Physiological and electroencephalographic changes in goats subjected to transportation,lairage, and slaughter

This preliminary trial investigated the effect of transportation and lairage periods on physiological parameters of goats subjected to slaughter. Nine male Boer cross goats aged 8–12 months were transported for 6 h and kept at lairage for 3, 6, or 16 h (n = 3). Blood samples were collected at pre- (pre-T) and post-transportation (post-T), and post-slaughter (post-S) for determination of hematological parameters, serum enzyme, protein, and cortisol concentrations. Electroencephalogram readings were taken at pre-T, post-T, pre-slaughter (pre-S), and post-S to determine the median frequency (F₅₀) and total power (Ptot) values. At post-T, there were manifestations of stress leukogram; increase in hematocrit, total protein, and muscle enzyme concentrations; and decrease in Ptot (p < 0.05). The high pre-T cortisol concentration suggests that the goats were already under stress before transportation. Stress leukogram became less evident after lairage, indicating that the goats had recovered from the stress of transportation. Although the Ptot increased at post-S especially following 3 h of lairage, F₅₀ values at post-S did not differ from pre-L, suggesting that the pre-slaughter stress may have affected the pain threshold. It is suggested that after 6 h of transportation, goats should ideally be placed in lairage for a minimum period of 3 h before slaughter.     

Genetic diversity assessed by SSR markers and chemotyping of Fusarium culmorum causal agent of foot and root rot of wheat collected from two different fields in Tunisia

Fusarium culmorum is a major pathogen able to cause foot and root rot and the incitant of Fusarium head blight in wheat in Tunisia. The aims of the present study were to evaluate by PCR the type of mycotoxins produced, to determine the mating type and to analyse the genetic diversity by microsatellite markers of 82?F. culmorum isolates recovered from two separated Tunisian fields. Specific sequences in the Tri6-Tri5 intergenic region, Tri7 and Tri13 were used to identify 3-AcDON- or 15-AcDON-. All studied F. culmorum isolates, were of the 3-AcDON- type. No 15-AcDON- and NIV types were detected in this research. Both mating types MAT1-1 and MAT1-2 were recovered from the two fields in approximately equal proportions. Five polymorphic microsatellite markers were applied to F. culmorum isolates, to determine the genetic variation in and among populations. Sixty-four haplotypes were identified; the analysis of the population structure did not reveal a strong variation between fields. Total gene diversity (H _T ?=?0.505; H _S ?=?0.497) and analysis of molecular variance confirmed that most of the genetic variability was within populations (Φ _ST ?=?0.033; P?<?0.0039). Gene flow (N _m ?=?31.05) indicated little differentiation among populations. Based on these results, the F. culmorum isolates collected from different fields might be part of one large panmictic population and in addition the low linkage disequilibrium values with high genetic variation within populations suggest that the population is recombining sexually.     

Functional relationships between leaf structure and photosynthetic traits as modulated by irradiance and nutrient availability in a sclerophyllous and a non-sclerophyllous mediterranean oak species

Plasticity of structural and physiological leaf traits elicited by irradiance and soil nutrients was investigated in two sympatric mediterranean oaks: a sclerophyllous (Quercus suber L.) and a non-sclerophyllous species (Q. canariensis Willd.). Seedlings were grown for 2 years in pots in a 2-way crossed factors design. Leaf mass-to-area ratio (LMA) and nitrogen were recorded, and photosynthetic capacity (i.e. the apparent maximal carboxylation rate by rubisco, V _cmax) was derived from response curves of net CO₂ assimilation (A) versus intercellular CO₂ mol fraction (C _i). Structural equation modelling was applied to the data for disentangling the complex correlation structure between variables. The two species differed significantly in photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency (PNUE). They displayed the expected responses to irradiance, with large increases in LMA, V _cmax and nitrogen per unit leaf area and decreases in mass-based nitrogen content. Nutrient availability modulated severely leaf N content (mass- and area-based) and mass-based maximal carboxylation rate, but not the plastic response of all these parameters to irradiance. Irradiance primarily modulated leaf structure (LMA), and secondarily nitrogen content, while nutrient availability modulated directly nitrogen content. Nitrogen content in turn had a severe impact on mass-based photosynthetic capacity. It is concluded that in young trees solely leaf structure displayed irradiance-elicited plasticity. This plasticity was not modulated by nutrient availability and was similar in a sclerophyllous and a non-sclerophyllous species.     

