Effects of predator-induced visual and olfactory cues on 0+ perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) foraging behaviour

Abstract –  Foraging juvenile fish with relatively high food demands are usually vulnerable to various aquatic and avian predators. To compromise between foraging and antipredator activity, they need exact and reliable information about current predation risk. Among direct predator-induced cues, visual and olfactory signals are considered to be most important. Food intake rates and prey-size selectivity of laboratory-reared, naive young-of-the-year (YOY) perch, Perca fluviatilis , were studied in experiments with Daphnia magna of two size classes: 2.8 and 1.3 mm as prey and northern pike, Esox lucius , as predator. Neither total intake rate nor prey-size selectivity was modified by predator kairomones alone (water from an aquarium with a pike was pumped into the test aquaria) under daylight conditions. Visual presentation of pike reduced total food intake by perch. This effect was significantly more pronounced (synergistic) when visual and olfactory cues were presented simultaneously to foraging perch. Moreover, the combination of cues caused a significant shift in prey-size selection, expressed as a reduced proportion of large prey in the diet. Our observations demonstrate that predator-induced olfactory cues alone are less important modifiers of the feeding behaviour of naive YOY perch than visual cues under daylight conditions. However, pike odour acts as a modulatory stimulus enhancing the effects of visual cues, which trigger an innate response in perch.     

Evaluation of host and bacterial gene modulation during Lawsonia intracellularis infection in immunocompetent C57BL/6 mouse model

BackgroundProliferative enteritis caused by Lawsonia intracellularis undermines the economic stability of the swine industry worldwide. The development of cost-effective animal models to study the pathophysiology of the disease will help develop strategies to counter this bacterium.ObjectivesThis study focused on establishing a model of gastrointestinal (GI) infection of L. intracellularis in C57BL/6 mice to evaluate the disease progression and lesions of proliferative enteropathy (PE) in murine GI tissue.MethodsWe assessed the murine mucosal and cell-mediated immune responses generated in response to inoculation with L. intracellularis.ResultsThe mice developed characteristic lesions of the disease and shed L. intracellularis in the feces following oral inoculation with 5 × l0⁷ bacteria. An increase in L. intracellularis 16s rRNA and groEL copies in the intestine of infected mice indicated intestinal dissemination of the bacteria. The C57BL/6 mice appeared capable of modulating humoral and cell-mediated immune responses to L. intracellularis infection. Notably, the expression of genes for the vitamin B12 receptor and for secreted and membrane-bound mucins were downregulated in L. intracellularis -infected mice. Furthermore, L. intracellularis colonization of the mouse intestine was confirmed by the immunohistochemistry and western blot analyses.ConclusionsThis is the first study demonstrating the contributions of bacterial chaperonin and host nutrient genes to PE using an immunocompetent mouse model. This mouse infection model may serve as a platform from which to study L. intracellularis infection and develop potential vaccination and therapeutic strategies to treat PE.     

Utilization of Sake lees as Broiler Feedstuff and its Effects on Growth Performance and Intestinal Immunity

Increasing food loss and waste (FLW) is a global problem, and efforts are being made to use waste food as potential livestock feed material. The amount of self-supplied feed is lower in Japan than in other countries, and the government recommends FLW use for animal feed. Sake (Japanese rice wine) is a traditional alcoholic beverage. During the sake manufacturing process, large amounts of squeezed solids or “lees” (sake lees) are generated. Sake lees are nutritious and functional, but are prone to spoilage. In this study, we investigated whether sake lees should be mixed with animal feed immediately or after drying. To assess the usefulness of sake lees as a poultry feed ingredient and determine the effect of sake lees on intestinal immunity, we performed a feeding trial with three treatments: a raw sake lees (RSL) diet, dried sake lees (DSL) diet, and control diet. Three-week-old broilers were fed these diets (n=8 per group) for two weeks. We then calculated feed efficiency and performed RT-qPCR to assess the effects of diet on intestinal immunity. The growth performance in the RSL diet group was equivalent to that in the control diet group. The DSL diet became difficult for broilers to eat, resulting in decreased growth performance. In the ileum of RSL-diet broilers, the mRNA expression levels of TGF-β1 and avian β-defensin (AvBD)12 were significantly increased compared to those of control diet broilers (p<0.05), and a significant correlation was observed between the two genes (p<0.05). Our results indicated that sake lees should not be dried and should be mixed immediately with feed, and this sake lees when fed to chicken activates the intestinal immunity. However, sake lees have a lower fat content than corn, and it is thus important to combine sake lees with high-energy feed.     

