Body condition scoring (BCS) in corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus) and comparison to pre-existing body condition index (BCI) for snakes

In the veterinary profession, the body condition score (BCS) plays an important role in the assessment of patients. It is a subjective, tactile method of evaluating body fat and muscle mass and is used in numerous species. Recognizing obesity (or the contrary, emaciation) is important for veterinarians treating reptiles and could be facilitated by a BCS. An existing form of body condition assessment already used is the body condition index (BCI), where the residuals from a regression of body mass on body length are calculated. Therefore, the goal of this study was to provide practitioners with a BCS system for corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus) and to test it against the BCI. A total of 22 corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus), stationed at the “Auffangstation für Reptilien” in Munich (reptile rescue centre, RRC), were subject of this study. Each had the following measurements taken: body weight (BW), snout–tail tip length (STL), snout–vent length (SVL) and circumference in the middle (C). Manual palpation of spine, area between vertebral spinous and transverse process, ribs and neck of each snake was performed by three veterinarians and assigned to specific scores by each examiner. A BCS (mean of examiners’ scores) was given to each snake according to manual palpation. The BCS system was chosen to be out of 5 in 0.5-point steps with 2.5 considered as ideal BCS. In the studied snakes, the BCS ranged from 1.5 to 3.5, with a median of 2.5. The median BW was 309 g (75–967 g), the median STL was 123 cm (79–153 cm), the median SVL was 104 cm (73–133 cm) and the median C was 7.5 cm (4.3–11 cm). BCS and BCI were positively correlated. A BCS includes a manual palpation of the animal and thus gives the examiner additional information to the objectively measured/calculated index.     

Tea polyphenols increase the antioxidant status of laying hens fed diets with different levels of ageing corn

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of ageing corn levels (stored for 4 years) with or without the supplementation of tea polyphenols (TPP) on the performance, egg quality and antioxidant status of laying hens. A total of 288 Lohmann commercial laying hens (63-week-old) were used under a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement with 4 levels of dietary ageing corn (0%, 25%, 50%, or 100%) and 2 levels of TPP (0 and 600 mg/kg) for 8 wk. Dietary ageing corn linearly decreased (P < 0.05) the egg production, serum total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), liver glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) of laying hens, yolk index, yolk colour, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) value and the reducing power value of egg yolk, but it linearly increased (P < 0.05) the feed conversion rate, ovary malondialdehyde (MDA) content of laying hens, and the protein carbonyl content of egg yolk. Tea polyphenol supplementation increased (P < 0.05) the serum T-AOC, serum superoxide dismutase (SOD), liver SOD, liver GSH-Px, ovary SOD, GSH-Px, the expression of antioxidant-related genes of laying hens, albumen height, Haugh unit, DPPH value and the majority free amino acids of egg yolk, but it decreased (P < 0.05) the serum MDA content of laying hens, MDA and protein carbonyl of egg yolk. In conclusion, the ageing corn significantly reduced the performance, egg quality, antioxidant status and egg antioxidant capacity of laying hens, while TPP supplementation partially counteracted the adverse effects, especially antioxidant status and egg antioxidant capacity of laying hens.     

蒸汽爆破技术在玉米秸秆饲料化利用中的研究进展

玉米秸秆是作物残余物中最丰富的木质纤维素生物质之一,主要由纤维素、半纤维素和木质素通过氢键及其他化学键、分子键结合而成,是具有复杂聚合结构的高分子化合物,作为动物饲料的可利用率较低。蒸汽爆破即汽爆,是应用蒸汽弹射原理实现爆炸过程中对生物质预处理的技术。将蒸汽爆破技术应用于玉米秸秆处理,可高效分离纤维素,对玉米秸秆具有明显的解聚作用,有利于提高玉米秸秆的饲料化利用程度。作者介绍了蒸汽爆破工艺原理与参数,综述了蒸汽爆破处理对玉米秸秆纤维结构、化学成分和酶解产糖的影响,以及对玉米秸秆的营养成分消化率和瘤胃微生物附着的影响。已有研究表明,蒸汽爆破可使蒸汽分子渗入植物组织,经过瞬时释放将内能转化为机械能,作用于生物质组织细胞层间,达到原料分解的目的;蒸汽爆破可改变玉米秸秆的纤维结构,降低半纤维素和木质素含量,提高纤维素含量(随着蒸汽爆破的压强和维压时间的增加,半纤维素含量显著降低,而物料含水率的增加会导致纤维素含量升高);蒸汽爆破可提高玉米秸秆体外发酵酶解产糖率,随着蒸汽爆破压强和维压时间的增加,玉米秸秆体外培养酶解还原糖产量增加;蒸汽爆破可使玉米秸秆的体外发酵产气量、产气速率、干物质和酸性洗涤纤维含量显著提高,可提高反刍动物对玉米秸秆的消化利用率,充分利用玉米秸秆的纤维素,提高玉米秸秆的营养价值;蒸汽爆破通过破坏玉米秸秆的表面结构,可促进瘤胃微生物在玉米秸秆上的附着,从而促进玉米秸秆的降解。综上,蒸汽爆破技术处理玉米秸秆可提高其作为饲料的利用率。     

