Short-term transportation in a small vehicle affects the physiological state and subsequent water consumption in goats

We investigated the physiological effects on goats of transportation for one hour in a small truck. We also investigated food and water consumption after transportation. Eight adult goats (four castrated males and four ovariectomized females) were used. Plasma levels of cortisol, glucose and free fatty acids increased significantly within 15 min of the start of transportation, and these higher levels were maintained throughout transportation. These results indicate that transportation in a small truck activates the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system in goats. Despite activation of the sympathetic nervous system, heart rate (HR) in subjected animals during transportation did not differ from during the control animals, which were housed in their usual pen. However, after the transportation had ended and the goats started to eat fodder, HR increased significantly. There was no difference in the amount of food consumption between the control and transported goats. Water consumption in the first three hours after transportation was significantly lower in the transported goats than in the controls for the equivalent period. In the subsequent three hours, however, the transported goats consumed more water than the controls. Consequently, the total water consumption of the transported goats did not differ from that of the controls during the six hours after transportation. In conclusion, short-term transportation with a small vehicle activated the HPA axis and the sympathetic nervous system in goats. HR was not increased during transportation, but after the transportation had ended HR in transported goats was higher than that in control goats. After transportation, goats had consumed the same amount of food as control goats, but water consumption during three hours after the transportation was lower than that of control goats.     

Effect of banding or burdizzo castration on plasma testosterone, acute-phase proteins, scrotal circumference, growth, and health of bulls

The objective was to assess the effect of banding or burdizzo castration performed on farms on plasma testosterone, acute-phase proteins, scrotal circumferences, growth, and well-being of bulls. 243 Continental bulls (12 months; 399.2 ± 5.72 kg) from three different farms were allocated at random, after stratification on weight within breed type, to one of three treatment groups: banding castration (BAND; n = 80), burdizzo castration (BURD; n = 83), or controls (CON; n = 80). The castration methods were conducted under local anaesthesia, and tetanus toxoid vaccine and antibiotic were also injected at castration. BAND and BURD castrates had lower (P < 0.001) plasma testosterone concentration than control bulls, with no difference between BAND and BURD castrates on 28 d post-castration. From days 0 to 14 post-castration, BAND (P = 0.0002) and BURD (P < 0.0001) castrates had lower average daily gain (ADG) than CON bulls, no difference (P = 0.46) was found between BAND and BURD castrates. From days 15 to 28, BAND castrates had lower ADG compared with BURD castrates (P = 0.03) and CON bulls (P = 0.01), while no difference (P = 0.76) was found between BURD and CON. From days 29 to 56, BAND (P = 0.01) and BURD (P = 0.002) castrates had lower ADG than CON bulls, no difference (P = 0.55) was found between BAND and BURD. From days 57 to 84, the ADG of BAND castrates was not different compared with BURD castrates (P = 0.12) and CON bulls (P = 0.38), while BURD had lower (P = 0.02) ADG compared with CON. The integrated ADG from day 0 to 112 of BAND (P = 0.0001) and BURD (P = 0.02) groups were lower compared with CON, while there was no difference (P = 0.09) between BAND and BURD castrates. On d 14 post-castration, BAND castrates had lower scrotal temperature than BURD (P < 0.0001) and CON (P < 0.0001), and BURD castrates had greater (P < 0.006) scrotal temperature than CON; BAND castrates had lower scrotal latitudinal and longitudinal circumferences than BURD castrates (P < 0.001) and CON bulls (P < 0.001), and BURD castrates had greater (P < 0.001) scrotal latitudinal and longitudinal circumferences than CON bulls. BAND (P < 0.0001) and BURD (P = 0.01) castrates had greater glucose concentration than CON bulls, and BAND castrates had greater (P = 0.04) glucose concentration than BURD. In conclusion, BAND or BURD castration significantly reduced plasma testosterone concentration; reduced average daily weight gain mainly during the first 2 weeks, which was not compensated during the subsequent 16 weeks; increased withdrawal of stored energy and increased plasma protein concentration. BURD showed an advantage over BAND in growth during days 15 to 28 following castration.     

