'Looking up' behavior in the holding area of the milking parlor: its relationship with step-kick, flight responses and productivity of commercial dairy cows

Commercial dairy cows milked in a parlor system are packed close together in the holding area before milking. The present study examined the relationships of ‘looking up’ behavior with some other behaviors and the productivity of 1116–1153 cows from five farms. The individual identities of the cows looking up in the holding area were recorded at 5 min intervals during six intermittent afternoon milking sessions. Entrance into the milking parlor and the numbers of steps and kicks by cows while the milking person was attaching the milking cups, were recorded in six milking sessions. Flight responses in the pasture after milking were recorded over four days intermittently. The frequency of ‘looking up’ behavior weakly, but significantly correlated with flight starting distance (r = 0.10, P < 0.05), while the correlation with the number of step‐kicks during milking was not significant. As for productivity, lactation number (r = ?0.18, P < 0.001), milk yield (r = ?0.15, P < 0.001) and fat content (r = ?0.15, P < 0.001) were negatively correlated with the frequency of ‘looking up’ behavior. Age of cows was correlated with the frequency of ‘looking up’ behavior as well as lactation number (r = ?0.21, P < 0.001). Entrance order was positively correlated with the frequency of ‘looking up’ behavior (r = 0.15, P < 0.001). The ‘looking up’ behavior was observed more frequently in cows in their third or less lactation compared with cows which were in their fourth or greater lactation (P < 0.05). The lactation number of cows was correlated with their milk yield (r = 0.36, P < 0.001) and flight starting distance (r = ?0.21, P < 0.001). In conclusion, ‘looking up’ behavior shown by cows in the holding area before milking might be an indicator of low motivation for milking, mainly because of fear of humans, and an aversion to milking caused by insufficient experience in being milked.     

The place of Sanga cattle in dairy production in Uganda

A survey was carried out on milk production and reproductive performance of dairy cattle: 24 farms, with a total of 900 animals and distributed in four agro-ecological zones, were visited every 15 days over 18 months. Cows were fed on natural pastures as the only source of feed, and animal performance was dependent on the season and exhibited a dramatic drop in dry spells. Numeric productivity indices integrating productive performance for settler’s, multipurpose, crop–livestock integrated and modern farms were 0.56, 0.74, 0.69 and 0.63, respectively. Milk productivity was higher on modern farms (6.7 L/cow per day) than in the other systems, and higher with Holstein-Friesian cows (7.7 L/cow per day) than with indigenous cattle (1.8 L/cow per day) or crossbred animals (3.7 L/cow per day). This paper speculates on the opportunity to improve the genetic potential of indigenous cattle, concomitantly with the efforts to adapt exotic cattle to a mountainous equatorial environment.     

夏季奶牛室通风喷淋降温控制系统的设计

针对目前夏季奶牛室降温措施少,严重影响奶牛夏季产奶量的现状,结合奶牛的生理特性设计了一套降温控制系统,具有控制电路结构原理简单、成本低的优点。经过实地试验,证明该控制系统性能可靠,运行稳定,适用于中小型奶牛室。     

中草药饲料添加剂对河西肉牛血液生化指标影响的研究

为了提升河西肉牛产品特别是血液制品的质量及产业效益,利用饲料中添加中草药添加剂的方法对河西肉牛架子牛进行了育肥、屠宰试验。采取低剂量中草药组、高剂量中草药组和对照组肉牛血样,用专门仪器和方法测定了血液中5种血清矿物质离子、7种血清代谢产物及5种血清酶等生化指标的含量。结果表明:高剂量中草药组肉牛血清中的Na、Mg离子及乳酸脱氢酶含量均极显著高于低剂量组和对照组(P<0.01),Cl离子含量极显著高于对照组(P<0.01),其葡萄糖、肌酐、甘油三酯含量均显著高于对照组(P<0.05),谷丙转氨酶显著低于其他两组肉牛(P<0.05),而谷草转氨酶(AST)却显著高于其他两组肉牛(P<0.05);低剂量组和高剂量组肉牛血清中的高密度脂蛋白极显著高于对照组(P<0.01),碱性磷酸酶极显著低于对照组肉牛(P<0.01),而谷丙/谷酸则显著高于对照组肉牛(P<0.05)。结论:试验配制的中草药饲料添加剂对肉牛血液生化指标有良好的影响,对高剂量组肉牛的影响更为明显;饲喂中草药饲料添加剂的肉牛生长发育、营养状况均显著好于对照组,但高剂量组更优;利用高剂量中草药饲料添加剂饲喂的肉牛,其血液在制造保健用品方面有广阔开发前景。     

