公司核心竞争力的正确定位

认识到本身的核心竞争力后,公司就可以清晰地定义其组织经营的范围并集中资源以获得最大优势。以下是确定核心竞争力的四项重要准则: (1)避免累赘罗列:要对最终产品或服务的价值有重要贡献;代表了独一无二的并且能提供持久竞争优势的能力;支持多种最终产品或服务的潜能。 (2)高层管理人员就核心竞争力问题达成一致,如:公司所从事的究竟是什么业务?     

农业未来看品牌

入世以来饲料行业发生了迅速变化,身处其中的我们也深切地感受到了这一点,国内的大小公司都在积极备战,以迎接全新的竞争和挑战,北京英惠尔生物技术公司就是在这个风云暗涌的大战前夕诞生的新公司。 该公司是以中国农业科学院饲料研究所技术力量为核心组建起来的公     

成功公司品牌定位面临六道“坎”

实施公司品牌战略存在一定的风险.运作得好,固然能降低建立新产品品牌所需成本,成为企业其他品牌发展的基石,形成产品家族的认可标志,甚至能吸引人们自发地诠释和拓展它的内涵,形成对企业的情感依赖,例如McDonal＇s和SONY.然而品牌与企业的名称间的捆绑关系,也易产生“一损俱损”的连锁反应,轻者对公司品牌资产的积累带来影响,重者给公司经营带来毁灭性打击.     

天津大海肉类制品公司的品牌整合

大海肉类制品公司是天津市民营企业十强之一，年产值2亿多元，它由颇富传奇色彩的民营企业家王孝政先生借贷300元创立。公司成立之时，正值行业增长的黄金时期，企业得以迅速发展壮大。然而近年来，行业竞争日益加剧，WTO的加入     

美国特殊营养公司霉可脱被撤销

美国特殊营养公司生产的饲料添加剂霉可脱(Mydo—Ad)中二恶英含量高达88．003ps/g，严重危害养殖动物安全和人体健康。根据《饲料和饲料添加剂管理条例》第二十条的规定，禁止在中国境内使用该产品。并根据《进口饲料和饲料添加剂登记管理办法》第十二条的规定．撤销该产品在中国的登记许可证：(2001)外饲准字432号。     

嘉吉动物营养公司德克萨斯州吉丁斯分厂——荣登美国"2006年度饲料企业"榜

美国德克萨斯州中部的嘉吉动物营养公司吉丁斯饲料厂生产Nutrena及其他品牌饲料,业务遍及全球30多个国家,是嘉吉公司的先锋企业之一。作为美国2006年度饲料企业,它成为绝无仅有的具有22年悠久发展史且第2次获得桂冠的饲料企业。     

希悦尔公司的品牌建设与企业文化--对话国际包装业巨头希悦尔之二

记者：都说现在是品牌的时代,贵公司对于品牌建设持什么样的态度？觉得品牌建设最应该注意的是哪些方面？     

中美农牧企业联合会China-America Farms Enterprises Association（CAFE）——中国农牧企业走向世界的桥梁

2007年4月13-14日，美国普渡大学农学院，联合中国畜牧兽医学会，在北京九华山庄成功举办首届成功论坛。与会者近400人，大部分是来自200多个饲料企业的总裁和技术总监以及行业媒体、研究机构。主讲嘉宾包括美国普渡大学终身教授——哈默博士、原美国普瑞纳饲料集团全球总裁——麦克米兰先生、原美国普瑞纳饲料集团技术副总裁——沃森博士，     

美国特殊营养公司霉可脱被撤销

美国特殊营养公司生产的饲料添加剂霉可脱(Myco-Ad)中二恶英含量高达88．003pg／g，严重危害养殖动物安全和人体健康。根据《饲料和饲料添加剂管理条例》第二十条的规定，禁止在中国境内使用该产品，并根据《进口饲料和饲料添加剂登记管理办法》第十二条的规定，撤销该产品在中国的登记许可证：(2001)外饲准字432号。     

细微处的创新机会

美国橡胶公司是一家以研制新产品著称的企业。它每年可以向市场推出360多种新产品，几乎是一天一品。美国橡胶公司总裁观察市场竞争的态势后认为：公司真正强大的竞争对手不是什么大企业，而是那些机制灵活的小公司。因此，要与竞争对手周旋，必须在公司里也建立同样敏捷灵活的小型组织机构。     