秸秆发酵剂青贮玉米对奶牛产奶量的影响

利用“青贮宝”青发酵剂贮的玉米饲喂奶牛,研究其对奶牛产奶量的影响。试验选取20头中国黑白花奶牛,分为试验组和对照组,试验组饲喂青贮宝青贮玉米,对照组饲喂普通青贮玉米。结果表明：试验组每头牛的日产奶量可提高1．14～1．21kg。     

玉米花丝多糖的提取制备与抑菌作用研究

本研究以玉米花丝为原料提取多糖.选取花丝类型、花丝和水的比例、温度和时间4个因素,采用L9(34)正交设计,两次重复.结果表明:玉米花丝多糖提取的最佳方法为:采用老花丝,花丝和水比例为1:6,60℃水浴2.5 h,提取率为3.65％.通过浓缩、离心、沉淀等过程,并去除蛋白质、色素等杂质,得到玉米花丝粗多糖.将粗多糖进行...     

超声波预处理对全株青贮玉米品质的影响

为研究超声波预处理对全株青贮玉米品质的影响,设置空白对照组、超声处理组(5、10、15、20、25 min)和乳酸菌对照组进行青贮玉米品质研究.结果表明:15 min和20 min超声处理后,全株玉米青贮饲料感官评定属于优良级.与对照组相比,超声处理后饲料的pH和氨氮比分别降低7.71％和7.82％,乳酸和乙酸含量分别...     

大型组合式机械通风玉米穗储粮仓的设计

本研究针对大农户玉米穗储藏的实际情况,研制了大型组合式机械通风玉米穗储粮仓,并对其进行了装粮试验.结果表明:该型储粮仓机械性能稳定,结构组装方便,降水、防霉、防鼠效果显著,可有效降低粮食产后损失,保证粮食品质.     

利用近红外光谱技术快速分析全株玉米青贮营养成分

研究旨在利用近红外光谱技术(near infrared reflectance spectroscopy,NIRS)建立全株玉米青贮6种营养成分的近红外预测模型,为生产实践中合理利用全株玉米青贮饲料资源提供理论依据.选取玉米青贮样品64份作为定标集,16份作为验证集.利用NIRS结合改良偏最小二乘法(modified ...     

光周期与氮肥互作对华农1号青饲玉米碳氮代谢相关酶的影响

于2005年3-7月,采用盆栽试验,设置3个不同光照长度处理和氮素水平,研究了不同光照时数及氮素水平对远缘玉米杂交种华农1号青饲玉米碳氮代谢相关酶活性的影响.结果表明,在苗期,16 h光照处理下植株叶片磷酸烯醇式丙酮酸羧化酶、蔗糖磷酸合成酶、蔗糖合成酶、谷氨酰胺合成酶和硝酸还原酶等酶的活性显著低于13和10 h光照处理;至抽雄期和收获期,13和10 h处理下植株叶片各种酶的活性下降速率较快,而16 h处理下酶活性下降缓慢且显著高于13和10 h处理.在抽雄期或收获期,16 h处理下叶片各种酶的活性均随施氮量的增加而增加,但在13和10 h处理下均有几种酶的活性在高氮素水平下出现下降的趋势.总的看来,在16 h光照处理下,植株苗期碳氮代谢相对较弱,到中后期代谢能力明显提高,且耐高氮能力也较强,收获期植株叶片酶的活性显著高于13和10 h处理.     

玉米DDGS中抗生素残留的潜在风险及其检测方法

本文就DDGS产品中抗生素残留风险及其检测方法作一综述。