Metabolism of microbial nitrogen in ruminants with special reference to nucleic acids

Characteristically the metabolism of microbial nitrogen (N) compounds in ruminants involves the degradation of dietary N and synthesis of microbial protein (MP), compounds including a small amount of peptides and free amino acids, which may account for 75–85% of total N and the remainder are nucleic acids (NA: DNA and RNA). Generally rumen microbes contain 10–25% NA‐N of the total N while 70–80% is in the form of RNA. This paper describes the degradation and synthesis of NA in the rumen and their fate in the lower digestive tracts. Their physiological and nutritional significance in different types of ruminant animals is also discussed. The research works on NA metabolism in ruminants has been mainly on metabolism of purines after rumen microbial digestion and absorption in the lower gut. Subsequently, the fate of absorbed purines has been intensively investigated to assess the extent of MP synthesis in the rumen. The method for predicting ruminal synthesized MP and subsequently digested MP has been proposed using urinary purine derivative (PD) excretion in sheep and cattle fed on ordinary feed. The latter approach has now been adopted for calculation of protein supply in some feeding standards, although there are still difficulties in predicting representative samples of rumen microbes, and also uncertainties in variations of non‐renal and endogenous purine losses.     

Effects of Supplementing a Basal Diet of Chloris gayana Hay with One of Three Protein-rich Legume Hays of Cassia rotundifolia,Lablab purpureus and Macroptilium atropurpureum Forage on Some Nutritional Parameters in Goats

Growth and digestibility experiments were conducted on growing East African type goats offered Chloris gayana hay supplemented with one of three high-protein (119–128 g CP/kg DM) legume hays, Cassia rotundifolia (cassia), Lablab purpureus (lablab) or Macroptilium atropurpureum (siratro), and crushed maize to investigate the feed intake, digestibility, growth and urinary excretion of purine derivatives. Goats in the supplemented groups had higher total dry matter and nitrogen intakes and higher N retention and body mass gains than unsupplemented counterparts. The digestibility of dry matter, organic matter and neutral detergent fibre were increased by protein supplementation. Animals on supplemented diets had higher fractional outflow rates of particulate matter from the rumen. The production of protein by ruminal microbes and the efficiency of microbial N production were increased by supplementation. It was concluded that a mixture of low-quality grass hay (61.9 CP/kg DM) and either cassia, lablab or siratro hay, and maize grain can provide a productive balanced diet for growing goats.     

Genetic diversity,anti‐microbial resistance,plasmid profile and frequency of the Vi antigen in Salmonella Dublin strains isolated in Brazil

Salmonella Dublin is strongly adapted to cattle causing enteritis and/or systemic disease with high rates of mortality. However, it can be sporadically isolated from humans, usually causing serious disease, especially in patients with underlying chronic diseases. The aim of this study was to molecularly type S. Dublin strains isolated from humans and animals in Brazil to verify the diversity of these strains as well as to ascertain possible differences between strains isolated from humans and animals. Moreover, the presence of the capsular antigen Vi and the plasmid profile was characterized in addition to the anti‐microbial resistance against 15 drugs. For this reason, 113 S. Dublin strains isolated between 1983 and 2016 from humans (83) and animals (30) in Brazil were typed by PFGE and MLVA. The presence of the capsular antigen Vi was verified by PCR, and the phenotypic expression of the capsular antigen was determined serologically. Also, a plasmid analysis for each strain was carried out. The strains studied were divided into 35 different PFGE types and 89 MLVA‐types with a similarity of ≥80% and ≥17.5%, respectively. The plasmid sizes found ranged from 2 to >150 kb and none of the strains studied presented the capsular antigen Vi. Resistance or intermediate resistance was found in 23 strains (20.3%) that were resistant to ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol, imipenem, nalidixic acid, piperacillin, streptomycin and/or tetracycline. The majority of the S. Dublin strains studied and isolated over a 33‐year period may descend from a common subtype that has been contaminating humans and animals in Brazil and able to cause invasive disease even in the absence of the capsular antigen. The higher diversity of resistance phenotypes in human isolates, as compared with animal strains, may be a reflection of the different anti‐microbial treatments used to control S. Dublin infections in humans in Brazil.     

