P and Ca requirements for Japanese quail

Four experiments were conducted to estimate the phosphorus and calcium requirements for weight maintenance and weight gain in Japanese quails during their growth phase from 16 to 36 days. Japanese quails aged 16 days were used for estimating the phosphorous and calcium requirements for weight maintenance or weight gain, with these quails composing each reference slaughter group and the others distributed in a completely randomized design, housed in cages of galvanized wire (33 × 33 × 16 cm) that were stored in acclimatized chambers with specific environmental temperatures. The light programme used during the 20‐day experimental period was 24 h of artificial light. Analysis of the data showed that the prediction equations for estimating the phosphorus and calcium requirements for weight maintenance and weight gain of Japanese quails between 16 and 36 days of age were P (g/quail/day) = P^0.75*(9.3695 + 7.7397*T) + 9.70*WG, in which P is the phosphorus requirement, and Ca (g/quail/day) = P^0.75*(363.99 – 8.0262*T) + 28.15*WG, in which Ca is the calcium requirement, P is BW (kg), T is temperature (°C) and WG (g/quail/day).     

鹌鹑原始生殖细胞的分离及冷冻

以酶分解法消化孵化了5.5d的鹌鹑性腺得到鹌鹑PGCs,比较了3种不同酶消化时间所得的细胞数量;采用2种不同的冷冻方法冻存鹌鹑PGCs。结果表明：消化15min对于鹌鹑PGCs的分离最佳,而2种冷冻程序所得的活细胞数量差异不显著。     

Effects of probiotic Bacillus cereus toyoi on abdominal fat accumulation in the Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica)

Effects of a commercial probiotic, Bacillus cereus toyoi on abdominal fat accumulation in the Japanese quail fed either a commercial control diet (crude protein (CP), 23.5%; metabolizable energy (ME), 11.7MJ/kg) or a high‐energy diet (CP, 23.0%; ME, 13.8MJ/kg) were investigated. Four‐week‐old male birds (n = 108) were divided into four diet groups: control diet, control with probiotic, high‐energy diet and high‐energy diet with probiotic. At 8 weeks and 12 weeks of age (4 and 8 weeks of probiotic supplementation period, respectively), abdominal fat, muscles and the liver were weighed. The weight of total fat and protein in the muscles and liver were also determined. A rectal temperature was recorded weekly. Bodyweight and feed intake in both diets were not affected by probiotic supplementation. At 8 weeks of age, birds fed the control diet with probiotic had significantly less abdominal fat than those fed without the probiotic, and a similar tendency was seen for both diet groups at 12 weeks of age. The decrease in abdominal fat coincided with an increase in rectal temperature. These results suggest that greater metabolizable energy was consumed through elevation of heat production by supplementation of B. cereus toyoi, with hardly any energy stored as body fat. Probiotic supplementation appears to induce greater muscle weight, higher protein and lower lipid content in muscles by 8 weeks of age, and lower lipid content in muscles and greater liver weight by 12 weeks of age, in the Japanese quail.     

发芽大麦在鹌鹑上的营养价值评估

文章旨在评估发芽大麦作为饲料原料对鹌鹑产蛋性能、蛋品质、繁殖性能和血液生化指标的影响。试验选择72只产蛋期日本鹌鹑,饲养在12个阶梯式笼中(每笼6只,2只雄性和4只雌性),随机分到3组,对照组饲喂基础日粮(自由采食),处理1组饲喂基础日粮+新鲜发芽大麦(自由采食),处理2组饲喂基础日粮(限饲,对照组采食量的85%)+新鲜发芽大麦(自由采食),试验共开展11周。结果显示,处理1组的产蛋率显著高于对照组和处理2组(P<0.05),处理2组的日均采食量、平均蛋重均显著低于对照组和处理1组(P<0.05)。与对照组和处理2相比,处理1组受精率显著提高(P<0.05),处理2组较对照组和处理1组显著降低了鹌鹑蛋孵化率(P<0.05)。与对照组和处理2组相比,处理1组输卵管长度显著提高(P<0.05)。处理1组肌胃和睾丸相对重量显著高于对照组(P<0.05),但发芽大麦处理组较对照组显著提高了卵巢和泄殖腔相对重量(P<0.05)。处理2组较其他两组显著降低了鹌鹑的末重(P<0.05)。与对照组和处理1组相比,处理2组显著降低了血糖水平(P<0.05),发芽大麦处理组较对照组显著降低了血浆白蛋白浓度(P<0.05)。综上所述,采用新鲜发芽大麦饲喂日本鹌鹑可显著提高产蛋率、肌胃和睾丸相对重量、受精率和孵化率,但不影响蛋品质指标和血液生化指标。日粮限饲添加发芽大麦对鹌鹑采食量无促进作用,发芽大麦的摄入量不能完全替代限饲导致的营养物质摄入量减少,最终导致产蛋率、受精率和孵化率降低。     

