Effects of Moringa oleifera silage on milk yield,nutrient digestibility and serum biochemical indexes of lactating dairy cows

This study investigated the effects of Moringa oleifera (MO) as a partial substitute of alfalfa hay on milk yield, nutrient apparent digestibility and serum biochemical indexes of dairy cows. MO was harvested at 120 days post‐seeding. Fresh MO was cut, mixed with chopped oat hay (425:575 on a DM basis), ensiled and stored for 60 days. Sixty healthy Holstein dairy cows were allocated to one of three groups: NM (no MO or control), LM (low MO; 25% alfalfa hay and 50% maize silage were replaced by MO silage) or HM (high MO; 50% alfalfa hay and 100% maize silage were replaced by MO silage). The feeding trial lasted 35 days. The LM and HM diets did not affect dry matter (DM) intake, milk yield or milk composition (lactose, milk fat, milk protein and somatic cell count). The apparent digestibility of DM and NDF was lower for HM group than NM group. Additionally, there were no significant differences in serum biochemical indexes between the LM and NM groups. The HM group had lower serum concentrations of total cholesterol, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol and higher serum concentrations of urea than the NM group. The partial replacement of alfalfa hay (≤50%) and maize silage with MO silage had no negative effects on milk yield, in vivo nutrient apparent digestibility or serum biochemical indexes of lactating cows.     

野榆钱菠菜三种异型种子幼苗的生长特性

野榆钱菠菜是新疆重要的荒漠野生牧草资源,具有褐色(非休眠类型)、黑色大、黑色小(休眠类型)3种异型种子。以种子异型性植物野榆钱菠菜为材料,对3种异型种子在自然条件下进行培育,对比观察研究3种异型种子的萌发物候及幼苗的生长特性。结果表明:1) 异型种子萌发物候不同步,萌发策略不同,褐色种子集中萌发,出苗率为74.30%,萌发期为3 d;两种黑色种子萌发期长,分散萌发,出苗率分别为6.58%(黑色大种子)和1.55%(黑色小种子),萌发期分别为21和17 d。2) 异型种子子叶存留时间长,但存留时间有差异,种子越小子叶存留时间越短。3) 褐色种子幼苗在初期其子叶长宽、根长、地上地下生物量均显著大于黑色种子幼苗,但随着幼苗的生长,3种异型种子幼苗在这些指标方面的差异逐渐缩小。4) 异型种子幼苗具有不同的生物量分配策略,褐色种子幼苗主要将养分输送到地上部分,两种黑色种子幼苗主要将养分输送到地下部分,这种不同的生物量分配策略能够使种子异型性植物在面对荒漠异质环境时具有不同的应对方式,是种子异型性植物能够长期适应荒漠异质环境的重要生态适应机制。研究结果为揭示种子异型性植物长期适应荒漠异质环境提供新的科学依据,也为“两头下注”对策理论提供新的理论基础。     

新疆沙尔套山四季放牧草地主要牧草营养价值变化特征研究

以新疆昭苏县域内沙尔套山分布的12种主要牧草为研究对象,对其营养物质和瘤胃体外消化率特征进行分析,以期揭示各牧草营养物质和消化率的季节性变化规律。结果表明,各牧草的营养物质含量和消化率特征指标均存在明显的季节性变化规律。通过模糊相似优先比分析,综合营养物质(干物质、粗蛋白、中/酸性洗涤纤维、粗脂肪、粗灰分)和瘤胃体外消化率特征(有机物消化率、代谢能)的8项指标进行综合营养价值评价,主要结论为:1)研究区放牧草地12种主要牧草中针茅、芨芨草、紫花鸢尾综合营养价值最佳季节在春季营养生长期(6月),其余牧草均为夏季开花期(7月)。2)春季营养生长期(6月)和秋季果后营养期(9月),综合营养价值最好的均为鸭茅;夏季开花期(7月),综合价值最好的牧草为西伯利亚羽衣草;秋季结实期(8月),综合营养价值最好的牧草为红花车轴草;冬季停止生长(10月)和枯草期(11月),综合营养价值最好的分别为针茅和紫花鸢尾。     

