The Bolivian “Altiplano” and “Valle” sheep are two different peripatric breeds

Forty-nine sheep belonged to the Andean Altiplano region (“Altiplano”) and 30 in the lowland regions of Bolivia (“Valle”), aged 1 to 4 years, were wool sampled to determine the extent of difference between these local breeds. Fibre length and the percentage of each type of fibre (long-thick, short-thin and kemp), yield and fibre diameter were measured. There was a highly significant difference between the two sheep populations that were not clearly separated in the first two principal component of a principal components analysis (PC); the first PC explained 67.1 % and the second PC explained 26.6 % of the total variation. The variables that contributed most to the separation of the sheep populations were the percentage of long-thick and short-thin fibres in the first PC and yield in the second PC. A discriminant analysis, which was used to classify individuals with respect to their breeding, achieved an accurate classification rate of 84.2 %. Thus, the Altiplano and Valle sheep must be viewed as two closely peripatric breeds rather than different “ecotypes”, as more than 80 % could be correctly assigned to one of the breeds; however, the differences are based on composition of long-thick and short-thin fibres and yield after alcohol scouring.     

荷兰奶业产业链管理及质量控制

在第四届中国国际奶业展览会及高层论坛上,韩国、日本、德国、荷兰奶业交流专场吸引了众多中外奶业界同仁。国外专家关于本国奶牛养殖业、乳品加工业的精彩报告,使与会代表对各国的奶业发展现状和趋势有了全面而深入地了解。本刊编辑部,对各位国外专家的发言进行了整理,现分韩国篇、日本篇、德国篇、荷兰篇四个部分予以刊登,以飨读者,希望对中国建设现代奶业有所借鉴。     

Effect of spineless cactus intake (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Opuntia ficus-indica</Emphasis>) on blood glucose levels in lactating sows and its impact on feed intake,body weight loss,and weaning-estrus interval

The effect of spineless cactus intake (Opuntia ficus-indica) on blood glucose (BG) levels in lactating sows and its impact on daily and total feed intake (dFI^?1 and TFI, respectively), body weight loss (BWL), and weaning-estrus interval length (WEI) were evaluated. Thirty-four hybrid (Yorkshire × Landrace × Pietrain) sows in lactation phase were used. Sows were divided into two groups: G1 (n = 17) where they received commercial feed and G2 (n = 17) provided with commercial feed plus an average of 2.0 ± 0.5 kg spineless cactus, based on a sow’s body weight. The variables evaluated were BG, dFI^?1, TFI, BWL, and WEI. Statistical analysis was performed by using a fixed and mixed model methodology, under a repeated measurements experiment. Group effects were found on all analyzed variables (P < 0.05). The BG was lower in G2 (55.2 and 64.5 mg/dL pre- and post-prandial, respectively), compared to that in G1 (70.9 and 80.1 mg/dL pre- and post-prandial, respectively) (P < 0.05). G2 showed better performance than G1 for dFI^?1, BWL, and WEI (P < 0.05) whose averages were 5.5 ± 1.8 kg, 7.4 ± 4.5%, and 5.3 ± 1.2 days, respectively. Averages for these variables in G1 were 4.7 ± 1.5 kg, 16.8 ± 4.6%, and 6.1 ± 1.6 days, respectively. Intake of spineless cactus reduced BG levels in lactating sows, generating greater dFI^?1, lower BWL at the end of lactation, and a lower WEI.     

日粮中蛋白质和纤维水平对仔猪生产性能和健康状况的影响

为了研究日粮的蛋白质和纤维水平对仔猪生产性能和健康状况的互作,特选择96头35日龄的仔猪（体重为9.11±0.60kg）,分32个栏饲养,每栏3头,分成4个日粮处理组,饲喂期21d。在设定的2×2因子处理中,4种日粮以大米、奶制品和大豆粕为基础配制,日粮蛋白质设两个水平（15.4%与19.4%,风干基）,纤维也设两个水平[低水平纤维（LF）为含5.3%中性洗涤纤维,高水平纤维（HF）为含7.15%中性洗涤纤维,风干基]。高水平纤维日粮组在基础日粮中添加了40g/kg的小麦麸和20g/kg的甜菜浆。每周测定动物生产性能,试验第1天和最后一天收集粪样进行微生物学分析,并且按1（液态）到4（硬实）的评分体系对粪便进行评分。在试验最后1d,每栏选1头猪采集血液,分析急性期反应蛋白（acute-phase protein）和主要急性期反应蛋白（major acute-phase prot）（即Pig-MAP）的含量,随后进行屠宰,对消化道（包括内容物）进行称重,并进行结肠组织学分析。饲喂高水平纤维日粮的仔猪具有较大的平均日增重（390g与457g,P≤0.001）和大肠重量（以占体重比例衡量为4.4%与5.4%,P≤0.05）。这与较高的短链脂肪酸浓度（尤其是乙酸和丁酸）、较少的大肠杆菌数量（每克粪便含7.77与6.86logcfu,P≤0.05）和较高乳酸杆菌与肠道细菌比（0.76与1.37,P≤0.05）是相符的。虽然日粮蛋白质水平没有改变猪的生产性能,但是20%的蛋白质水平提高（P≤0.05）了小肠（6.5与7.7）和大肠（3.8与4.3）的相对重量（占体重的百分比）。在大肠内,含20%蛋白质的日粮使仔猪杯状细胞数量增加（4.6/100与5.4/100μm;P≤0.05）,并使肠上皮内淋巴细胞数量减少（1.8/100与1.3/100μm;P≤0.05）。在健康状况方面,提高日粮纤维水平所产生的效果与日粮中的蛋白质含量有关。在含16%蛋白质的日粮中增加纤维水平可降低粪便评分值、增加抗生素治疗次数,然而在?     

