Effects of different rearing systems on muscle and meat quality traits of slow- and medium-growing male chickens

1. This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of production system on the meat quality of slow- and medium-growing chickens. A total of 1075 1-d-old male chicks were equally divided into 6 experimental groups, represented by three strains (SG: TETRA-H, MG1: TETRA HB Color, MG2: Shaver Farm) and were reared in a poultry house in floor pens (12 males/m²).

2. On d 49, 150 healthy birds (50/genotype) were placed in a free-range family farm while the rest of the birds remained indoors. All birds were fed ad libitum and consumed the same diet. On d 70, 20 birds of each experimental group were slaughtered and muscle samples were taken from the left breast and thigh muscles.

3. Thigh muscle of SG males kept on free range was darker (L* = 75.12 vs. 78.33) with lower frying loss (45.9% vs. 55.9%) compared with the indoor group. Similar results were obtained from the MG1 group. Free-range MG2 males had lighter thigh meat (L* = 50.7 vs. 57.8) and lower frying loss compared to the indoor group.

4. In general, the indoor treatment had a lower impact on breast meat than the outdoor system. Regardless of the rearing system, genotypic differences were more pronounced in thigh than in breast muscle.

     

Polymorphism identification in BMP15 and GDF9 genes and their association with egg production in chickens

1. Mutations in growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) and bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) are significantly associated with reproductive performance in mammals and the objective of the present study was to identify polymorphic sites and elucidate the association between genotypes in BMP15 and GDF9 and egg production.

2. Polymorphisms in BMP15 exon1 and GDF9 exon2 were detected by DNA sequencing and PCR-RFLP. Three SNPs were detected in each of BMP15 (A111G, C231T and C34T) and GDF9 (G593A, T824C and C896T). C34T leads to the substitution of Leu by Phe, which was predicted to affect protein function.

3. Results of the association analysis indicated that C34T had an effect on total egg production at 300 d of age (EN) and age at first laying (AFE). G593A affected EN and both C231T and C896T influenced AFE. The TGC₁TGC₁ diplotype in BMP15 had the highest EN.

4. In conclusion, EN may be significantly improved by marker-assisted selection of the BMP15 genotypes in maternal lines of Shaobo hens.     

Effect of Mediterranean saltbush (Atriplex halimus) ensilaging with two developed enzyme cocktails on feed intake,nutrient digestibility and ruminal fermentation in sheep

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of feeding Atriplex halimus (AH) silage treated with two developed enzyme cocktails to sheep on feed intake, nutrient digestibility and ruminal fermentation. The AH silage was treated without or with 2 L of ZAD1^® or ZAD2^®/1000 kg with 5% molasses and ensiled for 30 days. Barley grain (300 g/head/day) was fed as an energy supplement once daily at 10.00 hours and AH silage with or without enzyme treatment was offered ad libitum to animals twice daily at 09.00 and 16.00 hours. Sheep were fed on four experimental forage diets comprised of AH silage and barley (D1), AH silage treated with ZAD1^® and barley (D2), AH silage treated with ZAD2^® and barley (D3) and AH silage treated with a combination of ZAD1^® and ZAD2^® (1:1) and barley (D4). Ensiling AH with enzymes reduced its contents of neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber. The dry matter intake of AH of D2, D3 and D4 decreased (P < 0.001) as compared to D1. However, enzyme‐treated diets had greater total digestible nutrients intake (P < 0.001) as compared to D1. The nutrients digestibility for D2, D3 and D4 were higher than those for D1 (P < 0.001), and were higher for D3 as compared to both D2 and D4. Sheep fed on D3 had highest (P < 0.001) ruminal total volatile fatty acids concentration, ammonia nitrogen concentration and microbial protein yield. It could be concluded that AH silage treated with ZAD1^® or ZAD2^® improved digestibility and rumen fermentation in sheep.     

Intramammary infusion of an Enterococcus faecium SF68 preparation promoted the involution of drying off Holstein cows partly related to neutrophil‐associated matrix metalloproteinase 9

A problem for dairy cows following milk stasis is to cope with a high risk of intramammary infection and there is a need to initiate an extensive renewal of secretory modules in mammary glands so that milk production in next lactation may be optimized. We recently reported that ultrasonicated Enterococcus faecium SF68 (SF68) is compatible with cow mammary glands and an enhancer of innate immunity during the immediate post‐milk stasis period. The current study further examines the concomitant effect of ultrasonicated SF68 on mammary tissue remodeling. Four Holstein cows each received intramammary infusions of regular antibiotic dry‐cow formula (positive control) and two different doses of SF68 in different quarters. Analyses of individual quarter secretion samples showed faster neutrophil infiltration, earlier modifications in protein composition, including caseins and lactoferrins, as well as more prompt elevation of the specific unit of 92‐kDa matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) in SF68‐infused quarters compared to the positive controls. Intramammary infusion of ultrasonicated SF68 seems able to accelerate the regression of mammary synthetic capacity and potentiate the breakdown of glandular extracellular matrix, indicating a more efficient mammary gland involution. Correlation analyses imply that the ability of ultrasonicated SF68 to induce faster neutrophil chemotaxis and the associated MMP9 release is partly responsible.     

