Contagious ecthyma in the live sheep export industry

Objective: To investigate control options for contagious ecthyma (scabby mouth) in Australian sheep exported live to the Middle East.
Design: Prevalence, vaccination and modelling studies.
Procedure: One hundred and forty weaner sheep (less than 1 year old) on each of 106 farms in Western Australia (WA) and 18 farm groups of adult wethers received at a WA commercial feedlot were examined for lesions of scabby mouth. Sheep on a total of 26 farms in 3 States were divided into treatment and control groups for the vaccination study. A simple deterministic compartmental model was developed to establish which parameters had the greater effect on disease prevalence.
Results: The proportion of farms with evidence of scabby mouth in weaner sheep was 23.6% and, on those farms with the disease, the overall prevalence was 6.1%. At the feedlot, 4 out of 18 farm groups had 5 or more sheep with lesions on arrival. The overall prevalence in the 4 diseased groups was 5.2%. Sheep vaccinated on farm before trucking to the feed-lot had a lower prevalence of scabby mouth at the end of simulated shipping than controls. The main determinant of scabby mouth prevalence was the proportion of sheep immune to the disease.
Conclusion: A program of vaccination for scabby mouth will reduce the prevalence of disease during live export. However, using current technology it is not possible to deliver shipments of sheep to the Middle East that are guaranteed completely free of scabby mouth.     

绵羊PRLR基因内含子9和外显子10多态性与产羔数的关系研究

本研究采用PCR-SSCP技术对绵羊催乳素受体(PRLR)基因内含子9和外显子10部分核苷酸多态性及其与小尾寒羊、中国美利奴(新疆型)绵羊多胎品系、肉用品系、体大品系、萨福克、无角陶赛特、中国美利奴(新疆型)和德国肉用美利奴产羔数间的关系进行了分析。结果发现:①在绵羊PRLR基因内含子9的第259 bp处,存在C→T转换,BB基因型的小尾寒羊平均产羔数分别较AA和AB基因型提高0.81和0.87只(P0.05);②在绵羊PRLR基因外显子10的第304 bp处存在一个G→A转换,该突变导致PRLR基因第387位氨基酸残基由Glu突变为Lys,并使中国美利奴(新疆型)多胎品系中AB基因型的平均产羔数较AA和BB基因型增加0.58和0.80只(P0.05);③在绵羊PRLR基因外显子10第571、585和606bp处分别存在G→A、C→G和C→T突变;其中前2处突变分别导致PRLR基因的第476位氨基酸由Ala突变为Thr,第480位氨基酸由Ser突变为Arg。其中第571 bp处突变导致小尾寒羊AB基因型的平均窝产羔数显著高于AA基因型的窝产羔数,增加0.8只(P0.05)。以上结果提示,PRLR基因可能是控制小尾寒羊和中国美利奴(新疆型)绵羊多胎品系产羔数的主效基因或与之存在紧密的遗传连锁。     

绵羊PRLR基因内含子9和外显子10多态性与产羔数的关系研究

本研究采用PCR-SSCP技术对绵羊催乳素受体（PRLR）基因内含子9和外显子10部分核苷酸多态性及其与小尾寒羊、中国美利奴（新疆型）绵羊多胎品系、肉用品系、体大品系、萨福克、无角陶赛特、中国美利奴（新疆型）和德国肉用美利奴产羔数间的关系进行了分析。结果发现：①在绵羊PRLR基因内含子9的第259 bp处,存在C→T转换,BB基因型的小尾寒羊平均产羔数分别较AA和AB基因型提高0.81和0.87只（P<0.05）;②在绵羊PRLR基因外显子10的第304 bp处存在一个G→A转换,该突变导致PRLR基因第387位氨基酸残基由Glu突变为Lys,并使中国美利奴（新疆型）多胎品系中AB基因型的平均产羔数较AA和BB基因型增加0.58和0.80只（P<0.05）;③在绵羊PRLR基因外显子10第571、585和606 bp处分别存在G→A、C→G和C→T突变;其中前2处突变分别导致PRLR基因的第476位氨基酸由Ala突变为Thr,第480位氨基酸由Ser突变为Arg。其中第571 bp处突变导致小尾寒羊AB基因型的平均窝产羔数显著高于AA基因型的窝产羔数,增加0.8 只（P<0.05）。以上结果提示,PRLR基因可能是控制小尾寒羊和中国美利奴（新疆型）绵羊多胎品系产羔数的主效基因或与之存在紧密的遗传连锁。     

Pharmacokinetics of fenvalerate after intravenous administration to sheep

The pharmacokinetics of total radioactivity and of intact fenvalerate were determined in sheep treated intravenously with radiolabelled or non-radiolabelled fenvalerate. Mean residence times (MRT) of total radioactivity and intact fenvalerate in plasma were 910 (±75) and 39 (±3) min, while harmonic mean elimination-phase half-lives (TM_β) were 990 and 82 min, each respectively. Systemic clearance values (Cl_S) of total radioactivity and intact fenvalerate were 2·8 (±0·3) ml min⁻¹ kg⁻¹ and 51·3 (±5·9) ml min⁻¹ kg⁻¹, respectively. Volumes of distribution at steady state (V_SS) were each near 2500 ml kg⁻¹. Elimination of radioactivity occurred, in part (33·3 (±3·3)% of dose), by renal excretion, at a rate (0·9 (±0·1) ml min⁻¹ kg⁻¹), similar to that of glomerular filtration. These data are consistent with a disposition model according to which intact fenvalerate was rapidly distributed into a peripheral compartment, where metabolism occurred. In addition, since the elimination half-life of fenvalerate from plasma was less than 90 min after intravenous injection, ‘flip-flop’ kinetics should be considered when longer elimination half-lives are observed after oral or dermal exposures.     