Based serum metabolomics analysis reveals simultaneous interconnecting changes during chicken embryonic development

Metabolic disorder is a major health problem and is associated with a number of metabolic diseases. Due to native hyperglycaemia and resistance to exogenous insulin, chickens as a model had used in the studies of adipose tissue biology, metabolism and obesity. But no detailed information is available about the comprehensive changes of serum metabolites at different stages of chicken embryonic development. This study employed LC/MS‐QTOF to determine the changes of major functional metabolites at incubation day 14 (E14d), 19 (E19d) and hatching day 1 (H1d), and the associated pathways of differential metabolites during chicken embryonic development were analysed using Metabolite Set Enrichment Analysis method. Results showed that 39 metabolites were significantly changed from E14d to E19d and 68 metabolites were significantly altered from E19d to H1d in chicken embryos. Protein synthesis was promoted by increasing the concentrations of L‐glutamine and threonine, and gonadal development was promoted through increasing oestrone content from E14d to E19d in chicken embryos, which indicated that serum glutamine, threonine and oestrone contents may be considered as the candidate indicators for assessment of early embryonic development. 2‐oxoglutaric acid mainly contributed to enhancing the citric cycle, and it plays an important role in improving the growth of chicken embryos at the late development; the decreasing of L‐glutamine, L‐isoleucine and L‐leucine contents from E19d to H1d in chicken embryonic development implied their possible functions as the feed additive during early posthatch period of broiler chickens to satisfy the growth. These results provided insights into understand the roles of serum metabolites at different developmental stages of chicken embryos, it also provides available information for chicken as a model to study metabolic disease or human obesity.     

Comparative expression profile of microRNAs and piRNAs in three ruminant species testes using next‐generation sequencing

microRNA (miRNA) and piwi‐interacting RNA (piRNA) are two classes small non‐coding regulatory RNAs that play crucial roles in multiple biological processes such as spermatogenesis. However, there are no published studies on conjoint analysis of miRNA and piRNA profiles among cattle, yak and their interspecies (the dzo) using sequencing technology. Next‐generation sequencing technology was used to profile miRNAs and piRNAs among those three ruminants to elucidate their functions. A total of 119, 14 and six differentially expressed miRNAs were obtained in cattle vs. dzo, cattle vs. yak and yak vs. dzo comparison groups, while there were 873, 1,065 and 1,158 differentially expressed piRNAs in those three comparison groups. The expression of three miRNAs was validated in the three ruminants, and the results suggested that the miRNA expression profiles data could represent actual miRNA expression levels. Moreover, the putative targets of differentially expressed miRNAs were predicted by their own genome, it is worth to note that both the cattle and yak genome were used for dzo, then the targets were subjected to GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis, revealing the likely roles for these differentially expressed miRNAs in spermatogenesis. In conclusion, this study provided a useful resource for further elucidation of the miRNAs and piRNAs regulatory roles in spermatogenesis. It may also facilitate the development of therapeutic strategies for dzo reproduction research.     

紫茎泽兰对萨能奶山羊血常规及重要脏器病理学的影响

紫茎泽兰(Eupatorium adenophorum)在中国作为入侵物种,可造成食草动物中毒死亡,并给畜牧业带巨大的损失。为研究反刍动物采食紫茎泽兰后的中毒机理,本研究探讨了日粮中添加不同剂量的紫茎泽兰对萨能奶山羊(Saanen goat)血常规及肝、脾、肾的病理学影响。选择16只5~6月龄健康萨能奶山羊,随机分成对照组(日粮中未添加紫茎泽兰)和试验Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ组(日粮配比中分别添加紫茎泽兰40%、60%和80%),每组4只。试验Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ组分别饲喂含40%、60%和80%紫茎泽兰的混合日粮3个月,每两周检测一次血常规,试验末屠宰奶山羊,并观察其肝、肾、脾的病理学变化。结果表明,与对照组相比,各试验组血液中的白细胞(white blood cell,)和中性粒细胞(neutrophil,NEUT)均显著升高(P0.05),试验后期极显著高于对照组(P0.01);而各试验组血液中淋巴细胞(lymphocyte,LY)与血红蛋白(hemoglobin,HGB)均呈下降趋势,试验后期均极显著低于对照组(P0.01)。肝和脾肿大,肝组织出现淤血,肝细胞发生水泡变性及脂肪变性等,肾组织伴有出血、坏死、颗粒变性及水泡样变性的现象。因此,本研究结果说明紫茎泽兰对萨能奶山羊血液指标有显著影响,且长期摄入紫茎泽兰可引起动物肝、肾、脾等主要实质器官不同程度的损伤。     

