Environmental and genetic variation of the effective radiative properties of the coat of Holstein cows under tropical conditions

Morphological characteristics, coat effective radiative properties, and the percentage of white colour were measured in the coats of 973 Holstein cows, and estimates of the genetic parameters were obtained for these traits, except morphological characteristics. The results showed that white coats are more dense with long, thin hairs, while the black coats are less dense with short, thick hairs. Effective transmissivity is greater in the less-dense coats with short, thin hairs, independently of coat colour. Effective reflectivity depends more on the variation in the radiative properties of the coat and skin surface rather than on the morphological characteristics of the coat. Effective absorptivity is greater in black and dense coats with long, thick hairs, than in the white and less-dense coat with short, thin hairs. All heritability estimates were of low magnitude, except for the percentage of white coat colour.     

The dietary protein requirements of young tilapia and an evaluation of the least cost dietary protein levels

In this study our goal was to establish the most economical dietary protein content for tilapia culture. To this end we assessed the relationship of growth, measured as percent average daily gain (% ADG), food conversion ratio (FCR) and protein efficiency ratio (PER) of young of four tilapiine species, Oreochromis mossambicus, O. niloticus, O. aureus and Tilapia zillii, for which experimental growth data were available, in relation to body weight and dietary protein content (% protein).

The relationship of % ADG to % protein in young tilapia weighing less than 1 g or 1–5 g was found to be a second order polynomial quadratic function whereas FCR and PER were linearly related to % protein. % ADG, FCR and PER were correlated better to body weight (curvilinearly) than % protein in both size groups, and multiple regressions were derived between the above parameters.

The most economical dietary protein content was evaluated from the polynomial quadratic function utilizing 95% confidence limits and also from the multiple regressions incorporating FCR and % ADG for a set of nearly isocaloric diets (gross energy) of different protein content ranging from 12% to 44%. Data derived from the foregoing approaches showed that young tilapia weighing between 1 and 5 g require 28% of the diet as protein. This dietary protein content, however, is considerably less than the protein level which supports maximum growth, namely 34%.     

Physical characteristics,and proximate composition of oocytes,liver and muscle of wild caught and tank-reared Macquarie perch

Macquarie perch (Macquaria australasica) is a freshwater percichthyid endemic to south-eastern Australia. In view of its conservation status (indeterminate), and its importance as a sport fish, natural stocks are replenished through a breeding programme using mature stock taken from the wild each year.This paper is the first of a series of investigations instigated to understand the underlying causes of the lack of response of Macquarie perch, caught from the wild and spawned and then tankreared for a year, to hypophysation techniques. In this paper, results of physical characteristics, proximate composition and ovarian histology of wild-caught and tank-reared fish (injected with salmon GnRHa and non-injected) are presented. Oocyte diameter distribution patterns indicate that Macquarie perch spawn once each year, and that in tank-reared fish oocyte maturation is incomplete with only a small proportion of oocytes reaching maturation. The mean (sd) gonadosomatic and hepatosomatic indices of wild fish were 11.25 (2.38) and 0.59 (0.10) and that of tank-reared fish were 4.84 (0.70) and 1.44 (0.09) respectively. These two parameters differed significantly (p<0.05) in the two groups of fish.Major differences also existed in the proximate composition of the liver and the way the liver components responded to GnRHa injection. The percent (sd) protein, lipid and ash by dry weight in the liver of wild injected fish were 57.02 (0.66), 30.63 (1.22) and 8.24 (0.05) respectively while in the liver of tank-reared uninjected fish these values were 30.87 (1.36), 24.59 (1.18) and 6.43 (0.13) respectively. When expressed as an absolute amount or an amount kg^–1 body weight, all of moisture, protein, lipid, ash and nitrogen free extract were greater in tank-reared than wild fish. No significant differences were observed between wild and tank-reared fish in the composition of the body musculature or the oocytes.     

