An ecosystem-based assessment of the Korean blue crab trammel net fishery in the Yellow Sea and management implications

Landings in the blue crab, Portunus trituberculatus, fishery in Korean waters of the Yellow Sea have declined substantially from 11,000 t in the 1980s to 2,300 t in 2004. Blue crab habitat quality in the Yellow Sea has been degraded by anthropogenic activities including sand mining, land reclamation, and coastal pollution. Various traditional management measures have been implemented, including closed seasons during spawning and size limits, but these measures alone have been unsuccessful to conserve blue crab stocks. Consequently, a total allowable catch and a stock-rebuilding program using an ecosystem-based management approach were implemented in 2003 and 2006, respectively to rebuild blue crab stocks and restore habitats. This program involved assessment of both blue crab stock status and trammel-net fishery impacts at an ecosystem-level using an ecosystem-based fisheries assessment method ( [Zhang et al., 2009] and [Zhang et al., 2010]), which considered fishery data from catch and effort time-series, crab population biology, and ecosystem characteristics, including habitats and environmental conditions. Recent (2008) management status indices have shown significant positive change compared to conditions in 2000 with respect to sustainability of the stock and fishery and with regards to biodiversity and ecosystem habitat quality.     

Should only females of giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii be selected in genetic improvement programmes?

Sexual dimorphism is widely observed in almost all farmed aquatic animal species but giant freshwater pawn (GFP) is unique, with males characterized by three main morphotypes (blue claw, orange claw and small males) and females by different reproduction status (ovary, berried egg and already‐spawned females). There has been reported evidence that the effect of male morphotype may have masked genetic variation in growth‐related traits, as a result the heritability for male body weight was lower than that estimated in female. A pending question has arisen whether selection should be made in female only. To answer this question, we used an 8‐year data set from a long‐term selection programme (2008–2015) for high growth in this species comprising 106,756 individuals that were offspring of 515 sires and 810 dams. The body weight data of female and male GFP or of each morphotype was treated as a separate trait and a multi‐trait approach was used to estimate genetic correlations for homologous traits between sexes and between morphotypes. Our analysis showed that there were little differences in the heritability estimates between female and male. In female, mature ovary individual displayed higher heritability than berried egg and already‐spawned females. For male, the heritability for blue claw, orange claw and small males were 0.11, 0.06 and 0.00 respectively. Between‐sex genetic correlation was moderate (0.55 ± 0.11) for body weight, suggesting that the trait expressions in female and male may be genetically different. In female, the genetic correlations for body weight among three female types were close to one (0.91–0.94). In contrast, the genetic correlations for body weight between male morphotypes especially between blue claw or orange claw and small males were low (0.15–0.25). Furthermore, we estimated genetic gain as the difference in least square means (LSM) or estimated breeding values (EBV) between the selection line and control group. The genetic gain in body weight was smaller in females than in males. It is concluded that there is no need to run separate breeding programme for female and male GFP. A combined selection using both female and male data can achieve selection response for body weight as demonstrated in the present study.     

Contact and fumigant activities of constituents of Foeniculum vulgare fruit against three coleopteran stored‐product insects

The insecticidal activities of materials derived from the fruit of fennel, Foeniculum vulgare, against adults of Sitophilus oryzae, Callosobruchus chinensis and Lasioderma serricorne were examined using direct contact application and fumigation methods. The biologically active constituents of the Foeniculum fruits were characterized as the phenylpropenes (E)‐anethole and estragole, and the monoterpene (+)‐fenchone, by spectroscopic analysis. Responses varied with insect species, compound, dose and exposure time. In a filter paper diffusion test, estragole at 0.168 mg cm^?2 caused 91% mortality to S oryzae adults within 1 day after treatment (DAT), whereas (+)‐fenchone and (E)‐anethole gave over 90% mortality at 2 and 4 DAT, respectively. Against C chinensis adults, all test compounds revealed potent insecticidal activities at 0.021 mg cm^?2 at 2 DAT. Against L serricorne adults at 0.105 mg cm^?2, (E)‐anethole gave 100% mortality at 1 DAT, whereas 90 and 60% mortality at 4 DAT was achieved with estragole and (+)‐fenchone, respectively. In a fumigation test, the test compounds were much more effective against adults of S oryzae, C chinensis and L serricorne in closed cups than in open ones, indicating that the insecticidal activity of test compounds was largely attributable to fumigant action. As naturally occurring insect‐control agents, the F vulgare fruit‐derived materials described could be useful for managing field populations of S oryzae, C chinensis and L serricorne. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

Use of urea-molasses-multinutrient block and urea-treated rice straw for improving dairy cattle productivity in Vietnam

After conducting a preliminary survey, a feeding trial was carried out to determine the effect of urea-molasses-multinutrient block (UMMB) and urea-treated rice straw (UTRS) as a feed supplement on the productivity of dairy cows. Sixty Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows on 11 smallholder farms were divided equally into control, UMMB and UTRS supplementation groups. Milk yield and feed intake were recorded daily. Milk fat content, body weight and body condition score (BSC) of each cow were determined at two week intervals. Milk samples for progesterone analysis were collected once a week commencing one month after parturition. Data were recorded for date of onset of ovarian activity, estrus, insemination, and conception rate. Milk production increased by 10.3-11.9% and milk fat content increased by 3-5%, therefore, profit for farmers increased by US $0.55-0.73 per cow per day (exchange rate US $1 = VN $11,000). The intervals from calving to onset of ovarian activity (91-94 days), to estrus (110-114 days), to conception (121-122 days) and the calving interval (13.4-13.6 months) in the trial groups were significantly shorter than those in the control group (112, 135, 152 days and 14.4 months, respectively.     