不同水平复合益生菌制剂添加对奶牛生产性能、乳品质及体细胞数量的影响

为分析不同水平复合益生菌制剂添加对奶牛生产性能、乳品质及体细胞数量的影响,试验选择胎次、产奶量、泌乳天数相近的荷斯坦奶牛160头随机分成4个组,每个组4个重复,每个重复10头,1组饲喂基础日粮为对照组,试验2、3、4组每头奶牛分别在基础日粮中添加20、40、60 g/d复合益生菌制剂,预试验7 d,试验期为60 d。结果表明:(1)试验后的30、60 d,试验3、4组的平均产奶量较1相比分别提高16.0%、14.9%、25.6%、24.1%(P<0.05);(2)试验2、3、4组的4%乳脂校正、乳蛋白率、总固形物均高于1组(P>0.05);试验2、3、4组的尿素氮均低于1组(P>0.05);试验3、4组的乳糖率、乳脂率较1组分别提高14.6%、13.4%、5.0%、4.2%(P<0.05);(3)试验后的60 d,试验3、4组乳中体细胞数量较1组相比降低9.3%、7.1%(P<0.05)。综上,每头牛每天添加40 g复合益生菌制剂可以提高奶牛的生产性能、乳品质,减少体细胞数量。     

黄牛静注、肌注和内服吡喹酮的药动学与生物利用度

6头成年健康黄牛按10 mg/kg剂量单次快速静注吡喹酮,另6头成年健康黄牛根据交叉试验设计法按10 mg/kg剂量单次肌注、30 mg/kg剂量内服吡喹酮进行药动学与生物利用度试验.利用高效液相色谱法测定血浆中吡喹酮原药的质量浓度,其检测限为25μg/L.房室模型分析表明,静注给药后的药时数据符合无吸收二室开放模型,其分布半衰期(t1/2a)、消除半衰期(t1/2β)、表观分布容积(Vd)、总体清除率(ClB)、药时曲线下面积(AUC)分别为(0.25±0.03)h、(1.28±0.20)h、(2.11±0.38)L/kg、(1.14±0.10)L/(kg·h)和(8.79±0.74)mg/(L·h).肌注的药时数据符合有吸收一室开放模型,主要药动学参数吸收半衰期(t 1/2ka)、消除半衰期(t1/2ke)、药时曲线下面积(AUC)、达峰时间(tmax)、峰浓度(Gmax)和生物利用度(F)分别为(0.40±0.17)h、(4.65±0.91) h、(6.85±1.02)mg/(L·h)、(1.33±0.52)h、(0.83±0.08)mg/L和77.93%.内服给药后符合有吸收一室开放模型,吸收不规则,其药动学参数t 1/2ka、t1/2ke、AUC、tmax、Cmax和F分别为(1.08±0.13)h、(6.81±1.26)h、(8.51±1.78)mg/(L·     

丹麦规模化畜牧场经营设施研究

简要地介绍了丹麦猪场、奶牛场的常见设施构造．介绍了猪场中产房、受精房、妊娠房、后备猪房、保育猪房及肉猪场的主体构造组成;较普遍使用的半漏缝地板;以及一些猪场配备的喂料控制系统．介绍了奶牛场中的挤奶设施、生活设施等主要组成情况;奶牛场一般使用电动的挤奶器挤奶;使用电动传输带将粪便排出．     

In vitro expression and inhibition of procoagulant activity produced by bovine alveolar macrophages and peripheral blood cells