河南省鹌鹑隐孢子虫病的流行病学调查

为进一步掌握河南省鹌鹑隐孢子虫病的流行状况,于2006年9月至2007年8月对河南省鹌鹑养殖量较大的5个地市47个鹌鹑养殖场（户）进行了调查。共采集1818份粪样,经饱和蔗糖溶液漂浮法和改良抗酸染色法检查,隐孢子虫感染率为13．15％（239／1818）。根据形态学特征,将分离到的2种隐孢子虫鉴定为贝氏隐孢子虫和火鸡隐孢子虫。调查结果表明,河南省不同品种鹌鹑之间隐孢子虫的感染率差异不显著,但鹌鹑隐孢子虫的感染率具有一定的地区、季节及年龄差异。     

姜黄素对鹌鹑实验性动脉粥样硬化的影响

采用高脂饲料连续饲喂的方法建立鹌鹑实验性动脉粥样硬化动物模型,选择姜黄素进行干预,观察其对鹌鹑动脉粥样硬化主动脉变化和血脂水平的影响。结果显示,姜黄素可有效对抗内膜增厚和斑块形成,保护动脉血管的正常结构,同时血清TC、TG、LDL-C含量降低,HDL-C水平升高;提示姜黄素可有效改善鹌鹑动脉粥样硬化发生发展过程中的动脉硬化程度,并可有效抑制血脂含量,起到调节血脂代谢的作用。     

鹌鹑PGCs的传代培养及鉴定

试验采用鸡胚胎制作的成纤维细胞饲养层培养细胞,成功实现鹌鹑原始生殖细胞(PGCs)的传代培养;并通过对比试验,验证了生长因子LIF、SCF、bFGF能够显著提高PGCs存活率和抑制其分化。     

鹌鹑胚胎的换壳培养

将25枚产后不到24 h的鹌鹑种蛋,作换壳培养试验。用25枚正常鹌鹑种蛋(对照组Ⅰ)和25枚鹌鹑无精蛋(对照组Ⅱ)作为对照,按常规方法孵化。结果:试验组有1羽鹌鹑正常出雏,孵化率迭4％。对照组Ⅰ有20羽鹌鹑孵出,孵化率为80％,对照组Ⅱ无鹌鹑孵出,无孤雌生殖现象发生。说明该试验具有可行性,它为今后实施胚胎移植和体外受精等试验作了准备。     

饲料中添加CLA开发共轭亚油酸强化鹌鹑蛋的试验研究

试验选择132日龄的产蛋期健康鹌鹑450只,分成3组,各组日粮中共轭亚油酸(CLA)的添加量分别为0%、2.0%和4.0%。试验期30d。结果表明,日粮中添加CLA对鹌鹑产蛋量、平均蛋重、料蛋比、产蛋率无显著影响(P0.05)。脂肪酸分析表明,CLA明显降低鹌鹑蛋黄中总单不饱和脂肪酸含量,但能增加总饱和脂肪酸和总多不饱和脂肪酸及CLA的含量。2.0%CLA处理组20d鹌鹑蛋黄中的CLA含量达最大。鹌鹑饲粮中添加CLA可生产出富含CLA的鹌鹑蛋。     

Pharmacokinetics of florfenicol in the plasma of Japanese quail

Abstract

AIM: To determine the pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of florfenicol in the plasma of healthy Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica).

METHODS: Sixty-five quail were given an I/V and I/M dose of florfenicol at 30 mg/kg bodyweight (BW). A two-period sequential design was used, with a wash-out period of 2 weeks between the different routes of administration. Concentrations of florfenicol in plasma were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

RESULTS: A naíve pooled data analysis approach for the plasma concentration-time profile of florfenicol was found to fit a non-compartmental open model. After I/V administration, the mean residence time (MRT), mean volume of distribution at steady state (V_ss), and total body clearance of florfenicol were 12.0 (SD 0.37) h, 8.7 (SD 0.22) L/kg, and 1.3 (SD 0.08) L/h/kg, respectively. After I/M injection, the MRT, mean absorption time (MAT), and bioavailability were 12.3 (SD 0.37) h, 0.2 (SD 0.02) h, and 79.1 (SD 1.79)%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: The time for the concentration of florfenicol to fall below the probable effective concentration of 1 µg/ml of approximately 10 h is sufficient for the minimum inhibitory concentration needed for many bacterial isolates. Further pharm acodynamic studies in quail are needed to evaluate a suitable dosage regimen.     

