Genetic parameters for measures of energetic efficiency of bulls and their relationships with carcass traits of field progeny in Japanese Black cattle

Records on 514 bulls from the sire population born from 1978 to 2004, and on 22,099 of their field progeny born from 1997 to 2003 with available pedigree information (total number = 124,458) were used to estimate genetic parameters for feed intake and energy efficiency traits of bulls and their relationships with carcass traits of field progeny. Feed intake and energetic efficiency traits were daily feed intake, TDN intake, feed conversion ratio (FCR), TDN conversion ratio (TDNCR), residual feed intake (RFI), partial efficiency of growth, relative growth rate, and Kleiber ratio. Progeny carcass traits were carcass weight (CWT), yield estimate, ribeye area, rib thickness, subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT), marbling score (MSR), meat color standard (MCS), fat color standard (FCS), and meat quality grade. All measures of feed intake and energetic efficiency were moderately heritable (ranged from 0.24 to 0.49), except for partial efficiency of growth and relative growth rate, which were high (0.58) and low (0.14), respectively. The phenotypic and genetic correlations between FCR and TDNCR were >or=0.93. Selection for Kleiber ratio will improve all of the energetic efficiency traits with no effect on feed intake measures (daily feed intake and TDN intake). The genetic correlations of FCR, TDNCR, and RFI of bulls with most of the carcass traits of their field progeny were favorable (ranged from -0.24 to -0.72), except with fat color standard (no correlation), MCS, and SFT. Positive (unfavorable) genetic correlations of MCS with FCR, TDNCR, and RFI (0.79, 0.70, and 0.51, respectively) were found. The SFT was negatively genetically correlated with FCR and TDNCR (-0.32 and -0.20, respectively); however, the genetic correlation between RFI and SFT was not significantly different from zero (r(g) = -0.08 +/- 0.12). Favorable correlated responses in CWT, yield estimate, ribeye area, rib thickness, MSR, and meat quality grade would be predicted for selection against any measure of energetic efficiency. The correlated responses in CWT and MSR of progeny were greater for selection against RFI than for selection against any other energetic efficiency trait. Results of this study indicate that RFI should be preferred over other measures of energetic efficiency to include in selection programs.     

Identification of a peptide in enzymatic hydrolyzate of cheese that inhibits ovalbumin permeation in Caco-2 cells

Because the first step in the triggering of food allergy is the permeation of the allergen through the intestine, enhancement of the intestinal barrier function is thought to be effective for preventing food allergy. In this study, a peptide that inhibits ovalbumin (OVA) permeation in an in vitro Caco-2 cell model was isolated from enzymatic hydrolyzate of cheese (EHC). Amino acid sequence analysis identified the active peptide as GPIVLNPWDQ, a sequence identical to amino acids 102-111 of alphas2-casein. The decapeptide significantly inhibited OVA permeation at a concentration of 10(-6) M. In addition, it was found that a pentapeptide half, NPWDQ, is essential for the inhibitory activity because NPWDQ but not GPIVL had nearly the same inhibitory activity as GPIVLNPWDQ. The possibility exists that EHC and/or peptides possessing the NPWDQ sequence can be practically applied to the prevention of food allergy.     

Airborne laser scanning in forest management: Individual tree identification and laser pulse penetration in a stand with different levels of thinning

This study examined the ability of an airborne laser scanner to identify individual trees in the canopy of a Chamaecyparis obtusa stand and investigated the relationship between the penetration rate of the laser pulses and stand attributes under different canopy conditions caused by different levels of thinning. Individual tree crowns were identified from a digital canopy model (DCM) derived from airborne laser scanner data by the watershed segmentation method. The identification rate of individual trees in blocks with heavy thinning (ratio of the basal area of the felled trees to the total basal area, hereinafter thinning ratio of the basal area, 38.0%), moderate thinning (30.4%), and no thinning was 95.3%, 89.2%, and 60.0%, respectively. Individual tree heights were estimated from the DCM values by local maximum filtering within identified individual crowns. Tree height in the three blocks was estimated with a root-mean-square error of 0.95, 0.65, and 0.68 m, respectively. Tree heights determined in a field survey were regressed against those estimated from the DCM, yielding coefficients of determination (r²) of 0.71, 0.87, and 0.85, respectively, for the blocks with heavy thinning, moderate thinning, and no thinning, respectively, and 0.86 overall. The respective penetration rates of the laser pulses through the canopy to the ground were 50.6%, 43.1%, and 9.2%. Regression of the laser pulse penetration rate against the thinning ratio of the basal area and against the total basal area of the remaining trees in 25 quadrats established in the blocks, yielded r² values of 0.89 and 0.74, respectively.     

Origin identification of dried seaweed product “nori” by PCR–RFLP analysis of Pyropia yezoensis in the internal transcribed spacer ITS-1 region

Nucleotide sequences in internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-1 region derived from dried nori products produced in Japan, China, and the Republic of Korea were compared. Thalli contained in the Japanese products were genetically homogenous, and their nucleotide sequences in ITS-1 were identical to those of the reference strains of Pyropia yezoensis f. narawaensis. In Chinese products, the thalli were related to P. yezoensis strain Minomiasakusa. In contrast, the thalli in the Korean products were genetically heterogeneous, and several different P. yezoensis strains and other Pyropia spp. were used for dried nori products. In some thalli produced in both China and Korea, the DNA sequences of the ITS-1 region were identical with that of Japan, suggesting that the cultivar strains might have been transplanted from Japan to China in recent years. The 432-bp-long nucleotide sequences in the ITS-1 region of thalli derived from Japanese origin were cleaved to two restriction fragments at 154 and 278 bp by cleavage of PCR-amplified products using MspI. Conversely, almost all of the corresponding sequences derived from China and Korea were lacking MspI or other restriction patterns, except for nori products from some areas that cultivate a closely related strain to the Japanese cultivar.     

Sr isotopic compositions of ayu otolith and its ambient water

Sr isotopic compositions of ayu otolith and water collected from Japanese rivers were measured to validate the relationship between otolith and ambient water for this species. Micromilling and rostrum-cut methods employed for otolith sampling were compared and yielded almost indistinguishable otolith Sr isotopic composition data. A good correlation observed between data on otolith and those on ambient water (river water and sea water) confirms the usefulness of Sr isotopic composition for elucidating migratory behavior of ayu, as already verified in other species.     

Growth performance and physiological condition of F1 amago salmon Oncorhynchus masou ishikawae juveniles obtained from broodstock with selective breeding for growth on a low fish-meal diet

A 10-week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the growth and physiological condition of F1 amago salmon Oncorhynchus masou ishikawae juveniles obtained from broodstock that had been selected for growth on a low fish-meal (LFM) diet. F1 juveniles from broodstock showing superior or inferior growth on a LFM diet (LFM-S, LFM-I), and those from broodstock showing intermediate growth on a fish meal-based (FM) diet (FM-M), were fed a LFM diet and a FM diet. In fish fed the LFM diet, growth of LFM-S was significantly better than FM-M at 3 weeks; however, this superiority in growth disappeared at the end of the 10-week trial. Growth of LFM-I was significantly lower than LFM-S throughout the feeding trial. Growth of fish fed the FM diet was not significantly different among groups, and higher than fish fed the LFM diet. Improvements in the blood hemoglobin concentration and morphological conditions of the distal intestine and liver were observed in LFM-S fed the LFM diet. Although the effect of selective breeding was limited in F1 amago salmon, the present results suggest that continuous selection for growth with a LFM diet has potential as a method to adapt to the limited supply of fish meal.