内生真菌对醉马草根际土壤线虫群落的影响

为明确内生真菌对醉马草根际土壤线虫群落特征的影响,于2014年6,8和10月,对带内生真菌和不带内生真菌醉马草根际土壤进行采样,利用淘洗-过筛-蔗糖离心法分离线虫,根据线虫形态学特征进行鉴定,结果表明,本研究共捕获土壤线虫11889条,分别隶属于线虫动物门2纲6目22科37属,带内生真菌醉马草根际土壤线虫个体密度高于不带内生真菌醉马草,而类群数、多样性指数(H')、均匀度指数(J)和丰富度指数(SR)均低于不带内生真菌醉马草,但处理间差异不显著,表明尽管内生真菌使醉马草根际土壤线虫个体密度有所增加,使类群数有所降低,但是内生真菌的存在对醉马草土壤线虫多样性没有影响;与不带内生真菌醉马草相比,带内生真菌醉马草根际土壤线虫MI指数显著升高,而PPI指数和PPI/MI值显著降低,表明内生真菌在一定程度上确实改变了土壤线虫功能类群组成,其中主要影响植物寄生线虫。     

自由舔食补饲小苏打在高产奶牛疾病预防中的应用研究

[目的]饲喂碳酸氢钠能够参与反刍动物瘤胃酸碱调节并发挥重要的酸碱平衡作用。试验通过对比高产、中产、低产3个不同群体荷斯坦奶牛每头每日补饲不同剂量小苏打后,观察其对奶牛个体平均泌乳天数和日单产的影响,探究小苏打的最佳补饲量与补饲方法,为我国现阶段高产奶牛的饲管提供有价值的借鉴。[方法]对本场挤奶大厅1 000头泌乳牛连续16个月不间断全群补饲小苏打,以奶牛恶性舔土现象出现的次数以及临床热应激疾病发病数量作为瘤胃酸碱平衡的量化指标,分析各试验组的小苏打补饲量。[结果]高产群、中产群、低产群每头荷斯坦奶牛每日通过自由舔食分别平均获得61 g, 70 g, 80 g的小苏打,加上精饲料中分别提供的174 g, 156 g, 120 g,高产群、中产群、低产群每头每日实际需要量为235 g, 226 g, 200 g。[结论]通过高产奶牛自由舔食补饲小苏打的研究,确认自由舔舐是一种安全有效的小苏打补充方法。添加适合剂量的小苏打能够预防高产奶牛代谢性疾病的发生,有效减少奶牛恶性舔土现象,从而提高奶牛的生产和繁殖性能。     

碱茅耐盐性的研究

对碱茅不同生育期的耐盐性试验表明：碱茅成株的耐盐性强，种子和苗期的耐盐性低。种子对硫酸盐土混合盐、碳酸钠单盐和氯化钠单盐室内萌发的耐盐度分别是（溶液浓度）３．４７％、１．０８％、１．５８％。种子出苗期适宜的土壤盐渍度为１．７１２％，临界盐渍度为３．１０％。苗期以后耐盐性逐渐提高，可在２．４７～２．７９％的土壤盐渍度下生长发育正常。成株的耐盐度高达４．２４８％。田间播种碱茅草在０～１０ｃｍ土壤含盐量１．６５％以下时，可以正常出苗。盐分达到１．８５％时，需要加大实际播量，以便全苗。     

２，４-二叔丁基苯酚对啤酒花幼苗生长与光合特性的影响

前期对不同植龄啤酒花根系分泌物及根际土壤的化学物质进行了分离鉴定,结果发现有酚类物质的存在且２,４-二叔丁基苯酚含量较高,为了进一步证实啤酒花是否存在自毒作用,采用田间小区栽培试验,研究了不同用量［０（ＣＫ,Ａ０）,７．５（Ａ１）,１５．０（Ａ２）和２２．５ｍｍｏｌ／ｍ２（Ａ３）］２,４-二叔丁基苯酚处理对啤酒花幼苗生长及光合特性的影响。结果表明,２,４-二叔丁基苯酚用量Ａ１ 和Ａ２ 处理,啤酒花生长好,地上部、地下部、总生物量及日均光合速率均比对照高,且达到显著差异（犘＜０．０５）;２,４-二叔丁基苯酚用量Ａ３ 处理,啤酒花地上部、地下部和总生物量及光合特性均较对照降低,差异达到显著水平（犘＜０．０５）。啤酒花幼苗叶片光合速率日变化呈双峰型,最高峰出现在上午９：００左右,次高峰出现在中午１５：００左右,午间有明显的“午休“现象,与对照（Ａ０）相比,Ａ１、Ａ２、Ａ３ 三个处理的次高峰出现的时间均有推迟,且Ａ１ 和Ａ２ 处理的幼苗午休”现象不太明显,气孔因素是导致其“午休”的主要原因。