Neutrophil Phagocytosis Following Inoculation of Salmonella choleraesuis into Swine

Neutrophils are an important mediator of host defence, especially in early stages of infection. A major function of neutrophils is the uptake and killing of invading microbes. Little is known about the effect of neutrophil activity on the pathogenesis and development of the carrier state in swine following infection with Salmonella choleraesuis. A human whole-blood microassay using flow cytometry was modified to measure the effect of S. choleraesuis infection in vivo on the rate of ingestion, or rate of uptake, of homologous bacteria by porcine neutrophils. Pigs were inoculated intranasally with 5–8×10⁸ CFU S. choleraesuis and blood was collected in heparinized tubes at –5, 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 days post inoculation (PI). Heat-killed S. choleraesuis were labelled with fluorescein isothiocyanate and incubated for various times with diluted whole blood. Red blood cells were lysed, external non-phagocytized bacteria were quenched with a commercially available lysing solution, and fluorescence from internalized bacteria labelled with fluorescein isothiocyanate was detected by flow cytometry. The rate of uptake by neutrophils did not increase until 2 days PI and then remained elevated to 4 days PI. The minimal uptake of S. choleraesuis early after exposure to these organisms may provide an opportunity for the pathogen to colonize and/or replicate to levels that facilitate establishment of a carrier state or clinical infection in swine.     

Peste des petits ruminants has been widely present in southern India since, if not before, the late 1980s

Because previous authorities had suggested that small ruminants were playing a part in the dissemination of rinderpest, and a rinderpest-eradication campaign was about to begin, it was necessary to make precise virus identifications from a number of small-ruminant “rinderpest” outbreaks. When this was done using a database created from passive disease reports, we found that epidemics—reportedly due to rinderpest—were in fact due to peste des petits ruminants (PPRs). Although such cases had been common in India for a number of years, earlier clinical and laboratory reports no longer should be regarded as definitive. PPR outbreaks have been frequent in recent years. Further, we suggest that PPR is not a recent invader of India.     

Prevalence of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREF) in pig faeces from slaughterhouses in Spain

A study to estimate the prevalence of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium in faecal samples from pigs at slaughterhouses in Spain was carried out between November 1998 and January 1999 with 900 samples taken from four abattoirs representing 9.7% of all pig slaughtered in 1998. Using a selective enrichment broth with vancomycin (8 μg/ml), 64 samples (7.1%; 95% CI: 5.5, 9.0%) had E. faecium vancomycin-resistant strains that showed minimal inhibitory concentrations of 256 μg/ml (62 strains) and 512 μg/ml (two strains). Results by farm showed that 43 of the 240 pig farms represented in the sampling had at least one faecal sample with vancomycin-resistant E. faecium.     

Energy expenditure in Awassi sheep grazing wheat stubble in the northern Negev Desert of Israel

In semi-arid Mediterranean areas, small grain aftermath stubble represents an important summer source of food for grazing flocks of small ruminants. Wheat stubble is a mediocre source of forage and flocks are grazed in summer under harsh conditions of temperature and air dustiness. However, stubble grazing procedures are changing, water and shading are more frequently available between grazing sessions (“improved management”), and the biological soundness of this ancestral practice needs to be re-visited. The present study was aimed at evaluating the cost in energy of “improved” wheat stubble grazing, compared with feeding a similar diet indoors. The intake of stubble was first quantitatively and qualitatively evaluated in Awassi sheep. Ewes consumed daily 980 ± 100 g day^− 1 of wheat stubble. Ewes were then housed and fed diets consisting of wheat hay, straw and grain formulated to be iso-energetic and iso-nitrogenous to diets consumed from wheat stubble. The average intake of ME was similar during the confinement and the pasture periods (6.4 ± 0.5 and 7.6 ± 0.8 MJ day^− 1of ME, respectively). During 2 days of each period, animals were fitted with external electrodes and data loggers of heart rate and skin temperature. Energy expenditure (EE) was calculated from oxygen consumption estimated as the product of heart beats rate measured for the two days by the amount of oxygen delivered to body tissues at each heart beat (O₂ pulse). The O₂ pulse was determined by simultaneously measurement of oxygen consumption and HR twice daily on two occasions, while grazing stubble and indoors. Energy expenditure and energy balance were not different in sheep while grazing wheat stubble (11.1 and − 3.5 MJ day^− 1) or fed indoors (11.1 and − 4.8 MJ day^− 1). Our data show that stubble did not cover nitrogen and energy requirements for maintenance, and that the cost of summer stubble grazing carried out under conditions described here is less than thought before.     

Pre-weaning eating activity and morphological parameters in the small and large intestine of piglets

The effect of pre-weaning eating activity on the intestinal morphology in piglets was investigated on the day of weaning and 5 days post-weaning. The eating activity of each piglet was recorded by means of direct observations. On day 5 post-weaning the villous heights were reduced and the crypt depths were increased irrespective of the pre-weaning eating activity. In the caecum and colon the crypt depth was increased post-weaning and no effect of pre-weaning eating activity was observed. The muscle thickness in the small intestine did not change during the immediate post-weaning period whereas the muscle thickness in the large intestine was doubled in the same period. In conclusion, pre-weaning eating activity did not affect the structural alterations of the small and large intestine. However, the actual number of piglets consuming creep feed prior to weaning was low and the eating activity was highly variable. Therefore, more or later weaned piglets may be needed to show effects of pre-weaning eating activity.     

