Does milk yield reflect the level of welfare in dairy herds?

Under the assumption that milk yield may be reduced in herds with impaired welfare, the present study aimed at investigating whether milk yield could be used as a reliable indicator of welfare. In 125 commercial French dairy herds, the association between the welfare of the herd (evaluated using the Welfare Quality assessment protocol) and cow milk yield was investigated using linear mixed models. Positive associations were identified between milk yield and low aggressions between cows and good emotional state of the herd but there was a negative association with good health assessed through the occurrence of diseases and injuries. These opposite associations resulted in no association with the overall welfare of the herd. Milk yield should not therefore be used as an indicator of overall welfare.     

A whole genome scan to map QTL for milk production traits and somatic cell score in Canadian Holstein bulls

The detection and mapping of genetic markers linked to quantitative trait loci (QTL) can be utilized to enhance genetic improvement of livestock populations. With the completion of the bovine genome sequence assembly, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) assays spanning the whole bovine genome and research work on large scale identification, validation and analysis of genotypic variation in cattle has become possible. The objective of the present study was to perform a whole genome scan to identify and map QTL affecting milk production traits and somatic cell scores using linkage disequilibrium (LD) regression and 1536 SNP markers. Three and 18 SNP were found to be associated with only milk yield (MY) at a genome and chromosome wise significance (p < 0.05) level respectively. Among the 21 significant SNP, 16 were in a region reported to have QTL for MY in other dairy cattle populations and while the rest five were new QTL finding. Four SNP out of 21 are significant for the milk production traits (MY, fat yield, protein yield (PY), and milk contents) in the present study. Six and nine SNP were associated with PY at a genome and chromosome wise significant (p < 0.05) level respectively. Three and 17 SNP were found to be associated with FY at a genome and chromosome wise significant (p < 0.05) level. Five and seven SNP were mapped with somatic cell score at a genome and chromosome wise significant (p < 0.05) level respectively. The results of this study have revealed QTL for MY, PY, protein percentage, FY, fat percentage, somatic cell score and persistency of milk in the Canadian dairy cattle population. The chromosome regions identified in this study should be further investigated to potentially identify the causative mutations underlying the QTL.     

Effect of Neospora caninum-serostatus on culling, reproductive performance and milk production in Dutch dairy herds with and without a history of Neospora caninum-associated abortion epidemics

We quantified the effect of Neospora caninum (NC)-serostatus on culling and (re)production in 83 herds randomly selected from the Dutch dairy herd population (random group) and in 17 herds that had experienced an abortion epidemic associated with NC infection (epidemic-abortion group). In the random group, a single whole-herd blood sampling was done during the spring of 2003, while in the epidemic-abortion group whole-herd blood sampling was done repeatedly at least once a year starting after the abortion epidemic during the period 1997–2000 until the summer of 2004. Serological test-results for NC were given as ‘negative’ (N), ‘low-positive’ (LP) and ‘high-positive’ (HP). For analysing the time to culling, calving interval and age of first calving, survival analysis was used. For categorical reproduction parameters either a logistic-regression model (abortion, non-return after 1st insemination) or a Poisson-regression model (number of inseminations per pregnancy) was used. For milk production a linear-mixed model was used. All models were controlled, if applicable, for confounding variables like parity, production, season, year and abortion and adjusted for within-herd clustering.

In random herds, HP serostatus increased the hazard for culling 1.73-fold (95% CI: 1.37–2.19) compared to N and LP serostatus. Compared to N serostatus, LP and HP serostatus in epidemic-abortion herds increased the odds for abortion 1.88-fold (95% CI: 1.41–2.52) and 1.72-fold (95% CI: 1.38–2.14), respectively. No other reproduction parameters were associated with NC-serostatus in the random or epidemic-abortion herds. We found no effect of serostatus on milk production in the random group. In contrast, milk production of LP and HP serostatus in the epidemic-abortion group was respectively, 0.72 kg milk/day (95% CI: 0.15–1.03) and 0.59 kg milk/day (95% CI: 0.13–1.30), less during the first 100 days of lactation in the first year after the abortion epidemic compared with N serostatus.     

加强通风和洒水对乳牛夏季生产性能的影响

选择泌乳中期的黑白花乳牛八头,配对分为试验和对照两组,分两期进行交叉试验,每期四周。试验组牛装电风扇三台,气温到达22℃以上时启动。27℃以上每隔30—50分钟每牛洒水7.5升。两组牛白天舍饲,夜间放在运动场上。两个试验期的平均干球温度、相对湿度和THI分别为29.17℃、76.29％和80.81。试验组的直肠温度和呼吸频率显著(P<0.01)低于对照组,分别为38.97和39.61℃及60.87和78.53次/分。试验组的青草采食量较对照组高20.9％,产乳量高16.85％,每日体重减轻少0.94公斤,差异均极显著(P<0.01)。试验组包括维持在内的产乳的饲料利用率较对照组高22.7％。结果表明,这些防暑措施能显著减轻乳牛的热应激,提高采食量和产乳量,减少体重损失和提高饲料利用率。据经济效益分析,试验组每日每牛的净收入较对照组高1.3964元。     