鹌鹑β-防御素10基因的克隆与表达及其体内分布的检测

为测定鹌鹑β-防御素10 (AvBD10)体外抗菌活性及检测其在鹌鹑脏器组织的分布,本研究应用RT-PCR方法从鹌鹑肺脏组织中扩增到鹌鹑AvBD10,经序列同源性分析,鹌鹑AvBD10与鸡AvBD10的氨基酸序列同源性最高(83.8％).将该基因亚克隆到表达载体pGEX-6p-1中进行原核表达,SDS-PAGE电泳表明,鹌鹑AvBD10重组蛋白分子量约为31ku.该重组蛋白经纯化后测定其体外抗菌活性,结果显示,鹌鹑AvBD10重组蛋白具有广谱的抗菌活性.采用定量RT-PCR法检测到AvBD10在鹌鹑脏器组织中广泛表达.     

A simple PCR method for sexing Japanese quail Coturnix japonica at hatching

1. The quail is a potentially important avian model for molecular studies; a major drawback is the inability to sex visually before 3 weeks of age. Molecular sexing is therefore an absolute requirement when animals are sampled before that age.

2. A low-cost method using common laboratory equipment based on Allele-Specific Multiplex-Polymerase Chain Reaction was developed to undertake reliable molecular identification of the sex of Coturnix japonica directly at hatching.

3. This simple method works with down feathers collected from behind the neck of the newly hatched quail and includes internal controls during the PCR to limit risks of error. Males and females can be discriminated on the basis of the presence of one or two amplicons, respectively.     

浸泡法加工鹌鹑皮蛋工艺配方的研究

为了延长鹌鹑蛋的保质期,增加其附加值,进行了浸泡法加工鹌鹑皮蛋工艺的研究,参考鸡皮蛋加工工艺,在其他配料不变的情况下,改变食用碱的用量,采用NaOH浓度不同的浸泡液加工鹌鹑皮蛋,结果表明:加工500g鹌鹑蛋,食用碱用量35g时,加工的鹌鹑皮蛋,弹性好,口感好,风味独特;食用碱用量40g,鹌鹑皮蛋成熟时间短,有点硬,碱味稍重;食用碱用量30g,皮蛋成熟晚,较软,溏心大;通过不同浓度NaOH料液对鹌鹑皮蛋加工的比较试验,筛选出了适宜于高原地区鹌鹑皮蛋加工的工艺,为鹌鹑皮蛋生产提供了理论依据,有一定参考价值。     

Oral thyroxine administration mimics photoperiodically induced gonadal growth in Japanese quail

Most temperate‐zone animals are seasonal breeders. In a previous study, it was found that light‐induced hormone conversion of thyroxine (T₄) prohormone to active 3,5,3′‐triiodothyronine (T₃) in the mediobasal hypothalamus regulates photoperiodic response of gonads in Japanese quail. Here the effect of T₄ or T₃, administered in drinking water, on testicular growth in the Japanese quail kept under short days is shown. Testicular length was significantly increased in birds given T₄ at doses of 4, 8 and 10 mg/L, while any dose of T₃ had little effect on testicular growth. High doses (8 and 10 mg/L) of T₄ and T₃ resulted in high mortality and/or reduction of bodyweight. Among all of the treatment, 4 mg/L of T₄ was the most effective on photoperiodic testicular growth, which caused little reduction in bodyweight. These data provide a new conventional method for promoting gonadal growth under short days.     

Effects of ultraviolet-B radiation on immunity and carcass characteristics in quail

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of UV-B radiation on immunity and carcass characteristics in quail. Three hundred Korean quail at 3 d old were weighed and randomly allocated into 5 groups (i.e., 30 males and 30 females per group), including 1 control group and 4 experiment groups (UV-1, UV-2, UV-3, and UV-4). Quail were subjected to UV-B irradiation with different doses: 0 µW/cm² (control), 1.4 µW/cm² (UV-1), 2.8 µW/cm² (UV-2), 5.6 (UV-3), and 8.4 µW/cm² (UV-4) each day. At 38 d of age, 15 males and 15 females in each group were randomly selected to measure immune index concentrations and carcass characteristics. The mean serum IgG, IgA, and alexin C₄ concentrations of UV-1 quail were significantly improved, whereas UV-3 and UV-4 quail had better live weight and carcass characteristics. Taking into account immunity and carcass characteristics together, we conclude that the optimum dose of UV radiation for Korean quail is 1.4 µW/cm² each day. Moreover, female quail had better carcass characteristics than males in most indices of carcass characteristics.