苜蓿抗旱生理与分子机制

苜蓿(Medicago sativa)是我国乃至全世界最优质的豆科牧草之一,具有较高的经济价值、营养价值和生态价值。然而我国的苜蓿种植大多集中在干旱半干旱的西北、东北一带,水分是影响其产量的主要因素。本文通过对比光合呼吸系统、活性氧防御系统、渗透调节系统、脱落酸等在干旱胁迫下的变化分析了苜蓿抵御干旱胁迫的生理机制,同时对转录因子、蛋白酶基因和抗旱基因在苜蓿干旱胁迫下的应答过程进行了阐述,并对未来苜蓿应答干旱胁迫的研究重点进行了展望。     

种植密度对陇东旱塬区光敏型高丹草生物学性状及产量的影响

本研究于2014、2015年连续两年选用两个品种的光敏型高丹草(Sorghum bicolor×S.sudanense)"大卡"和"海牛"在黄土高原雨养农业区,采用全膜平铺穴播的方式,以8.33万、12.50万和16.67万穴·hm-2 3个种植密度进行种植,比较了各处理的生长发育指标和草产量的异同。结果表明,在生育期方面,品种间从孕穗期开始后差异明显。在农艺性状方面,"海牛"两年的分蘖数和全株叶片数均高于"大卡",其他各性状均以"大卡"最高;两个品种的茎粗、分蘖数、全株叶片数、节间数、单株鲜重、单株叶重和单株茎重连续两年均随着密度的加大而减小,呈负相关关系;主茎叶片数随密度的增加呈先上升后下降的趋势。在产草量方面,连续两年"大卡"的鲜草产量和干物质产量均高于"海牛";鲜草产量均在8.33万穴·hm-2处理下最高,且呈现出随着密度的增加鲜草产量下降的趋势;干物质产量丰水年2014年在16.67万穴·hm-2处理下最高,欠水年2015年在12.50万穴·hm-2处理下最高。综上所述,在黄土高原雨养农业区采用全膜覆盖方式种植光敏型高丹草时,品种应选择"大卡",在有灌溉条件或降水较多的地区,以16.67万穴·hm-2种植密度为宜;而在降水较少且无灌溉条件的地区,以12.50万穴·hm-2种植密度为宜。     

玛曲高寒草甸放牧强度的遥感监测

为给玛曲县高寒草甸草-畜平衡和草地资源的可持续利用提供科学依据,本研究利用遥感技术,结合2016年地面实测数据和同时期的MODIS影像资料,分别建立了研究区草地地上生物量和植被指数(NDVI)、相对放牧强度间的回归模型以及不同相对放牧强度和NDVI值之间的幂回归模型。结果表明,6-9月调查点NDVI和地上生物量间存在较好的相关性,即随着NDVI值的增加生物量呈上升趋势,且9月份的拟合(R2=0.510 2)达到了极显著水平;实测地上生物量和相对放牧强度之间有很好的拟合关系(R2=0.965 1),随着放牧强度的增加地上生物量呈下降趋势;相对放牧强度和植被指数间相关性较好(R2=0.631),即随着NDVI值的变小,相对放牧强度逐渐增强,当相对放牧强度增强到一定程度时,NDVI对其响应不灵敏。