Estimates of Breed Average Direct,Maternal and Heterosis Effects for Some Pre-weaning Traits of Zebu Breeds and Their Crosses in Southeastern Mexico

Information on 936 birth weights (BW), adjusted weaning weights (AWW) and average daily gains (ADG) from Brahman (B), Indubrazil (I), Gyr (G) and commercial Zebu (C) cattle and their crosses were obtained from the records of a farm in the State of Yucatan, Mexico. Two statistical models were used to analyse the data: the first included the effects of year and season of birth, sex of the calf, cow's parity number and breed group. The other model included the same environmental effects as the previous model and the genetic components of breed group (breed additive, breed maternal and heterosis effects). Additive and maternal effects were expressed as deviations from those for the B breed. The means of BW, AWW and ADG for the B breed were 33.3 ± 0.64 kg, 204.0 ± 4.9 kg and 760.06 ± 19.24 g/day, respectively. Both models gave similar results in terms of the variance explained. Additive effects were significant (p < 0.05) for AWW and ADG but not for BW. The minor additive effect was for the C breed (−10.75 kg and −40.77 g for WW and ADG, respectively). Maternal and heterosis effects were not significant (p > 0.05) for any of the traits. The correlation between the breed group means and the means estimated by the prediction equation was r = 0.88. Finally, there was no significant genetic effect on pre-weaning calf performance among the genotypes evaluated. The genetic model can be used to predict the genotype means with a high degree of accuracy. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

牛羊4种寄生虫病联合诊断技术的研究与应用

疫区牛羊同时寄生有捻转血矛线虫、日本血吸虫、伊氏锥虫和肝片吸虫等多种寄生虫。目前血清学诊断方法对这 4种寄生虫病的检测需 2～ 4次操作。将捻转血矛线虫、日本血吸虫、伊氏锥虫和肝片吸虫抗原分别以 0 1 5 ,0 0 4 ,0 0 6和 0 1 3μg/ μL的最佳浓度依次定点在同一硝酸纤维素膜条上 ,制成 4种寄生虫病联合诊断膜。用黄牛IgG ,水牛IgG和山羊IgG联合免疫兔 ,获得了高效价兔抗黄牛、水牛和山羊 (简称兔抗牛羊 )IgG抗血清。应用兔抗牛羊IgG抗血清连接酶标SPA ,建立了 1份血纸能同时用于检测牛、羊捻转血矛线虫、日本血吸虫、伊氏锥虫和肝片吸虫病抗体技术。经浙江、湖北、四川、安徽等省应用 ,该项技术具有省工、省时、经济、实用等优点。适宜于牛、羊捻转血矛线虫、日本血吸虫、伊氏锥虫和肝片吸虫病流行区的普查或监测     

Effects of intensification of pastoral farming on greenhouse gas emissions in New Zealand

Abstract

AIMS: The aims of this cross-sectional study were to investigate the herd and cow-level prevalence of bovine digital dermatitis (BDD) in dairy farms in the northern Taranaki region of New Zealand, and to identify whether there was any spatial clustering of herds with the disease.

METHODS: A survey of 224 dairy farms in the northern Taranaki region of New Zealand was undertaken from September 2014 to February 2015. Following training in robust criteria to confirm BDD visually, a technician inspected the rear feet of every milking cow on the farms during milking. The identity of cows with lesions and the feet involved were recorded. The proportion of cows affected among the inspected population (cow-level prevalence), the proportion of a herd affected (farm-level prevalence), and proportion of farms with ≥1 cow with lesions, were calculated. A bivariate K function analysis was then used to assess whether farms with ≥1 cow with lesions were clustered, after accounting for the distribution of the farms involved in the study.

RESULTS: Bovine digital dermatitis lesions were observed on 143/224 (63.8 (95% CI=57.5–70.1)%) farms. Within-farm prevalence was 0% on 81 (36.2%) farms, between >0 and <3% on 120 (53.5%) farms, with a maximum prevalence of 12.7% on one farm. Overall, cow-level prevalence was 707/60,455 (1.2 (95% CI=0.9–3.0)%), and on affected farms was 707/41,116 (1.7 (95% CI=1.4–2.1)%). In affected cows, 268/707 (37.9%) had a lesion on left foot only, 262/707 (37.1%) on the right foot only and 177/707 (25.0%) on both feet. The K function analysis showed no evidence of clustering of farms with BDD.

