“牧草与草坪草育种学”课程建设与实践

"牧草与草坪草育种学"为草业科学专业的核心课。为了适应草业科学的发展要求,培养具有实践能力和创新精神的草业专业技术人才,宁夏大学草业科学专业对"牧草与草坪草育种学"课程在理论教学、实践教学以及课程考核体系方面进行了改革。教学实践证明,课程改革突出了学生在学习中的主体地位,增强了学生的实践能力,提高了学生学习的主动性和教学质量,促使牧草与草坪草育种学课程建设向高水平方向迈进。     

四川农业大学草学学科

<正>四川农业大学草业教育始于20世纪50年代,由牧草学、草原学等单门课程逐步发展为完整专业。草学专业创建于1985年,2002年草业工程实验室遴选为四川省重点实验室,2004年草业科学学科遴选为四川省重点学科,2009年草业科学专业批准为国家级特色专业,2012年获得国家一级学科博士点,2013年获准设立草学博士后流动站。人才培养:1985年开始招收本科,1986年教育部批准为草业科学硕士点,2000年教育部批准为畜牧一级学科草     

扬州大学牧草生物技术课程教学改革探索

牧草生物技术不仅是草业科学专业重要的专业课程,也是草业科学与生命科学紧密结合的交叉学科研究前沿.在"新农科"教育改革背景下,扬州大学动物科学与技术学院草业科学本科专业教学团队对牧草生物技术课程教学进行了深入的改革探索.通过精简课程内容、采用案例教学法、使用雨课堂软件、设计开放性实验、开展研究型教学以及增强思政教育等多种手段成功地激发了学生的学习兴趣、提升了学生的学习效率、促进了学生的能力培养.     

四川农业大学草业科学学科

四川农业大学草业教育始于20世纪50年代，是由牧草学、草原学和饲料生产学等单门课程逐步发展为完整的专业。草业科学专业创建于1985年，2002年草业工程实验室遴选为四川省重点实验室，2004年草业科学学科遴选为四川省重点学科。     

四川农业大学草业科学学科

四川农业大学草业教育始于20世纪50年代，是由牧草学、草原学和饲料生产学等单门课程逐步发展为完整的专业。草业科学专业创建于1985年。2002年草业工程实验室遴选为四川省重点实验室，衅草业科学学科遴选为四川省重点学科。     

扬州大学牧草生物技术课程教学改革探索

牧草生物技术不仅是草业科学专业重要的专业课程,也是草业科学与生命科学紧密结合的交叉学科研究前沿.在"新农科"教育改革背景下,扬州大学动物科学与技术学院草业科学本科专业教学团队对牧草生物技术课程教学进行了深入的改革探索.通过精简课程内容、采用案例教学法、使用雨课堂软件、设计开放性实验、开展研究型教学以及增强思政教育等多种...     

中国草业教育发展史:1.本科教育

中国现代意义上的草业教育是从高等教育开始,由20世纪30年代在大学陆续开设的牧草学、草原学、饲料生产学等单门课程逐步发展、扩大为完整、系统的草业科学专业。70多年来,通过单门课程教学,本、专科专业教学体系初步形成,恢复及完善,本科专业教学体系快速发展和提高4个发展阶段,草业教育由畜牧专业的单门课程发展为独立的二级专业,继由二级专业提升为草业科学一级学科。草业本科教育在内涵提高的同时,其外延也取得了巨大的发展与成就,专业的数量和培养的草业人才大幅度增加,2010年全国共有草业科学本科专业30个,截至2008年底,有专业教师486人,已毕业本专科生14 225名,有在读本科生5 107名,中国成为世界上草业科学专业和学生的数量最多、培养层次最完整、教学指导思想最先进的国家之一,而且,甘肃农业大学的草业科学本科专业是世界上规模最大的本学科本科专业。     

