Feeding Redberry Juniper (Juniperus pinchotii) at Weaning Increases Juniper Consumption by Goats on Pasture

Redberry (Juniperus pinchotii Sudw.) and ashe (Juniperus ashei Buchh.) juniper dominate rangelands throughout central Texas. Our objective was to attempt to improve the efficacy of goats as a biological control mechanism for juniper through behavioral training. Conditioning sheep and goats to increase the palatability of chemically defended plants can be a useful tool in brush control. Previous research illustrated that goats can be conditioned to consume more juniper while in individual pens when foraging choices are limited. To test whether this creates a longer-lasting increase in juniper preference, we determined if goats would continue to consume juniper on pasture for one year after being fed juniper in individual pens for 14 d. Female Boer-cross goats (n = 40) were randomly divided into two treatments: conditioned and naive to juniper. At approximately 12 mo of age, conditioned goats were placed in individual pens and fed redberry juniper 1 h daily for 14 d, while naive goats received only alfalfa pellets to meet maintenance requirements. After the pen-feeding phase of the study, goats were placed in one of four pastures (10 goats · pasture^?1) for 12 mo. Two pastures housed conditioned goats, and two pastures housed naive goats at a moderate stocking rate (1 animal unit · yr^?1 · 8 ha^?1). Bite count surveys were conducted twice per month, while herbaceous standing crop and monoterpene levels were measured once per month. Juniper preference varied monthly; however, conditioned goats consistently ate more (P < 0.05) juniper than naive goats except for April, when the study began, and March, when the study ended. When selection of herbaceous forages decreased, conditioned goats increased selection of juniper, while naive goats increased selection of other palatable shrubs. Seasonal changes of monoterpene levels in juniper had no apparent effect on juniper preference. We contend that feeding juniper at weaning will increase use of the plant in grazing situations.     

Juniper Consumption Does Not Adversely Affect Meat Quality in Boer-Cross Goats

Goat browsing can be used as an alternative brush management option for redberry (Juniperus pinchotii Sudw.) and ashe (Juniperus asheii Buch) juniper instead of more expensive and invasive brush control methods, assuming consumption of juniper does not adversely affect the marketability of offspring. Some wildlife species reportedly retain juniper flavor when consumed. We determined if juniper consumption affected meat quality or flavoring of Boer-cross kid carcasses. Twenty recently weaned, Boer-cross wethers were randomly assigned to one of four treatments with treatments fed different amounts of juniper (0%, 10%, 20%, 30% juniper in the diet). All goats were fed juniper for 28 d at the Angelo State University (ASU) Management, Instruction, and Research Center. All goats were also fed a feedlot ration to meet maintenance requirements (2% body weight). Juniper intake varied (P < 0.05) between all treatments (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%) primarily because treatments were fed different amounts of juniper. Following a 28-d trial, goats were harvested at the ASU Food Safety and Product Development Laboratory. Carcass characteristics including live weight, hot carcass weight, dressing percentage, loineye area, body wall fat thickness, and leg circumference were similar (P > 0.05) among treatments. Sensory characteristics including tenderness, juiciness, flavor intensity, off-flavor, and overall acceptability were also similar (P > 0.05) among treatments. Landowners can utilize goats as a biological management tool without adversely affecting goat meat quality or flavoring.     

Intermediate Periodicities in Juniper Consumption and Sampling Strategies to Estimate the Diet of Free-Grazing Goats

We conducted this study to describe the intermediate-term periodicities in percentage juniper (Juniperus spp.) in goat diets and to develop optimal sampling schemes to estimate individual animal variation in juniper consumption. Fecal samples were collected from 12 multiparous female Angora goats on Monday and Thursday for a 24-mo period. Percentage juniper in the diet was determined using fecal near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy. Spectral analysis was used to determine the presence and length of cyclic variation in juniper consumption during growing and dormant season periods. Significant periodicities were found for 37% and 68% of the goats in the dormant and growing seasons, respectively. Cycle lengths varied from 9 d in the dormant season to 7 or 8 d in the growing season. The simple coefficient of determination between a two-sample moving average and the mean of all observations on individual goats was highest during a 3-mo period in the spring, which indicates that samples collected in the spring provided the best estimate of the yearlong percentage juniper in the diet. Monte Carlo simulations for 7-d cycles showed the root mean squared difference between estimated and population mean for two samples with 2 or 3 d between samples was only 1% greater than the root mean square difference for three or four samples collected every other day. The optimal sampling strategy for determining the dietary percentage of a species is to collect two samples separated by one-half of the cycle length.     

