Performance,health and behaviour of organic growing-finishing pigs in two different housing systems with or without access to pasture

Abstract

The effects of two housing systems (deep litter and straw-flow), with and without access to pasture during the summer period, were studied in an organic growing-finishing pig herd. Performance, health, skin lesions and daytime pig activity were studied in 29 pens of 16 pigs (total of 464 pigs, in 4 batches). Data from 21 pens were used for comparisons of deep litter and straw-flow and data from 16 pens for comparisons of access/no access to pasture. Pigs in the deep litter system had a lower carcass meat percentage (56.6% vs. 57.3%) and more locomotion problems (4.4% vs. 0%) than pigs in the straw-flow system. No difference in daytime pig activity was detected between the two housing systems. Under moderate temperatures, pigs with access to pasture and fed a commercial organic feed inside the building were not more active during daytime behaviour studies (7.30?h–16.30?h) than pigs without access to pasture. However, at 17 weeks of age the pigs with pasture access spent 21% of their time on pasture, less time inside the pig house (20% vs. 33%) and less time on the outside concrete area (4% vs. 12%) than the pigs without pasture. No difference in performance was detected between pigs with and pigs without access to pasture.     

伪狂犬病病毒吉林分离株感染BHK-21细胞的超微结构变化

以猪伪狂犬病病毒(PRV)吉林分离株PRV-JL感染体外培养的BHK-21细胞为模型,通过透射电镜对PRV的形态发生学和宿主细胞超微结构的动态变化规律进行研究。结果显示,PRV能导致BHK-21细胞圆缩,并发生细胞融合,形成合胞体;电镜观察到的病毒粒子呈球形或椭圆形,成熟的病毒粒子直径大小为140~210 nm,未成熟病毒粒子直径为90~150 nm,多呈中空状,部分呈致密核芯。病毒吸附于细胞后以膜融合的方式进入细胞,在胞核内复制,装配好的病毒粒子以出芽的方式离开细胞核,获得最初的囊膜,进入胞浆;在胞浆内的病毒粒子又利用高尔基体的膜结构合成第2层囊膜,形成完整的病毒粒子;最后包裹有完整病毒粒子的高尔基囊泡与细胞膜发生融合,将病毒粒子释放到细胞外。感染细胞超微结构变化主要表现为:细胞胞浆空泡增多,内质网扩张,线粒体增生、嵴肿胀、脱落,最后空泡化,整个细胞裂解、破碎。     

Influences of Follicular Size on Parthenogenetic Activation and in Vitro Heat Shock on the Cytoskeleton in Cattle Oocytes

The availability of cow ovaries from the slaughterhouse has been very limited in Taiwan. To maximize the use of cow ovaries for research purposes, whole ovary dissection was performed and the developmental competence of the oocytes derived from different sizes of follicles was assessed by the rates of in vitro maturation (IVM) and parthenogenetic activation of the oocytes in Experiment 1 (Exp 1). Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) derived from small (1-2 mm) and large (3-8 mm) follicles were subjected to standard IVM culture for 24 h. Mature oocytes were selected and then parthenogenetically activated using A23187 (5 microm, 5 min) or thimerosal (200 microm, 10 min) alone or combined with 6-dimethylaminopurine (2.5 mm and 3.5 h, respectively). Activation rates of the oocytes, neither from the large nor small follicles, were affected by different activation treatments (single or combined stimuli). Whereas maturation rates for the oocytes from large follicles were superior to those from small follicles in both the single (59% vs 45%) and combined treatments (76% vs 40%; p < 0.05). To understand how prolonged heat shock (HS) influences cytoskeletal configurations of mature bovine oocytes, in Experiment 2 (Exp 2), matured oocytes derived from large follicles were randomly allocated to different durations of HS treatments at 41.5 degrees C for 0 (C0h, control, n = 12), 1 (HS1h, n = 28), 2 (HS2h, n = 31), and 4 h (HS4h, n = 30). An additional control group was cultured for 4 h without HS (38.5 degrees C, 4 h, n = 35). Alterations in nuclear structures, microtubules (MTs), and microfilaments (MFs) of the oocytes were examined. Abnormalities in the chromosomes, spindle MTs and the percentages of oocytes with cytoplasmic MTs increased with time of HS treatment. The intensity of the MF distribution in the HS oocytes was also altered. Significant changes in the cytoskeleton after HS may be associated with the reduced development under hyperthermia and, perhaps, with the low pregnancy rates of the animals during hot seasons.     

Elevation change of the southern greenland ice sheet

Seasat and Geosat satellite altimeter measurements for the Greenland ice sheet (south of 72 degreesN latitude) show that surface elevations above 2000 meters increased at an average rate of only 1. 5 +/- 0.5 centimeters per year from 1978 to 1988. In contrast, elevation changes varied regionally from -15 to +18 centimeters per year, seasonally by +/-15 centimeters, and interannually by +/-8 centimeters. The average growth rate is too small to determine if the Greenland ice sheet is undergoing a long-term change due to a warmer polar climate.     

The Nature of the 660-Kilometer Upper-Mantle Seismic Discontinuity from Precursors to the PP Phase

Global Seismic Network data were used to image upper-mantle seismic discontinuities. Stacks of phases that precede the PP phase, thought to be underside reflections from the upper-mantle discontinuities at depths of 410 and 660 kilometers, show that the reflection from 410 kilometers is present, but the reflection from 660 kilometers is not observed. A continuous Lame's constant lambda and seismic parameter at the 660-kilometer discontinuity explain the missing underside P reflections and lead to a P-wave velocity jump of only 2 percent, whereas the S-wave velocity and density remain unchanged with respect to previous global models. The model deemphasizes the role of Lame's constant lambda with regard to the shear modulus and constrains the mineralogical composition across the discontinuity.     

家蚕对8种除草剂农药的毒性反应

近年来农资部门和植保部门出售的除草剂品种繁多,新药不断出现,有许多除草剂在大田作物和桑园中使用,这些除草剂农药对家蚕的毒性如何?笔者等近年来做了大田常用除草剂农药对家蚕的毒性试验,本文报道8种除草剂对家蚕的触杀毒力、安全间隔期及中毒症状,以便为蚕农科学用药提供依据。 1 材料与方法 1.1 供试农药 市售41%农达水剂(美国孟山都公司),72%2,4－D丁酯水剂(河北万全农药厂),盖草能(中国农业生产资料集团公司分装),2%使它隆乳油(美国陶氏益农公司),20%克无踪水溶液(英国卜内门化学工业有限公司),50%高特克悬浮剂(德国艾格福公司),50%扑草劲可湿性粉剂(昆明农药厂)和10%新代力可湿性粉剂(浙江省乐清市乐吉化工厂)共8种。 1.2 供试蚕品种 春季781×782*734,秋季苏3*秋3×苏4*苏12,由省农科院蚕研所春用组提供。 1.3 试验地点及桑品种 在本所生理病理室和桑树研究室进行,6年生油桑品种,低干养成,7500株／ha