四川农业大学草业科学普通本科专业人才培养模式探索及思考

摘要：随着我国高等教育改革的不断深入以及现代教育思想的不断发展,“宽口径、厚基础、复合型”的人才培养目标已成共识,专业课程设置对人才培养和学生就业具有举足轻重的作用。为进一步探讨草业科学专业本科人才培养体系,本研究以四川农业大学草业科学普通本科专业的课程培养方案为例,分析了草业科学专业人才培养的现状,提出了新世纪草业科学复合型本科人才培养体系的一些思路。     

关于提高《动物育种学》课程教学质量的探讨与实践

<动物育种学>是动物科学专业的一门重要的专业基础课,针对<动物育种学>课程教学所面临的问题及课程特点,从提高教师教学能力,改进教学方法、教学内容和考核模式等方面进行了探讨,以期取得较好的教学质量与教学效果.     

西部地区草业科学专业小课时背景下动物学教学探索

为了有效推进高等教育学分制改革步伐,推进小课时背景下的草业科学专业动物学课程教学改革,提高西部地区草业科学专业学生学习动物学课程的积极性、主动性,激发不同生源地学生的学习潜能,在教学过程中选择适合草业学科发展的教学内容,应用现代化教学手段对教学形式、考核方式做进一步改革与完善,目的是切实培养立足青海、服务地方,发挥自身优势的草业科学专业高级人才。     

Comparison of methods for antimicrobial susceptibility testing and MIC values for pleuromutilin drugs for Brachyspira hyodysenteriae isolated in Germany

In Germany treatment of swine dysentery is hampered by Brachyspira hyodysenteriae strains showing elevated MIC values to the few antibiotics licensed. Therefore, susceptibility testing of clinical isolates is an important service to the swine practitioner. This study compares the established agar dilution procedure for antimicrobial susceptibility testing of this fastidious anaerobe to the broth microdilution test newly developed [Anim. Health Res. 2 (2001) 59; Vet. Microbiol. 84 (2002) 123; J. Clin. Microbiol. 41 (2003) 2596]. A total of 221 isolates were examined twice with either test procedure using tiamulin and valnemulin as antibiotics. Both methods gave reproducible results, and the MIC values for the reference strains B. hyodysenteriae B204 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 corresponded to previously published data. However, the results for individual strains differed significantly for both tests (P < 0.001) with MIC values being on average one dilution step lower in the broth dilution method. The 221 strains used for comparing test procedures were isolated between 1989 and 2001. An additional 102 strains isolated in 2002 were tested only with the broth dilution procedure. A significant rise in the average MIC value for both pleuromutilins could be demonstrated when comparing earlier isolates to those from 2000 to 2001 (P < 0.05), while in 2002 the average MIC significantly decreased when compared to the value in 2000 (P < 0.05). However, strains with MIC values for tiamulin as high as 8 microg/ml (broth dilution) could still be isolated.     

The epidemiology and diagnosis of bluetongue with particular reference to Corsica

Bluetongue (BT) and/or BT viruses (BTV) have been identified in the Mediterranean basin and the Balkans each year from 1998 to 2002 and in particular BTV serotype 2 in the French Island of Corsica (2000 and 2001). In response to these virus incursions, the French Veterinary Authorities carried out epidemiological studies that included virological, serological and entomological analysis, and two vaccination campaigns performed in the winter of 2000/2001 and the winter and spring of 2001 and 2002. Rapid and reliable serotype differentiation is essential at the start of an outbreak to allow an early selection of vaccine to control the spread of the virus. Thus, molecular tools, that complement conventional methods, have been developed for early detection of infection, determination of the serotype, and differentiation between natural infection and vaccination. Serological results showed that the first vaccination campaign during the winter of 2000/2001 did not provide full protection for all sheep and during the summer of 2001, 335 sheep flocks in Corsica were again infected by BTV 2 (7-fold more that in 2000). Entomological studies have demonstrated that the only proven vector of the disease, Culicoides imicola, was present in the island in 2000 and that it has successfully established itself in Corsica. The safety and immunogenicity of the commercial South African vaccine were studied. Fourteen sheep were vaccinated and then observed for clinical signs. Blood, sera, spleen and lymph nodes were collected and analyzed, and the results confirmed the safety and potency of using this vaccine to protect sheep from clinical disease. As a result, an intensive vaccination campaign was performed during winter and spring 2001/2002. No cases of BT had been observed by the end of summer 2002, indicating that the vaccination campaign has been successful in protecting sheep from infection.     