日粮中添加调味剂对围产期奶牛采食量、产后体重和体况评分的影响

选用32头干奶后期荷斯坦牛,按照年龄、体重、胎次和上个周期产奶量相同或相近的原则,随机分成4个处理组,研究在日粮中添加草香味调味剂、焦糖味调味剂和果香味调味剂（添加比例100g/t TMR日粮）,对奶牛采食量、产后体重恢复和体况评分的影响。结果表明,在日粮中添加调味剂对围产期奶牛产前和产后的干物质采食量有提高的趋势,其中产前日粮添加调味剂A（草香味）和调味剂B（焦糖味）可以显著提高奶牛的干物质采食量（P〈0.05）;在日粮中添加调味剂对围产期奶牛产后体重的恢复有促进作用,其中添加调味剂B（焦糖味）组奶牛在产后28天和42天的测定值显示,可以显著影响围产期奶牛产后的体重恢复（P〈0.05）;在日粮中添加调味剂对围产期奶牛产后体况的恢复有促进作用,其中在奶牛产后14天的测定值显示,添加调味剂B（焦糖味）可以显著改善奶牛的体况（P〈0.05）;在产后28天,添加调味剂B（焦糖味）和调味剂C（果香味）可以显著改善奶牛的体况（P〈0.05）;在产后42天,添加调味剂A（草香味）、调味剂B（焦糖味）和调味剂C（果香味）都可以显著改善奶牛的体况（P〈0.05）。即在围产期奶牛日粮中添加不同风味的调味剂,都可以提高奶牛的干物质采食量,促进奶牛产后体重和体况的恢复,其中焦糖味调味剂的效果最为明显。     

高温条件下湿度对肉仔鸡耗料量,耗水量及生产性能的影响

本研究分２个试验,研究了高温条件下不同湿度对肉仔鸡耗鸡料量、耗水量及生产性能的影响。试验１用４－５周龄肉鸡２１６只,温度控制为３２℃;试验２用６－７周龄肉仔鸡１８０只,温度控制为３０℃。试验１和２均设３０％、６０％、９０％三个湿度组,每组设６个重复,试验期均为２周。结果表明,在高温条件下９０％相对温度组鸡单位体重耗水量同于３０％相对湿度组;随着鸡周龄从４－５周龄增至６－７周龄,高温地本重耗料量、单     

不同断奶日龄对母羊体况和雌激素分泌的影响

以滩羊为试验动物,采用30 d、45 d、60 d断奶,4月龄断奶为对照.研究结果表明,羔羊的早期断奶有利于母羊产后和断奶后体况的恢复和母羊发情期的提前到来,以30 d断奶母羊体况恢复最佳和对提前母羊的发情期效果最好.     

One-Seed Juniper Sapling Use by Goats in Relation to Stocking Density and Mixed Grazing With Sheep

Suppression of one-seed juniper (Juniper monosperma [Englem.] Sarg.) reinvasion with goats requires achieving levels of defoliation of newly established saplings that eventually kill or suppress plant growth. We tested the effects of stocking density and mixed grazing with sheep on the level of use of one-seed juniper saplings by goats. In summer and spring, groups of 10 does (goats alone, GA) or 5 does and 4 ewes (mixed grazing, MG), grazed 20 × 30 m cells infested with saplings (500–533 · ha^?1; mean: 0.8 m tall), either continuously for 6 d (low stocking density, LD) or with daily rotation through 10 × 10 m cells during the 6-d period (high stocking density, HD) in a block design. Feeding activity; juniper in feces; utilization of herbaceous vegetation; frequency of saplings with light, moderate, and heavy foliage and bark use; and branch utilization were determined. Goats in HD spent more time feeding on saplings, less time feeding on herbaceous forages, and tended to consume more juniper than goats in LD. Utilization of herbaceous vegetation ranged from 52% to 73% and was higher for MG than GA and for LD than HD. The MG–HD treatment resulted in the highest frequency of short saplings (< 0.5 m) with heavy defoliation in summer and spring, and lowest frequency of saplings with light debarking in spring. Heavy defoliation was more frequent in short saplings, whereas heavy debarking was more frequent in tall (> 1 m) saplings. Sapling mortality was not affected by treatments (P > 0.05) and averaged 5% across treatments. Branch debarking was greater in spring (P = 0.02) and explained approximately 80% of branch mortality and 62% and 52% of the reduction in sapling live crown height and volume. Branch utilization (percent length) was not affected by grazing treatments (range: 45–48%), but was influenced by the length and diameter of branches. This study suggests that high stocking density and mixed grazing stimulate feeding behaviors that increase utilization of juniper saplings by goats. Susceptibility of saplings to defoliation and debarking varies with sapling size, branch structure, and season. Targeted grazing in spring appears to have a greater impact on sapling suppression and branch mortality due to higher debarking frequency.     