CONCLUSIONS: Bovine digital dermatitis was widespread among the survey farms, but there was no evidence that there was any clustering of herds with BDD. The cow-level prevalence on affected farms was much lower than reported elsewhere.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Although the prevalence at the cow level was low, if these data are representative of other regions of New Zealand, BDD could easily become a major problem on dairy farms in New Zealand, as has been observed in other countries.     

“中国野生动物之乡”命名活动

野生动物是自然生态系统的重要组成部分,在促进人与自然和谐发展、维护生态平衡等方面发挥着重要作用。为了加强野生动物资源的保护,调动野生动物栖息地地区公众保护鸟类的积极性,提高公众野生动物保护的意识,促进人口、资源、环境和经济的协调发展,中国野生动物保护协会自2004年起在全国组织开展了“中国野生动物之乡”命名活动,受到了社会各界的广泛欢迎。截止2011年8月,中国野生动物保护协会共在全国23个省（区、市）命名了50个“中国野生动物之乡”。作为野生动物保护宣传的新模式,“中国野生动物之乡”对于加大提高公众的保护意识,树立地方的生态品牌,调动社会各界的保护积极性起到了促进作用。     

中药添加剂对海南文昌鸡消化酶活性的影响

试验旨在研究中药添加剂对海南文昌鸡消化酶活性的影响。将180只雌性文昌鸡随机分为5组,每组3个重复,每个重复12只鸡。第1组为空白对照组,饲喂基础日粮;第2组为抗生素对照组,在基础日粮中添加600 mg/kg的金霉素;第3、4、5组分别在基础日粮中添加0.1%、0.2%和0.3%的中药添加剂。试验共进行6周。每周称重、计量采食量。第35、56日龄时,每组分别取接近平均体重鸡6只,屠宰后迅速取胰腺和十二指肠内容物速冻,然后制备匀浆以测定胰腺蛋白酶活性和十二指肠内容物淀粉酶活性。结果显示,0.2%中药添加剂能显著提高日增重(P<0.05),0.2%的中药添加剂能够提高胰蛋白酶活力,但差异不显著(P>0.05),0.2%和0.3%的中药添加剂均能够显著提高肠道内容物中淀粉酶活力(P<0.05)。因此,中药添加剂能够提高文昌鸡胰蛋白酶和肠道淀粉酶活力,以0.2%的添加量较适宜。     

优质乳是奶业发展的方向

发展方向决定兴衰存亡。我国奶业经历了30年的快速发展,取得了巨大成就,但是也正在面临发展新方向的抉择。这个新方向就是发展优质乳,需要明确提出"一杯优质牛奶振兴一个民族"的理念。我国有关奶业科研团队,经过近20年的艰苦探索和协同创新,已经形成了适合国情的"优质乳生产的奶牛营养调控与规范化饲养技术"成果并示范应用,示范结果表明,在奶牛生产中使蛋白质饲料利用效率提高8%~15%,乳脂率和乳蛋白率分别达到3.5%和3.1%,牛奶体细胞数低于40万个,细菌总数低于10万CFU/mL,完全达到国际上优质乳的营养品质和卫生安全水平。如何从国家政策的战略设计上进一步明确优质乳的发展方向,积极组织推广优质乳科技成果,大力发展和弘扬优质、健康、向上的奶业文化,应该引起重视。     

挤奶频率对奶牛生产性能的影响

文章介绍了挤奶频率对奶牛泌乳性能、繁殖性能、健康与福利等方面的影响。     

中草药添加剂对绿壳蛋鸡蛋品质的影响

试验选取4000只绿壳蛋鸡,随机分为4组(A组、B组、C组、D组),每组2个重复,每个重复500只鸡。对照组(A组)饲喂基础饲粮,各试验组分别在基础日粮基础上添加500、1000、1500 mg/kg中草药添加剂。结果表明,各试验组的蛋形指数,蛋壳强度,蛋壳厚度,蛋黄颜色,蛋黄比率,哈氏单位,血、肉斑率较对照组均得到一定改程度改善,但差异不显著(P>0.05);各试验组蛋比重均显著高于对照组(P<0.05)。由此可见中草药添加剂可一定程度改善绿壳蛋鸡的蛋品质。     

