Red urine from red deer grazed on pure red clover swards

Twenty-four red deer hinds with their calves were released on to a newly established pure red clover sward and, 2 days later, red staining of the tail, perineum and hocks was observed. This was presumed to be of urinary origin. Observation of micturition showed that when urine was passed, it was a normal straw colour but it turned scarlet-red about 1 hour after exposure to air. Midstream urine remained the normal colour when held under a pure nitrogen atmosphere immediately after micturition, but it turned red when held in air in the dark, suggesting that the colour change was due to an oxidative rather than a photosensitive reaction. All deer grazing red clover were affected but this did not occur in deer grazing ryegrass/white clover swards. No adverse effects were observed in the deer grazing the red clover, and calf growth was significantly higher than on ryegrass/white clover, suggesting that the red urine had no effect on health or productivity. Blood and urine analyses showed no signs of haemolysis, haematuria or haemoglobinuria. Preliminary chemical analyses suggest that the compounds involved are not those found in the urine of sheep grazing oestrogenic clover. The nature of the compounds have yet to be determined.     

Serological patterns,antibody half-life and shedding in urine of Leptospira spp. in naturally exposed sheep

Abstract

AIMS: To determine within-farm prevalence, longitudinal pattern of exposure measured by serology, antibody titre longevity and point prevalence of shedding in urine of Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo and L. interrogans serovar Pomona in naturally infected sheep on a sample of commercial farms in New Zealand.

METHODS: On eight commercial sheep farms, between September 2011 and January 2014, blood samples were collected from 115–217 ewe lambs on each farm, at intervals of 2–11 months. They were analysed by microscopic agglutination test (MAT) for antibodies to L. borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo and L. interrogans serovar Pomona, using a titre cut-point of 48. Urine from 98 animals was tested by quantitative PCR (qPCR). The half-life of antibodies was estimated in 185 sheep for serovar Hardjo and 21 for Pomona, and the seroprevalence and mean titre of animals lost to follow-up was compared with those remaining in the study.

RESULTS: Within-flock seroprevalence for serovar Hardjo reached a maximum at 17–22 months of age, ranging from 79 to 100%. Seroprevalence for serovar Pomona rose above 10% on three farms and increased to 21–54% by 4–14 months. Seroconversions occurred mainly from late autumn to early summer at 7–15 months of age. Seroprevalences ranging from 3 to 76% for serovar Hardjo and 0.5 to 15% for serovar Pomona were observed up to 3 months of age, likely due to maternally derived immunity. The half-life of antibody in response to infection was estimated to be 6.7 (95% CI=5.8–7.9) months for serovar Hardjo and 6.3 (95% CI=4.8–9.0) months for Pomona. The prevalence of sheep with urine positive for leptospires on qPCR on each farm ranged from 11 to 88%. All but one of the qPCR-positive animals were seropositive for serovar Hardjo. On two farms where Pomona exposure was observed, animals that were lost to follow-up had a higher geometric mean titre for serovar Pomona than those remaining in the study.

CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated seasonal exposure from autumn to early summer in young sheep, a wide range of within-flock serological and shedding prevalence, and gives an estimation of the half-life of MAT titres in sheep. More extensive data are needed to fully understand the epidemiology of leptospirosis in sheep flocks across New Zealand and, along with economic analysis, to justify and design cost-effective and efficient control measures to protect human and animal health.     

Gas and short‐chain fatty acid production from feeds commonly fed to red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) and incubated with rumen inoculum from red deer and sheep

Efficient red deer supplementary feeding depends on estimations of the nutritive value of offered feeds, frequently estimated with the use of equations derived from domestic ruminants. The aim of this study was to compare the 24‐hour in vitro true dry matter degradability (ivTD₂₄), in vitro gas production (GP) kinetic parameters, GP in 24 hr of incubation (GAS₂₄) and short‐chain fatty acid (SCFA) and microbial biomass (MBS) produced after 24‐hour incubation of feeds in inoculum prepared from sheep and red deer rumen fluid. Eleven feeds, frequently consumed by red deer in Slovenia, which occur either naturally (two fresh grasses, chestnut fruits and common and sessile oak acorns) or are fed as winter supplemental feeds (two grass hays, two grass silages, apple pomace, fresh sugar beetroot), were investigated. The in vitro GP kinetic parameters, GAS₂₄ and ivTD₂₄, did not differ between animal species. Amounts of SCFAs were greater (p < 0.05) when feeds were incubated in sheep inoculum, while molar proportions of acetic and propionic acids did not differ. Molar proportions of butyric acid produced during incubation of high fibre feeds did not differ between animal species, but were higher (p < 0.05) when feeds high in starch or sugar were incubated in red deer inoculum. Greater production of SCFA by sheep rumen microbes suggests better coverage of host animal with energy precursors, while greater production of MBS by red deer rumen microbes suggests better coverage of host animal with protein. Results also suggest that rumens of sheep and red deer are inhabited by different microbial communities, which did not affect the extent of in vitro GP and degradation of feeds used in the present experiment. However, the possibility exists that the divergent nutrient use could be a consequence of different priming by different feeds of the donor animal diets.     