Local and systemic activation of coagulation is frequently associated with bacterial sepsis. The coagulopathy is due, at least in part, to expression of tissue factor (TF) by monocytes and macrophages. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the expression of procoagulant activity by bovine alveolar macrophages, leukocytes and platelets, and to determine the relative potency of three chemical inhibitors of TF expression (pentoxifylline, retinoic acid, and cyclosporin A). Bovine alveolar macrophages were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) derived from Pasteurella haemolytica or recombinant bovine tumour nervous factor (TNF) and dose- and time-dependent effects on TF expression were studied. LPS and TNF induced TF expression in alveolar macrophages and LPS treatment of whole blood induced TF expression in mononuclear cells. Neutrophils and platelets also expressed procoagulant activity, but this activity was not inhibited by anti-bovine TF monoclonal antibody. Pentoxifylline (40 mol/L), retinoic acid (0.01 mmol/L) and cyclosporin A (0.08 mol/L) inhibited TF expression when added concurrently with LPS or TNF, but not when added 4 h after stimulation. TF mRNA was not detected in unstimulated alveolar macrophages by Northern blot analysis. In contrast, exposure to LPS or TNF for 6 h induced marked expression of TF mRNA, which was inhibited by treatment with pentoxifylline, retinoic acid and cyclosporin A. Expression of TNF by alveolar macrophages stimulated with LPS was also inhibited by these compounds. Our results indicate that procoagulant activity expressed by alveolar macrophages and monocytes is associated with expression of TF, whereas procoagulant activity expressed by neutrophils and platelets is not. The concentrations of pentoxifylline and retinoic acid necessary for inhibition of TF expression in vitro may not be achievable in vivo owing to their toxic effects. However, the in vitro concentration of cyclosporin A that inhibited TF expression did not exceed the plasma concentration observed in humans, and therefore may be useful for inhibition of TF expression in vivo.Abbreviations BAL bronchoalveolar lavage - LPS lipopolysaccharide - cDNA cloned deoxyribonucleic acid - cAMP cyclic adenosine monophosphate - GAPDH glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase - mRNA messenger ribonucleic acid - TF tissue factor - TNF tumour necrosis factor - DPBS Dulbecco's phosphate-buffered saline     

Reproductive Disorders of Crossbred Dairy Cows in the Central Highlands of Ethiopia and Their Effect on Reproductive Performance

The study was conducted to estimate the proportion of reproductive disorders and to determine factors affecting reproductive performance of crossbred dairy cows under four different production systems in the central highlands of Ethiopia. The principal postpartum reproductive disorders were retained fetal membranes (14.7%) and uterine infection (15.5%). Anoestrus was the major postpartum reproductive problem in the mixed crop–livestock production system (38.6%) and was significantly associated with this production system. Apart from anoestrus, the occurrence of reproductive disorders was not significantly associated with a production system. Most of the reproductive disorders occurred as a complex rather than as a single abnormality. Two or more abnormal conditions were seen in 11.4% of the cases. Each reproductive trait measured was affected adversely by reproductive disorders. Cows with reproductive disorders in each production system, lactation group and suckling and non-suckling group had longer intervals from calving to first service and to conception (p < 0.001) and required more services per conception (p < 0.001). Pregnancy rate and conception to first service were 84.7% and 51.7%, respectively, for cows without reproductive health problems; and 64.2% and 15.1%, respectively, for cows with reproductive disorders (p < 0.001). Overall, intervals from calving to first service were shorter (p < 0.05) than in younger cows. Intervals from calving to first service and to conception were longer in suckling than in non-suckling cows (p > 0.05). Cows with a good body condition score (>3.5) at calving had shorter calving to first service and conception intervals than cows in poor condition (p < 0.001). The results showed that reproductive abnormalities, coupled with poor body condition, are important factors that contributed to reproductive inefficiency. An appropriate reproductive health management, a reliable artificial insemination service and supplementary feeding could be the management options to reduce or alleviate some of the problems.     

峨边花牛肌肉生长抑制素基因cDNA克隆及序列分析

[目的]为改良峨边花牛地方品种、提高产肉率及种质资源的保存奠定基础和提供技术依据。[方法]以从乐山峨边花牛骨骼肌中提取总RNA为模板,利用RT-PCR技术扩增获得肌肉生长抑制素基因(MSTN)cDNA片段,将其克隆到T载体上,通过PCR鉴定阳性克隆并对其进行测序鉴定。[结果]通过PCR扩增,得到峨边花牛MSTN基因cDNA的全序列,全长1 135 bp,包含全部的MSTN编码序列,共有3个外显子。将峨边花牛MSTN基因在GenBank上与比利时双肌牛及皮埃蒙特双肌牛比较后发现,峨边花牛在上述2种品种双肌牛的突变位点碱基未发现异常。[结论]成功地克隆峨边花牛的MSTN基因并对其进行测序对于后期表达载体的构建奠定了基础。