徐淮山羊及波徐杂交一代体重体尺的相关性研究

本研究对3月龄的江苏沿海地区本地徐淮山羊以及波徐杂交一代山羊两种山羊分别饲养90d,对试验羊的体重和各体尺指标进行相关分析和通径分析,以揭示波尔山羊的杂交改良效果、主要改良性状及其内在联系。结果表明:波徐杂交一代山羊与本地徐淮山羊在体尺体重方面有显著的差异(P<0.05);对于徐淮山羊,波徐杂交一代在体尺与体重的相关性上具有一定的改善,将原来徐淮山羊中对体重具有负相关作用的体长性状转变为正相关作用,有利于波徐杂山羊的生长发育,充分说明波尔山羊对改良本地山羊的生产性能具有很好的效果。     

徐淮山羊及波徐杂交一代体重体尺的相关性研究

本研究对3月龄的江苏沿海地区本地徐淮山羊以及波徐杂交一代山羊两种山羊分别饲养90d,对试验羊的体重和各体尺指标进行相关分析和通径分析,以揭示波尔山羊的杂交改良效果、主要改良性状及其内在联系.结果表明:波徐杂交一代山羊与本地徐淮山羊在体尺体重方面有显著的差异(P＜0.05);对于徐淮山羊,波徐杂交一代在体尺与体重的相关性上具有一定的改善,将原来徐淮山羊中对体重具有负相关作用的体长性状转变为正相关作用,有利于波徐杂山羊的生长发育,充分说明波尔山羊对改良本地山羊的生产性能具有很好的效果.     

几内亚热带气候对海波罗肉用仔鸡长期耗料量及料肉比影响的研究

分4批从孵出的海波罗鸡雏中选出888只公母混合雏,每批222只,研究几内亚热带气候对海波罗肉仔鸡生长期耗料量的影响.结果表明,4批鸡的整个试验中的累计耗料量分别为4 745.58 g/只、4 507.44 g/只、4 682.73 g/只和4 545.77 g/只.第Ⅱ、Ⅲ和Ⅳ批鸡的累计耗料量比第Ⅰ批鸡分别少5.28%、1.13%和4.40%,第Ⅱ和第Ⅳ批累计耗料量比第Ⅲ批分别少4.11%和3.23%,第Ⅱ批累计耗料量比第Ⅳ批的少0.5%,比第Ⅰ、Ⅲ和Ⅳ批偏少.4批鸡4周龄料肉比分别为1.23、2.03、1.90和1.67,饲料报酬都高,7周龄分别为3.78、2.97、2.56和2.52,除第Ⅰ批外,各批7周龄饲料报酬较高.在整个试验期,4批鸡1～7周龄的平均累计耗料量为4 622.88 g/只,其平均累计料肉比为2.28 g,累计耗料量比海波罗的标准少217.12 g,即4.70%.由于几内亚热带气候影响,本试验鸡采食量少,料肉比较低.     

对放牧黑山羊补饲育肥效果的研究

通过对贵州黑山羊在放牧条件下,进行延长放牧时间,常规补饲玉米、补饲玉米和补饲玉米加羟甲基脲的短期育肥对比试验,结果表明：补饲蛋白质饲料效果最好,常规补饲玉米饲料次之,以延长放牧时间效果最差。日增重分别为83g,78.17g,71.83g和31．67g。经方差分析,补饲精料组的增重速度极显著地高于延长放牧时间组（P＜0．01）;而三组补饲精料组中,补饲玉米加豆粕组极显著地高极于补饲玉米组（P＜0．1）,添加羟甲基脲素组显著地高于饲玉米组（P＜0．05）,补饲玉米加豆粕组高于玉米添加羟甲基脲组,但二组之间差异不显著（P＞0．05）。     