Water relations and drought-induced embolism in olive (Olea europaea) varieties 'Meski' and 'Chemlali' during severe drought

We examined the effects of drought on the water relations, osmotic adjustment and xylem vulnerability to embolism of olive (Olea europaea L.) varieties, 'Meski' and 'Chemlali'. Two-year-old self-rooted cuttings growing in sand-filled pots in a greenhouse were subjected to water stress by withholding water for 60 days. Water relations and gas exchange measurements showed that 'Chemlali' was more drought resistant than 'Meski' and had a greater capacity for osmotic adjustment through solute accumulation. However, when water stress was acute, the effect of osmoregulation on leaf cell turgor was largely counteracted by xylem cavitation. Cavitation vulnerability curves showed that both varieties were highly resistant to embolism formation. The xylem water potential inducing 50% loss of stem conductivity approached -7 MPa in 'Meski' and only slightly less in 'Chemlali'. Although the difference between varieties in susceptibility to xylem embolism was small, it appears to account in large part for the difference between them in the ability to tolerate severe drought.     

Effect of dietary inclusion of fermented pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) meal on growth, apparent nutrient digestibility and blood parameters of cockerel chicks

The effect of dietary inclusion of fermented pigeon pea meal (FPPM) on growth response, apparent nutrient digestibility, haematological indices and serum biochemistry of cockerel chicks was studied using 240-day-old cockerel chicks allotted to four dietary treatments consisting of 60 birds each. Four experimental diets were formulated to include FPPM at 0, 50, 100 and 150?g/kg inclusion levels, respectively. Each of the diets was fed to 60 birds replicated six times with ten birds per replicate. The feeding trial lasted for 56?days. Results indicated that final live weight (linear (L). quadratic (Q): P??0.05) by the inclusion of FPPM. Haemoglobin and serum uric acid concentrations were also reduced (P?相似文献   

Effect of Pregnancy on Some Biochemical Parameters in Sahel Goats in Semi-arid Zones

The effects of pregnancy on some biochemical parameters were studied using 20 sexually mature, cycling goats with weight range 20-25 kg. They were randomly separated into two groups of 10 animals each. In one group, oestrus was detected while going round with a buck in the morning and evening; a single buck on detection of oestrus mated the does and the does were tagged as pregnant after confirmation of non-return of oestrus. The other group was kept cycling and tagged as non-pregnant. The mean serum glucose concentration in pregnant does was 63.35 +/- 7.70 mg/dl, significantly lower than 71.59 +/- 1.14 mg/dl for non-pregnant does (p < 0.05); the mean serum cholesterol concentrations were 79.48 +/- 14.93 for pregnant and 67.29 +/- 1.10 for non-pregnant does, with significant difference (p < 0.05). Protein (g/dl), urea (mg/dl), creatinine (mg/dl) and free fatty acid (microequiv/L) remained unchanged between the two groups (p > 0.05), as did the liver enzymes (ALT, AST). Therefore this study showed that low serum glucose and high cholesterol levels are features of mid to late pregnancy in Sahel goats.     

