Effects of feeding schedule on body condition, aggressiveness, and reproductive failure in group-housed sows

A total of 208 sows and 288 gilts (PIC line C29) were used to determine the influence of feeding frequency (2 vs. 6 times/d, floor fed) on performance and welfare measurements on a commercial sow farm. Treatments consisted of feeding similar amounts of feed to each sow (2.5 kg) or gilt (2.05 kg) over 2 (0700 and 1530) or 6 times daily (0700, 0730, 0800, 1530, 1600, and 1630). There were 8 sows or 12 gilts in each pen. Gilts and sows were moved to pens 1 to 4 d after breeding. In sows, there were no differences (P > 0.10) in ADG, backfat change, or variation in BW. There was a trend (P < 0.08) for sows fed twice daily to farrow more total pigs born, but number born alive or other reproductive performance traits were not different (P > 0.10) among treatments. Sows fed 6 times per day had increased vocalization during the morning (P < 0.07) and afternoon (P < 0.01) feeding periods compared with sows fed twice daily. Sows fed twice daily had more skin (P < 0.01) and vulva (P < 0.04) lesions as well as a small increase in feet and leg (P < 0.01) and hoof (P < 0.02) problems. In this commercial facility, the standard management protocol required moving gilts to a different gestation facility on d 42. On d 42, two pens of gilts with similar breeding dates and treatment were combined and moved to another facility with larger pens until farrowing. Gilts fed 6 times daily had a tendency for greater ADG (P < 0.07) from d 0 to 42 and a tendency for greater (P < 0.09) backfat on d 42. After movement to the larger groups from d 42 to farrowing, ADG was similar (P > 0.10) for gilts fed 2 or 6 times daily. Gilts fed twice daily had lower BW variation at d 42 (P < 0.04) and tended to at farrowing (P < 0.10). In gilts, there were no differences (P > 0.10) for reproductive performance, skin and vulva lesions, and feet and leg scores. In conclusion, there were few growth, farrowing, or aggression differences among gilts fed 2 or 6 times daily. This suggests that either feeding method is suitable for group-housed gilts. Among sows, feeding frequency resulted in few growth or farrowing performance differences. Feeding 6 times daily resulted in a small but significant reduction in skin and vulva lesions and structural problem scores while increasing vocalization. Increasing the feeding frequency from 2 to 6 times daily does not appear to have a negative or positive impact on performance or welfare of group-housed gilts and sows.     

Plum pox in north america: identification of aphid vectors and a potential role for fruit in virus spread

ABSTRACT Thirteen aphid species were tested for their ability to transmit Pennsylvania isolates of Plum pox virus (PPV) collected in Columbia (PENN-3), Franklin (PENN-4), and York (PENN-7) Counties, PA. Four species, Aphis fabae, A. spiraecola, Brachycaudus persicae, and Myzus persicae, consistently transmitted PPV in preliminary transmission tests. Two species, Metopolophium dirhodum and Rhopalosiphum padi, were occasional inefficient vectors. Toxoptera citricida, from Florida, also was an effective vector but it does not occur in major stone-fruit-growing states. Species not transmitting PPV in parallel tests included Acyrthosiphon pisum, Aphis glycines, Aulacorthum solani, Macrosiphum euphorbiae, Rhopalosiphum maidis, and Sitobion avenae. When given a 3-day probing access period simultaneously on PPV-infected peach seedlings and healthy peach seedlings, Myzus persicae, Aphis spiraecola, A. fabae, and B. persicae transmitted PPV to 63, 31, 38, and 32% of the healthy peach seedlings, respectively. When given a similar probing period on PPV-infected peach fruit and healthy peach seedlings, the same aphid species transmitted PPV to 50, 35, 0, and 0% of seedlings, respectively. Results support the hypothesis of secondary PPV spread by indigenous aphids in Pennsylvania, and suggest that PPV-infected fruit has the potential to function as a virus source for long-distance dispersal.     

优化饲料配置对种公牛精液品质的影响研究

【目的】将种公牛日粮由苜蓿+麦草+混合精饲料调整为苜蓿+燕麦草+羊草+混合精饲料+胡萝卜,比较饲料配置变化对精液品质的影响。【方法】以我中心公牛站2岁以上所有正常采精种公牛为研究对象,经过15d饲料过度+120d正式饲喂,统计饲料变化前后各2个月的采精量、精液活力、精液密度,并与上年同期作环比比较。对比前后种公牛体质状况。【结果】种公牛体质明显改善。精液量提升,密度增加,精液活力提高(P0.01)。【结论】优化种公牛饲料配置能有效改善体质,提高精液品质。     

