和0.25kg/年。2002年,全球年均饲草料消耗比1962年增加66%,牛、猪和禽的消耗分别为48.9%、16.8%和12.5%,所占饲草料生产用地的比例则分别为30.7%、31.7%和23.6%。     

Production Objectives and Management Strategies of Livestock Keepers in South-East Kenya: Implications for a Breeding Programme

A survey of pastoralist and agropastoralist households in south-east Kenya was conducted to determine their production objectives and management strategies in order to optimize and extend a breeding programme for indigenous small East African Shorthorn Zebu cattle. The reasons for keeping cattle and the breed/trait preferences identified reflect the multiple objectives of the livestock keepers, with both adaptive traits and productive/reproductive traits rated as important. Although the Maasai and Kamba zebu (M&KZ) breeds were ranked highly with regard to adaptive traits, the population is considered to have been in decline over recent years. In order to promote the conservation and sustainable use of the M&KZ cattle, the formation of an open nucleus breeding scheme is recommended. In particular, such a scheme would be able to address several existing constraints (e.g. individual herds are very small and communal use of pastures/water makes controlled mating difficult). Such interventions would require the full participation of the livestock keepers, as well as ensuring that a holistic approach to species and breed attributes is taken into account in setting breeding goals, such that the full array of contributions that livestock make to livelihoods and the genetic characteristics related to these contributions are fully incorporated into the programme.     

贵德县减畜调查报告

贵德县自1995年6月实施国际农发基金农业综合开发项目以来,牲畜存栏数减少了3.19万头(只),总增率和净增率分别提高了0.33和1.89个百分点,出栏率和商品率分别提高了5.12和4.82个百分点,成畜死亡率降低了0.58个百分点。人均纯收入由项目前的671.05元增加到1998年的1015.74元,增加344.69元,提高了51.37个百分点。1998年全县草畜基本实现平衡,减畜工作取得了显著成绩。     

生物信息学在畜禽基因组研究中的应用

生物信息学已成为整个生命科学发展的重要组成部分，是生命科学研究的前沿领域。作者简述了畜禽基因组学和畜禽生物信息学的研究概况，着重阐述了生物信息学在畜禽基因组研究中的应用现状，并展望其发展前景。     

Comparison of emission estimates for non‐CO2 greenhouse gases from livestock and poultry in Korea from 1990 to 2010

It has often been claimed that non‐carbon dioxide greenhouse gases (NCGGs), such as methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated greenhouse gases, are significant contributors to climate change. Here we nvestigate emission estimates of methane and nitrous oxide from livestock and poultry production, which is recognized as a major source of those NCGGs, in Korea over the period of 1990 through 2010. Based on the data on livestock and poultry populations, emission estimates of methane and nitrous oxide are first derived based on the Tier 1 approach. Then, the Tier 2 approach is adopted to obtain emission estimates of methane and nitrous oxide from cattle, which are known to be the largest sources of these NCGGs and account for about 70% of emissions from livestock and poultry in Korea. The result indicates that the Tier 2 estimates of methane and nitrous oxide emissions from enteric fermentation and manure management are significantly different from the Tier 1 estimates over the analysis period.     

在岩溶山区种草养畜的主要措施

在岩溶山区实施种草养畜,是综合治理石漠化和开发扶贫的有效途经之一.各地的干部群众已探索了多年,其效果不一,也存在一些争议.从成功经验看,岩溶地区种草养畜具有两重性、长期性、多样性和群众性的特点,应遵循生态优先,草畜平衡;因地制宜,开拓创新;整体推进,滚动发展和提高素质、科技入户的原则,科学分析种草养畜的特点和难点,搞清楚怎么看和怎么做,或许是有用的.在实地考察了广东、广西、云南、贵州、湖北,四川等地种草养羊生产情况后,还根据肉羊饲养管理技术要点对羊舍选址和建造标准提出了建议.     