几内亚热带气候对海波罗肉用仔鸡长期耗料量及料肉比影响的研究

分4批从孵出的海波罗鸡雏中选出888只公母混合雏，每批222只，研究几内亚热带气候对海波罗肉仔鸡生长期耗料量的影响。结果表明，4批鸡的整个试验中的累计耗料量分别为4745.58g/只、4507.44g/只、4682.73g/只和4545.77g/只。第Ⅱ、Ⅲ和Ⅳ批鸡的累计耗料量比第Ⅰ批鸡分别少5.28%、1.13%和4.40%，第Ⅱ和第Ⅳ批累计耗料量比第Ⅲ批分别少4.11%和3.23%，第Ⅱ批累计耗料量比第Ⅳ批的少0.5%，比第Ⅰ、Ⅲ和Ⅳ批偏少。4批鸡4周龄料肉比分别为1.23、2.03、1.90和1.67，饲料报酬都高，7周龄分别为3.78、2.97、2.56和2.52，除第Ⅰ批外，各批7周龄饲料报酬较高。在整个试验期，4批鸡1－7周龄的平均累计耗料量为4622.88g/只，其平均累计料肉比为2.28g，累计耗料量比海波罗的标准少217.12g，即4.70%。由于几内亚热带气候影响，本试验鸡采食量少，料肉比较低。     

肉牛体况评分的常用方法及体况对其繁殖性能的影响

肉牛的体况评分是一种评价牛体脂肪沉积量的特殊方法,现已成为评价牛群生产力,检验和推测饲养管理水平的一项重要指标。该评价方法为肉牛生产者、市场交易者以及兽医管理人员提供了一项统一标准。试验结果证明,营养与体况对母牛的繁殖机能产生重要影响,分娩时的体况以及产前产后营养供应是整个牛群获得最大繁殖力的关键。在整个繁殖周期中维持肉牛适宜的体况,既可保证其良好的繁殖性能,又可降低饲养成本,取得理想的经济效益。     

限饲对绒山羊生长性能和屠宰性能的影响

本研究通过饲养试验与屠宰试验来探讨限饲对绒山羊生产性能和屠宰性能的影响。将20只育成羊随机分成4组,即分别为自由采食组(AL)及自由采食组采食量的90%(IR90%)、80%(IR80%)和70%(IR70%)。正式试验期为90 d。结果表明:AL的日增重比IR90%组I、R80%组显著高出91.21%和194.92%(P<0.05),但IR90%和IR80%之间无显著差异(P>0.05),另外IR70%组的日增重为-6.3 g/d。宰前活体重、空体重、胴体重和屠宰率随着营养水平的降低有所减少(P<0.05)。随着营养水平的降低,肾周脂肪、系网膜脂肪占空体重的比例显著减少(P<0.05)。随着限饲强度的增加,日增重逐渐下降,体内脂肪沉积也随之减少。综合分析显示,绒山羊的限饲的阈值为IR80%。     

喂料后称重肉种母鸡

在美国,大多数家禽生产商采取隔日饲喂方案来控制种用小母鸡体重。在当前鸡舍条件下,隔日饲喂方案是给所有鸡均匀分配饲料最好的方法,以保证鸡群均匀度。但是,嗉囊或者消化道内有食物会使鸡只的实际体重增加而且随着时间延长消化道内饲料逐渐减少。因此,后备种鸡一般在未采食的那天进行称重以规范数据,将体重与嗉囊或者消化道内有无饲料分开。然后每周在固定时间称重。这样称得的体重称为“空腹”体重。     

Intermountain Presettlement Juniper: Distribution,Abundance, and Influence on Postsettlement Expansion

Successful implementation of watershed restoration projects involving control of piñon and juniper requires understanding the spatial extent and role presettlement trees (> 140 yr) play in the ecology of Intermountain West landscapes. This study evaluated the extent, abundance, and spatial pattern of presettlement western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis Hook.) in four woodlands located in southeast Oregon and southwest Idaho. The potential for modeling presence/absence of presettlement juniper using site characteristics was tested with logistic regression and the influence presettlement trees had on postsettlement woodland (trees < 140 yr) expansion was evaluated with a Welch’s t-test. Pre- and postsettlement tree densities, tree ages, site characteristics, and understory vegetation were measured along four 14–27 km transects. Presettlement juniper occurred in 16%–67% of stands in the four woodlands and accounted for 1%–10% of the population of trees > 1 m tall. Presettlement trees were generally widely scattered and more common in lower elevation stands with greater surface rock cover and higher insolate exposure. Presettlement trees sparsely occupied productive sites on deeper soils in southwest Idaho, suggesting the area had sustained a different disturbance regime than southeast Oregon. Southwest Idaho might have experienced a high frequency of lower severity fire that afforded survival to widely distributed legacy trees. This supposition is in contrast to most reports of a disturbance regime including either stand replacement or frequent fire of sufficient intensity to preclude survival of trees to maturity. Stands sustaining presettlement trees initiated woodland expansion 24 yr earlier than stands lacking presettlement trees. Presettlement trees may serve as a seed source potentially reducing the longevity of juniper control treatments. For areas with greater abundances and spatial distribution of presettlement trees such as southwest Idaho, management maintaining low intensity fire or cutting treatments at frequencies of less than 50 yr should sustain relatively open stands.     

