Relative bio-availability and utilisation of phosphatic fertilisers as sources of phosphorus in broilers and layers

1. Different concentrations of non-phytate phosphorus (NPP, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5 g/kg diet) were given to broilers (8 to 42 d of age) to establish regressions between dietary NPP concentration and body weight gain and tibia ash content. Second and third experiments were conducted to study the feasibility of utilisation of different phosphatic fertilisers [ammonium phosphate (AP), ammonium polyphosphate (APP), single super phosphate (SSP), NPK (17:17:17, NPK) and NP (28:28:0, NPK)] in commercial broilers (8 to 42 d) and White Leghorn layers (252 to 364 d). 2. Phosphatic fertilisers were incorporated both in broiler (10 g calcium and 4.5 g NPP/kg) and layer (35 g calcium and 3.5 g NPP/kg) diets by replacing dicalcium phosphate (DCP) in toto. 3. The logarithmic curves obtained for predicting the body weight gain and tibia ash content at different levels of NPP used in experiment 1 were Y = 156.27 + 2,468.8 logX (r2= 0.958) and Y = 530.82 + 144.26 log X (r2 = 0.916), respectively. 4. Body weight gain and food intake in broilers given APP- or NP-supplemented diets were comparable to these in the DCP-fed group. Feeding of NPK, AP or SSP resulted in significant depression in weight gain and food intake and high excreta moisture content. Food/gain, Ca and P contents in tibia ash and serum were not influenced by the use of phosphatic fertilisers as P sources in broiler diets. 5. Tibia ash content in broilers fed on diets containing fertilisers was either similar to or significantly higher than that in the DCP-fed group. Broilers on AP or SSP retained more P and had higher tibia ash content than those on DCP. AP, SSP or NPK caused degenerative and necrotic changes in liver, kidney and intestine of broilers. 6. Relative bio-availability of P from APP or NP was better for body weight gain than AP, SSP or NPK, while the reverse was true for bone calcification. 7. APP and NP gave hen-d egg production similar to that of DCP-fed layers. Food intake was significantly reduced in layers fed on diets containing fertilisers. However, food/egg mass, egg weight and serum Ca and inorganic P contents were not influenced by inclusion of fertilisers in layer diets. 8. Except for AP, inclusion of fertilisers in layer diets reduced shell weight and shell thickness compared with the DCP-fed group. However, no apparent eggshell defects were found which could be attributable to diet. 9. Results of these experiments suggest that APP and NP can be used as the sole source of P both in broiler and layer diets, replacing DCP in toto. However, when utilising these P sources in layers, due attention should be given to shell quality. Fertilisers containing high F (AP and SSP) or K (NPK) reduced performance in broilers and layers and caused microscopic changes in liver, kidney and intestine in broilers.     

A rapid MTT colorimetric assay to assess the proliferative index of two Indian strains of Theileria annulata

A study was undertaken to compare the proliferative index of macroschizont-infected lymphoblastoid cells of two Indian strains [Izatnagar (IZT) and Parbhani (PBN)] of Theileria annulata by an in vitro MTT [3-(4,5-dimethyl thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide], colorimetric assay. Culture conditions were standardized to define the optimal cell concentration in 96-well microculture plates to yield nearly 100% living cells for measurement of the metabolized formazan activity. A cell concentration of 1.5x10(5) cells/ml was found to be optimal for effective discrimination of the parasite strains. On the basis of conversion of MTT by the actively proliferating lymphoblastoid cells, the PBN strain of T. annulata stimulated a 2.5-fold increase in formazan activity in comparison to the IZT strain. The in vitro MTT assay was found to be a simple and convenient method for assessing the cell activation rate and growth, obviating the need for radioactive material for the assay. The results of the proliferation assay are discussed in relation to previously documented information on the biological characteristics of this important pathogen of cattle.     

Measurement of within and between population genetic variability in quails

1. To detect polymorphism in various quail lines, Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers were tested and were found to be effective. 2. Twenty decamer primers were selected at random and tested, and 6 of these generated distinct polymorphic patterns between the quail lines. 3. Out of a total of 60 bands amplified using 6 selected primers, 19 (31.7%) were found to be polymorphic. 4. Genetic similarity within the lines ranged from 0.726 in HBW to 0.836 in KLQ. 5. Genetic similarity estimates between the populations ranged from 0.709 to 0.808.     