Cytochrome P450 3A, NADPH cytochrome P450 reductase and cytochrome b5 in the upper airways in horse

Gene and protein expression as well as catalytic activity of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A were studied in the nasal olfactory and respiratory mucosa and the tracheal mucosa of the horse. We also examined the activity of NADPH cytochrome P450 reductase (NADPH P450 reductase), the amount of cytochrome b(5) and the total CYP content in these tissues. Comparative values for the above were obtained using liver as a control. The CYP3A related catalytic activity in the tissues of the upper airways was considerably higher than in the liver. The CYP3A gene and protein expression, on the other hand, was higher in the liver than in the upper airway tissues. Thus, the pattern of CYP3A metabolic activity does not correlate with the CYP3A gene and protein expression. Our results showed that the activity of NADPH P450 reductase and the level of cytochrome b(5) in the relation to the gene and protein expression of CYP3A were higher in the tissues of the upper airways than in the liver. It is concluded that CYP3A related metabolism in horse is not solely dependent on the expression of the enzyme but also on adequate levels of NADPH P450 reductase and cytochrome b(5).     

A multicentric retrospective study of serum/plasma urea and creatinine concentrations in dogs using univariate and multivariate decision rules to evaluate diagnostic efficiency

BACKGROUND: Urea and creatinine are the most frequently used indirect markers in plasma and serum of glomerular filtration rate in dogs. Both have been shown to lack sensitivity but their diagnostic efficiency for the diagnosis of kidney disease has been minimally investigated. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate the influence of possible factors of variation on both analytes and to determine whether specific decision rules should be drawn up for subpopulations of dogs. METHODS: The results of urea and creatinine measurements, breed, sex, age, and health status (healthy, renal disease, or nonrenal disease) of 3822 dogs were collected from the archives of 5 veterinary clinics. Data were analyzed with univariate and multivariate decision rules with and without adjustment. RESULTS: There were significant effects and interactions of almost all of the sources of variation. Slight improvements in diagnostic efficiency were obtained by adjusting the decision rules to these sources of variations. Univariate decision rules gave approximately the same diagnostic efficiency for urea and creatinine concentrations, with sensitivity and specificity in the range of 70% and 90%, respectively, using the upper limit of the reference interval as the threshold value. Multivariate decision rules provided only minor improvements in diagnostic efficiency. CONCLUSION: Simultaneous measurement of both urea and creatinine is of limited diagnostic value over the analysis of a single variable. Creatinine is the preferred analyte as it is affected by fewer extrarenal factors of variation.     

Artifacts in digital radiography

Digital radiography is becoming more prevalent in veterinary medicine, and with its increased use has come the recognition of a number of artifacts. Artifacts in digital radiography can decrease image quality and mask or mimic pathologic changes. They can be categorized according to the step during which they are created and include preexposure, exposure, postexposure, reading, and workstation artifacts. The recognition and understanding of artifacts in digital radiography facilitates their reduction and decreases misinterpretation. The purpose of this review is to name, describe the appearance, identify the cause, and provide methods of resolution of artifacts in digital radiography.     

Identification of carcass and meat quality quantitative trait loci in a Landrace pig population selected for growth and leanness

The identification of QTL related to production traits that are relevant for the pig industry has been mostly performed by using divergent crosses. The main objective of the current study was to investigate whether these growth, fatness, and meat quality QTL, previously described in diverse experimental populations, were segregating in a Landrace commercial population selected for litter size, backfat thickness, and growth performance. We have found QTL for carcass weight (posterior P > 0.75), cutlet weight (posterior P > 0.99), weight of ham (posterior P > 0.75), shoulders weight (posterior probability > 0.99), and shear firm-ness (posterior P > 0.99) on pig Chromosome 2. Moreover, QTL with posterior P > 0.75 for fat thickness between the 3rd and 4th ribs (Chromosome 7), rib weights (Chromosome 8), backfat thickness (Chromosomes 8, 9, and 10), and b Minolta color component (Chromosome 7) were identified. These results indicate that commercial purebred populations retain a significant amount of genetic variation, even for traits that have been selected for many generations.     

A novel epidemiological model to better understand and predict the observed seasonal spread of Pestivirus in Pyrenean chamois populations

Seasonal variations in individual contacts give rise to a complex interplay between host demography and pathogen transmission. This is particularly true for wild populations, which highly depend on their natural habitat. These seasonal cycles induce variations in pathogen transmission. The seasonality of these biological processes should therefore be considered to better represent and predict pathogen spread. In this study, we sought to better understand how the seasonality of both the demography and social contacts of a mountain ungulate population impacts the spread of a pestivirus within, and the dynamics of, this population. We propose a mathematical model to represent this complex biological system. The pestivirus can be transmitted both horizontally through direct contact and vertically in utero. Vertical transmission leads to abortion or to the birth of persistently infected animals with a short life expectancy. Horizontal transmission involves a complex dynamics because of seasonal variations in contact among sexes and age classes. We performed a sensitivity analysis that identified transmission rates and disease-related mortality as key parameters. We then used data from a long-term demographic and epidemiological survey of the studied population to estimate these mostly unknown epidemiological parameters. Our model adequately represents the system dynamics, observations and model predictions showing similar seasonal patterns. We show that the virus has a significant impact on population dynamics, and that persistently infected animals play a major role in the epidemic dynamics. Modeling the seasonal dynamics allowed us to obtain realistic prediction and to identify key parameters of transmission.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13567-015-0218-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.