铺展在翡翠上的瑞士

朋友告诉我说,阿尔卑斯山贯穿瑞士全境,其整个国土耸立在高山上,在欧洲,具有如此地貌的国家很少.所以,瑞士与意大利不同——瑞士没有罗马,也没有佛罗伦萨,但瑞士的自然风光却享誉世界. 我知道阿尔卑斯山是欧洲名山,记忆中最深刻的历史事件,就是当年拿破仑翻越阿尔卑斯山,途经瑞士前往意大利打击奥地利军队的壮举.至于阿尔卑斯山到底有多险峻,我以前确实没有亲身感受,无法想象它的壮美,而眼下正好借前往瑞士的机会,打开自己的心灵,与名山交流.     

Perinatal maternal feeding with an energy dense diet and/or micronutrient mixture drives offspring fat distribution depending on the sex and growth stage

Maternal nutrition during pregnancy and lactation influences offspring development and health. Novel studies have described the effects on next generation obesity‐related features depending on maternal macro‐ and micro‐nutrient perinatal feeding. We hypothesized that the maternal obesogenic diet during pregnancy and lactation programs an obese phenotype, while maternal micronutrient supplementation at these stages could partially prevent these features. Thus, the aim was to assess the influence of a perinatal maternal feeding with an obesogenic diet enriched in fat and sucrose and a micronutrient supplementation during pregnancy and lactation on offspring growth and obese phenotypical features during life course. Female Wistar rats were assigned to four dietary groups during pregnancy and lactation: control, control supplemented with micronutrients (choline, betaine, folic acid and vitamin B₁₂), high‐fat sucrose (HFS) and HFS supplemented. At weaning, the offspring were transferred to a chow diet, and weight and fat mass were measured at weeks 3, 12 and 20. At birth, both male and female offspring from mothers fed the obesogenic diet showed lower body weight (?5 and ?6%, respectively), while only female offspring weight decreased by maternal micronutrient supplementation (?5%). During lactation, maternal HFS diet was associated with increased body weight, while micronutrient supplementation protected against body weight gain. Whole body fat mass content increased at weeks 3, 12 and 20 (from 16 to 65%) due to maternal HFS diet. Maternal micronutrient supplementation decreased offspring fat mass content at week 3 (?8%). Male offspring showed higher adiposity than females at weeks 12 and 20. In conclusion, maternal HFS feeding during pregnancy and lactation was associated with a low offspring weight at birth and obese phenotypical features during adult life in a sex‐ and time‐dependent manner. Furthermore, maternal methyl donor supplementation protected against body weight gain in male offspring during lactation and in female offspring also during juvenile period.     

Pig HDL-binding protein (HDLBP) genotype is associated with intramuscular fat percentage

High density lipoprotein binding protein (HDLBP) or vigilin is a molecule with a broad range of functions dealing with the maintenance of heterochromatin structure and the regulation of gene expression. There is evidence that HDLBP expression is modulated by the intracellular levels of cholesterol. Moreover, vigilin is differentially expressed in the macrophages and smooth muscle cells of atherosclerotic plaques with regard to those of nondiseased coronary intima. In this work, we have sequenced 98% of the coding region of the pig HDLBP gene. Sequence alignment allowed us to identify a c.3120G>A synonymous polymorphism at exon 23 that segregated in a commercial Duroc population. Performance of an association analysis with serum lipid levels and diverse fatness and carcass traits allowed us to identify an experiment-wide significant association between this polymorphism and intramuscular fat content of longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle (P = 0.0034). Moreover, we have detected a suggestive association between HDLBP genotype and ham weight (P = 0.0078).     

