Restoring the Sagebrush Component in Crested Wheatgrass–Dominated Communities

Monotypic stands of crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum [L] Gaertm. and Agropyron desertorum [Fisch.] Schult.), an introduced grass, occupy vast expanses of the sagebrush steppe. Efforts to improve habitat for sagebrush-associated wildlife by establishing a diverse community of native vegetation in crested wheatgrass stands have largely failed. Instead of concentrating on a diversity of species, we evaluated the potential to restore the foundation species, Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata spp. wyomingensis [Beetle & A. Young] S. L. Welsh), to these communities. We investigated the establishment of Wyoming big sagebrush into six crested wheatgrass stands (sites) by broadcast seeding and planting seedling sagebrush across varying levels of crested wheatgrass control with glyphosate. Planted sagebrush seedlings survived at high rates (～ 70% planted sagebrush survival 3 yr postplanting), even without crested wheatgrass control. However, most attempts to establish sagebrush by broadcast seeding failed. Only at high levels of crested wheatgrass control did a few sagebrush plants establish from broadcasted seed. Sagebrush density and cover were greater with planting seedlings than broadcast seeding. Sagebrush cover, height, and canopy area were greater at higher levels of crested wheatgrass control. High levels of crested wheatgrass control also created an opportunity for exotic annuals to increase. Crested wheatgrass rapidly recovered after glyphosate control treatments, which suggests multiple treatments may be needed to effectively control crested wheatgrass. Our results suggest that planting sagebrush seedlings can structurally diversify monotypic crested wheatgrass stands to provide habitat for sagebrush-associated wildlife. Though this is not the full diversity of native functional groups representative of the sagebrush steppe, it is a substantial improvement over other efforts that have largely failed to alter these plant communities. We also hypothesize that planting sagebrush seedlings in patches or strips may provide a relatively inexpensive method to facilitate sagebrush recovery across vast landscapes where sagebrush has been lost.     

Effect of colostrum intake on plasma glucose, non-esterified fatty acid and glucoregulatory hormone patterns in the neonatal pig

The effect of colostrum on endocrine and metabolic factors affecting glucose homeostasis was evaluated in 60 neonatal pigs that were fasted, fed (nursed ad libitum) or limit-fed colostrum (25% ad libitum, 4-hr interval feeding). Plasma acquired at birth (t0), and after 10, 20 and 30 hr (t10, t20 and t30, respectively) was analyzed for glucose, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), and the glucoregulatory hormones--insulin, glucagon, cortisol, growth hormone and catecholamines. The concentration of glucose and NEFA was similar among treatment groups at birth and increased in proportion to the quantity of colostrum consumed. Pigs fed ad libitum achieved and maintained a higher (greater than or equal to 40%; P less than .01) glucose concentration when compared to fasted neonates. Limit-fed counterparts also achieved and maintained higher levels, with glucose concentration being approximately 20% higher throughout (P less than .05). Fed pigs maintained NEFA concentrations which were approximately 2.5-fold to 4-fold greater than that of fasted pigs (P less than .05). Likewise, limit-fed pigs tended (P = .19) to have elevated NEFA concentrations and a lower (P less than .05) insulin:glucagon molar ratio. An inverse relationship was observed between colostrum intake and plasma concentrations of cortisol and growth hormone. Concentrations of epinephrine and norepinephrine tended (P greater than .10) to be elevated in fed pigs, relative to those of fasted counterparts. Provision of even limited quantities of colostrum is therefore beneficial to the glucoregulatory response in newborn pigs.     

Evaluation of age of dam effects on maternal performance of multilactation daughters from high- and low-milk EPD sires at three locations in the southern United States