Relation of reproductive performances and rectal palpation for luteum function of heifers 7 days after estrus

Diagnosis of corpus luteum (CL) function by rectal palpation (RP) has been widely used for recipient selection of embryo transfer (ET), a technology essential for genetic improvements in cattle. To examine the accuracy of RP diagnosis method, the relationship between RP‐based CL function and reproductive performance was compared in this study. In Experiment 1, CL of Holstein heifers on day 7 after estrus was classified into functional or hypoplastic by RP, and the results were compared with ultrasonographic (US) images and plasma progesterone (P4) levels. As a result, heifers with functional CL judged by RP had a mean maximum CL diameter of 20.1 ± 3.1 mm on US and a mean P4 concentration of 8.1 ± 2.3 ng/mL. These values were significantly greater than those of heifers with hypoplastic CL (12.4 ± 5.4 mm, 4.0 ± 2.8 ng/mL) (P < 0.001). In Experiment 2, the length of the estrus cycle was examined between functional CL and hypoplastic CL. The rate of heifers with a normal estrus cycle length with 18–25 days was significantly lower with hypoplastic CL than with functional CL (16/24 vs. 43/46, P < 0.01). In Experiment 3, 543 inseminated heifers were similarly classified by CL function by RP 7 days after estrus. The heifers with functional CL showed higher pregnancy rate compared with the heifers with hypoplastic CL (75.2 vs. 47.9%, P < 0.0001). Finally, the CL function of 66 heifers was examined by RP on day 7 post‐estrus, and ET was performed in 49 (74.2%) heifers with functional CL. As a result, 27 (55.1%) of them became pregnant. Taken together, these results reconfirm that RP on day 7 after estrus is useful for selection of heifers with functional CL.     

Regional and circadian variations of sweating rate and body surface temperature in camels (Camelus dromedarius)

It was the aim of this study to investigate the regional variations in surface temperature and sweating rate and to visualize body thermal windows responsible for the dissipation of excess body heat in dromedary camels. This study was conducted on five dromedary camels with mean body weight of 450 ± 20.5 kg and 2 years of age. Sweating rate, skin and body surface temperature showed significant (P < 0.001) circadian variation together with the variation in ambient temperature. However, daily mean values of sweating rate, skin and body surface temperature measured on seven regions of the camel body did not significantly differ. The variation in body surface temperature compared to the variation in skin temperature was higher in the hump compared to the axillary and flank regions, indicating the significance of camel's fur in protecting the skin from daily variation in ambient temperature. Infrared thermography revealed that flank and axillary regions had lower thermal gradients at higher ambient temperature (T_a) and higher thermal gradients at lower T_a, which might indicate the working of flank and axillary regions as thermal windows dissipating heat during the night. Sweating rate showed moderate correlation to skin and body surface temperatures, which might indicate their working as potential thermal drivers of sweating in camels.     

PMSG对甘肃高山细毛羊同期发情和繁殖率的影响

在甘肃省肃南县康乐乡对甘肃高山细毛羊应用阴道栓与孕马血清促性腺激素(PMSG) 结合处理,结果表明,不同注射剂量和处理方式对母羊的同期发情和繁殖率均有影响,在埋栓后12.5 d注射550 IU PMSG并在放栓后14 d撤除阴道栓后的0-48 h发情率显著高于其他试验组(P<0.05);在埋栓后13 d注射600 IU PMSG同时撤除阴道栓的试验组繁殖率最高(P<0.05)。但综合繁殖率和经济效益考虑,在埋栓后间隔12.5 d注射550 IU PMSG并在放栓后14 d撤除阴道栓0-48 h的试验组效果最好,平均每只母羊净收入可达773.7元。     

