Genetic parameters for maternal behaviour traits in sows

Data from 32 nucleus and multiplier herds in Germany was used to estimate variance components and breeding values for five maternal behaviour traits in sows. The estimation was performed univariately using an animal threshold model. About 31,000 farrowings recorded from December 2003 until July 2005 were included. The heritability coefficients were 0.07 (0.06) for group behaviour, 0.06 (0.03) for attitude to people, 0.05 (0.01) for maternal ability, 0.03 (0.01) for crushing of piglets and 0.02 (0.02) for savaging of piglets. Additionally, genetic correlations between the behaviour traits and between the behaviour traits and litter size, respectively, were estimated multivariately by REML with a linear model. Low heritability and weak genetic correlation to litter size at birth indicate that it may be difficult to genetically improve the maternal behaviour, and that selection for better mothering ability is not necessarily accompanied by reduced litter size at birth.     

季节对美系杜洛克母猪胴体和肉质性能的影响

本试验测定了不同季节对美系杜洛克的胴体和肉质参数的影响。结果提示:季节对美系杜洛克猪的胴体品质无显著影响。在肉质参数中,秋冬季猪肉的红度(6.47±0.73)显著低于春夏季(8.78±0.85),贮存损失(3.26±0.88)也显著低于春夏季(5.63±0.64)。     

高山草地的光谱反射特征及其估产模型

对祁连山东段高山草地中５种植物群落的光谱反射特征进行了测试研究。结果表明：１）草本植物和灌木种群的光谱反射率在可见光波段上无显著差异，但在近红外波段存在显著差异；２）土壤背景和测试仪器高度对群落的光谱反射产生显著影响；３）植物生长盛期，可用近红外波段的反射差异来区分草地植物群落的空间分布：４）草地植物群落的地上植物量与几种变换的植被指数呈显著或极显著的非线性相关。     

非淀粉多糖复合酶制剂对断奶仔猪血液指标的影响

选用120头平均体重为(8.1±0.2)kg的PIC断奶仔猪,采用单因素完全随机化试验设计,研究在饲料中添加复合酶对断奶仔猪血液指标的影响。试验共设5个处理组,每个处理4个重复,每个重复6头猪。试验期为28 d,分为前期(1～14 d)和后期(15～28 d)两个阶段。结果表明:非淀粉多糖复合酶组能显著提高断奶仔猪前期血糖、总蛋白的含量(P<0.05);提高后期断奶仔猪血糖、总蛋白和免疫球蛋白A的含量(P<0.05),复合酶Ⅱ效果好于复合酶Ⅰ。     

不同比例游离脂肪酸对体外发酵参数的影响

采用体外培养方法研究添加不同比例的亚油酸和亚麻酸对瘤胃发酵的影响。以微晶纤维素为发酵底物,混合酸的添加量为5mg,添加比例分别为0∶0、5∶0、4∶1、3∶2、1∶1、2∶3、1∶4和0∶5,每个处理设4个重复。结果表明:随着游离脂肪酸不饱和度的增加提高了培养液中pH值和NH3-N浓度,降低了挥发脂肪酸、24h微晶纤维素的消失率和产气量。     

The evolution of the prevalence of classical scrapie in sheep in Great Britain using surveillance data between 2005 and 2012

After the decline of the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) epidemic in Great Britain (GB), scrapie remains the most prevalent animal Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy (TSE) present in GB. A number of control measures have been implemented for classical scrapie, and since 2005 there has been a large reduction in the number of observed cases. The objective of this study is to estimate two measures of disease frequency using up to date surveillance data collected during and after the implementation of different control measures established since 2004, and breeding for resistance schemes that ran from 2001 until 2009. This would enable an assessment of the effectiveness of both the breeding for resistance programme and the compulsory eradication measures in reducing the prevalence of scrapie in GB. Evaluation of the sensitivity of the rapid post-mortem test for scrapie indicated that it detected scrapie in the last 25% of the incubation period. A back-calculation model was developed to estimate the prevalence of infection at animal and flock-level. The results of the model indicated a mean drop of infection prevalence of 31% each year, leading to a 90% drop in infection prevalence between 2005, with an estimate of 5737 infected sheep in GB in 2012.     

粗纤维和赖氨酸水平对生长期豫南黑猪的影响

本试验旨在探讨饲粮中不同粗纤维和赖氨酸水平对生长期豫南黑猪生长性能、血清生化指标及营养物质表观消化率的影响.试验选取162头体重为30 kg左右的豫南黑猪,采用3（CF：4％、5.5％、7％）×3（lys：0.75％、0.85％、0.95％）两因子交叉完全随机设计,共设9个处理,每个处理3个重复,每重复6头猪.通过测定其生长性能、血清生化指标及营养物质表观消化率,确定生长期豫南黑猪的最佳粗纤维和赖氨酸水平.结果表明：不同粗纤维和赖氨酸水平对生长期豫南黑猪平均日采食量（ADFI）、平均日增重（ADG）和料重比（F/G）均无显著影响（P＞0.05）;粗纤维和赖氨酸水平分别为7％、0.75％时,料重比最低（P＜0.05）;粗纤维和赖氨酸水平分别为5.5％、0.85％时血清中游离三碘甲状腺原氨酸（FREET3）水平最高（P＜0.05）.饲粮中添加粗纤维使营养物质表观消化率下降,但通过适量比例的粗纤维和赖氨酸的合理添加,对饲粮中能量、粗蛋白、粗脂肪、粗纤维、Ca和P的表观消化率无显著影响（P＞0.05）.上述结果提示,30～60 kg生长期豫南黑猪的饲粮适宜粗纤维水平和赖氨酸水平分别为7％和0.75％.     

