Biology of a new virus isolated from Lupinus nootkatensis plants in Alaska

A new virus named Nootka lupine vein-clearing virus (NLVCV) was isolated from Lupinus nootkatensis plants that were confined to a relatively small area in the Talkeetna mountains of south-central Alaska. Annual surveys (2000–03) consistently found leaf symptoms of pronounced vein clearing and mosaic on 3- to 4-week-old plants in late June. Spherical particles ≈30 nm in diameter were isolated from these leaves. Virions contained a single-stranded RNA of ≈4·0–4·2 kb and one species of capsid protein estimated to be ≈40 kDa. The double-stranded RNA profile from naturally infected leaves consisted of three major bands ≈4·2, 1·9 and 1·5 kbp. Protein extractions from either sap or virions of diseased plants reacted to polyclonal antiserum made against the virions in Western blot assays. A predicted PCR product ≈500 bp was synthesized from virion RNA using primers specific to the carmovirus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RDRP) gene. The nucleotide sequence of the amplified DNA did not match any known virus, but contained short regions of identity to several carmoviruses. Only species belonging to the Fabaceae were susceptible to NLVCV by mechanical inoculation. Based on dsRNA profile, size of virion RNA genome and capsid protein, and similarity of the RDRP gene to that of other carmoviruses, it is suggested that NLVCV is a member of the family Tombusviridae , and tentatively of the genus Carmovirus . As the host range, RDRP gene and dsRNA profile of NLVCV are different from those of known viruses, this is a newly described plant virus.     

Body weight growth Model of Datong Yak in Qinghai

Summary:This study was conducted to develop a suitable model for describing the growth pattern of the yak. The data used consisted of body weight records of 76 growing yak aged between 5 to 37 months. Three mathematical models were applied to describe the growth curves during this development period:①Y1=20.105 + 11. 250x-0. 526x2 ;used for describing the growth curve of yak aged 5 to 13 months;②Y2 = -359.687 + 49. 977x - 1. 249x2 ;used for animals aged 13 to 25 months;and ③Y3 = -833. 339 + 63. 772x - 1. 019x2 ;used for animals aged 25 to 37 months.     

Analysis of High Reproductivity on Wild Yak Bull

Sperm concentration of wild yak bull is 2. 13 billion per milliliter. Survival time at 0-4 ℃ is 57hrs. After thawing survival time at 37 ℃ is 12 hrs. Resistance coefficient is 144,000. Abnormal sperm rate and acrosomal integrated rate of post-thawing is 9.17% and 87.53% respectively. Moving viscosity is 1. 169 cp. Total nitrogen is 1 437.7 mg/100 ml. Head of sperm is significantly shorter and end piece is significantly longer than that of domestic yak and yellow cattle. Activity of hyaluronidase is highly stronger than the domestic yak,and the activity of LDH is higher than the domestic yak by 48 %. Hence,the fertility of the wild yak bull is powerful and the artificial inseminated rate with domestic yak and yellow cattle is 88.9% and 71.58% respectively.     

Finding best exotic breed proportion in crossbred lactating sheep kept under farmers’ conditions in Ethiopia determined by use of nested Legendre polynomials with limited data

ABSTRACT

The present study was conducted to estimate milk production performance and fit lactation curves for groups of ewes of Local and of Awassi crosses, with a variable blood level, reared under farmer’s environment. The Weigh-Suckle-Weigh method plus hand milking was used to estimate milk yield for ewes. A total of 466 observations from 115 ewes were used. Estimated least-squares adjusted means for the milk production over 120 days were 0.56?kg day^?1 (Local), 0.67 (<30% Awassi), 0.86 (30–50% Awassi), and 0.96 (>50% Awassi). Groups with 30–50% Awassi and >50% Awassi ewes produced significantly (p?<?0.05) more milk than Local ewes. Significant differences were observed between <30% Awassi and >50% Awassi crossbred groups. The best crosses (>50% Awassi) produced over 70% more milk than the local ewes which demonstrates the potential that exists in increasing milk production through the initiated crossbreeding programme with sheep in Ethiopia.