沙生针茅种子萌发特性及其影响因素

利用控制试验研究了不同温度蒸馏水水分、盐分胁迫等生态因子对沙生针茅种子萌发的影响,探索了沙生针茅种子对各种生态因子的适应性。结果表明:(1)蒸馏水浸泡种子,以60℃温水浸泡、自然降温至常温12h最好;(2)低温处理与未经低温处理的种子发芽率差异不显著(P0.05),说明沙生针茅种子不存在生理后熟因素影响;(3)随着PEG-6000浓度的增加,沙生针茅种子的发芽率、发芽势、发芽指数呈下降趋势,种子发芽率的PEG-6000浓度的临界值和极限值分别为15.9%和26.3%;(4)沙生针茅种子的发芽率、发芽势、发芽指数随着盐分浓度的增加呈下降趋势,其中Na2CO3处理下的沙生针茅种子萌发率下降幅度明显大于NaCl,表明沙生针茅种子对相同质量浓度的Na2CO3的耐受能力显著低于对NaCl的耐受能力。     

ABT中药合剂研制与防治实验性缓慢葡萄球菌病的研究

为研制对缓慢葡萄球菌(S.lentus)病具有防治作用的中药合剂,本研究根据黄芪多糖、盐酸小檗碱和茶多酚对试验性S.1entus病的治疗效果,分别选取3种药物的3个剂量进行正交试验,得到3种药物在制剂中的合理剂量,组成ABT中药合剂,并对人工感染S.lentus的小鼠进行治疗及预防保护试验.结果表明:ABT中药合剂的治疗剂量为40mg/kg时小鼠死亡率为18.2%,感染对照组的死亡率为63.6%,试验组降低死亡率45.4%;ABT中药合剂的预防剂量为30 mg/kg时小鼠死亡率为15.2%,感染对照组的死亡率为66.7%,试验组降低死亡率51.5%.ABT中药合剂对S.lentus病具有明显的防治作用.     

叶酸对圈养隆林黑山羊生长性能的影响研究

叶酸是水溶性B族维生素,一般认为山羊自身可合成,本文研究在圈养条件下饲料中添加叶酸对隆林黑山羊生长性能的影响效果。选择4月龄体况相近的平均体重为14kg左右健康生长期肉用隆林黑山羊母羊28只,采用单因素随机分组设计,随机分成4组,每组7只,分别在基础日粮中添加0mg/kg、1.5mg/kg、15mg/kg、45mg/kg(DM)的叶酸,进行饲养试验。结果表明,叶酸对山羊的生长速度和饲料转化率有较好的促进效果,在山羊日粮中添加45mg/kg(DM)的叶酸,其日增重比对照组提高19.2%,饲料转化率比对照组提高15.34%,在叶酸饲养试验中效果最佳。表明在日粮中添加叶酸对山羊有促生长作用。     

16个紫花苜蓿品种在扬州地区生产性能与品质的比较

研究采用田间随机区组试验,比较了16个紫花苜蓿(Medicago sativa)品种在扬州地区的生产性能与品质,以期筛选出适合扬州地区气候条件的品种。结果表明,各材料间的生产性能差异较大,其中德宝平均生长速度最快,显著高于多叶王、苜蓿王、猎人河、盛世;爱菲尼特的干草产量最高,显著高于其他品种,其次为皋兰2号、三得利、多叶王;阿尔冈金的粗蛋白（CP）含量最高,但酸性洗涤纤维（ADF）、中性洗涤纤维（NDF）含量也较高,爱菲尼特CP含量仅次于阿尔冈金,但ADF、NDF含量显著低于阿尔冈金。综合评价,爱菲尼特的生产性能最好,其次为皋兰2号、三得利、多叶王,这几个半秋眠型品种较适于在扬州地区推广种植。     

樱桃谷种鸭的产蛋率与月龄的回归分析

２４０９只（公３３０只，母２０７９只）樱桃谷种鸭，经过１０个月的试验。统计了母鸭的月产蛋数和产蛋率，分析了产蛋率（Ｙ）与月龄（Ｘ）之间的回归关系，得到下述回归方程：ｙ＝０．５７ｘ＾３－１７．４１ｘ＾２＋１６９．９０ｘ－４６８．８９。在生产上，可根据此回归方程推算出樱桃谷种鸭各时期的产蛋率。