Effects of beta-glucan extracted from Saccharomyces cerevisiae on growth performance, and immunological and somatotropic responses of pigs challenged with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide

Three experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of beta-glucan supplementation on pig performance and immune function. In Exp. 1, 100 weaned pigs (8.65 +/- 0.42 kg of BW and 28 +/- 2 d of age) were used in a 35-d experiment to determine the effects of graded levels of beta-glucan. Pigs were randomly allotted to 1 of 5 treatments containing beta-glucan supplemented at 0, 25, 50, 100, or 200 ppm. Each treatment was replicated using 5 pens containing 4 pigs per pen. The ADG of pigs between d 14 to 28 and d 0 to 28 responded to dietary beta-glucan in a quadratic fashion (P < 0.05), whereas beta-glucan had no effect on ADFI and G:F in any period. In Exp. 2, 80 crossbred pigs (8.23 +/- 0.56 kg of BW and 28 +/- 2 d of age) were used in a 35-d experiment. Pigs were allotted to 1 of 2 dietary treatments (0 or 50 ppm of beta-glucan in the diet) using 10 pens with 4 pigs per pen. Pigs treated with beta-glucan had greater ADG in the 14- to 28-d (P = 0.05) and 0-to 28-d (P = 0.035) periods. The ADFI of pigs receiving beta-glucan was increased (P < 0.05) in the periods from 0 to 14, 0 to 28, and 28 to 35 d. The lymphocyte proliferation index in response to phytohemagglutinin (P = 0.051) and concanavalin A (P = 0.052) tended to decrease on d 14 in pigs supplemented with beta-glucan compared with pigs without supplementation. In Exp. 3, 24 barrows (8.89 +/- 0.20 kg of BW and 28 d of age) were used to investigate the immunological and somatotropic responses of pigs challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Experimental treatments were arranged in a 2 x 2 factorial, with the main effects of LPS challenge (saline vs. LPS) and dietary addition of beta-glucan (0 vs. 50 ppm). Pigs were raised individually in metabolic cages. Pigs were fed 0 or 50 ppm of beta-glucan for 28 d and then challenged with LPS (25 microg/kg of BW) or saline. After LPS injection, blood was obtained at 0, 1.5, 3, 4.5, 6, and 7.5 h to determine cytokine production and the somatotropic response. Dietary beta-glucan increased plasma interleukin-6 at 1.5, 3, and 4.5 h and tumor necrosis factor-alpha at 3 and 4.5 h and increased plasma interleukin-10 from 3 to 7.5 h after LPS challenge. The beta-glucan treatments had no effect on growth hormone. In conclusion, beta-glucan can selectively influence performance and partially offer benefits on somatotropic axis and immune function in weaned piglets challenged with LPS.     

Dietary Supplementation with Microencapsulated Lutein Improves Yolk Color and Lutein Content in Fresh and Cooked Eggs of Laying Hens

This study was conducted to compare the efficacy of diet supplemented with non-microencapsulated lutein (NL) and microencapsulated lutein (ML) in laying hens. A total of 270 Hy-line Brown laying hens (54 weeks old) were allocated to three groups with six replicates of 15 hens and were adapted to a wheat-soybean meal basal diet for two weeks. Next, the control birds were fed the basal diet, and the test birds were fed the basal diet supplemented with 600 mg/kg NL (12 mg/kg available lutein) or 90.1 mg/kg ML (10 mg/kg available lutein) for 35 days. Supplementation of lutein did not affect the productive performance of laying hens, but improved (P<0.05) the yolk color and red/green value (a*), with eggs from the ML group displaying improved color and a* values from the 15^th day of the experimental period. The blue/yellow value (b*) for the yolk showed an increase (P<0.05) through both NL and ML supplements. The yolk color of fried and boiled eggs and a* value of the yolk in fried eggs were improved (P<0.05) only through ML supplemented diet. Both NL and ML supplements resulted in lower (P<0.05) lightness and higher (P<0.05) a* values of yolk in boiled eggs, as well as higher (P<0.05) b* values in fried and boiled eggs. Yolk lutein content in fresh, fried, and boiled eggs was increased (P<0.05) in NL and ML groups with the latter being higher. In conclusion, ML improved yolk pigmentation and lutein retention in laying hens better than NL.     

中国美利奴羊TLR2基因多态性及其与布鲁氏菌病的相关性分析

试验旨在研究Toll样受体2（Toll-like receptor,TLR2）基因的多态性及其与中国美利奴羊布鲁氏菌病易感性的相关性。利用生物信息学方法对NCBI上公布的绵羊TLR2基因序列进行比对,选出多态位点丰富的片段进行扩增,运用PCR-SSCP的方法对206个中国美利奴布鲁氏菌病阴性样本和80个中国美利奴羊布鲁氏菌病阳性样本进行TLR2基因的多态性检测,然后对不同等位基因的PCR产物进行测序,确定该基因的多态性位点,经卡方检验分析每个SNP位点的等位基因频率、基因型频率及其多态性与布鲁氏菌病易感性的相关性,利用生物信息学软件分析RNA二级结构及蛋白质的二级结构。结果表明,在279 bp的序列中共检测到3个SNPs,分别为：C1731T、G1737C和G1749T,均未引起对应氨基酸的改变,属于无义突变。这些位点在病例组和对照组之间的等位基因频率及基因型频率均不存在显著差异（P>0.05）。各突变位点均能引起RNA二级结构和最小自由能的改变,而蛋白质的二级结构均未改变。由此得出,中国美利奴羊TLR2基因的3个SNPs位点（C1731T、G1737C和G1749T）与中国美利奴羊布鲁氏菌病易感性无相关性。     