Serological evidence of H3N8 canine influenza-like virus circulation in USA dogs prior to 2004

H3N8 canine influenza virus (H3N8 CIV) was first reported as a novel canine respiratory pathogen in racing greyhounds and shelter dogs in the U.S.A. in 2004. Phylogenetic analyses determined that this host-adapted pathogen originated from interspecies transmission of an equine influenza virus (EIV), but it is unknown when the transmission occurred prior to discovery in 2004. The objective of this study was to determine if racing greyhound and shelter dog sera collected from 1984 to 2004 had serological evidence of exposure to H3N8 CIV or EIV. Archived sera from 702 racing greyhounds and 1568 shelter dogs were tested for H3 antibodies to the original 2004 CIV isolate, as well as EIV isolates from 1991 to 1999. None of the racing greyhounds from 1984 and 1985 had detectable H3 antibodies. One of the shelter dogs, which entered a north Florida shelter in 2004, was seropositive. For racing greyhounds sampled from 1999 to 2004, 133/520 (26%) dogs had antibodies to both CIV and EIV H3 proteins. The annual seroprevalence was 27% in 1999, 28% in 2000, 10% in 2001, 1% in 2002, 41% in 2003, and 28% in 2004. The odds of H3 seropositivity were greater among dogs that raced > or =6 months, raced on > or =2 tracks, and raced in 1998, 2002, and 2003. Many of the seropositive dogs raced at tracks that were involved in 'kennel cough' epidemics in 1998-1999 and 2002-2003. Based on serological evidence, a H3N8 canine influenza-like virus was circulating in racing greyhounds in the U.S.A. as early as 1999.     

Evaluation of biological control of sheep parasites using Duddingtonia flagrans under commercial farming conditions on the island of Gotland, Sweden

Field trials, conducted over 3 consecutive years, were aimed at assessing farmer opinions of the practicality and effectiveness of using Duddingtonia flagrans to control nematode parasites in their flocks on the Swedish island of Gotland. These trials were also monitored by intensive parasitological investigation. On Gotland, lambing occurs in spring, and around mid-summer (late June), ewes and lambs are moved to saved pastures due to pasture deterioration caused by dry conditions. Weaned lambs are then returned to original lambing pastures in early autumn for finishing. One farm (B) was used for 2001-2003 and a second farm (N) was also used in 2002 and 2003. On each farm, two flocks (each of 20 ewes + twin lambs) were managed separately, namely: fungus group which received a daily supplement + fungal spores from lambing until the summer move (6 weeks) and: control group which received supplement only. For Farm B, the numbers of lambs that were marketed prior to the end of the grazing season, were 13, 18, 19 for the fungus treatment whereas corresponding numbers for the control treatment were 8, 16 and 11 for years 2001, 2002 and 2003, respectively. Final weights of the remaining lambs at the end of each year were also consistently heavier, and the numbers of lambs retained for finishing during winter were less, on the fungus treatment compared with the control treatment. On Farm N, similar results were recorded, with more lambs marketed earlier in the fungus group (25 and 19) compared with the control (19 and 15) in 2002 and 2003, respectively. The weights of the remaining lambs at the end of the trial in 2003 showed a 4.5 kg weight gain advantage of the fungus group compared to the controls. Tracer tests during autumn 2001 on Farm B, showed that Teladorsagia circumcincta plus Trichostrongylus spp. levels were significantly less on the fungus treatment (P=0.018). The summer/autumn of 2002 was one of the driest on record for Gotland. This resulted in very low levels of infective larval availability. But on both farms, T. circumcincta numbers were less on the fungus than on the control paddocks (P=0.048 on Farm B). In 2003 very low numbers of infective larvae were recorded in the autumn tracers for both treatments on both farms. Both farmer co-operators were encouraged with these results and consider that biological control of nematode parasites in their flocks, using D. flagrans, is of practical value.     