Successful Timing of Ovulation Using Deslorelin (Ovuplant®) is Labour-saving in Mares Aimed for Single AI with Frozen Semen

To minimize the number of matings/inseminations, controlled ovulation has been practised since a long time ago. A potent short-term implant, releasing the GnRH analogue deslorelin (Ovuplant((R))) has been used in Australia and North America for several years for hastening the ovulation time in mares, but the product is not registered on the European market. This study was aimed to investigate: (1) ovulation time in mares implanted with Ovuplant when the largest follicle was 42 mm or more in size, (2) repeatability of ovulation time in successive oestruses when treated with Ovuplant, (3) pregnancy rate after single insemination with frozen-thawed semen near ovulation. This study included 11 mares, and altogether 17 timed ovulations. Follicular growth and ovulation were determined by palpation per rectum and by ultrasonography in the morning (at 7:00 hours) every second day until observation of a follicle of at least 42 mm in diameter. Then the mares were re-examined in the afternoon (at 19:00 hours), and an Ovuplant was inserted in the mucosa of the vulva. For detection of ovulation, the mares were palpated and ultrasounded repeatedly from 36-42 h after the insert. The mares were inseminated with frozen-thawed semen once at ovulation. All mares ovulated at 36-48 h after treatment and 94% at 38-42 h after treatment. The six mares that were treated at two oestruses ovulated at 39.9 and 39.7 h, respectively. Five of 11 mares (45.4%), inseminated with frozen-thawed semen at the first oestrous cycle were pregnant day 14-16 after ovulation. Using this protocol, there is no need of palpation/ultrasonography during night hours, and examination at 36 and 41 h after implantation might be enough for estimation of ovulation time.     

Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha is associated with mesenchymal-epithelial transition in developing kidneys of C57BL/6 mice

During kidney development, the metanephric mesenchyme (MM) develops into the nephron through mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET). We have previously reported that knock-down of the expression of hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha (Hnf4a) gene induces failure of cellular organization in the condensed mesenchyme (CM) of cultured embryonic kidneys. To elucidate the details of MET during nephrogenesis, embryonic mouse kidneys were analyzed by electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and molecular biology. The findings showed that the intercellular junction, but not the basal lamina, was present in the CM. Additionally, immediately after Hnf4a gene expression, the expression of epithelial genes (Krt8, Tjp1, and Cdh1) increased, and those of mesenchymal genes (Acta1 and Vim) decreased, in the CM compared to the MM. To clarify the relationship between MET and Hnf4α, the fibroblast cell line with forced expression of Hnf4α protein were analyzed. In this model, it was noted that Hnf4α induced increasing epithelial and decreasing mesenchymal gene expression. In these, up-regulation of Pvrl1, -2, and Mllt4 genes which mediate the formation of apico-basal polarity, were found. These results, and those of previous findings, indicate that Hnf4α protein is associated with the initiation of MET in early nephrogenesis.     

The protective effect of a Toxoplasma gondii SAG1 plasmid DNA vaccine in mice is enhanced with IL-18

More effective vaccines against Toxoplasma gondii may contribute to the control of this pathogen that has major veterinary and public health significance. In this study, two recombinant plasmids pcDNA/TgSAG1 and pVAX/mIL-18 containing T. gondii SAG1 (TgSAG1) and murine cytokine interleukin-18 (IL-18) were evaluated for their ability to protect mice against T. gondii challenge. Mice were given two intramuscular immunizations 3 weeks apart, and challenged with T. gondii 3 weeks later. All animals vaccinated with pcDNA/TgSAG1 alone or with pVAX/mIL-18 developed specific anti-TLA (T. gondii lysate antigen) antibodies and specific lymphocyte proliferative responses. Co-injection of pVAX/mIL-18 significantly increased the production of IFN-γ and IL-2. Further, challenge experiments showed that co-immunization with pVAX/mIL-18 significantly (P < 0.05) increased the survival rate (60%), compared with pcDNA/TgSAG1 alone (40%). Therefore, codelivery of the IL-18-secreting plasmid potentiates the induction and maintenance of the type 1 helper T-cell immune response and may be a potent strategy for enhancing the protective efficacy of vaccines against T. gondii.     

Endemic type of animal trypanosomiasis is not associated with lower genotype variability of Trypanosoma congolense isolates circulating in livestock

In order to verify whether the low impact on livestock production in endemic areas is related to a low number of trypanosome strains circulating in livestock, 37 Trypanosoma congolense isolates collected from cattle in 11 sites in an endemic trypanosomiasis area in Eastern Zambia were characterised for genotype variability using a modified amplified fragment length polymorphism technique (AFLP). Isolates were further cloned to evaluate the occurrence of mixed infections in individuals. The results obtained revealed a high genotype diversity (94.6%) among these isolates. Apart from one site, all isolates gave different AFLP profiles in each of the sites. When clones were compared, three (8%) of the 37 isolates had mixed infections. These results indicate the circulation of a high number of strains in this trypanosomiasis endemic area despite the low impact the disease has on livestock production.     

