Endocrine and sperminogenic testicular function. 8. Relationships between testicular and plasma testosterone concentrations as well as between the number of Leydig cells in testicular tissue and their cell nucleus volume in boars of different ages]

Testicular tissue and blood samples (V. spermatica interna) were taken from 32 boars during castration. The animals were different age groups. Against this background, studies were conducted into the correlations between testicular and plasma testosterone, on the one hand, and the amount of interstitial cells of Leydig in testicular tissue as well as the latters' cell nuclei volumes, on the other. The results seemed to support the conclusion that any age-dependent increase of testicular and plasma testosterone concentrations was caused unambigously by an absolute increase in volume of androgenic testicular tissue, in concomitance with testicular growth, in other words, by rise in the total number of interstitial cells of Leydig.     

Excessive oral administration of iron to sheep. 1. Digestibility of rations, results of fattening and carcass yields]

4 digestibility trials (4 male sheep per group) and 2 growth trials were carried out with 24 (V 1) and 32 (V 2) fattening lambs to investigate the effect of abundant oral Fe doses on the digestibility of crude nutrients in a ration of barley + dried green feed and on the results of fattening and carcass yields. Fe supplementation (less than 1400 mg per sheep/day) did not significantly change the digestibility coefficients of crude nutrients. Increasing Fe levels in the concentrates decreased the rates of liveweight increase and food consumption in both growth trials. Well-established statistical evidence was provided for the decline in absolute carcass yields resulting from the lower weight of the lambs at the end of the fattening period after Fe supplementation.     

Hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus (HEV) infections in swine. Serologic indication for infectional occurrence in Denmark]

In 1956 a disease of nursing pigs previously unreported in Denmark, was observed in several swine herds. The disease syndrome appeared identical with that later described by Roe and Alexander in 1958 and by S. F. Cartwright and M. Lucas in 1968. Since 1956 there have been no reports of such outbreaks in Danish herds. To investigate whether the virus is still present, a survey was carried out to detect neutralizing antibodies in sera from a number of boars using a micro technique. In 144 sera from Jutland 12% had titers ranging from 10 to 32 ND-50, 22% from 32 to 90, 37% from 90 to 256, 14% from 256 to 724 and 3% above 724 ND-50 with a total of 86% positive. Of 174 sera from the rest of the country 16% had titers ranging from 10 to 32 ND-50, 18% from 32 to 90, 28% from 90 to 256, 13% from 256 to 724 and 3% exceeding 724 ND-50 with a total of 79% positive.     

黄瓜全雌性基因连锁的AFLP和SCAR分子标记

 本研究以全雌品种‘戴多星’自交系和弱雌品种‘北京截头’自交系为双亲杂交获得F₁ ,然后得到F₂ 性型分离群体, 利用分离群体分组分析法(Bulked Segregant Analysis, BSA) 构建全雌和弱雌两个基因池, 筛选了64对AFLP选择性引物EcoR I-NN +Mse I-NNN组合, 发现EcoR I-TG +Mse I-CAC引物组合在全雌基因池中扩增出一条分子量为234 bp的特异带。经F₂ 代单株验证, 该特异条带能在全雌单株中稳定出现。以MAP MAKER (Version 310) 软件分析, 该标记与全雌性位点的连锁距离在617 cM。命名该连锁标记为TG/CAC₂₃₄。将该特异条带回收、克隆、测序, 设计特异SCAR引物, 再对F₂ 代单株基因组DNA进行扩增, 仅在全雌单株中扩增出1条分子量为166 bp 的特异带, 表明已成功地将与黄瓜全雌性连锁的AFLP标记转化为操作简便、表现稳定的SCAR标记, 该标记命名为SA₁₆₆。     

蝴蝶兰组织培养中的褐化控制研究

 系统研究了吸附剂(活性炭、PVP) 与柠檬酸、半胱氨酸、谷胱甘肽、维生素C和硫代硫酸钠5种抗氧化剂对蝴蝶兰组培中褐化的影响。结果表明: 活性炭能有效控制褐化和促进生长, 但不利于分化; 谷胱甘肽控制褐化的效果虽不及活性炭, 但综合效果最佳。     