Characterization of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from New Zealand sea lion (Phocarctos hookeri) pups during and after the epidemics on Enderby Island, Auckland Islands

The 2001/2002 and 2002/2003 breeding seasons of New Zealand sea lions (NZSLs) on the Auckland Islands were marked by a high pup mortality caused by acute bacterial infections. As part of a health survey from 1998/1999 to 2004/2005, tissues and swabs of lesions had been collected at necropsy to identify the bacteria associated with pup mortality. Klebsiella pneumoniae was grown in pure culture from 83% of various organs and lesions in 2001/2002 and 76% in 2002/2003, and less frequently in the following seasons (56% in 2003/2004 and 49% in 2004/2005). Pup isolates of K. pneumoniae showed identical minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of cefuroxime, neomycin, cephalotin, cephalexin and dihydrostreptomycin, suggesting clonal aetiology of the pathogen. Isolates also tested negative for production of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs), which was not in favour of an anthropogenetic origin of the epidemic strain. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of XbaI DNA macrorestriction fragments was performed on isolates of K. pneumoniae and Klebsiella oxytoca from 35 pups, thee NZSL adult females, and from three human patients for comparison. PFGE showed that pup isolates of K. pneumoniae were genetically indistinguishable but were neither related to K. pneumoniae from humans and from NZSL adults, nor to K. oxytoca from NZSLs. It is concluded that the 2001/2002 and 2002/2003 epidemics at Sandy Bay rookery were caused by a single K. pneumoniae clonal lineage, genetically different from the strain carried by adult NZSLs. An anthropogenic origin of the K. pneumoniae clone could not be confirmed, but further investigations are required to rule-out such occurrence.     

Geographical and temporal aspects of an outbreak of off-flavours in bulk-tank milk in Prince Edward Island, Canada

The geographical and temporal dynamics of the outbreak of off-flavours in bulk-tank milk that occurred between September 2000 and June 2002 in Prince Edward Island (PEI) dairy herds were described using spatial, temporal and space-time scan statistics. Results suggested clustering both in time and space. We found one primary cluster (six case herds, feed off-flavour, October 2000 to January 2001) and two secondary clusters formed of feed (5 case herds, October 2000 to January 2001)) and rancid (five case herds, December 2000 to March 2001) off-flavours, respectively. The relative risk (RR) for producing off-flavoured milk was similar for these three clusters (RR=6.4).     

A method for sheep scab control by applying selective treatment based on flock serology

Sheep scab, caused by Psoroptes ovis, is a severe and debilitating disease that can be treated and controlled by the use of acaricidal dips or the use of broad-spectrum avermectins. In Switzerland, control measures are state regulated. In particular, sheep should be routinely treated with ectocide dips or avermectin injections before they are moved onto common alpine pasture in late spring. However, a substantial part of the sheep population remains untreated and represents a potential reservoir for the mite population. Untreated sheep that are not moved to alpine pasture may infest treated sheep when flocks are reassembled in autumn. In an attempt to identify infested sheep, all flocks in the Canton of Schwyz (Switzerland) were serologically tested in 2001 and in 2002 (587 and 565 flocks, respectively). In 2003, a representative number (182 of the 531 flocks) was again investigated. Seropositive flocks were treated with doramectin (0.3 mg kg(-1) body weight, intramuscularly) from 2001 to 2003. In spring 2002, no chemo-methaphylaxis was given to seronegative flocks before movement onto common alpine pastures. Of the 587 flocks surveyed in spring 2001, 34 were seropositive (5.8%). These consisted of 21 infested with P. ovis, 1 with P. cuniculi, 4 with Chorioptes spp. and 8 of seropositivity of unknown origin; there was a decrease of seropositive flocks in spring 2002 (4.4%) with 15, 0, 2 and 8, respectively. Of the 182 flocks surveyed in spring 2003, just 4 flocks (2.2%) were seropositive. All the seropositive reactions in these flocks were the result of Chorioptes spp. infestations. There was a corresponding decrease in the proportion of seropositive animals from 6.3% in spring 2001 to 2.1% in spring 2003. These results corroborate the concept that it may be possible to target chemo-metaphylaxis and hence decrease the use of endectocides as well as of ectocides to control sheep scab. This would be of great benefit in reducing the likelihood of development of anthelmintic resistance against avermectins, decreasing the extent of environmental and human contamination with potentially toxic products and diminishing potential drug residues in meat and milk.     

