Response of Corriedale and Crioula Lanada Sheep to Artificial Primary Infection with Haemonchus Contortus

Clinical, parasitological and biochemical parameters were evaluated in Corriedale and Crioula Lanada sheep after a single experimental infection with Haemonchus contortus. Ten 4-month-old worm-free lambs, of each breed, were infected with 200 L₃ H. contortus per kg live weight and four uninfected animals of each breed were used as controls. Every week, the animals were weighed and blood and faecal samples were collected for measurement of packed cell volume (PCV), total serum protein (TSP) and albumin (ALB), and the number of eggs per gram of faeces (EPG), respectively. Twelve weeks after infection, the animals were slaughtered. The worm burden was determined and samples of the abomasal mucosa were processed for determination of the number of eosinophils, mast cells and globule leukocytes. No significant differences in PCV, TSP, ALB, parasite burden or the cell populations of the abomasal mucosa were observed between breeds, but Crioula lambs had a lower EPG count. The comparison of the infected groups with their respective controls revealed significant alterations in PCV, TSP and ALB in the Corriedale lambs and in PCV, TSP, ALB and the density of eosinophils and mast cells in the Crioula lambs.     

Effects of dietary protein to carbohydrate ratios on growth and body composition of juvenile yellow catfish, Pelteobagrus fulvidraco (Siluriformes, Bagridae, Pelteobagrus)

The present experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary protein to carbohydrate ratios on growth and body composition of juvenile yellow catfish, Pelteobagrus fulvidraco . Nine diets were formulated to contain three protein levels (30%, 36% and 42%), each with three carbohydrate levels (24%, 30% and 36%). Each diet was randomly assigned to triplicate groups of 20 fish (initial mean body weight: 8.24±0.20 g) in indoor flow – through fibreglass tanks. The experiment continued for 8 weeks. Weight gain and specific growth rate were similar for the fish fed the 36% and 42% protein diets but higher than that fed the 30% protein diet. At the 36% protein level, carbohydrate contents varying from 24% to 36% ( P / E ratio of 24.0–28.2 mg protein kJ⁻¹) had no significant effects on growth performance and feed utilization ( P >0.05). Protein efficiency ratio tended to increase with dietary carbohydrate level at the same protein level. Dietary treatments significantly influenced body composition ( P <0.05), but not the condition factor, viscerosomatic index, hepatosomatic index and intraperitoneal fat ratio ( P >0.05). Based on these observations, 36% protein and 24–36% carbohydrate with the P / E ratio of 24.0–28.2 mg protein kJ⁻¹ seemed suitable for optimal growth and feed utilization, and carbohydrate could cause protein-sparing effect in diets for juvenile yellow catfish.     

The evaluation of secondary stress response of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella, Val. 1844) after exposing to the saline water

The stress response of grass carp to salinity was evaluated assessing the levels of hematocrit, leucocrit, plasma glucose, sodium, potassium and calcium. Mean hematocrit values increased following exposure to salinity. Mean leucocrit values elevated after exposure to salinity for 24 h, then decreased. Mean plasma glucose increased during saline exposure for 48 h and then decreased to normal values. Plasma sodium and chloride levels were increased to their highest values after 48 h. While plasma potassium value increased with the exposure time, plasma calcium values were not affected by salinity exposure.     

Relation between lipid and fatty acid composition of eggs and larval survival in white pacific shrimp (Penaeus vannamei, Boone, 1931)

In this study, lipid classes and fatty acid composition were determinedin eggs of P. vannamei as a function of survival to zoeaIII stage. Spawns were reared individually to zoea III and grouped, accordingtotheir final survival to this larval stage, into spawns of high and lowsurvival.Eggs of individual spawns were analyzed for lipid and fatty acid composition ofneutral and polar lipids and the results were then grouped according tosurvivalto zoea III. The lipids within each group (high and low survival to zoea III)were pooled for the separation of phospholipids and the analysis of their fattyacid composition.Higher levels of triglycerides, carotenoids, and linoleic (18:2n-6) acid ineggs were associated with improved survival to zoea III. Linoleic acid washigher in spawns from the high survival group in both neutral and polarfractions and in most of the phospholipid classes analyzed. Docosahexanoic acid(DHA) was not related to survival to zoea, probably because its content washighenough (> 15% of total fatty acids) to satisfy embryo and early larvaldevelopment needs. A high content of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) was found inphosphatidylethanolamine, lysophosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, andphosphatidylinositol compared to other phospholipid classes, suggesting aspecific role of EPA in these lipids. These results describe the specificphospholipid composition of penaeid eggs and could (potentially) be used aspredictive indicators of larval quality for research and production purposes.     

