Estimation of daily and total lactation milk yield of Chios ewes from single morning or evening records

Linear models were developed and evaluated for the estimation of daily (24 h) and total lactation milk yield of dairy sheep from single morning (am) or evening (pm) milking records. A total of 22,908 individual test-day milk records of 5110 ewes of the Chios breed, raised in 46 flocks, were used. Depending on the model, different daily milk yield estimates were derived for each ewe, accounting for lactation number, stage of lactation, season of previous lambing and interval between successive milkings. Daily milk yield was also estimated from doubling the single am or pm record. Actual and estimated yields were compared using root mean square errors (RMSEs), mean absolute differences, an accuracy parameter defined as the ratio of the actual yield variance over the sum of the variances of actual yield and absolute difference, and the product moment correlation between estimated and actual yield. Results were validated on independent datasets. Linear models resulted in less biased and more accurate estimates of the daily milk yield than simply doubling the am or pm record. Root mean square errors decreased by 7-37% and the mean absolute difference was reduced by 1-4% of the average daily yield. Higher accuracy and correlation were obtained from linear model application than doubling. Total lactation milk yield was predicted based on actual daily yield and compared to predictions based on estimated daily yield from am or pm records, as well as directly on single milking records. Root mean square errors obtained when daily yield had been estimated with linear models were 26-35% lower compared to doubling the am or pm yield and 0-13% lower compared to estimating the total lactation yield directly from single milking records. Linear model application also resulted in lower mean absolute difference and higher accuracy and correlation than doubling the am or pm record. Recording the yield of a single milking (am or pm) instead of both can benefit milk recording by reducing its cost and increasing farmer participation. In this context, linear models developed in the present study can be used for the accurate estimation of daily (24 h) and total lactation milk yield from single milking records.     

Growth performance, energy, and nitrogen balance of weanling pigs fed a cereal-based diet supplemented with Chinese rhubarb

Forty Swiss Large White piglets of 4 weeks of age were used to determine the effect of dietary Chinese rhubarb on growth performance, as well as on energy and nitrogen metabolism by means of indirect respiration calorimetry studies. A cereal-based diet, supplemented with four different dosages of Chinese rhubarb (0.0%, 0.25%, 0.5%, 1%), was offered ad libitum to the piglets. Gaseous exchange was measured, and urine, faeces, and blood samples were taken. The addition of 0.25% dietary rhubarb increased feed intake (+32%) and daily weight gain (+67%) compared to the diet containing the greatest amount of rhubarb (1%). The piglets fed diet supplemented with 0.25% rhubarb digested and metabolised more energy and nitrogen relative to the animals of treatment 1%. As a consequence, the same group (0.25%) converted more energy and nitrogen into body protein than piglets receiving diet supplemented with 1% rhubarb. However, compared to the control group, the addition of 0.25% rhubarb to the diet resulted in not significantly alter growth performance, energy, and nitrogen metabolism of the animals.Blood parameters were not affected by the rhubarb supplementation. The dose-responding effect of Chinese rhubarb was reflected by the dry matter content of faecal samples. According to the laxative effect of higher doses of rhubarb, the addition of 1% rhubarb to the diet reduced dry matter content of faeces. This effect was well visible in practice, although not relevant in statistical terms. The addition of 0.5% dietary rhubarb had no relevant effect on growth performance or on energy and nitrogen metabolism of treated animals.     

Breeding objectives for beef cattle used in different production systems: 2. Model application to production systems with the Charolais breed

A general bio-economic model for beef cattle production was used to define breeding objectives for Charolais cattle to be utilized in a variety of linked production systems. Economic weights were calculated for 16 traits (some with both direct and maternal components) in three production systems (pure-breeding and terminal crossing with beef or dairy cows) and two marketing strategies (sale or fattening of weaned surplus calves). Economic weights for the total breeding objective were calculated as weighted averages, where weights were numbers of cows expected to be mated with Charolais bulls in each production system and marketing strategy. Results suggest that the direct component of calving performance and cow longevity were of primary economic importance in all systems. Conception rate of cows and weaning weight reached about 50% of the standardized economic weight of calving performance in purebred systems with sale of weaned calves, whereas in purebred systems with fattening the economic importance of the direct component of cow conception rate, losses at calving, mature weight of cows, weaning weight, and fattening traits were of equal importance (each approximately about 20% that of calving performance). In terminal crossing systems, weaning weight was important when calves were sold at weaning, and fattening traits were important for systems selling fattened animals. The bio-economic model performed well under the conditions of this demonstration and could easily be customized for other applications.     

