奶牛的有机锌应用效果研究进展

就有机锌对奶牛的营养作用效果、影响有机锌作用效果的因素进行综述。认为添加有机锌可提高奶牛的产奶性能、免疫机能、繁殖性能,改善体健康。同时影响有机锌作用效果的因素有:有机锌的产品质量、添加量和添加时期、饲料营养水平、参照物类型和评价指标等。     

饲料中添加烟酸对夏季奶牛产奶性能的影响

试验选取9头泌乳早期处于热应激的荷斯坦牛,采用3×3拉丁方设计,分别饲喂基础日粮(对照组)和在基础日粮中添加5g/d和10g/d烟酸日粮,研究添加烟酸对奶牛生产性能影响。结果表明:添加5g/d和10g/d烟酸可使奶牛产奶量分别提高13.20%和9.39%(P<0.05);而4%标准乳量无显著差异(P>0.05);添加烟酸对乳蛋白和乳脂率无显著影响(P>0.05)。     

鲁西黄牛体细胞克隆保种技术的研究

以体外培养的鲁西黄牛耳皮肤成纤维细胞作核供体，研究利用体细胞克隆技术保存我国地方黄牛优良品种的技术方法。通过组织块培养法建立的鲁西黄牛（1♂，4♀）成纤维细胞系，作为核移植供体细胞，利用屠宰场母牛卵巢卵母细胞经体外培养成熟后作为核受体进行核移植，试验结果表明：重构胚的融合率为62．5％（242／387），分裂率为63．6％（154／242），体外培养第7天囊胚发育率为42．9％（66／154）。体外培养第7天的囊胚的内细胞团细胞（ICM）与滋养层细胞数平均为37和47，ICM占44．2％。体外发育到7d的囊胚新鲜胚胎的移植妊娠率（新鲜胚胎）移植受体10头，60d妊娠率为20％（2／10）。     

The effect of quality of grass and maize silage on the intake and performance of beef cattle

A study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of incorporating high (HMS) and low (LMS) maturity maize silages into diets based on low (LGS) and high (HGS) feed value grass silages offered to beef cattle. Seventy-two continental cross-bred steers were used in a 14-week continuous design, randomised block experiment. The six treatments were arranged as a 2 × 3 factorial design incorporating the LGS and HGS offered as the sole forage, along with each of the two grass silages offered in a 60:40 ratio (DM basis) with the HMS and LMS. All diets were supplemented with 3 kg/head/day concentrates. Total daily DM and metabolisable energy intakes were higher (P < 0.001) for diets based on HGS compared to those based on LGS. Intakes were similar (P > 0.05) between diets containing LMS and HMS, both of which were higher (P < 0.001) than diets containing grass silage as the sole forage. Highest DM intakes were recorded with a mixture of HGS and HMS (P < 0.05 or greater). Cattle offered diets containing HGS had higher live-weight gain (P < 0.05), final live weight, carcass gain and carcass weight (P < 0.001) than those offered diets containing LGS. Feed conversion efficiency, assessed on a carcass gain basis, was poorer (P < 0.05) with diets containing LGS compared with those containing HGS, though differences between diets containing either LMS or HMS and GS as the sole forage were not significant (P > 0.05).     

Longevity of Swiss Brown cattle in different housing systems in Switzerland

A Weibull mixed survival model was used to study the effect of a change in the housing system on length of productive life (LPL) in dairy cows. The data set included records on 71,469 Swiss Brown cows in 1674 farms in eastern and central Switzerland. About 36% of the records were right-censored. The observation period lasted from January 1, 1988 to May 1, 2001. During this period, 517 farms changed their housing conditions from a tie-stall barn to a loose housing system. Besides a random time-dependent effect of herd–year–season, the model included fixed effects of housing system, lactation number and stage of lactation, within herd and parity production level (all time-dependent), and age at first calving (time-independent). All effects had a significant effect on LPL at a level of p < 0.001. Cows in loose housing systems showed the lowest risk ratios of being culled (0.93) compared to the reference system tie-stall barn (1.00). The highest relative culling rate (1.09) was observed within the changing period from tie-stall barn to loose housing system. Within the first three lactations, the relative culling risk increased stepwise with lactation stage. The hazard slightly increased from first until lactation number 8 and higher. The relative culling rates were highest (2.22) for cows yielding less than 90% compared to herd-mates of the same lactation number, whereas the lowest risk ratios were estimated for animals yielding more than 110% compared to their reference group (0.64). When heifers were older than 3 years at first calving, there was a tendency towards a higher relative culling risk (1.06).     