Evaluation of Quality Parameters in the Meat of Pintado Amazônico,Female Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum × Male Leiarius marmoratus,Subjected to Different Slaughter Methods

The objective of this study was to check the effect of different stunning methods on the meat quality of Pintado Amazônico, female Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum × male Leiarius marmoratus, stored on ice for 18 d. A total of 90 specimens (2.5 ± 0.45 kg and 58.21 ± 6.20 cm) were divided into three groups and subjected to stunning by: water saturated with CO₂, hypothermia on ice, or asphyxia in air. Subsequently, samples were removed to be analyzed after (times) 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18 d. At the established times, aerobic mesophilic heterotrophic microorganisms and aerobic psychrotrophic heterotrophic microorganisms were quantified, and the pH, total volatile base nitrogen, color (L*a*b*), and sensory traits were analyzed. The stunning method significantly affected (P < 0.05) the meat quality. The group stunned on ice showed the best results compared with the other treatments.     

肉桂不同造林密度生物量及经济效益比较

对比分析肉桂不同造林密度对林分地上部分生物量、经济效益的影响效果。结果表明 :随着肉桂林分密度的增大 ,单株生物量逐渐减小 ,林分生物量则逐渐增大 ,达到一定密度后逐步趋于平衡 ;造林密度 6 75 0株·hm-2 时 ,肉桂单位面积利润最高 ,其次是密度 5 6 2 5株·hm-2 ;密度 4 5 0 0株·hm-2 时 ,投资利润率最高 ,其次是密度 5 6 2 5株·hm-2 。     

Virulence-associated gene profiling of Streptococcus suis isolates by PCR

Definition of virulent Streptococcus suis strains is controversial. One successful approach for identification of virulent European strains is differentiation of capsular serotypes (or the corresponding cps types) and subsequent detection of virulence-associated factors, namely the extracellular factor (EF, epf), the muramidase-released protein (MRP, mrp) and the hemolysin suilysin (SLY, sly). In this work we present a novel multiplex PCR (MP-PCR) and an mrp variant PCR for identification and characterization of virulent S. suis strains. These new methods were used to identify association of disease with particular profiles of virulence-associated genes. The MP-PCR allowed identification of S. suis through detection of the housekeeping gene gdh, differentiation of four cps types (1, 2, 7 and 9), and detection of epf, mrp, sly and arcA (arginine deiminase from S. suis). Furthermore, this study describes the first PCR assay for differentiation of at least six mrp variants. Expression of the corresponding size variants of MRP was shown for four of the six mrp variants, but was undetectable for the two larger mrp variants in the particular strains investigated. The results of this study suggest that cps7 strains are associated with pneumonia and that variation of mrp is very pronounced among these strains. Gene profiles of invasive, pneumonia and carrier S. suis isolates by combination of PCR assays allowed differentiation of 24 different genotypes among cps1, 2, 7 and 9 strains. Forty-five percent of the invasive S. suis diseases investigated in this study were caused by only two of these genotypes, namely cps2/mrp+/epf+/sly+ and cps9/mrp(*)/epf-/sly+. Thus, this study demonstrates for the first time a uniform profile of the particular virulence-associated genes for the vast majority of the investigated invasive cps9 strains.     

Breeding performance of Malaysian mahseer, Tor tambroides and T. douronensis broodfish in captivity

Tor tambroides and T. douronensis are highly valued freshwater cyprinids. Owing to their cultural and economic importance, and concerns over their conservation status, a captive artificial propagation programme was established in Sarawak, Malaysia, to produce seedstock for conservation and aquaculture purposes. This paper describes work that followed the initial breakthrough in artificial propagation of captive, pond‐reared broodfish of the two Tor species, primarily on the overall breeding performance of broodfish over a 3‐year period. Breeding performance generally increased through the study period, indicating an overall improvement in husbandry and breeding techniques since commencing breeding trials. Spawning was induced in most months of the year. Seasonal patterns in spawning performance were not clear, but nevertheless the influence of monsoonal climate patterns was evident as higher breeding performance indicators were observed during the northeast monsoon. Some individual broodfish were injected and stripped up to 11 times during the study, and there were as little as 30 days between successful strippings. Considerable variability was observed in each of the breeding performance indicators with successive hypophysation, although in T. tambroides, there were signs of an increase in some of these indicators with successive hypophysation attempts. Multiple injection of Ovaprim, and repeated stripping of eggs, does not appear to reduce breeding performance, at least for T. tambroides.