Angus bulls (n = 16) selected for either high- or low-milk EPD but similar growth EPD were mated within location at random to Angus cows. Daughters were bred to calve at 2 yr of age and annually until 6 yr of age. Milk yield was measured four times during lactation with a portable milking machine to estimate 12-h milk yield. Milk was collected for analysis of the percentage of fat and protein. A mixed model procedure was used to analyze the weaning weight, milk yield, and milk component data. The model for weaning weight included location, genetic line of sire, gender of calf, and age of dam. Calf age at weaning was used as a covariate. The model for the milk yield and components included location, genetic line of sire, gender of calf, period, and age of dam. Random effects for all models included sire of dam nested within line, sire of calf, and year. Genetic line was a significant source of variation for milk yield (P < 0.01) and weaning weight (P < 0.01) but not for percentage of fat or protein. Location was significant for milk yield (P < 0.01), fat (P < 0.01), protein (P < 0.01), and weaning weight (P < 0.01). The interaction of line with location was not significant except for percentage of protein (P < 0.01). Age of dam was significant for milk yield (P < 0.01), weaning weight (P < 0.01), and percentage of protein (P < 0.01), but not for percentage of fat (P = 0.29). Line difference for mean weaning weight was 18.1 kg, which is similar to the difference between lines for milk EPD (19 kg). Weaning weights from high-milk EPD line daughters were heavier (P < 0.01) than low-milk EPD line daughters at each age of dam evaluated. Cows nursed by males had higher milk yields (4.33 kg/12 h) than cows nursed by heifers (4.0 kg/12 h). The difference in yields for gender was significant for 2-, 3-, and 5-yr-old cows, but not for 4- (P < 0.052) and 6-yr old (P < 0.15) cows. Correlation coefficients between weaning weight and weaning EPD, milk EPD, and total maternal EPD were greater than zero (P < 0.01) (0.76, 0.65, and 0.89, respectively). Daughters of sires with high-milk EPD produced more milk at each age and weaned heavier calves than daughters of sires with low-milk EPD. These results confirm the value of milk EPD for improvement of weaning weights in beef cattle and also validate age of dam effects on milk yield and the associated effects on weaning weights.     

Progesterone assays and rectal palpation in pre-service management of a dairy herd.

Fifty-one dairy cows were examined three times at weekly intervals during weeks 5 to 7 after calving. Rectal palpation of the ovaries and plasma progesterone assay were used to determine cyclic ovarian function. Eight of 51 cows exhibited true anoestrus by day 49 after calving. Only 23 of 43 cycling cows were served by day 77, the end of the target period for first service. In 77 per cent of 142 examinations, rectal palpation and progesterone assay gave compatible results. Most incompatibility occurred early or late inthe cycle, or in association with cystic structures in the ovaries. Eleven of the 51 cows had cysts in the ovaries but cyclicity and fertility were not adversely affected.     

A Technique for Estimating Riparian Root Production

Belowground plant biomass plays a critical role in the maintenance of riparian ecosystems and generally constitutes the majority of the total biomass on a site. Despite this importance, belowground dynamics of riparian plant species are not commonly investigated, in part because of difficulties of sampling in a belowground riparian environment. We investigated the field utility of a root-ingrowth sampling technique for measuring root production. We established four streamside sampling sites in southeastern Oregon, and randomly located four plots within each site. In each plot we established two 7.6-cm–diameter sand-filled ingrowth cores in September of 2004. In September of 2005 we harvested the cores with the use of a vacuum sampling technique in which a 5.1-cm–diameter camphored polyvinyl chloride casing was driven into the center of the root core and sand and root materials were suctioned out. Root-length density was determined by computer image analysis, and roots were dried and weighed to determine production by weight. Results indicate that root-length density averaged 7.2 (± 0.7) cm · cm^-3 across sites and root-production index was 356.7 (± 20.6) g · m^-2. Our index to root production by weight was consistent with previous estimates of annual root production reported in the literature. Our sampling technique proved to be a practical solution for root sampling in riparian environments, and helps overcome some of the difficulties in sequential coring of saturated soils. Use of any ingrowth core technique to index root production can potentially bias production estimates because of the artificial, root-free environment of the core. However, these biases should be consistent across sites, making ingrowth cores useful for determining differences between manipulative treatments.     

增加哺乳母猪日粮中L-赖氨酸的添加量

在低水平豆粕型母猪哺乳期饲料中添加合成赖氨酸以平衡日粮的营养水平,不会对母猪当前和以后的生产性能产生负面影响,虽然合成氨基酸的成本增加了,但整体生产成本能够下降。     

Formation of a secondary corpus luteum after ultrasound-guided follicular aspiration in cows

This paper reports the observed formation of a secondary corpus luteum (CL) in the presence of the cyclic corpus luteum, on the ovaries of a cow after ultrasound-guided follicular aspiration for oocyte recovery. The secondary structure, although smaller and lighter (4.97 g vs. 6.02 g) than the natural one, had the typical macroscopic appearance of a corpus luteum. Histological examination of the structure using electron microscopy revealed typical structural features of a natural CL. Mean tissue progesterone concentration was significantly lower in the secondary CL (31.15 +/- 3.11 compared with 58.29 +/- 6.32 micrograms/g tissue of the cyclic CL) and oestradiol-17 beta significantly higher than in the natural CL (108 +/- 11.6 compared with 74.2 +/- 7.81 pg/g tissue). P450scc and P450(17 alpha) mRNA was detected in both structures while P450arom and full-length mRNA FSH receptor were detected only in the secondary structure.     