Creep feed intake during lactation enhances net absorption in the small intestine after weaning

The aim of the study was to measure the effect of creep feeding during lactation on net absorption in the small intestine at 4 days after weaning. Intermittent suckling was used to increase creep feed intake during lactation. Creep feed containing chromic oxide was provided. Based on the colour of the faeces, piglets were classified as ‘eaters’ or ‘non-eaters’, respectively. At day 4 after weaning, an in vivo small intestine segment perfusion test was performed at 5 sites along the small intestine in 24 piglets (12 eaters and 12 non-eaters). At both sides of each intestinal segment a tube was fitted to perfuse and drain fluid in order to assess net absorption. Net absorption was higher in eaters than in non-eaters (P < 0.001). Net absorption varied greatly between and within piglets and was highest in the caudal segments of the small intestine (P < 0.001). These data suggest that creep feeding could be a useful tool in the prevention of post-weaning diarrhoea.     

Genome-wide Association Study on Alive Litter Size Trait in Bama Xiang Pigs

In order to identify the molecular markers related to alive litter size of Bama Xiang pigs,the genome-wide association study (GWAS) was used to map and screen the candidate genes affecting the alive litter size trait.Ear tissue samples of 297 Bama Xiang pigs with multiple parity records were collected,and DNA was extracted and genotyped by porcine 50K SNP beadchip.After quality control and genotype imputation,the alive litter size of Bama Xiang pigs were GWAS by Tassel.The results showed that the average number born alive per litter of Bama Xiang pigs increased gradually with the increasing of parity in the range of 1-9 parities.A total of 32 816 SNPs were obtained after quality control and filtration.8 SNPs related to alive litter size of Bama Xiang pigs were screened by genome-wide association analysis,which were significant at genome or chromosome level.Based on the enrichment analysis of the coding genes in the region between 500 kb upstream and downstream of the associated significant SNP loci,and the QTL regions and gene functions related to porcine reproductive traits,4 genes (CAPZB,MSH3,CITED2 and HSD17B7) were finally identified to be candidate genes related to alive litter size of Bama Xiang pigs.     

不同氟水平对生长育肥猪毒性的研究

96头始重(24.14±1.12)kg的杜长大三元杂交猪,随机分为4组。第1组为对照组,饲喂基础日粮(含氟量37.39mg/kg),第2、3、4组分别饲喂含氟(以NaF形式添加)量为100、150、200mg/kg的日粮,研究日粮中不同氟水平对猪生长性能和血清某些生化指标的影响,并探讨了氟在肝、肾和肌肉中的沉积,饲料氟和粪氟、血清氟、尿氟之间的相关关系。结果表明,第3、4组猪增重与对照组相比分别降低8.86%(P<0.05)和9.81%(P<0.05),料重比分别升高7.36%(P<0.05)和8.07%(P<0.05)。第4组血清钙、镁、白蛋白含量和碱性磷酸酶的活力与对照组相比分别降低了17.33%(P<0.01)、29.91%(P<0.01)、10.75%(P<0.05)和33.71%(P<0.01)。第3、4组肝、肾和肌肉氟含量与对照组相比显著增加(P<0.05)。各试验组粪氟、血清氟、尿氟含量随饲料中氟含量的增加而升高,且各组间差异极显著(P<0.001),饲料氟与粪氟、血清氟、尿氟含量相关系数分别为0.943(P<0.01)、0.911(P<0.01)和0.959(P<0.01)。     

Characterization of a line of pigs previously selected for increased litter size for RBP4 and follistatin

The objective of this study was to determine if selection response for increased litter size in pigs could be partially attributed to three type 1 marker loci coding for genes known to affect litter size: oestrogen receptor (ESR), retinol‐binding protein 4 (RBP4) and follistatin (FS). In the high litter size line (LS), pigs from the largest litters, based on number of pigs born alive (NBA), were retained to parent the next generation. A randomly selected control line (LC) was maintained. Gilts were reared in litters of 10 pigs or less to minimize maternal effects. Pigs were measured at generations 10–12. Additional traits scored were number of fully formed pigs (NFF) and number of mummified fetuses (MUM). Breeding values for NFF and NBA were greater (p < 0.05) in LS than LC in generations 11 and 12, but no significant line differences were found for MUM. The A allele of the ESR locus was fixed in both lines. After adjustment for effects of genetic drift, frequency of the two alleles segregating for the FS and RBP4 loci did not differ significantly between lines. No significant additive or dominance effects of the FS markers were detected for NFF, NBA and MUM in either LS or LC. Response to selection for increased litter size could not be attributed to effects at the ESR, RBP4 or FS loci.     

黑皮黄瓤小西瓜新品种雪峰小玉8号的选育

雪峰小玉8号是湖南省瓜类研究所最新育成的长椭圆形、黑皮、黄瓤、耐贮运二倍体小果型西瓜新品种。植株生长势强,抗病抗逆性强,坐果性好。全生育期85d左右,果实发育期25d左右。皮厚约0.7cm,果皮硬度26kg/cm2,不裂果;中心可溶性固形物含量12%～13%;单果重2～3kg,667m2产量2000～3500kg。2007年2月通过湖南省农作物品种审定委员会审定。