A note on the chemical composition, intake and digestion of Striga hermonthica herbage by sheep

Striga hermonthica causes serious crop yield losses in West Africa. Hand pulling, an effective method for the reduction of light infestations, might be encouraged if farmers could use this weed as livestock feed. This study evaluated the chemical composition and the voluntary intake and digestion of S. hermonthica herbage by sheep. Crude protein (g kg⁻¹ dry matter (d.m.)) was 184 in the whole plant, 230 in the leaf and 87 in the stem. Ash content varied from 183 to 253 g kg d.m.⁻¹. The concentration of neutral and acid detergent fibre and lignin in whole pot-grown plants was 364, 278 and 127 g kg d.m.⁻¹ respectively. The digestibility of dry and organic (o.m.) matter was 493 and 657 g kg⁻¹, respectively, and intake of digestible o.m. was 27.1 g kg W^−0.75. The relatively high N and P levels in S. hermonthica warrant further evaluation in terms of its potential use as a source of protein or for compost. Its use as a feed appears to be limited by the high ash content and possibly by anti-nutritional effects on animals. These effects should be further investigated before recommending its use for this purpose.     

湖南山羊传染性脓疱首次诊断

1991年3月我院胚胎移殖山羊和会同县农户山羊,口角上、下唇等部长有瘤状硬痂,疑为羊口疮.利用自然病例痂皮毒悬液,划痕接种健康山羊和家兔,山羊能复制出与自然病例相同的疾病,家兔亦能感染发病.利用人工感染康复家兔制备的高免血清,经琼脂扩散试验和对流免疫电泳试验均可出现特异性沉淀线,从而初步确诊本病为羊传染性脓疱.     

蒙古绵羊早期胚胎的消化及呼吸器官的发生

蒙古绵羊胚胎的原肠、消化及呼吸器官,内分泌腺的原基,发生在交配后的8～30d。胚胎发育到20～21d,胚长4～6mm;到22～23d,胚长7～9mm;到24～30d,胚长10～15mm。交配后8d12h,胚胎原肠呈球形,16d14h,原肠发育成管状,分前肠、中肠及后肠。胚长4～14mm,头侧5对鳃弓逐渐退化,口膜破裂与前肠相通,上下颌及舌已形成。感官及主要内分泌腺的原基也已发生。食道呈管状,胃芽由棱形变成椭圆形。分化出三室,背系膜中有脾芽发生。胚长4～5mm 时,前中后肠呈直管状,到6～9mm,肠襻似“V”字形;胚长10～15mm 时,“V”形肠襻以背系膜为中轴,顺时针旋转180°。胚胎发育到20d,前肠腹面的内胚层发生出1个肝憩室,到22d,肝芽内细胞索交织成网,其中形成静脉导管。到交配后30d,总胆管通向降肠起端。背胰芽发生于前肠背面的内胚层,腹胰芽发生于胆囊管后方的前肠腹面,腹胰芽从前肠右侧伸向背胰芽,合并为胰腺原基。从4mm 长胚胎开始,咽底面发生喉气管沟,进而形成喉气管芽,到胚长15mm,气管芽依次分支形成肺芽原基。     

河南小尾寒羊产肉性能与羊肉品质的分析研究

就河南小尾寒羊的产肉性能和羊肉品质进行了分析研究。结果表明:河南小尾寒羊生长发育快,产肉性能好,肉质细嫩,肉味浓郁,6月龄的屠宰率较高。肌肉中的蛋白质含量较高,氨基酸含量丰富,其中的赖氨酸、异亮氨酸等达到或超过了标准蛋白质中的含量。     

湖羊生长性状遗传参数的估测

对湖羊生长性状的表型参数和遗传参数的估测表明，性别对这些生长性状有极显著的影响，在遗传参数的估测中剔除性别的效应可提高估计的正确性。初生重、断奶重、三月龄重、六月龄重、周岁重和日增重等性状都属于高遗传力性状，遗传力分别为０．４１９０，０．３０４２．０．６０２３，０．６０７７，０．３９５６和０．６９４５．根据相关分析结果，为提高湖羊的生长速度和肉用性能，把日增重和三月龄重作为主要选择性状，预期可获得较好的效果     

多浪羊BMPR-IB基因多态性的初步研究

以多浪羊为实验材料,BMPR-IB为候选基因,通过PCR-RELP检测该基因的单核苷酸多态性(SNP)位点.研究发现在该品种上,BMPR-IB基因存在多态性++(94.12;)、B+(5.08;),推断存在BB纯合子.说明多浪羊的多胎性能与BMPR-IB基因存在极为密切的遗传连锁关系,很可能与Brooroola羊遗传机制相同.