猪流行性腹泻病毒山西分离株S基因遗传变异分析

为分析山西地区猪流行性腹泻病毒（PEDV）的遗传变异情况,试验利用RT-PCR方法对2014-2015年山西省疑似猪流行性腹泻的阳性病料进行克隆和测序,获得4个S基因片段,并对其基因序列和推导的氨基酸序列与国内外毒株进行比对分析。序列分析结果显示,4株PEDV山西分离株的S基因与CV777 vaccine相比,在170~171 bp之间插入12个核苷酸,在401~402、454~455 bp之间均插入3个核苷酸,在461~468 bp之间缺失6个核苷酸。4株PEDV山西分离株S基因之间核苷酸和氨基酸同源性分别为99.2%~99.8%和98.6%~99.7%,与2011-2015年中国流行毒株、CV777 vaccine、attenuated DR13、CV777的核苷酸同源性分别95.0%~98.5%、93.2%~93.6%、93.2%~93.7%、93.7%~94.4%,氨基酸同源性分别为96.2%~98.9%、91.9%~92.6%、92.1%~92.9%、92.9%~94.0%。遗传进化树分析结果表明,PEDV S基因分为3个群,4株PEDV山西分离株属于第一群,与2010年以后国内流行毒株（除AH-M、SQ2014）的亲缘关系较近,与2010年以前中国流行毒株、2个日本株、7个韩国株、2个疫苗株的亲缘关系较远。研究结果提示山西省流行的PEDV发生较明显的变异,需研发新的疫苗来控制PEDV的暴发。     

Comparison of follicular and oocyte development and reproductive hormone secretion during the ovulatory period in Hungarian native breed, Mangalica, and Landrace gilts

Only a very small amount of physiological data is available about the low fertility (mean litter size is 5.7+/-0.8) of Hungarian native breed, Mangalica (M), sows. The aim of the present paper is to reveal the differences in preovulatory follicle development and intrafollicular oocyte maturation between M and Landrace (L) gilts, with special reference to the peri- and postovulatory secretion and peripheral concentrations of estradiol-17beta (E2), progesterone (P4), and luteinizing hormone (LH). The number of preovulatory follicles was 6.8+/-1.4 and 19.6+/-6.6 in M and L gilts, respectively. A lower degree of cumulus expansion and a lower percentage of mature oocytes (TI/M II) was noted in M. Higher LH and E2 peak levels, a longer E2 to LH peak interval, and lower embryo survival was confirmed. Interestingly, despite the lower number of corpora lutea, a higher peripheral blood level of P4 was shown in M than in L gilts. Both diminished follicular development and protracted oocyte maturation may be involved in low fecundity in M, and the present findings may explain these reproductive phenomena.     

用抗虫体表膜抗原抗体测定犬细粒棘球绦虫粪抗原

利用Echinococcus granulosus(Eg)成虫表膜抗原抗体夹心ELISA方法检测犬细粒棘球绦虫感染的粪抗原.首先提取Eg成虫表膜抗原,制备抗Eg成虫表膜抗原的血清,然后用间接ELISA和Western blotting方法检测其抗原抗体反应及免疫原性,用间接免疫组化方法对Eg成虫表膜蛋白进行组织定位.利...     

Electrophoresis Study of Extracts of Submaxillary Salivary Glands from Naturally Rabid Dogs

Rabies virus in submaxillary salivary glands from naturally infected dogs was investigated by a paper electrophoresis technique, and the virus activity was quantitated by intracerebral titration in mice. Extracts from these salivary glands were found to contain (a) 10⁴ to 10⁶ mouse ICLD ₅₀ units of wild rabies seed and (b) a protein complex that migrated electrophoretically in the albumin band and more conspicuously in the beta and gamma bands of normal horse serum. The protein complex was interpreted to comprise aggregates of neutralizing antirabies antibody.     

便携式B超在母猪早期妊娠诊断中的应用研究简

The pregnancy rates at 20 and 50 days were tested by sampling 91 hybridization sows more than 16 days using the intuitive, fast, accurate and non-invasive portable veterinary B ultrasound instrument in the pig breeding farm had 300 sows. The results showed that the nonpregnant diagnostic accuracy rate was 100% at 18 to 20 days, and the pregnant diagnostic accuracy rate was 100% at 40 to 50 days. According the diagnostic results, the pregnancy, disease, estrus, nonpregnancy and non-estrused sows were took the appropriate measures such as nursing, treatment, supplementary breeding and sensuality, the non-productive days of the individuals and groups of sows were improved by above measures. The study built a intuitive, fast, accurate sows early pregnancy diagnosis technology, which improved the fertility of the individuals and groups of sows increased the economic benefit of pig farm.