限饲对辽宁绒山羊生产性能及消化代谢的影响

本试验旨在研究限饲对辽宁绒山羊生产性能及消化代谢的影响。将20只1周岁、体重(22.29±1.05)kg辽宁绒山羊母羊随机分为4个采食水平组,即干物质为基础分别为自由采食100%(AL),以及自由采食组采食量的90%(IR90)、80%(IR80)和70%(IR70)。结果表明:不同限饲水平对绒山羊的体重和日增重有显著影响(P<0.05),日增重随饲喂水平的下降而显著下降,分别为32.20、17.40、10.80 g/d和-8.20 g/d;饲料增重比在AL和IR90两组间无显著差异(P>0.05),其余各组间差异显著(P<0.05)。不同限饲水平对绒山羊的营养物质表观消化率无显著性影响(P>0.05)。不同限饲水平显著影响进食氮、粪氮排出和沉积氮(P<0.05);随限饲水平的下降,沉积氮分别为3.05、2.62、1.87 g/d和1.18 g/d;限饲水平对尿氮的排出和氮的利用率影响差异不显著(P>0.05)。在本试验条件下,限饲显著影响绒山羊的体重、日增重和氮沉积,辽宁绒山羊育成母羊粗蛋白的维持需要为46.16 g/d,高于NRC(1981)的相同生长阶段山羊蛋白质维持需要量推荐值。     

关中奶山羊体尺指标和产奶量研究分析

通过对关中奶山羊的体尺指标和产奶量的调查研究分析,发现当前的关中奶山羊的年龄结构分布合理,但主要体尺指标均表现为显著性差异,其中体高、体长、腰角宽、胸围差异高度显著,管围差异不显著;各项指标和产奶性能均有退化现象,且有明显的地域性差异。     

Influence of Wildland Fire Along a Successional Gradient in Sagebrush Steppe and Western Juniper Woodlands

Western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis Hook. var. occidentalis) has been expanding into sagebrush (ArtemisiaL. spp.) steppe over the past 130 yr in Idaho, Oregon, and California. Fuel characteristics and expected fire behavior and effects change as sagebrush steppe transitions into juniper woodlands. Little is currently known about how wildfire influences burn severity and ecosystem response in steppe altered by woodland conversion. In 2007, the Tongue-Crutcher Wildland Fire burned 18890 ha along a successional gradient ranging from sagebrush steppe to mature juniper woodlands, providing a unique opportunity to evaluate the effects of prefire vegetation on burn severity and ecosystem response across spatial scales. Plot-scale burn severity was evaluated with the composite burn index (CBI) in locations where prefire vegetation data were available, and landscape-scale burn severity was estimated via remotely sensed indices (differenced normalized burn ratio [dNBR] and relative differenced normalized burn ratio [RdNBR]). Strong positive relationships exist between CBI and remotely sensed burn severity indices in woodlands, whereas the relationships are weaker in steppe vegetation. Woodlands in late structural development phases, and sagebrush patches near developed woodlands, incurred higher burn severity than steppe and young woodlands. The results support the idea that a threshold exists for when juniper-encroached sagebrush steppe becomes difficult to restore. Implications for fire management in sagebrush/juniper ecosystems are discussed.     

浅谈肉种鸡产蛋高峰料量

肉种鸡高峰料量直接影响产蛋高峰值和维持水平。高峰料量偏低，维持营养不足，或生产营养不足，产蛋性能不能正常发挥，持续产蛋高峰的能力下降；高峰料量过高，营养过剩，皮下脂肪增厚，双黄蛋比例增加(一般日料量每高2克/只，双黄蛋比例增1％)，鸡群持续产蛋能力下降，