胚胎移植荷斯坦牛泌乳性能测定

[目的]胚胎移植是荷斯坦牛繁育新技术之一,可缩短育种年限、迅速提高生产性能.[方法]本试验通过对胚胎移植荷斯坦牛泌乳性能的测定,真实表达了实施胚胎移植技术的作用和意义.[结果]表明,在完全相同的饲养管理条件下,试验组7头胚移荷斯坦牛305 d的泌乳量为5593.47 kg,对照组31头非胚移荷斯坦牛305 d的泌乳量为3 599.88 kg,前者泌乳量比后者高1 993.59 kg,提高55.38%(P<0.01).[结论]胚移荷斯坦牛的泌乳性能显著高于非胚移荷斯坦牛.     

提高泌乳盛期奶牛乳脂率与乳蛋白含量的营养调控研究

为研究提高奶牛乳脂率与乳蛋白含量的营养调控技术,选择体况、胎次、产犊时间、产奶量相近的泌乳盛期中国荷斯坦奶牛27头,采用L9(34)正交试验设计,进行了中性洗涤纤维(NDF)、小肠可消化蛋白(IDCP)、添加过瘤胃保护脂肪酸(RPFA)、过瘤胃保护氨基酸(RPAA)对泌乳盛期奶牛乳脂率与乳蛋白含量的影响试验.结果表明,日粮干物质(DM)中NDF41%、IDCP按我国<奶牛饲养标准>推荐量92%、脂肪酸钙150g/d、过瘤胃保护蛋氨酸8g/d+过瘤胃保护赖氨酸32g/d,可有效提高奶牛泌乳盛期的乳脂率与乳蛋白含量.     

日粮不饱和脂肪酸对乳脂CLA合成的影响研究进展

CLA是一组18碳二烯酸结构和位置异构体的总称,反刍动物产品(尤其乳制品)中CLA含量丰富,是人类天然食物中CLA主要来源,是唯一具有抗癌作用的动物源脂肪酸,已成为最近几年的研究热点。在此,从日粮不饱和脂肪酸对乳脂CLA的生物合成的影响及调节机理方面作了概述。     

甜菜粕颗粒对泌乳奶牛泌乳性能、血液生化指标的影响

本试验旨在研究甜菜粕颗粒对泌乳奶牛生产性能、血液生化指标的影响。采用完全随机试验设计,选择体重、泌乳天数(135.96±25.98)d、胎次(1~2次)、产乳量(29.78±5.42)kg和生理状态相近的48头中国荷斯坦奶牛,随机分为4组,每组12头。对照组饲喂基础日粮,试验组分别以3.5%、5.5%、7.5%甜菜粕颗粒(干物质基础)替换基础日粮中部分玉米和燕麦草等。试验预试期1周,正试期6周。结果表明:对照组的干物质采食量、产奶量以及乳成分与试验组无显著性差异;与对照组相比,3.5%、5.5%、7.5%甜菜粕组血清中总蛋白含量分别提高了13.75%、13.34%、8.17%(P<0.05);3.5%和5.5%试验组的球蛋白含量分别提高了18.02%、18.35%(P<0.05);5.5%试验组葡萄糖含量降低了17.76%(P<0.05);7.5%试验组每天可盈利1.28元/头。在本试验条件下,添加7.5%甜菜粕颗粒不会对机体的糖分吸收以及代谢造成影响且经济效益最佳。     

复合脂肪酸和乳酸对奶牛瘤胃VFA和CH4的影响

将20头安装瘤胃瘘管的荷斯坦产奶牛随机分为对照组和试验Ⅰ～Ⅲ组,每组5头,对照组饲喂TMR,试验Ⅰ～Ⅲ组饲喂TMR分别加150．0g／（头·d）复合脂肪酸、乳酸和复合脂肪酸＋乳酸（1：1）,探讨复合脂肪酸和乳酸对奶牛瘤胃CH4释放量、VFA和NH3-N浓度及产奶性能的影响。结果显示,TMR加150．0g／（头·d）复合脂肪酸＋2L酸（1：1）,使奶牛瘤胃NH3-N和CH4释放量分别减少11．92％（P〈0．05）和21.35％（P〈0．01）,FCM、乳脂率和乳糖含量分别提高3．28％、5．12％和3．62％,瘤胃VFA明显增加,能够有效抑制奶牛对空气的CH4污染．显著提高奶牛的生态效益和经济效益。     

紫云英肥饲兼用--猪粪尿还田对土壤肥力与水稻、生猪产量的影响

紫云英肥料兼用——猪粪尿还田,不仅能保持紫云英原有的供肥和培肥改土的功能,更重要的是,能有效地解决南方开春后青饲料短缺的矛盾,且通过食物链加环可以成倍地提高其经济效益,是一项值得推广的好技术。