The value of molecular expression of KIT and KIT ligand analysed using real‐time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry as a prognostic indicator for canine cutaneous mast cell tumours

This study investigated the correlation between KIT gene expression determined by immunohistochemistry and real‐time polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) and the rate of tumour recurrence and tumour‐related deaths in dogs affected with mast cell tumour (MCT). Kaplan–Meier curves were constructed to compare tumour recurrence and tumour‐related death between patients. The log‐rank test was used to check for significant differences between curves. KIT‐I, KIT‐II and KIT‐III staining patterns were observed in 9 (11.11%), 50 (61.73%) and 22 (27.16%) tumours, respectively. Tumour recurrence rates and tumour‐related deaths were not associated with KIT staining patterns (P = 0278, P > 0.05), KIT (P = 0.289, P > 0.05) or KIT ligand (P = 0.106, P > 0.05) gene expression. Despite the lack of association between KIT staining pattern and patient survival time, the results suggest a correlation between aberrant KIT localization and increased proliferative activity of MCTs. RT‐PCR seems to be a sensible method for quantitative detection of KIT gene expression in canine MCT, although expressions levels are not correlated with prognosis.     

关岭牛MyoD Ⅰ基因在不同组织和时期中的表达分析

为研究MyoDⅠ基因在关岭牛不同组织表达量的差异及在肌肉发育过程中的表达情况,试验采用实时荧光定量PCR技术对关岭牛背最长肌、大腿肌、心脏、肝脏、脂肪、小肠6个组织的MyoDⅠ基因相对表达量进行检测。同时分析关岭牛胎儿、18月龄、30月龄时期背最长肌组织中MyoDⅠ基因的表达规律。结果显示,MyoDⅠ基因在背最长肌中表达量最高,在出生后的关岭牛肌肉组织中也具有较高的表达量,且随着出生时间的推移呈上升趋势。推测可能由于背最长肌是肌肉富集地方,因此基因表达量较高,随着年龄增大,肌肉丰满度增加,基因表达量也随着增加。     

湖南野生经济植物资源分类及开发利用评价

湖南省自然条件优越，地质、地貌复杂多样，生物资源本底好，生物多样性丰富．据统计，可供利用的野生经济植物资源达2000种以上，为该省一大资源优势．本文根据野生植物资源之用途，将其分为4大类17小类，并较为详尽地论述了各类植物代表种、资源概况及开发利用前景．同时，提出了开发利用这类资源的建议，可供合理开发利用和保护这类资源时参考．     

平原湖区落羽杉苗期黄化防治试验

针对落羽杉苗期在平原湖区易黄化的现象 ,在公安县三台林场开展了落羽杉苗期黄化病防治试验 ,结果表明 :施用硫酸亚铁(FeSO4 )能有效防治落羽杉苗期的黄化现象.     

Potential use of visible and near-infrared spectroscopy for pine species discrimination by examination of needles

The correct identification of pine species is necessary for proper application of wood in forest?based industries, since the quality of each species’ wood depends on factors intrinsic to the material. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential use of near?infrared and visible spectroscopy in the discrimination of pine species planted in southern Brazil. Needles of Pinus clausa, P. glabra, P. kesiya, P. oocarpa, P. palustris, P. pseudostrobus, P. rigida, P. roxburghii and P. serotina were collected from experimental plantations located in the region of Rio Negro, Paraná, Brazil. The needles were dried and milled for analysis. The evaluation was performed with a spectral range of 400–750?nm (visible) and 1 000–2 500?nm (near?infrared). Analysis using the visible spectra resulted in two principal components explaining 95% of the variation between the needle samples. In the near?infrared analysis, it was possible to discriminate between all nine pine species studied using only two principal components, where the first explained 99% of the variation between species. Spectroscopy based on needles can be used for pine species discrimination, using the original data without mathematical treatment, in southern Brazil.     

Identification of ‘Candidatus phytoplasma ziziphi’ associated with persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) fasciation in China

Persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) trees, with fasciation symptoms (PF), were observed in an orchard located in suburban Tai'an, Shandong Province, China. A specific fragment of the phytoplasma 16S rRNA gene, approximately 1.2 kb in length, was amplified from two symptomatic plants via nested polymerase chain reaction, while no fragment was obtained from healthy controls. The two samples (PF1 and PF2) resulted with 99.5% nucleotide sequence identity. Phylogenetic and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that PF1 was a member of ribosomal subgroup B of the elm yellows group (16SrV), and PF2 may represent a novel subgroup within the 16SrV group, designed as 16SrV‐I. This is the first report of phytoplasmas of the 16SrV group associated with persimmon fasciation disease.