The epidemiology of nematode and fluke infections in cattle in the Red River Delta in Vietnam

Over a period of 13 months, faecal samples were collected monthly from approximately 45 cattle over 3 months of age. Additionally, 74 calves of 1-2 months were sampled to determine the presence of Toxocara vitulorum eggs. Individual egg counts and infective strongyle larvae from pooled faecal samples were examined. Post-mortem worm counts were carried out on six groups of tracer calves (n=12) that had been kept for 4 weeks on pasture in and around the village studied. The following helminths were identified: T. vitulorum, Cooperia punctata, C. pectinata, C. oncophora, Oesophagostomum radiatum, Trichostrongylus axei, T. colubriformis, Haemonchus spp., Fasciola spp. and Paramphistomum spp. In 8% of the samples collected from young calves, individual egg counts for T. vitulorum were found indicative for pathogenic worm burdens. Strongyle egg counts and worm counts indicated that transmission is low without a distinct seasonality. In animals of 3-9 months old, a strongyle egg count peak can be demonstrated which at a higher age steadily and significantly decreased. In faecal cultures Cooperia spp. were most prominent in all age groups throughout the year with the exception of the period September-November when Haemonchus spp. and Oesophagostomum spp. were most prevalent. Fasciola spp. eggs were found in 22% of the collected faecal samples and the egg counts were low indicating that the intensity of Fasciola spp. infection is mild. Based on the present data, regular anthelmintic treatments seem not to be justified, except for a single treatment at the age of 2 weeks against toxocariosis.     

Canine renal failure syndrome in three dogs

Three dead dogs were brought to the College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University for study. Clinically, all the dogs showed emaciation, anorexia, depression, hemorrhagic vomiting and diarrhea for 7~10 days before death. All the clinical signs were first noted for about one month after feeding the dogs with commercial diets. At necropsy, all 3 dogs had severe renal damage with the same green-yellowish colored nephroliths in the renal pelvis. They also showed systemic hemorrhage and calcification of several organs, which might have been induced by uremia. Microscopically, necrosis, calcification and calculi were detected in the renal tubules, and especially in the proximal convoluted tubules and collecting ducts of the kidney. These findings were supportive of a mycotoxic effect, and especially on their kidneys. However, the precise cause of the toxic effect in these cases of canine renal failure could not be determined.     

Multiple intestinal lymphomatous polyposis in a Jindo dog

A male, 5-year-old Jindo dog underwent enterectomy and enteroanastomosis due to ileus of the intestine at a local veterinary hospital. Grossly, the excised intestine showed markedly thickened multinodular masses in the serosal layer of the upper part, and soft-to-firm, cream-colored neoplastic masses that displayed extensive nodular mucosal protuberances into the lumen. The neoplastic masses were filled with large round cells that were ovoid in shape and they had pale and/or hyperchromatic nuclei. The neoplastic cells had mainly infiltrated into the mucosal and submucosal layers, and they had diffusely invaded the muscular and serosal layers. Therefore, the diagnosis of canine multiple intestinal malignant lymphomatous polyposis was made based on the gross and histopathological findings. The origin of these tumor cells was determined to be B-cells since they were positive for anti-CD20.     

Note: First record of the eucalyptus gall wasp<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ophelimus maskelli</Emphasis> and its parasitoid,<Emphasis Type="Italic">Closterocerus chamaeleon</Emphasis>, in Turkey

The Eucalyptus gall waspOphelimus maskelli (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Eulophidae: Ophelimini) and its introduced parasitoidClosterocerus chamaeleon (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Eulophidae: Entedoninae) are recorded for the first time in the Mediterranean and Aegean Regions of Turkey. Some morphological characters of adult and larva ofO. maskelli and larva ofC. chamaeleon are described and illustrated. Distributions of the two wasps collected in Turkey are given. Results indicate that the biological control agent,C. chamaeleon, has spread over 1,300 km in the 16 months since its initial release.     

Heterobasidion abietinum on Abies species in western Turkey

Forty‐five basidiocarp specimens of Heterobasidion were collected from native Abies species in three locations in western Turkey: A. nordmanniana ssp. bornmülleriana in Bolu province, A. nordmanniana ssp. equi‐trojani in Balikesir province and A. cilicica in Antalya province. Pure cultures were isolated from the basidiocarps and identified to the species level with the aid of mating tests. All the specimens proved to belong to the species Heterobasidion abietinum. This root rot fungus is common in the forests investigated and appears to be relatively virulent on Abies in Turkey. This is the first report of H. abietinum outside Europe.