饲料桑生理活性物质及其饲用价值

饲料桑蛋白质含量高、氨基酸种类丰富、纤维素含量低,富含多种生理活性物质,是一种优良的多年生饲料资源,对牛、羊、猪、兔、鸡、鱼等多种畜禽都具有很好的适口性。蛋禽日粮中添加桑饲料,可以显著改善蛋黄颜色,提高蛋黄磷脂和不饱和脂肪酸含量,增加蛋清浓稠蛋白含量,改善蛋的风味和品质。肉类畜禽日粮中添加桑饲料,可以显著改善肉品色泽,提高肌肉中肌苷酸和不饱和脂肪酸含量、减少胆固醇含量,降低肌肉滴水损失、延缓pH值下降及脂质氧化变质,提高肉品质量。牛、猪等大型肉类动物采食桑饲料后可减少皮下脂肪沉积,增加肌肉间脂肪含量,有效改善肉的品质风味。综述了饲料桑中主要生理活性物质的种类、含量、结构特征、生理功能及其在畜禽养殖中的饲用价值;从生产性能和改善品质方面分析总结了饲料桑在多种畜禽养殖中的应用效果;提出了减轻抗营养因子不利影响、改善栽培利用效果的技术措施;展望了饲料桑开发应用前景。     

Animal welfare provision for land-based livestock industries in Australia

The land-based livestock industries in Australia face particular challenges in assuring high animal welfare standards due to large land areas and stock numbers, climatic extremes and relatively low inputs in terms of manpower and infrastructure. These factors make a major contribution to welfare issues associated with nutrition, health, mustering and handling, and transportation. In addition, welfare is seriously compromised by the invasive procedures that are conducted on livestock, such as castration, dehorning, mulesing and tail-docking. At least partial solutions to welfare issues associated with nutrition, health, mustering and handling are available now and should be universally adopted. There are potential solutions available for castration and dehorning, which require some further research and development. Genetic technologies can also provide a solution for dehorning, mulesing and tail-docking. Inevitably, all livestock experience transportation, and research and development is required to determine optimal practices for Australian conditions in order to minimise the negative impacts on animal welfare.     

浅谈养殖业发展中的环境问题

近年来,市场对畜牧产品的需求逐步提高,养殖业向规模化、集约化等生产方式的转变成为必然的趋势。随着畜禽养殖业的发展,环境污染问题逐渐成为大家关注的焦点。本文就我国近年畜禽养殖业的污染现状、造成环境污染的原因等进行概述,并提出了应对畜禽养殖环境污染的建议和防治措施。     

有机锰在畜禽生产中的应用

锰是动物机体的必需微量元素之一,具有促进动物生长、增强繁殖功能、维持骨骼形成和改善胴体品质等营养生理作用。本文主要介绍有机锰在畜禽生产中的营养功能。     

蒙脱石在畜禽饲粮中的应用效果

蒙脱石(smectite,SM)是一种由颗粒极细的铝硅酸盐构成的层状黏土,具有吸附重金属、霉菌毒素、病原菌、细菌毒素和维护胃肠道黏膜及防治腹泻等功能.研究表明,SM能够缓解多种环境毒物对动物健康和生产造成的不利影响.饲粮中适量添加SM能提高畜禽生长和生产性能、提升畜产品品质、改善机体健康状况.文章简述SM的理化特性、主...     

The sero‐epidemiology of Coxiella burnetii (Q fever) across livestock species and herding contexts in Laikipia County,Kenya

Coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of Query fever (Q fever), is among the most highly infectious zoonotic pathogens transmitted among livestock, with chronic effects challenging to veterinary and medical detection and care systems. Transmission among domestic livestock species can vary regionally due to herd management practices that determine which livestock species are raised, whether or not livestock are in contact with wildlife, and the susceptibility of these livestock to infection. To explore how different livestock management practices are associated with the risk of infection in multispecies environments, we carried out a comparative study of three types of herd management systems in the central Kenyan county of Laikipia: agro‐commercial, mixed conservancy/commercial, and smallholder ranches. We tested C. burnetii antibody seroprevalence in four common livestock species. Across all management types, the highest seroprevalence was in camels (20%), followed by goats (18%), sheep (13%), and cattle (6%). We observed a lower odds of testing seropositive for young compared to adult animals (adjusted OR = 0.44 [95% CI 0.24, 0.76]), and for males compared to females (adjusted OR = 0.52 [95% CI 0.33, 0.80]). Animals from mixed conservancy/commercial and smallholder operations had a higher odds of testing seropositive compared to animals from agro‐commercial ranches (adjusted OR = 5.17 [95% CI 2.71, 10.44] and adjusted OR = 2.21 [95% CI 1.17, 4.43] respectively). These data suggest that herd management practices might affect the transmission dynamics of C. burnetiiin arid African ecosystems like those seen in Kenya where several transmission modes are possible, risk of drought has promoted new livestock species such as camels, and multiple wildlife species may co‐occur with livestock on the landscape. Further longitudinal studies are needed to disentangle the mechanisms underlying these patterns, and further explore transmission patterns between wildlife, domestic animal, and human populations.     

Knowledge and attitudes of Australian livestock producers concerning biosecurity practices

Biosecurity risks are a major threat to the profitability of the industry as well as impacting human and animal health. Livestock producers play a crucial role in biosecurity as the first to notice changes in the health or productivity of their stock and are generally responsible for implementing protective measures. However, uptake of biosecurity measures by producers is variable. We critically appraised the current literature regarding biosecurity practices in Australian livestock industries and highlight aspects that are well understood as well as those where further research or information is needed. Findings from 12 cross-sectional studies suggest that Australian producers' knowledge of biosecurity methods and importance might have a positive influence on their willingness to implement or incorporate biosecurity practices. There is moderate evidence supportive of biosecurity being well understood by livestock producers across Australia. Barriers to producers using biosecurity practices included lack of information or communication from agricultural, veterinary or government organisations. It was found that larger stock numbers were positively correlated with biosecurity implementation and that producers used veterinarians, government and industry agencies as resources for trusted information.     

微量元素钼在畜禽生产中的应用

本文从分布、代谢、营养、缺乏及过量方面阐述了钼的特点及在畜禽生产中的应用并指出钼研究领域存在的问题和研究方向。     

低聚果糖对畜禽肠道健康影响的研究进展

低聚果糖作为益生元的代表性物质,因为特殊的理化性质,添加于饲料中具有防水防霉等优势。低聚果糖可选择性被肠道双歧杆菌、乳酸菌等有益菌利用促进其增殖,而对大肠杆菌等有害菌具有抑制作用。低聚果糖除能通过促进生长、降低腹泻和死亡率等来改善畜禽生产性能,还能通过调控肠道菌群、肠道发酵、维持肠黏膜形态和提高机体免疫等来促进畜禽肠道健康。本文对低聚果糖在畜禽肠道健康方面的研究进展进行综述,旨在为其在饲料中的开发利用提供应用和理论依据。[关键词] 低聚果糖|畜禽|肠道健康     

草地生态系统中家畜尿N转化研究

系统总结了放牧家畜尿N转化过程中,尿N矿化和NH3挥发,尿N硝化和反硝化作用,及其影响因素和相互关系。家畜尿N矿化作用快、持续时间短,尿沉积加速N矿化;NH3挥发速度为裸地>草地,单播草地>混播草地;NH3挥发对尿N损失起主导作用。硝化作用在尿沉积1周后才开始明显,存在明显时滞特性;NO3--N淋洗主要发生于畜尿沉积当年,草地植物对春施尿N的利用率比秋施尿N高;NO3--N淋洗为奶牛>绵羊,三叶草草地>混播草地>禾草草地。尿斑构成草地尿N反硝化作用的主体,反硝化作用产生N2O和N2,是尿N损失的另一主要因素。尿N损失随排泄尿N量的增加而增加。