PMSG提高初产母猪繁殖力的研究

７０头初产断奶母猪随机分为两组，试验组于断奶当日颈部肌肉注射１０００Ⅰ．Ｕ．ＰＭＳＧ；对照组只注射等容量生理盐水（注射用水），以观察初产母猪断奶后发情配种和２胎产仔的情况。结果表明：试验组母猪断奶发情配种的时间比对照组显著提前（Ｐ＜０．０１）；２胎产仔数增加（Ｐ＜０．０１）；而两组母猪发情配种的受胎率差异不显著（Ｐ＞０．０５）。     

无公害饲料预混剂及中草药在乳牛生产上的应用试验效果

40头产乳牛,10头一组,随机分为无公害预混剂＋中草药组（1组）、无公害预混剂组（2组）、中草药组（3组）和对照组。试验30天,结果表明：①无公害预混剂具有明显促进产乳增长作用,试验末期比初期（1、2组平均）产乳增长13．54％、料乳比下降11．93％、饲料成本下降10．69％,而无预混剂组（3组和对照组平均）依次为-22．39％、-28,87％、-30．3％（p〈0．01）;②中草药具有改善牛乳品质作用,中草药组（3组）牛乳总固体12．7％、乳蛋白3．0％、乳脂肪3．5％,分别比未加中草药组（对照组）高1．1（p〈0．01）、0．3（p〈0．05）和0．2（p〉0．05）个百分点;每千克牛乳中Cu、Fe、Mn、Zn含量,加中草药的1组分别比未加中草药组的2组高0．0152mg（p〈0．05）、0．243mg（p〉0．05）、-0．014mg（p〉0．05）和1．15lmg（p〈0．05）;加中草药组的3组分别比对照组高0．0179mg（p〈0．05）、0．72mg（p〉0．05）、0．0492mg（p〈0．05）和0．287mg（p〉0．05）．     

表证动物模型研究概况

中兽医对表证动物模型的研究相对起步较晚，自1992年沈映君等为研究解表方药报道建立“类表寒证”、“类表热证”动物模型以来，风寒表证、风热表证、卫气（阳）虚证等相关动物模型的研究陆续见诸报道。笔者将近10余年来表证动物模型的研究概况综述如下。     

有机硒对种公牛精子活力、免疫力和血液生化指标的影响

试验选用5头成年种公牛作试验牛,采用分期试验,试验前期饲喂基础日粮,试验中期和后期添加一定量的有机硒,试验期采集种公牛的精液进行精子活力的检测,并分别采取血样进行血常规检测和免疫球蛋白G（IgG）的测定.试验结果表明：在种公牛日粮中添加一定量的有机硒能显著提高种公牛的精子活力和免疫力（P〈0.05）,但对血常规主要指标无显著的影响。     

玉米副产物的饲用价值

本文主要介绍了玉米加工的副产物的种类、数量及常见几种主要玉米副产物的营养价值,并进一步阐述了其饲用畜禽的饲用价值。     

Effects of breed, diet and sex on the alkaline phosphatase activity in walls of the bovine rumen and abomasum

Alkaline phosphatase (APase) activity in tissue samples, with adherent bacteria, was measured from two sites in the rumen and from two sites in the abomasum of 57 yearling Angus and Hereford bulls and heifers fed a high or a low energy diet. In the rumen, APase activity was higher at the caudoventral blind sac than at the dorsal sac in animals of both breeds fed the high energy diet and in Angus bulls fed the low energy diet, but the reverse was observed in Hereford bulls fed the low-energy diet (P less than .01). In the abomasum, APase levels were higher for bulls than heifers (P less than .01) and higher at the fundic than at the pyloric region (P less than .01). Morphological studies also showed that rumen samples from animals fed a high energy diet exhibited a more widely distributed APase activity and an increase in the digestive recycling of epithelial cells that produced some "pitting" of the tissue. The higher APase activity of the epithelial tissue of animals fed the high energy diet may be explained by the greater rate of cell death and renewal indicated by the higher mitotic index reported by other researchers who have studied the cell cycle of the rumen epithelium in ruminants fed high and low energy diets.     

奶牛乳房炎发生的原因及诊断防治综述

乳房炎是奶牛最常见的疾病之一,它不仅严重影响患病牛的产乳量、乳的品质,延长产后发情时间和妊娠时问,而且危及人的健康。据国际奶牛联合会统计,20世纪70年代,奶牛临床型乳房炎患病率约20%,隐性乳房炎则高达50％;在美国饲养的1100万头奶牛中,半数患有各种类型乳房炎,日本全国平均乳房炎患病率为45．1％,法国奶牛整个第一泌乳期临床型乳房炎发生率为26．3％,在芬兰、挪威、瑞典,乳房健康问题分别造成35％、19%和22%的奶牛淘汰。