全株玉米青贮、谷草和羊草组合全混合日粮饲喂干奶前期奶牛对其围产期生产性能和血液生化及免疫指标的影响

在研究不同比例全株玉米青贮、谷草和羊草组合日粮饲喂干奶前期奶牛对其围产期生产性能和血液生化及免疫指标的影响。选择健康、体况一致的干奶前期荷斯坦奶牛45头,根据体重、胎次及预产期接近(P>0.05)的原则将奶牛随机分为试验A、B和C组,每组15头。分别以精料、全株玉米青贮、谷草和羊草16∶24∶30∶30(A组)、16∶24∶45∶15(B组)和16∶24∶60∶0(C组)比例配合日粮饲喂。产前2周将3组试验牛转入围产牛群,3个试验组开始饲喂场内同一围产前期和新产牛日粮。试验期88 d。结果表明:1)与C组相比,B组在产后1、2和3周的干物质采食量分别提高10.46%(P<0.05)、7.79%(P<0.05)和5.65%(P<0.05)。除产后1周外,产后2、3周B组的奶牛体况评分分别比C组高6.60%(P<0.05)和9.06%(P<0.05)。2)各试验组的犊牛初生重差异不显著(P>0.05)。试验A、B组初乳免疫球蛋白G(IgG)含量分别比C组提高10.82%(P<0.01)和18.07%(P<0.01)。3)与C组相比,B组产后21 d产奶量提高9.00%(P<0.05),乳非脂固形物率提高2.83%(P<0.05),乳蛋白率提高10.59%(P<0.05),乳糖率提高5.64%(P<0.05)。各试验组间乳脂率和尿素氮无显著差异(P>0.05)。4)分娩当天和产后21 d,B组的血清甘油三酯含量显著低于A和C组(P<0.05),B组的血糖含量显著高于A和C组(P<0.05), B组的血清尿素氮和胰岛素显著低于C组(P<0.05),B组的胰岛素样生长因子I(IGF-I)和总蛋白显著高于C组(P<0.05);在产前7 d和分娩当天,B组的血清免疫球蛋白A(IgA)、免疫球蛋白B(IgM)和IgG显著高于C组(P<0.05);在产后21 d,B组的血清IgM和IgG含量显著高于C组(P<0.05);产前7 d和分娩当天,B组瘦素显著高于C组,而B组的血清非酯化脂肪酸(NEFA)含量显著低于C组(P<0.05);在产前7 d、分娩当天和产后21 d,B组的胆固醇均显著低于C组(P<0.05),B组的血清白蛋白含量显著高于C组,B组谷草转氨酶(AST)和谷丙转氨酶(ALT)也显著低于C组(P<0.05)。各试验组间β-羟丁酸无显著差异(P>0.05)。综合分析,干奶前期饲粮组成和养分水平可影响围产期奶牛的机体代谢和生产性能。在本试验条件下,干奶前期奶牛日粮中精料、全株玉米青贮、谷草和羊草的适宜比例为16∶24∶45∶15。     

金黄色葡萄球菌对奶牛乳腺上皮细胞Wnt/β-catenin信号通路和相关修复因子的影响

采用金黄色葡萄球菌侵袭原代奶牛乳腺上皮细胞,观察该病原菌对乳腺上皮细胞Wnt/β-catenin信号通路关键蛋白和相关修复因子EGFR、TGF-β3和VEGF基因mRNA表达的影响。金黄色葡萄球菌以MOI=1∶1的比例接种奶牛乳腺上皮细胞,分别作用0,15,30,45,60,120,240 min,采用Western blot法检测乳腺上皮细胞β-catenin、Cyclin D1及c-Myc蛋白表达水平;免疫荧光法检测β-catenin的表达及核易位;荧光定量PCR检测EGFR、TGF-β3和VEGF基因mRNA表达。结果显示,β-catenin蛋白在45,60,120 min表达量升高,与0 min相比差异显著(P<0.05);Cyclin D1蛋白在45,60,120和240 min表达量升高,差异显著或极显著(P<0.05或P<0.01);c-Myc蛋白在15,30,60,120,240 min表达量升高,差异极显著(P<0.01)。修复相关因子EGFR、TGF-β3和VEGF基因mRNA的表达量在30 min均出现极显著升高(P<0.01),且VEGF基因mRNA在45,60,120和240 min均呈现极显著升高(P<0.01),EGFR基因mRNA表达量在30,45和60 min时表达量极显著升高(P<0.01)。结果表明,金黄色葡萄球菌侵袭奶牛乳腺上皮细胞后,诱导Wnt/β-catenin信号通路的转导和修复因子EGFR、TGF-β3和VEGF基因转录,该信号通路和修复因子可能参与金黄色葡萄球菌导致的炎症和细胞损伤的修复过程。