Comparison of heat tolerance of feedlot heifers of different breeds

Heat stress in cattle causes decreases in feed intake and feed efficiency; in extreme cases, it can cause death. These losses amount to millions of dollars each year. A study was designed to determine severity of heat stress among four breeds of cattle. Throughout two summers, 256 feedlot heifers of four different breeds were observed. Respiration rates, panting scores, and surface temperatures were taken twice each day on 10 animals/breed for several weeks during the summers of 2002 and 2003. Twenty-four-hour behavior measurements were recorded for four heat-stress and four thermoneutral days. Results showed during the afternoon, Angus cattle (black) had the highest respiration rates, panting scores, and surface temperatures, followed by the MARC III (dark red), Gelbvieh (tan), and Charolais (white). Behavior data showed that heat stress increased drinking and standing behavior, and decreased eating, lying, and agonistic behaviors, and that dark-hided cattle adjusted their behavior more than light-hided cattle. Overall, it was found that breed of cattle with dark-hides were more affected by temperature changes and at peak temperatures than breeds of cattle with light-hides.     

Heat stress risk factors of feedlot heifers

Heat stress in cattle results in millions of dollars in lost revenue each year due to production losses, and in extreme cases, death. Death losses are more likely to result from animals vulnerable to heat stress. A study was conducted to determine risk factors for heat stress in feedlot heifers. Over two consecutive summers, a total of 256 feedlot heifers (32/ breed/ year) of four breeds were observed. As a measure of stress, respiration rates and panting scores were taken twice daily (morning and afternoon) on a random sample of 10 heifers/ breed. Weights, condition scores, and temperament scores were taken on 28-day intervals during the experiment. Health history from birth to slaughter was available for every animal used in this study. It was found that at temperatures above 25 °C, dark-hided animals were 25% more stressed than light-colored; a history of respiratory pneumonia increased stress level by 10.5%; each level of fatness increased stress level by approximately 10%; and excitable animals had a 3.2% higher stress level than calm animals. Not only did the stress level increase with these risk factors, but average daily gain was reduced. The Charolais cattle gained significantly more than all other breeds of cattle tested. Calm cattle gained 5% more than excitable cattle. Finally, cattle treated for pneumonia gained approximately 8% slower than non-treated cattle. The results of this study have not only revealed heat stress risk factors of breed (color), condition score (fatness), temperament, and health history (treated or not treated for pneumonia), but have also shown the effectiveness of using respiration rate as an indicator of heat stress.     

Utility of on- and off-farm weather records for studies in genetics of heat tolerance

Utility of weather information from on-farm and weather stations was evaluated for the application in studies on the genetics of heat stress. Daily milk yield of 31 primiparous Holstein cows was collected at Tifton, GA, from April 28 to July 19, 1993. Weather information was recorded on-farm and was available from weather stations in Georgia. Analyses used daily average of temperature–humidity index (THI). Effects of threshold of heat stress and the rate of decline in milk after the threshold were estimated. With on-farm weather data, threshold was at THI = 22 and rate of decline was − 1.12 kg of milk per unit of THI measured 2 days before milking. At the Tifton weather station, 3 km away from the farm, the threshold was THI = 20 and the rate was the same. With data from Macon, Columbus, Atlanta, and Athens stations, the threshold was at 20, 21, 20, and 20, respectively, and the rate of decline with a 2 day lag was − 0.88, − 1.02, − 0.90, and − 0.97 kg of milk per unit of THI. Subsequent analysis included 2260 test day records from the same farm from 1993 to 2003 and weather data from Tifton station. The highest rate of decline on milk yield of − 0.22 kg per unit of THI occurred at the threshold of 20 and no lag. For data restricted to 1999–2003, the threshold increased to 22 and the rate to − 0.46 kg per THI unit. Public stations provide satisfactory information for national genetic evaluation for heat stress. Critical parts in such an evaluation are modeling of test days and accounting for changes among farms and weather stations over time.     

基于灰色理论的畜禽粪便环境污染风险预测分析

本文运用灰色建模理论中的灰色数列预测方法,利用北京密云县10个乡镇的畜禽粪便实际负荷量和最大负荷量的确定,对未来年份的畜禽粪便负荷预警值进行预测。结果表明:该流域各乡镇未来十年所受畜禽粪便的污染威胁均呈现逐年加剧趋势,其中石城和番字牌预警值上升最快;冯家峪、大城子和新城子次之,高岭、太师屯和不老屯呈现缓慢上升态势。     

Application of time-resolved fluorometry to immunoassays for bovine reproductive hormones

The principle of time‐resolved fluorometry with lanthanide chelates was established in the 1980s, but in the field of animal sciences it has not been widely applied to immunoassays. However, immunoassays that utilize time‐resolved fluorometry are possible alternatives to radioimmunoassays, since they can attain high sensitivity without safety risks. In this short review, we introduce the development of time‐resolved immunoassays for inhibin A, inhibin B and follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH), and describe their application to the investigation of FSH regulation in male and female cattle. The results obtained using these newly developed immunoassays indicate that inhibin A acts as a feedback regulator for FSH secretion in female cattle, whereas inhibin A, and probably inhibin B, do so in male cattle.