Evidence for the presence of bluetongue virus in Kosovo between 2001 and 2004

In 2001, clinical cases of bluetongue were observed in Kosovo, and in that year and in 2003 and 2004, serum samples were collected from cattle and small ruminants and tested for antibodies to bluetongue virus. The results provide evidence that bluetongue virus was not present in Kosovo before the summer of 2001, but that the virus circulated subclinically among the cattle and sheep populations of Kosovo in 2002, 2003 and 2004.     

Serum biochemistry in Andean flamingos (Phoenicoparrus andinus): natural versus artificial diet.

A study of 10 clinical pathology values in four groups of Andean flamingo chicks (Phoenicoparrus andinus) was conducted to evaluate an artificial feeding program in Chile. Three groups were fed controlled diets (groups 2000, 2001, and 2002) with quantitative differences in their nutritional content. A fourth group of free-living Andean flamingo chicks was used as normal controls. Nutritional management techniques used in 2002 resulted in hematologic values with similar levels of total protein, globulins, albumin, cholesterol, urea, phosphorus, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), creatinine, and calcium to those obtained in free-living chicks. In addition, final weight, physical condition, and plumage in flamingo chicks of group 2002 were considered satisfactory to face local climatic conditions and nomadic activity. These results may be useful as reference values and help to improve conservation management and veterinary care of this species.     

Emergence of antigenic variants with in serotype A foot and mouth disease virus in India and evaluation of a new vaccine candidate panel

Emergence of genetically and antigenically divergent lineages/genotypes and poor intergenotypic antigenic coverage is a major concern in serotype A foot-and-mouth-disease virus (FMDV) in India. In 2009, to cover antigenic diversity emerged in serotype A virus field isolates, IND40/2000 was selected as the new vaccine strain for incorporation in the trivalent FMD vaccine formulation used in India. Although current vaccine strain (IND40/2000) covers most isolates antigenically, a few VP3(59)-deletion group isolates showed low r-value in routine vaccine matching exercise. The VP3(59)-deletion group within genotype 18 emerged first in late part of 2002 and in 2007 causing outbreaks along with non-deletion isolates of the same genotype. In case of emergence or re-emergence of more antigenically divergent isolates in future, a need for a new vaccine candidate to cover maximum isolates of both deletion and non-deletion group may arise. Four alternate candidate vaccine strains (IND281/2003, IND195/2007, IND360/2007 and IND123/2008) were selected based on set criteria and antigenic relationships with field isolates sampled between 2002 and 2009 were analyzed using a micro-neutralization test. Phylogenetic analysis based on capsid region of serotype A isolates revealed existence of two broad distinct clusters (VP3(59)-deletion and non-deletion group) within genotype 18. The VP3(59)-deletion group has diversified genetically with time giving rise to three different sub-lineages (clade18a, 18b and 18c). The present study indicates that the virus candidates IND281/2003 (VP3(59)-deletion group) and IND195/2007 (non-deletion group) can be used as an adjunct or alternative strain to currently used vaccine strain IND40/2000 in case of emergence of more antigenically divergent isolates in future.