以白菜为例的转基因植物环境安全性评价研究

以转除草剂抗性基因的白菜为例,通过对具体事实的展现和分析,介绍了关于转基因植物环境安全性评价的方法,以及目前国际上关于转基因作物的一些比较一致的结论。针对我国的农业生态环境,结合试验结果,讨论了获得的转基因白菜的环境安全性。     

极早熟大白菜新品种豫新50的选育

采用游离小孢子培养双单倍体技术快速育成早熟大白菜杂交一代新品种豫新50。结果表明:豫新50为极早熟耐热品种,从播种到采收50-56d,高抗病毒病和软腐病,抗霜霉病;平均667m2产净菜2716.87kg,株形紧凑,适宜密植;叶球矮桩叠抱,整齐度高,商品性好;质地柔嫩,风味佳,每100g鲜样含粗蛋白质1.19g,粗纤维0.40g,维生素C20.8mg,可溶性糖2.80g。     

架子牛肥育综合技术研究

该文从架子牛的选购、驱虫、肥育期的饲养管理、日粮营养等方面做了系统的研究。结果表明,选择2～3岁的夏洛来牛或西门塔尔牛的改良后代,采用高能量高蛋白质日粮可以获得较高的经济效益。     

利用游离小孢子培养育成早熟大白菜新品种‘豫新5号’

 ‘豫新5号’是采用游离小孢子培养双单倍体育种技术选育的一代杂种，该品种生育期60 d，单球质量23 kg，球形指数1.35，高抗病毒病、霜霉病和软腐病，净菜产量56.7 t·hm^-2，可兼作早熟、晚熟栽培。     

Effect of antifibrotic herb serum on rat hepatic stellate cell proliferation and collagen synthesis

AIM: To investigate the effect of Chinese herbs, Ganxianfang(GXF), on rat hepatic stellate cells (HSC) proliferation and collagen synthesis. METHODS: Two types of herb serum, portal venous serum and circumferential venous serum, were prepared from rats infused intragastrically with 16, 8, 4 times adult dose of GXF decoction. HSC isolated from rat liver were processed with the above sera in vitro. Then we mensurated the radioactivity of HSC admixed with [[³H]H]proline and [[³H]H]thymine to judge the effect on proliferation and collagen synthesis of HSC. RESULTS: Both two types of serum collected 0.5, 1, 2 h after intragastrical infusion inhibited HSC proliferation (P＜0.05), and the serum collected 1 h after intragastrical infusion had the strongest effect (P＜0.05). Portal serum decreasea collagen synthesis (P＜0.05), but circumferential serum had no effect (P＞0.05). CONCLUSION: Inhibition of HSC proliferation and decrease of collagen synthesis may contribute to the GXF antifibrotic action.     

Effects of aqueous extracts and decomposition of Mikania micrantha H.B.K. debris on selected agronomic crops

Laboratory and greenhouse experiments were conducted to determine the effects of aqueous extract and the debris of Mile-a-Minute ( Mikania micrantha H.B.K.) on the germination and growth of four test species, viz. tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), Chinese cabbage ( Brassica chinensis L.), corn ( Zea mays L.) and long bean ( Vigna sesquipedalis L.). Germination percentage, radicle length and fresh weight of two crops, Chinese cabbage and tomato, decreased progressively when plants were exposed to increasing concentrations (12.5, 25, 37.5 and 50 g L⁻¹) of aqueous extract of Mikania , but did not affect those of corn and long bean seedlings. The emergence of tomato and Chinese cabbage was greatly reduced when Mikania debris was incorporated into the soil, irrespective of the amount of debris and the decomposition period. In contrast, the emergence of corn and long bean seedlings was not affected. The application of fertilizer (NPK 15 : 15 : 15) enhanced the fresh weight of all seedlings tested as compared with those not supplied with the fertilizer. Four compounds were identified in the leaf extract of Mikania , viz. caffeic acid, p -hydroxybenzaldehyde, resorcinol and vanillic acid.     

大白菜软腐病菌游动性突变体在大白菜体内增殖扩展研究

 用培养皿滤纸吸附测定法和不伤根土壤拌菌处理及针刺接种法,测定了大白菜软腐病菌游动性突变体进入大白菜体内、并在其中侵染定殖和扩展的特性。结果表明,游动性丧失和增强的突变体都可以通过种子萌发和主动接触进入大白菜体内、并可以在体内有短期的繁殖,但菌量远低于野生菌。大白菜叶片接种实验说明,这两种突变体也都可以进行短距离扩展,但扩展距离和菌的繁殖量低于野生菌。