Saccharomyces cerevisiae decreases inflammatory responses induced by F4+ enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli in porcine intestinal epithelial cells

Probiotic yeasts may provide protection against intestinal inflammation induced by enteric pathogens. In piglets, infection with F4+ enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) leads to inflammation, diarrhea and intestinal damage. In this study, we investigated whether the yeast strains Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Sc, strain CNCM I-3856) and S. cerevisiae variety boulardii (Sb, strain CNCM I-3799) decreased the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in intestinal epithelial IPI-2I cells cultured with F4+ ETEC. Results showed that viable Sc inhibited the ETEC-induced TNF-α gene expression whereas Sb did not. In contrast, killed Sc failed to inhibit the expression of pro-inflammatory genes. This inhibition was dependent on secreted soluble factors. Sc culture supernatant decreased the TNF-α, IL-1α, IL-6, IL-8, CXCL2 and CCL20 ETEC-induced mRNA. Furthermore, Sc culture supernatant filtrated fraction < 10 kDa displayed the same effects excepted for TNF-α. Thus, our results extended to Sc (strain CNCM I-3856) the inhibitory effects of some probiotic yeast strains onto inflammation.     

Effect of feeding cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) root meal on growth performance,hydrocyanide intake and haematological parameters of broiler chicks

The effect of feeding cassava root meal on growth performance, hydrocyanide intake, haematological indices and serum thiocyanate concentration of broiler chicks was investigated using 300-day-old male broilers. There were five dietary treatments arranged in a 2?×?2?+?1 factorial arrangement of two processing methods of cassava root (peeled and unpeeled) included at two levels (100 and 200 g/kg) plus a control diet (maize-based diet, containing no cassava root). Each treatment was replicated six times with ten birds per replicate. The feeding trial lasted for 28 days. Control-fed birds had the highest overall (P?P?P?P?P?P?P?P?P?P?P?P?P?P?相似文献   

Phosphorus Adsorption Isotherm: A Key Aspect for Effective Use and Environmentally Friendly Management of Phosphorus Fertilizers in Calcareous Soils

Crop response to the phosphorus (P) application is often erratic in most soil types in the world. In Algeria, there is no information on the P behavior in calcareous soils. The purposes of this work were to investigate the degree of P fixing capacity and to predict P fertilizer requirements of crops according to calcareous levels in the soil. Soil samples (at 0–30 cm depth) were collected and spiked with 0, 25 and 50% of lime (CaCO₃). Phosphate sorption curves were well fitted to the Freundlich equation. Results indicated that the calcareous level was predominantly controlled the P sorption indices [sorption capacity (a), and P sorption energy (n)] to affect the estimation of external d P requirement (EPR_0.2) and P fertilizer rates. The understanding of P sorption and desorption by soils and extrapolating the developed relationship between soil calcareous contents and P fertilizer rates would be quite promising and accurate approach for the economic and effective use of P fertilizers in calcareous soils of Algeria.     

Phenotypic characterization and validation of provitamin A functional genes in early maturing provitamin A-quality protein maize (Zea mays) inbred lines

The number of drought and low-N tolerant hybrids with elevated levels of provitamin A (PVA) in sub-Saharan Africa could increase when PVA genes are optimized and validated for developed drought and low-N tolerant inbred lines. This study aimed to (a) determine the levels of drought and low-N tolerance, and PVA concentrations in early maturing PVA-quality protein maize (QPM) inbred lines, and (b) identify lines harbouring the crtRB1 and LcyE genes as sources of favourable alleles of PVA. Seventy early maturing PVA-QPM inbreds were evaluated under drought, low-N and optimal environments in Nigeria for two years. The inbreds were assayed for PVA levels and the presence of PVA genes using allele-specific PCR markers. Moderate range of PVA contents was observed for the inbreds. Nonetheless, TZEIORQ 55 combined high PVA concentration with drought and low-N tolerance. The crtRB1-3′TE primer and the KASP SNP (snpZM0015) consistently identified nine inbreds including TZEIORQ 55 harbouring the favourable alleles of the crtRB1 gene. These inbreds could serve as donor parents of the favourable crtRB1-3′TE allele for PVA breeding in maize.