发酵血粉代替豆粕对育肥猪的影响

试验采用单因子试验设计,选用40kg左右的肥育猪40头,随机分成4组,每组5个重复,每个重复2头,分别饲喂基础日粮(对照组)和用发酵血粉分别替代基础日粮中的豆粕50%(试验Ⅰ组)、75%(试验Ⅱ组)和100%(试验Ⅲ组)等4种试粮,进行60d试验。结果表明:与对照组相比,试验Ⅱ组和试验Ⅲ组的末重与日增重均有显著提高(P<0.05),其中日增重分别提高11.33%和14.34%;与对照组相比,试验Ⅱ组料重比显著降低(P<0.05),其它各组差异不显著(P>0.05)。代谢试验表明:与对照组相比,蛋白质的消化率,氮沉积量(g/d)、氮沉积率(g/kgBW0.75)都显著提高(P<0.05)。随着替代的比例增加,经济效益改善呈上升趋势,试验Ⅱ组和试验Ⅲ组分别比对照组多赢利23.11%和28.29%。     

脱脂乳发酵体系中乳酸菌的高效离子交换色谱分析

应用高效离子交换色谱对脱脂乳发酵体系中的嗜热链球菌和保加利亚乳杆菌进行色谱表征。结果表明，单菌培养过程中保加利亚乳杆菌菌体形态的变化在其相应色谱行为上得到了体现，二者的色谱峰有比较好的稳定性。两种菌的峰面积与菌数之间呈现出良好的线性关系，可决系数R^2分别为0．9957和0．9916。因此本方法的建立，可用于酸奶发酵过程中乳酸菌的分析与表征，有望为乳酸菌混合物的研究提供一种快捷的新方法。     

东乡野生稻原产地蜘蛛群落结构动态研究

调查表明,东乡野生稻原产保护地蜘蛛群落优势科为狼蛛科、跳蛛科、管巢蛛科、球蛛科、肖蛸科,相对丰度分别为0.5010、0.1529、0.0785、0.0657、0.0559、0.0399、0.0392,其丰盛度总和达0.8540,构成了蜘蛛群落的主要成分;巨蟹蛛科为稀有科。优势种为拟水狼蛛、沟渠豹蛛、中华狼蛛、横窝希蛛、黄斑纯蛛、白纹舞蛛、微菱头蛛、柔弱锯螯蛛,其相对丰盛度分别为0.1802、0.1209、0.0833、0.0589、0.0484、0.0445、0.0417、0.0413,丰盛度总和达0.6192,埃比熊蛛等为稀有种。调查还表明,不同时期的物种丰富度变化不明显,但在6～7月间,群落中物种丰富度相对较高,各物种种群发生数量大,分布相对均匀,优势种不突出,群落结构较合理,均匀度和多样性指数较高。     

Defective Movement of Viruses in the Family Bromoviridae Is Differentially Complemented in Nicotiana benthamiana Expressing Tobamovirus or Dianthovirus Movement Proteins

ABSTRACT Taxonomically distinct tobacco mosaic tobamovirus (TMV), red clover necrotic mosaic dianthovirus (RCNMV), cucumber mosaic cucumovirus (CMV), brome mosaic bromovirus (BMV), and cowpea chlorotic mottle bromovirus (CCMV) exhibit differences in their host range. Each of these viruses encodes a functionally similar nonstructural movement protein (MP) that is essential for cell-to-cell movement of a progeny virus. Despite the lack of significant amino acid identity among the MPs of CMV, TMV, and RCNMV, movement-defective CMV (CMVFnyDeltaMP-DeltaKPN) was able to move locally and systemically in transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana expressing either TMV MP (NB-TMV-MP(+)) or RCNMV MP (NB-RCNMV-MP(+)). These observations contrast with those of previous studies in which transgenic N. tabacum cv. Xanthi plants expressing TMV MP supported only the cell-to-cell movement of CMVFnyDeltaMP-DeltaKPN. To verify whether similar complementation could be observed for movement-defective bromoviruses, NB-TMV-MP(+) and NB-RCNMV-MP(+) plants were inoculated independently with movement-defective variants of BMV (B3DeltaMP) and CCMV (CC3DeltaMP). Neither NB-TMV-MP(+) nor NB-RCNMV-MP(+) was able to rescue the defective cell-to-cell and long-distance movement of B3DeltaMP. In contrast, NB-RCNMV-MP(+) complemented the cell-to-cell, but not the long-distance, movement of CC3DeltaMP. Taken together, these studies suggest that virus movement is a complex process and that, in some cases, the host species plays a major role in determining the long-distance movement function of a virus.