Are Pharmacological Interventions Between Conception and Birth Effective in Improving Reproductive Outcomes in North American Swine?

The objective of this review is to evaluate the effectiveness of using pharmacological compounds on reproductive outcomes, particularly litter size, in North American swine. While the opportunity to improve reproduction in North American pigs exists, numerous hurdles need to be overcome in order to achieve measureable results. In the swine industry, the majority of piglet losses are incurred during pregnancy and around farrowing. Over the last 20 years, a reduction in losses has been achieved through genetic selection and nutritional management; however, these topics are the focus of other reviews. This review will evaluate attempts to improve litter size by reducing losses at various stages of the reproductive process, from the time of conception to the time of farrowing, using pharmacological compounds. Generally, these compounds are used to either alter physiological processes related to fertilization, embryonic attachment or uterine capacity, etc., or to facilitate management aspects of the breeding females such as inducing parturition. Although some of the pharmacological agents reviewed here show some positive effects on improving reproductive parameters, the inconsistent results and associated risks usually outweigh the benefits gained. Thus, at the present time, the use of pharmacological agents to enhance reproduction in North American swine may only be recommended for herds with low fertility and presents an avenue of research that could be further explored.     

An epidemiological study of sheep deaths before and during export by sea from Western Australia

A study was conducted to record the deaths that occurred during export, and to examine the temporal pattern of pellet feeding in the feedlot and ascertain the variation in mortality between groups of sheep from different farms. Between November 1985 and April 1987, 5 cohorts of sheep were selected on arrival at a feedlot before live export by sea from Western Australia to the Middle East. Each cohort consisted of 4,118 to 9,612 Merino wethers from 15 to 35 farms (lines). There were few deaths during trucking to the feedlot (rate 0.9, range 0.0 to 3.0 per 10,000 sheep) and during lot-feeding (rate 6.2, range 1.2 to 12.2 per 10,000 sheep). Most of the deaths occurred aboard ship (rate 210.7, range 152.7 to 271.5 per 10,000 sheep). The proportion of sheep that ate pelleted feed increased with increasing length of time in the feedlot. By the end of lot-feeding the percentage of sheep that had not eaten pellets was 23.3, 4.4, 1.2, 2.1 and 0.2 in a representative sample of each of the 5 cohorts. It was considered that offering hay throughout lot-feeding was undesirable for the purpose of maximising the number of sheep that ate pellets before loading on the ship. Half of the deaths aboard ship occurred in 25% of 133 lines of sheep in the 5 cohorts. In each cohort the median per cent death rate (and range) per line was 1.3 (0.3 to 11.9), 1.1 (0.0 to 5.7), 1.8 (0.0 to 6.8), 2.3 (0.0 to 14.3) and 0.9 (0.1 to 5.4).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

影响兽用生物制品支原体检验的几点因素

兽用生物制品的支原体检验中应注意事项,原材料的挑选、培养基的制备量、培养基灭菌方法、培养器皿的洗涤、培养基使用注意事项、如何掌握培养中移植时间。     

Effect of broth from meat of linseed‐fed cattle on glucose‐stimulated insulin release in healthy male volunteers

Polyunsaturated fatty acid consumption has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity. We studied if administration of broth with beef meat enriched with polyunsaturated fatty acids influenced glucose‐stimulated insulin release in healthy male volunteers. Broth was made either from cattles undergone dietary supplementation with lightly bruised whole linseed in addition to feeding ad libitum on grass silage (test meal) or from those fed grass silage alone (control meal). Oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) were performed in patients after a 6‐day period of eating 300 ml broth containing 100 g meat once a day in addition to their otherwise normal mixed nourishment. During OGTT, blood samples were taken for blood glucose level and plasma insulin immunoreactivity before and 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, and 180 min after the glucose load. Glucose‐stimulated maximum increase in plasma insulin immunoreactivity was 42 ± 6.6 and 81 ± 7.4 mU/ml (p < 0.05) after the test and the control meals, respectively. However, both fasting and postload blood glucose levels were the same after either meal period. The results suggest an insulin‐sensitizing effect of food produced from beef cattle maintained on linseed diet in healthy human volunteers.     

Effects of some materials extracted fromAjuga species on the larvae ofHyphantria cunea and its natural enemies

Six kinds of extracts drawn fromAjuga multiflora andA. multiflora var.brevispicata and A. multiflora var.serotina using methanol and acetone were used in this experiment to test their killing activity to the second instar larvae ofHyphantria cunea and their influence on its natural enemies. The average death rate caused by those extracts on the second instar larvae was 85.70%. The mortality rate caused by the extracts drawn with methanol was from 88.89% to 96.33%, which was significantly higher than that caused by acetone extracts. Those extracts were safe toTrichogramma dendrolimi, Coccinella septempunctata, the natural enemies ofH. cunea. We did not found any evidence shown that those extracts had any influence the emergence and the development ofT. dendrolimi. Those methanolic extracts gotten fromA. multiflora andA. multiflora var.brevispicata had no significant effects on the mortality of the larvae and adults ofC. septempunctata. Those extracts could be used in the control ofH. cunea safely. The research was sponsored by National Nature Science Fundation (39470586) (Responsible Editor: Chai Ruihai)     

Control ability of extrats fromAjuga plants on some pests

Several phytoecdysteroids have been found in the extracts ofA. multiflora andAlinerifolia using HPLC analysis. Those were 20-OH ecdysone, cyasterone. 3-acetate-20-OH ecdysone. 2-acetate-20-OH edysone, ajugalactone. We found out that those phytoecdy steroids could lead the second instar larva ofClostera anastomosis andStilpnotia candida to death. The modified mortality rate was from 44.64% to 96.24%. Those extracts could significantly reduce the amount of nymph produced by the femaleTuberolachnus salignus. The number of the nymph produced after treating with those extracts was only 20% to 70% of that produced by the untreated group. The death rate of the newly produced nymph which treated was among 33.33% to 58.82%. It was much higher than the death rate of the control group (17.57%). This research project was sponsored by the Natural Sciences Fundation of Heilongjiang Province (94003) Responsible Editor: Chai Ruihai     

The Solar Acoustic Spectrum and Eigenmode Parameters

The Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG) project estimates the frequencies, amplitudes, and linewidths of more than 250,000 acoustic resonances of the sun from data sets lasting 36 days. The frequency resolution of a single data set is 0.321 microhertz. For frequencies averaged over the azimuthal order m, the median formal error is 0.044 microhertz, and the associated median fractional error is 1.6 x 10(-5). For a 3-year data set, the fractional error is expected to be 3 x 10(-6). The GONG m-averaged frequency measurements differ from other helioseismic data sets by 0.03 to 0.08 microhertz. The differences arise from a combination of systematic errors, random errors, and possible changes in solar structure.