Aflatoxin B<Subscript>1</Subscript> (AFB<Subscript>1</Subscript>) reduces growth performance,physiological response,and disease resistance in Tra catfish (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pangasius hypophthalmus</Emphasis>)

Triplicate groups of one hundred Tra catfish (8 g?±?0.2) were fed seven test diets containing increasing levels of AFB₁ (0, 50, 100, 250, 500, and 1000 μg AFB₁ kg^?1). Additionally Mycofix® Secure was added at 1.5% to one diet containing 500 μg AFB₁ kg^?1. Results showed that Tra catfish are sensitive to AFB₁. Reduction in weight gain (P?<?0.05) was observed for fish fed 50 μg AFB₁ kg^?1 and declined further with increasing levels of AFB₁ in the diets. Fish fed diets contaminated with 500 and 1000 μg AFB₁ kg^?1 showed increased (P?>?0.05) hepatosomatic index (HIS), while an increase in adipose somatic index (ASI) was observed in fish fed 50 μg AFB₁ kg^?1 and above when compared to the control and Mycofix® diets. After 12 weeks, blood serum analysis revealed higher alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels in fish fed the 50, 100, and 250 μg AFB₁ kg^?1 suggesting occurrence of liver damage. Disease resistance of fish exposed to Edwardsiella ictaluri was also compromised by the presence of AFB₁ in the feed and was directly related to the contamination level. Seven days after Edwardsiella ictaluri exposure, survival rates were 50, 41.7, 31.7, and 8.3% for fish fed control, 50, 100, and 250 μg AFB₁ kg^?1, respectively. This trial shows that AFB₁ at a level of 50 μg AFB₁ kg^?1 and above can affect fish performance and disease resistance. Application of an effective mycotoxin management in the feed seems to be useful to prevent the negative effects of AFB₁.     

鸡源益生菌JM-11菌株的胃肠道耐受及其抗腹泻的研究

本试验从健康的鸡盲肠内容物中筛选出具有较高抑菌活性的病源拮抗菌JM-11菌株,经形态、生理生化及16S rDNA序列鉴定此菌为枯草芽孢杆菌（Bacillus subtilis subsp. subtilis）。经耐受胃肠道环境及胆盐试验,结果表明,JM-11菌株能耐受0.3%的胆盐环境,在pH为3.0的人工胃液中能够很好的存活。利用抗生素打乱雏鸡肠道菌群后,饲喂致病性大肠杆菌来制作腹泻模型。经益生菌JM-11对腹泻雏鸡的治疗试验结果显示,JM-11能显著降低腹泻雏鸡粪便中的大肠杆菌的数量（P<0.01）,增加乳酸菌的数量(P<0.01),提高雏鸡免疫器官指数(P<0.05),对雏鸡具有安全无毒的作用。     

Limited awareness of animal influenza prevention and control among Dai Lue smallholder farmers in Southwest China

Awareness of animal influenza and its prevention and control is important for ensuring livestock health, production and welfare. In China, a country stereotyped as a major source of emerging zoonotic infectious diseases, research on the public understanding of animal influenza is limited to the Han, the main ethnic group. The present qualitative study in Southwest China investigated awareness of animal influenza among the Dai, an ethnic minority. The participants (15 men and 10 women, ages 18–83) were smallholder farmers of pigs and poultry in rural areas of Jinghong, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province. A mixture of interviews and group discussions took place in homes and villages. The participants were asked about their knowledge of avian influenza (H7N9), swine influenza (H1N1), precautions taken to protect against influenza, procedures when animals were sick and perceived risk of animal influenza. The data were analysed following coding and thematic analysis. The findings demonstrated a limited understanding of animal health and welfare among participants. Specifically, they were largely unaware of animal influenza (H7N9, H1N1) including its causes, symptoms, prevention and treatment. The farmers were also uninformed of the risks they faced and unknowingly engaged in behaviours which increased direct or indirect exposure to infected animals, a risk factor for human infection. They also reported poor usage of veterinary services. In order to guarantee the health, welfare and production of their livestock, immediate action is needed to enable Dai smallholder farmers to prevent and respond to animal influenza effectively and timely.     

全球鸡蛋消费呈增长趋势

全球范围内鸡蛋消费量持续增长,其中大部分需求量增长来自亚洲的6个国家. 据世界蛋品协会统计分析师Windhorst教授称,截至2015年,世界鸡蛋需求量将比2005年增长1 200万t,从而达到7 090万t(表1).     