In vitro Release of Ovarian Progesterone is Decreased During the Oestrous Cycle and Pregnancy of Swine with Obesity/Leptin Resistance

Previous studies indicate that reproductive prolificacy of obese swine breeds is markedly influenced by embryo losses in early pregnancy. In such period, adequate secretion of progesterone (P4) by the ovary is essential for pregnancy success. This study analyses the luteal functionality during the oestrous cycle and early pregnancy of Iberian sows and Large White x Landrace females, in terms of P4 secretion after in vitro culture of luteal tissue stimulated or not with luteinizing hormone (LH). The secretion of progesterone (expressed in ng/mg of luteal tissue or ng/mgLT) of the corpora lutea of obese Iberian swine was always hampered when compared to lean genotypes, either during early oestrous cycle (110.7 ± 37.8 vs 259.7 ± 10.2 ng/mgLT; p < 0.0001), late oestrous cycle (49.0 ± 3.5 vs 75.92 ± 7.14 ng/mgLT; p < 0.0001) or early pregnancy (38.4 ± 2.1 vs 70.7 ± 5.3 ng/mgLT; p < 0.0001). The differences in basal P4 secretion remained after stimulation with LH. Finally, P4 secretion during early pregnancy of Iberian sows decreased with age and, hence, with obesity features (46.6 ± 4.2 vs 65.5 ± 4.8 ng/mgLT; p < 0.001). In conclusion, the results of the present study provide convincing evidence of a reduced luteal function during oestrous cycle and early pregnancy of sows with obesity/leptin resistance like Iberian sows, which may contribute to the low reproductive efficiency reported in this breed.     

The bovine annexin 9 gene (ANXA9) is significantly associated with milk-fat yield in a Spanish Holstein–Friesian population

On the basis of QTL studies for milk-fat yield trait on BTA3, annexin 9 protein (ANXA9), fatty acid transport protein type 3 (SLC27A3) and diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 1 (DGAT1) were selected as candidate genes. Three different single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of bovine ANXA9, SLC27A3 and DGAT1 genes have been tested in a selective genotyping design for milk-fat yield. Significant allele frequency differences were found for ANXA9 (p = 0.02), in Holstein–Friesian animals with high and low breeding values for milk-fat yield. Regression analysis also showed a significant effect (p = 0.0207) between estimated breeding values (EBVs) for fat milk content and ANXA9 polymorphism. So ANXA9 gene falls into a significant quantitative trait loci interval for milk-fat yield that was previously reported on bovine chromosome 3 in other dairy populations. Our results suggest that the ANXA9 gene polymorphism or a linked segregating QTL contributes to variation in milk-fat yield.     

The highly antigenic 53/25 kDa Taenia solium protein fraction with cathepsin-L like activity is present in the oncosphere/cysticercus and induces non-protective IgG antibodies in pigs

Cathepsin L-like proteases are secreted by several parasites including Taenia solium. The mechanism used by T. solium oncospheres to degrade and penetrate the intestine and infect the host is incompletely understood. It is assumed that intestinal degradation is driven by the proteolytic activity of enzymes secreted by the oncosphere. Blocking the proteolytic activity by an antibody response would prevent the oncosphere penetration and further infection. Serine and cysteine proteases including chymotrypsin, trypsin, elastase, and cathepsin L, are secreted by T. solium and Taenia saginata oncospheres when cultured in vitro, being potential vaccine candidates. However, the purification of a sufficient quantity of proteases secreted by oncospheres to conduct a vaccine trial is costly and lengthy. A 53/25 kDa cathepsin L-like fraction partially purified from T. solium cyst fluid was described previously as an important antigen for immunodiagnostics. In this study we found that this antigen is present in the T. solium oncosphere and is also secreted by the cysticercus. This protein fraction was tested for its ability to protect pigs against an oral challenge with T. solium oncospheres in a vaccine trial. IgG antibodies against the 53/25 kDa cathepsin L-like protein fraction were elicited in the vaccinated animals but did not confer protection.