Evaluation of biomarkers of kidney injury following 4% succinylated gelatin and 6% hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4 administration in a canine hemorrhagic shock model

Objective : To investigate the association between synthetic colloids and biomarkers of acute kidney injury (AKI) in dogs with hemorrhagic shock. Design : Experimental interventional study. Setting : University. Animals : Twenty‐four healthy ex‐racing Greyhounds. Interventions : Anesthetized Greyhounds subjected to hemorrhage for 60 min were resuscitated with 20 mL/kg of fresh whole blood (FWB), 6% hydroxyethyl starch (HES) 130/0.4, 4% succinylated gelatin (GELO), or 80 mL/kg of isotonic crystalloid (CRYST) over 20 min (n = 6 per treatment). Concentrations of biomarkers of AKI were measured at baseline, end of hemorrhage, and at 40 (T60), 100 (T120), and 160 (T180) min after fluid bolus. Biomarkers included neutrophil gelatinase‐associated lipocalin in urine and serum (uNGAL; sNGAL), and urine cystatin C (uCYSC), kidney injury molecule‐1 (uKIM), clusterin (uCLUST), osteopontin, gamma‐glutamyl transferase, monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 (uMCP), interleukin‐6, interleukin‐8, protein (uPROT), hyaluronan, and F₂‐isoprostanes. Renal histology was scored for tubular injury and microvesiculation. Biomarker fold‐change from baseline was compared between groups using mixed effects models (Bonferroni–Holm corrected P<0.05). Frequencies of histology scores were compared by Fisher's exact test. Measurements and main results : In dogs treated with GELO, uNGAL fold‐change was markedly greater compared with all other groups at T60, T120, and T180 (all P<0.001), and uCYSC was greater at T60 compared with CRYST (P<0.001), and at T120 and T180 compared with all other groups (all P<0.001). Smaller, albeit significant, between‐group differences in uKIM, uCLUST, uMCP, and urine protein concentration were observed across the FWB, GELO, and HES groups, compared with CRYST. The GELO group more frequently had marked tubular microvesiculation than the other groups (P = 0.015) although tubular injury scores were comparable. Conclusion : In dogs with hemorrhagic shock, GELO was associated with greater magnitude increases in urine biomarkers of AKI and more frequent marked tubular microvesiculation, compared with FWB, CRYST, and HES.     

A novel phenotype for Laron dwarfism in miniature Bos indicus cattle suggests that the expression of growth hormone receptor 1A in liver is required for normal growth

Mutations within the growth hormone receptor (GHR) gene that lead to an inactivated or truncated GHR protein cause abnormal growth and small adult size in a variety of species (Laron dwarfism). We studied a line of miniature Bos indicus cattle that have phenotypic (small mature size) and endocrine (increased blood growth hormone and decreased blood insulin-like growth factor-I concentrations) similarities to Laron dwarfs. Liver mRNA from miniature and control cattle was used to amplify a cDNA within the coding region of the GHR. The miniature cattle had GHR mRNA size (determined by Northern blot) and cDNA sequence that were similar to control cattle and, therefore, were unlike most Laron dwarf genotypes in which the GHR gene is mutated. Amounts of mRNA from liver as well as muscle (superficial neck and longissimus) were analyzed by ribonuclease protection assay for IGF-I, total GHR, GHR 1A (inducible, liver-specific GHR mRNA), and GHR 1B (constitutive GHR mRNA). Four control and five miniature bulls were tested. As expected, liver IGF-I mRNA was decreased in the miniature cattle (approximately 12% of control; P < 0.01). The amount of the total GHR as well as GHR 1A mRNA were also decreased in liver (17% and 19% of control, respectively; P < 0.01). Other GHR mRNA, including GHR 1B mRNA, were similar for miniature and control cattle. In muscle, there was a tendency (P < 0.10) for decreased IGF-I mRNA and increased GHR mRNA in miniature compared with control cattle. In summary, a novel phenotype for Laron dwarfism in Bos indicus cattle was associated with underexpression of GHR 1A mRNA, but not other GHR mRNA variants in liver. In addition to decreased GHR 1A mRNA, the miniature cattle had decreased liver IGF-I mRNA. Full expression of GHR 1A in liver, therefore, may be required for full liver IGF-I expression and normal growth.