Effects of dietary highly unsaturated fatty acids and astaxanthin on the fecundity and lipid content of pond-reared Penaeus monodon (Fabricius) broodstock

Five diets that contained fresh squid meat as the basic constituent and were supplemented with different amounts of highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) and astaxanthin were fed to pond‐reared Penaeus monodon broodstock. Diet A was sole squid meat. Diets B and C were supplemented with astaxanthin 50 and 100 mg kg^?1 respectively. Diets D and E were supplemented with HUFA 5 and 10 g kg^?1 and astaxanthin 50 mg kg^?1 respectively. The result showed that the group fed diet E had the best reproductive performance in all experimental groups. It had a higher proportion of spawns (71.5%), spawning rate (0.047), a shorter latency period (7.7±0.3 d), higher absolute fecundity (× 10³) (361.6±5.5) and egg production/female (× 10³) (597.0±18.0) than all the other experimental groups. The fatty acid composition in broodstock diets strongly affected the tissue and fecundity of broodstock. Good correlations between the content of 20:4n‐6 in eggs and the fecundity (r²=0.6109) and egg production (r²=0.9876) of broodstock were found. On the other hand, 22:6n‐3 and DHA/EPA ratio was negatively correlated with the fecundity of broodstock (r²=0.5362, 0.8702 respectively). The result also showed that the balance between n‐3 and n‐6 fatty acid families, total polyunsaturated fatty acids and total saturated fatty acid and 20:5n‐3 (EPA) and 22:6n‐3 (DHA) may play vital roles in maturation and reproductive performance of P. monodon broodstock.     

Early weaning of winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus Walbaum) larvae on a commercial microencapsulated diet

Like most small marine fish larvae, the stomachs of winter flounder Pseudopleuronectes americanus are undeveloped at first feeding and have relatively reduced digestive capacity. This work was undertaken to test whether larvae at the onset of stomach differentiation (larval size about 5.5 mm) could be early weaned onto a commercial microencapsulated diet. We assessed the effect of early weaning by first comparing growth performance (standard length, total protein content and age at metamorphosis) of larvae fed enriched live prey from first feeding to a size of 5.5 mm and then reared on three different feeding regimes until metamorphosis: (1) live prey (LP) as a control group; (2) mixed feeding of live prey and microencapsulated diet (LP‐ME); (3) exclusively microencapsulated diet (ME) after fast weaning over 4 days (to a larval size of 6.2 mm). No differences were observed between larval development in the two first groups, which began metamorphosis at 40 days old. The larvae of the third group showed significantly slower growth that resulted in a delay of 4 days in the onset of metamorphosis. Differences in live prey availability between the treatments and the short transition period to allow the larvae to adapt to the new diet were identified as possible contributing factors to the slower growth and to the delay in metamorphosis of early weaned larvae. In a second experiment, the transitional weaning period was increased until the larvae were 6.6 mm in length. Weaning at that size resulted in no slowing of growth or delay in metamorphosis, suggesting that the feeding schedule was adequate.     

水分胁迫对芒果成花效应及内源激素变化的影响

以３ａ生盆栽红芒６号为试材,研究水分胁迫对芒果成花的效应。发现水分胁迫能改变芒果植株梢尖内源激素的水平及激素间的平衡,使 ＧＡ减少,ＡＢＡ和 ＣＴＫ增加,ＣＴＫ／ＧＡ及ＡＢＡ／ＧＡ的比率提高,抑制营养生长,促进开花,成花率高达 ７５％;而对照（灌水）植株营养生长旺盛,萌发新梢,抽梢率３７．５％,成花率仅６．２５％。      

Spatial variability in commercial orange groves. Part 2: relating canopy geometry to soil attributes and historical yield

Precision Agriculture - Site-specific management strategies are usually dependant on the understanding of the underlying cause and effect relationships that occur at the within-field level. The...     

Measurement of an equivalent friction coefficient to characterise the behaviour of fertilisers in the context of centrifugal spreading

In the context of centrifugal fertiliser spreading, numerous mechanical models demonstrate that the acceleration on the spinning disc depends on the friction coefficient of the fertiliser against the vane. Nevertheless, when the dynamic friction coefficient is measured by traditional methods, the values obtained do not reflect fertiliser behaviour differences. The study proposes a new estimation of the friction coefficient termed “equivalent friction coefficient” (EFC). This parameter is deduced from a mechanical model of the fertiliser motion on a spinning disc and from the measurement of the outlet angle of the particles. The outlet angle is measured using a simple imaging system that captures a high number of particle trajectories in the vicinity of the spinning disc in a few seconds. Values obtained for three common fertilisers are compared. For a flat disc rotating at 800 rpm and equipped with radial vanes, the EFC values are, respectively, 0.13, 0.14 and 0.44 for ammonium nitrate, NPK and KCl. The influence of disc configuration, vane profile and rotational speed is addressed. The influence of fertiliser moisture content is also investigated. Results demonstrate that this method can be used to obtain a relative classification of fertilisers. This paves the way for the definition of a normalized method, which will classify fertilisers in terms of real spreading behaviour.     

仙茅中的3个苯酚类化合物鉴定

对仙茅(C.orchioides)的醇提物进行化学成分研究,分离得到3个苯酚类化合物,经理化和波谱分析鉴定为:间甲氧基苯酚(Ⅰ),对羟基苯甲醛(Ⅱ)和2-羟基-6-甲氧基苯甲酸(Ⅲ)