规模化羊场不同肉用绵羊杂交1代育肥效果及肉品质分析

试验旨在了解萨×杜×湖F1代(萨福克公羊与杜×湖母羊杂交1代)羔羊的育肥性能和肉品质效果。选用体重一致的3月龄杜×湖F1代、萨×湖F1代、萨×杜×湖F1代公羔各9只作为不同试验组,以3月龄纯繁湖羊公羔9只作为对照组,每组3个重复,每个重复3只羊。预试期10 d,正试期50 d。对照组和不同试验组育肥羔羊日粮全部参照国家肉羊饲养标准NY T/816-2004推荐的营养需要量配制。结果表明,萨×杜×湖F1代平均日增重、经济效益均极显著高于萨×湖F1代、杜×湖F1代和纯繁湖羊(P<0.01),料重比极显著低于萨×湖F1代、杜×湖F1代和纯繁湖羊(P<0.01),其中萨×杜×湖F1代的平均日增重分别比萨×湖F1代、杜×湖F1代、纯繁湖羊提高了20.89%、30.62%和47.46%,萨×杜×湖F1代的料重比分别比萨×湖F1代、杜×湖F1代、纯繁湖羊降低了21.76%、18.11%和28.72%;萨×杜×湖F1代的净肉率、肉骨比、眼肌面积极显著高于萨×湖F1代、杜×湖F1代和纯繁湖羊(P<0.01),其中萨×杜×湖F1代的净肉率分别比萨×湖F1代、杜×湖F1代、纯繁湖羊提高了2.94%、2.79%和3.92%,萨×杜×湖F1代的肉骨比分别比萨×湖F1、杜×湖F1代、纯繁湖羊提高了27.94%、6.76%和24.90%,萨×杜×湖F1代的眼肌面积分别比萨×湖F1、杜×湖F1代、纯繁湖羊提高了24.79%、24.55%和49.46%。萨×杜×湖F1代羊肉品质与萨×湖F1代、杜×湖F1代、纯繁湖羊相比表现较好,且在羊肉营养价值方面表现也较为突出。由此可见,以萨福克公羊做父本,与杜×湖F1代母羊开展三元杂交,萨×杜×湖F1代在生长速度、饲料转化率和经济效益方面效果明显,且在羊肉品质和营养价值方面表现突出,值得肉羊生产推广利用。     

沙葱总黄酮对肉羊抗氧化能力的影响

本试验旨在研究基础饲粮中添加沙葱总黄酮对肉羊体内总抗氧化能力(T-AOC)、总超氧化物歧化酶(T-SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GSH-PX)活力以及丙二醛(MDA)含量的影响,以阐明沙葱总黄酮对肉羊的抗氧化作用,并确定沙葱总黄酮在肉羊饲粮中的最适添加量。试验选用60只6月龄左右、体重(39.9±3.2)kg的小尾寒羊为试验动物,按照出生月龄和体重相近的原则,随机分为4组,每组15只羊。对照组饲喂基础饲粮,3个试验组分别在基础饲粮中添加11、22、33 mg/kg的沙葱总黄酮。预试期为15 d,正试期为60 d,试验期第0、15、30、45、60天时空腹颈静脉采血,分离血清,试验期结束后每组分别随机选取3只羊,进行屠宰,取肝脏和脾脏样品,分别测定血清及组织抗氧化指标。结果发现:1)饲粮添加11~33 mg/kg沙葱总黄酮可显著提高血清(第45天开始)及肝脏T-AOC(P0.05),而对脾脏T-AOC无显著影响(P0.05)。2)饲粮添加11~33 mg/kg沙葱总黄酮对血清、肝脏及脾脏T-SOD活力,血清CAT活力,血清、脾脏GSH-PX活力有一定的提高,其中33 mg/kg沙葱总黄酮的作用最强,血清中第30天后效果明显;而对肝脏、脾脏CAT活力,肝脏GSH-PX活力均无显著影响(P0.05)。3)饲粮添加11~33 mg/kg沙葱总黄酮可降低血清、肝脏MDA含量,血清MDA含量第15天后效果明显,对脾脏MDA含量无显著影响(P0.05)。结果提示,饲粮添加11~33 mg/kg沙葱总黄酮可显著提高肉羊体内抗氧化指标,并其效果具有时间和剂量依赖性,饲喂30 d后沙葱总黄酮开始发挥其体内抗氧化能力。     

兰坪乌骨绵羊屠宰、乌质性状及基因克隆的研究进展

兰坪乌骨绵羊是世界唯一一种具有类似于乌骨鸡"乌骨乌肉"特征的哺乳动物,其乌质性状是自发现以来研究的难点与重点。本文从兰坪乌骨绵羊外貌特征、屠宰性状及肉品质、血液生理生化指标、乌质性状、基因克隆5个方面进行分析和总结,旨在为更好地保护、开发与利用兰坪乌骨绵羊这一珍稀家畜资源提供参考。     

沙葱黄酮对肉羊外周血淋巴细胞转化率和凋亡率的影响

本试验旨在研究饲粮中添加沙葱黄酮对肉羊外周血淋巴细胞转化率和凋亡率的影响。选用60只6月龄左右、体重(39.9±3.2)kg的小尾寒羊为试验动物,按照出生月龄和体重相近的原则,随机分为4组,每组15只羊。对照组饲喂基础饲粮,3个试验组分别在基础饲粮中添加11、22、33 mg/kg的沙葱总黄酮。预试期为15 d,正试期为60 d。正试期第60天空腹颈静脉采血,采用噻唑蓝(MTT)法测定肉羊外周血淋巴细胞转化率,采用流式细胞仪测定细胞周期、细胞凋亡率。结果表明:1)饲粮添加11、22、33 mg/kg沙葱黄酮可提高肉羊外周血淋巴细胞转化率,其中33 mg/kg组显著高于对照组(P0.05);2)与对照组相比,饲粮添加33 mg/kg沙葱黄酮能够显著提高S期和G2/M期细胞比例(P0.05);3)与对照组和11 mg/kg组相比,22和33 mg/kg组外周血淋巴细胞凋亡率显著提高(P0.05)。由此可见,饲粮中添加11~33 mg/kg沙葱黄酮可促进肉羊外周血淋巴细胞转化,并使细胞向DNA合成期转化,促进细胞分裂,对细胞凋亡有显著促进作用,以添加33 mg/kg沙葱黄酮的效果最佳。