Bats adjust temporal parameters of echolocation pulses but not those of communication calls in response to traffic noise

Many studies based on acute short‐term noise exposure have demonstrated that animals can adjust their vocalizations in response to ambient noise. However, the effects of chronic noise over a relatively long time scale of multiple days remain largely unclear. Bats rely mainly on acoustic signals for perception of environmental and social communication. Nearly all previous studies on noise‐induced vocal adjustments have focused on echolocation pulse sounds. Relatively little is known regarding the effects of noise on social communication calls. Here, we examined the dynamic changes in the temporal parameters of echolocation and communication vocalizations of Vespertilio sinensis when exposed to traffic noise over multiple days. We found that the bats started to modify their echolocation vocalizations on the fourth day of noise exposure, with an increase of 42–91% in the total number of pulse sequences per day. Under noisy conditions, the number of pulses within a pulse sequence decreased by an average of 17.2%, resulting in a significantly slower number of pulses/sequence (P < 0.001). However, there was little change in the duration of a pulse sequence. These parameters were not significantly adjusted in most communication vocalizations under the noise condition (all P > 0.05), except that the duration decreased and the number of syllables/sequences increased in 1 type of communicative vocalization (P < 0.05). This study suggests that bats routinely adjust temporal parameters of echolocation but rarely of communication vocalizations in response to noise condition.     

Genetic parameters for abnormal sucking traits in Austrian Fleckvieh heifers

Cross‐sucking and intersucking are considered abnormal behaviours in cattle and constitute a common problem in dairy farming. Cross‐sucking in calves is defined as sucking any body parts of another calf whereas intersucking in heifers and cows is defined as sucking the udder or udder area. The aim of this study was to determine the genetic variability for abnormal sucking behaviour by estimating genetic parameters and examining individual differences between sires with large progeny groups. By means of a questionnaire, cattle breeders in the federal state Lower Austria were requested to identify all currently kept animals which are known of either inter‐ or cross‐sucking (both defined as the same binary trait ‘sucking’ with 0 and 1 referring to the absence and presence of this abnormal behaviour) or allowing sucking (also treated as a binary trait, scored as 1 if an animal was known of allowing herd mates to suck and 0 otherwise). Records of 1222 farms and 13 332 dual purpose Simmental females aged between 21 and 700 days were investigated applying a linear animal model with fixed herd × year × season and random genetic animal effect and a threshold sire model with the herd × year × season effect being treated as random. In total, 8.6% and 4.1% of all calves/heifers were observed sucking and allowing sucking, respectively. Heritabilities of 0.040 ± 0.014 and 0.007 ± 0.006 (linear animal model) and 0.116 ± 0.041 and 0.026 ± 0.024 (threshold model) were found for the traits sucking and allowing sucking, respectively. Breeding values were estimated applying the same models for the trait sucking. Taking all 254 sires into account, the Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients between breeding values estimated by linear animal and sire threshold model were 0.86 and 0.80. Thus, little difference was observed between the two methods.     

月季种质资源花色基础研究

运用测色仪对227个月季种质资源花色表型进行分类,并运用紫外分光光度计测定总类黄酮,探讨二者之间的相关性。结果表明:在a~*和b~*二维象限图上,7类色系主要集中分布在Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅳ象限,在第Ⅲ象限(蓝色)没有分布,花瓣正面颜色分布较为集中、部分橙红色和深红色品种的反面花色分布较为离散;7个色系的明度均为L~(*B)L~(*F),绝大多数色系的颜色参数a~(*F)/b~(*F)/C~(*F)a~(*B)/b~(*B)/C~(*B),并且玫红色、紫红色、橙红色和深红色的正反面花色a~*、b~*、C~*差异显著;各个色系TA之间差异显著(P0.05),深红色TA含量最高。而TF含量,除了深红色和紫红色差异显著外,其他色系之间差异不显著(P0.05);TA与L~*呈负相关关系(P0.01),与花瓣L~(*B)相关性更大;TA与h°负相关(P0.01)。TA与a~*/C~*呈正相关关系(P0.01),与正面颜色参数值相关性更强,而TF与L~*/h°也呈负相关关系(P0.05)。说明TA和TF共同影响花色的呈现,并且花青苷含量的高低是影响花色深浅的主要因素。