Breeding objectives for beef cattle used in different production systems: 2. Model application to production systems with the Charolais breed

A general bio-economic model for beef cattle production was used to define breeding objectives for Charolais cattle to be utilized in a variety of linked production systems. Economic weights were calculated for 16 traits (some with both direct and maternal components) in three production systems (pure-breeding and terminal crossing with beef or dairy cows) and two marketing strategies (sale or fattening of weaned surplus calves). Economic weights for the total breeding objective were calculated as weighted averages, where weights were numbers of cows expected to be mated with Charolais bulls in each production system and marketing strategy. Results suggest that the direct component of calving performance and cow longevity were of primary economic importance in all systems. Conception rate of cows and weaning weight reached about 50% of the standardized economic weight of calving performance in purebred systems with sale of weaned calves, whereas in purebred systems with fattening the economic importance of the direct component of cow conception rate, losses at calving, mature weight of cows, weaning weight, and fattening traits were of equal importance (each approximately about 20% that of calving performance). In terminal crossing systems, weaning weight was important when calves were sold at weaning, and fattening traits were important for systems selling fattened animals. The bio-economic model performed well under the conditions of this demonstration and could easily be customized for other applications.     

Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp., Verocytotoxic Escherichia coli,and Antibiotic Resistance in Indicator Organisms in Wild Cervids

Faecal samples were collected, as part of the National Health Surveillance Program for Cervids (HOP) in Norway, from wild red deer, roe deer, moose and reindeer during ordinary hunting seasons from 2001 to 2003. Samples from a total of 618 animals were examined for verocytotoxic E. coli (VTEC); 611 animals for Salmonella and 324 animals for Campylobacter. A total of 50 samples were cultivated from each cervid species in order to isolate the indicator bacterial species E. coli and Enterococcus faecalis/E. faecium for antibiotic resistance pattern studies. Salmonella and the potentially human pathogenic verocytotoxic E. coli were not isolated, while Campylobacter jejuni jejuni was found in one roe deer sample only. Antibiotic resistance was found in 13 (7.3%) of the 179 E. coli isolates tested, eight of these being resistant against one type of antibiotic only. The proportion of resistant E. coli isolates was higher in wild reindeer (24%) than in the other cervids (2.2%). E. faecalis or E. faecium were isolated from 19 of the samples, none of these being reindeer. All the strains isolated were resistant against one (84%) or more (16%) antibiotics. A total of 14 E. faecalis-strains were resistant to virginiamycin only. The results indicate that the cervid species studied do not constitute an important infectious reservoir for either the human pathogens or the antibiotic resistant microorganisms included in the study.     

Pregnancy Rates in Repeat-breeder Heifers Following Multiple Artificial Inseminations during Spontaneous Oestrus

Hormonal asynchronies during oestrus, related to the presence of suprabasal plasma-progesterone (P4) concentrations and a delayed ovulation, interfere with the fertility of repeat-breeder heifers (RBH). Since tubal dysfunction can occur in connection with hormonal asynchronies and constrained availability of fertile spermatozoa at the time of ovulation, the present study tested the hypothesis that frequent sperm deposition from onset of oestrus to ovulation may improve pregnancy rates in RBH. Five RBH and five virgin heifers (VH; controls) were repeatedly artificially inseminated (AI) at 6 h intervals from onset of oestrus to spontaneous ovulation. Hormone analyses revealed suprabasal P₄ concentrations and a delay in the occurrence of the luteinising hormone (LH) surge, but a normal cortisol profile in RBH. Compared with controls, RBH presented longer interval from onset of oestrus to ovulation, and therefore, received more AIs. Pregnancy rates in RBH reached control levels (60%; NS), indicating that the hypothesis might be correct. Pregnancy rates in VH were below the expected range, presumably attributed to a deleterious influence of the frequent handling. The study suggests that pregnancy rates can be improved in RBH by frequent AI in relation to spontaneous ovulation. However, this practice of repeated manipulations, while seeming not to show adverse effects, lacks practicality for routine use.