虚拟仿真技术在动物生产学实验教学中的应用

虚拟仿真技术是利用计算机和多媒体平台,模拟真实的实验条件和环境,实现情景和操作条件再现的一项新型信息技术,不受场地、时空、设备和危险性等因素影响,是新农科和现代畜牧业教学发展的趋势。本文以动物生产学实验教学为例,介绍了实验教学的现状和虚拟仿真技术在学科中的优势,详尽分析了虚拟仿真教学系统的构建,虚拟仿真技术在猪,禽,牛羊和特种动物教学中应用情况和存在的问题,并对动物生产实验教学未来虚拟仿真技术的应用和发展提出了建议。     

Challenges facing arthropod biological control: identifying traits for genetic improvement of predators in protected crops

Biological control is an efficient pest control method but there are still limitations that are hindering its wider adoption. Genetic improvement of biological control agents (BCAs) can help to overcome these constraints, but the choice of key attributes for better performance that need to be selected is still an open question. Several characteristics have been suggested but the harsh reality is that selective breeding of BCAs has received a lot of attention but resulted in very little progress. Identifying the appropriate traits to be prioritized may be the first step to reverse this situation. In our opinion, the best way is to look at the factors limiting the performance of key BCAs, especially generalist predators (pesticide compatibility, prey‐density dependence, non‐suitable crops, and extreme environmental conditions), and according to these challenges, to choose the attributes that would allow BCAs to overcome those limitations. The benefits of selection for higher resistance to toxins, whether artificially applied (pesticides) or plant produced (plant defenses); increased fitness when feeding on non‐prey food (supplemented or plant‐derived); and better adaptation to extreme temperature and humidity are discussed. In conclusion, genetic improvement of BCAs can bring about new opportunities to biocontrol industry and users to enhance biocontrol resilience. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry     

西汉时期西北地区农业开发的自然灾害背景

西汉时期是中国历史上西北开发的关键时期,尤其是汉武帝一朝,西北开发功勋卓著。在西汉时期大规模开发西北的决策过程中,政治、经济、军事等方面的因素发挥了重要的影响作用,但是自然灾害对西北开发的影响作用也不容忽视。西汉时期严峻的灾害形势对关中和山东农区造成了重大破坏作用,国家粮食安全岌岌可危。出于化解灾害风险的现实需要,西汉王朝不得不以战争的手段解决北部匈奴问题,依靠农业生产扩大西北地区耕地面积,移民实边。经过两百年的刻苦经营,西汉时期终于奠定了西北农业生产的基本格局,关中、河套、河西、河湟主要农业生产区全面形成,中国传统农业阶段第一个人口高峰出现并维持了一千多年之久。     

临沂市畜牧业产业化发展研究

基于临沂市农业概况,指出了畜牧业在临沂市农业发展中的优势地位;分析了临沂市畜牧业产业化发展现状及存在的问题,并提出了相应的对策建议。     

永丰县木本粮食植物资源

介绍永丰县山林中木本粮食植物资源。     

把握《纲要》特点 确保食物安全

国务院办公厅新发布的《中国食物与营养发展纲要(2014—2020年)》,是一个具有民本性、科学性、宏观性、创新性和食安性的纲领性文件。在新形势下,要全面把握新《纲要》的"五性"特点,确保中国食物安全,推动食物与营养健康发展。     

荔枝真空冷冻干燥关键技术

为了确定荔枝真空冷冻干燥工艺关键技术参数,以成熟的‘乌叶’荔枝为材料,采用电阻法测量荔枝果肉的共晶点和共熔点温度,通过考察冻干品色泽比较不同护色剂的护色效果,以冻干生产能耗、总冻干时间及冻干品外观形态与色泽等指标进行综合评定冻干效果,优选荔枝真空冷冻干燥工艺关键技术参数。结果表明：荔枝真空冷冻干燥物料的共晶点温度、共熔点温度分为-26℃和-17℃,采用“0.6%柠檬酸”单一护色剂或“0.4%柠檬酸+0.2%维生素C”复合护色剂浸泡20 min,对荔枝冻干品有良好护色效果。冻干过程起始板温控制在80℃以下,升华阶段物料最高温度设定为55℃,升降温期干燥仓真空值组合选择60~70 Pa/60~70 Pa,可节省冻干生产能耗、缩短总冻干时间,同时能改善冻干品的外观形态与色泽。