Temporal-spatial epidemiology of foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks in Mongolia, 2000 – 2002

Prior to 2000, foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) had not been observed in Mongolia since 1973; however, between April 2000 and July 2002, Mongolia reported 44 FMD outbreaks that affected cattle, sheep, goats, and camels. The objectives of this study were to describe the distributions of the 44 reported FMD outbreaks in Mongolia and to assess their spatial clustering and directions of movement. Official reports were collected to obtain the number and species of animals both affected and at risk, and the date and geographical coordinates of each outbreak. Significant global and local spatial clusters of reported FMD outbreaks were identified. Disease spread during the second epidemic moved 76° northeast and the spread of the disease during the third epidemic moved 110° northwest. FMD outbreaks were clustered intensely close to other FMD-positive counties. These findings can be used in the future to help plan prevention and control measures in high risk areas.     

贵州天然豆科牧草——窄叶野豌豆的引种与驯化

对采自贵州省册亨县、三都县的窄叶野豌豆野生种进行了引种驯化。结果表明：其产草量中等，鲜草３７．５～４５ｔ／ｈｍ２，草质优良；生育期短，早熟；种子产量高，收纯净种子５００～６００ｋｇ／ｈｍ２。适合在我国南方中亚热带地区同水稻、玉米轮作，也可作为农田填闲作物栽培     

新太湖猪选育过程中近交技术的应用及效应分析

利用新太湖猪选育过程中（１９８６～１９９４）６个世代母猪的分娩产仔记录,后备猪生长发育测定资料,分析了近交对繁殖性能和生长发育性状的影响。相关分析表明,近交与产仔数、产活仔数的相关系数分别为－０．１６２５、－０．１５４６。与１８０日龄活重、体高、胸围、及８０ｋｇ时背膘厚度的相关系数分别为－０．１３５,－０．２１１,－０．２１８,－０．２０４。回归分析表明,近交系数每上升１０％,产仔数下降０．３９头,１８０日龄活重下降１．５ｋｇ,背膘厚下降０．０７４８ｃｍ。产仔记录分析表明,母猪近交系数在２０％以下时,产仔数比非近交组下降０．２７头,差异不显著（Ｐ＞０．０５）;近交系数在２０％以上时,下降１．３５头,差异不显著（Ｐ＞０．０５）。生长发育性状表明,近交系数在３０％以上时,１２０日龄活重、１８０日龄活重等性状都显著下降。８０ｋｇ活体背膘厚当个体近交系数上升到２０％以上时,与非近交组相比下降０．１６ｃｍ,差异显著（Ｐ＜０．０５）。     

Synergistic effects of Miconazole and Polymyxin B on microbial pathogens

The therapeutic value of antibiotics depends on the susceptibility of the infecting microorganism and the pharmacological profile of the drugs. To assess the value of an antibiotic combination of polymyxin B and miconazole this study examined the in vitro synergistic potential of the two drugs on Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and yeast. Antifungal and antibacterial activity was tested by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of broth macrodilution and urea broth microdilution, by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. Synergism was calculated using the fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICi). With Staphylococcus intermedius as target we found up to an eightfold reduction of the individual MICs when both drugs were combined. However, the FICi was 0.63 suggesting no real interaction between the two drugs. With Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Malassezia pachydermatis as targets the antimicrobial drug combination reduced the MICs of polymyxin B and miconazole from fourfold to hundredfold resulting in FICi between 0.06 and 0.5 which defines a synergistic action. Thus, if polymyxin B and miconazole are combined their effect is greater than the sum of the effects observed with polymyxin B and miconazole independently, revealing bactericidal and fungicidal synergism. Our results indicate a strong therapeutic value for the combination of these antimicrobial agents against Gram-negative bacteria and yeast and a weaker value against Gram positive bacteria for clinical situations where these pathogens are involved.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Streptococcus uberis</Emphasis>-specific T cells are present in mammary gland secretions of cows and can be activated to kill <Emphasis Type="Italic">S. uberis</Emphasis>

The presence, phenotype and function of Streptococcus uberis-specific T cells in the mammary gland secretion (MGS) and blood of cows exposed to S. uberis were assessed. MGS T cells in the udder were purified and incubated with autologous blood monocytes as antigen-presenting cells (APC). Most cows, irrespective of prior S. uberis infection status and lactation status, were shown to have S. uberis-specific T cells both in MGS and in the blood. When cells from a subgroup of cows were studied, it was found that the S. uberis-specific T cells produced high levels of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), but low levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10). A high percentage of responding T cells were of the CD8 ⁺ memory (CD45RO) subset. T cells from the MGS specific for S. uberis were propagated from animals during the drying off period and expanded in vitro using interleukin-2 (IL-2) and S. uberis antigens. This led to the accumulation of T cells of the CD8 ⁺ subset bearing memory cell markers (CD45A ⁻ , CD45RO ⁺ ), which released high levels of IFN-γ. Four of the five T cell lines derived from the MGS of three animals had substantial direct killing activity towards S. uberis in vitro. It is concluded that there is an emergence of S. uberis-specific bactericidal T cells in the MGS of cows after infection or environmental exposure to S. uberis. Vaccines aimed at activating and expanding this T cell population in the mammary glands of cattle may offer an avenue for the prevention of mastitis caused by S. uberis.