Effects of in ovo feeding of L‐arginine on the development of digestive organs,intestinal function and post‐hatch performance of broiler embryos and hatchlings

This study was to investigate the effects of in ovo feeding (IOF) L‐arginine (Arg) solution on the development of digestive organs, the duodenal mucosa of broiler embryos and hatchlings, and the growth performance of chicks during the first week post‐hatch. A total of 720 fertilized eggs with similar weight were randomly allocated to three groups, consisting of eight replicates of 30 eggs each. Three treatments were arranged as non‐injected control, diluent‐injected (0.75% NaCl solution) group and Arg solution‐injected group containing 1% Arg, dissolved in diluent. At 17.5 days of incubation, 0.6 ml of IOF solution was injected into amniotic fluid of each egg of injected groups. Results showed IOF of Arg solution increased (p < .05) the chick embryo weight at 19 days of incubation; the body weight gain of post‐hatch broilers during 1–7 days; the weights of liver, pancreas, proventriculus and gizzard; the concentrations of duodenal ghrelin, vasoactive intestinal peptide and glucagon‐like peptide 2; and the duodenum mucosal enzyme activities of alkaline phosphatase, maltase, sucrase and inducible nitric oxide synthase of 7‐day‐old post‐hatch broilers compared with other groups. The IOF of Arg solution also increased (p < .05) the villus height (VH) and the ratio of VH to crypt depth (CD) and decreased (p < .05) the CD in duodenum of broiler embryos and post‐hatch hatchlings, except for the CD at 19 days of incubation. In conclusion, IOF of 1% Arg solution into the amnion at 17.5 days of incubation could improve the development of digestive organs, the duodenal morphology, the releasing of gastrointestinal hormones and mucosal enzyme activities of broiler embryos and hatchlings and finally the growth performance of chicks during the first week post‐hatch. Therefore, IOF of appropriate Arg solution could be an effective technology for regulating early nutrition supply and subsequent growth development in poultry industry.     

Effects of in ovo injection of chrysin,quercetin and ascorbic acid on hatchability,somatic attributes,hepatic oxidative status and early post‐hatch performance of broiler chicks

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of in ovo injection of chrysin, quercetin and ascorbic acid on hatchability, somatic attributes, hepatic antioxidant status and early post‐hatch growth performance of broiler chicks. Four hundred and eighty embryonated broiler breeder eggs containing live 18‐day‐old embryos were divided into six groups of 80 eggs each. One group remained intact and served as a control group (i), whereas the other five groups were injected with the prepared injection solutions as follows: (ii) 0.05 ml distilled water; (iii) 0.05 ml distilled water containing 6 mg ascorbic acid; (iv) 0.05 ml dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO); (v) 0.05 ml DMSO containing 4.5 mg quercetin; and (vi) 0.05 ml DMSO containing 4.5 mg chrysin. The hatchability rate, hatching weight, residual yolk sac weight, yolk sac‐free body weight, liver weight, hepatic glutathione peroxidase and total superoxide dismutase activities, as well as malondialdehyde concentrations, were not affected by the injected solutions. There were no differences between chicks hatched from the control and in ovo injected eggs in weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio from 0 to 11 days of age. However, the specific contrast performed between the in ovo injected groups and intact eggs revealed that in ovo injection significantly increased hatchability rate (p = .0493). This finding also implies that our injection procedure was harmless. In conclusion, the intra‐egg injection of chrysin, quercetin or ascorbic acid at the injection rates used in this study did not have a significant effect on hatchability, somatic characteristics, early growth performance and hepatic antioxidant status of broiler chicks. However, the overall hatchability was higher in the in ovo injected eggs as compared to non‐injected ones. These findings also confirmed the harmlessness of the procedure developed for in ovo injection in this study.     

Polyphenols in Eucalyptus leaves improved the egg and meat qualities and protected against ethanol‐induced oxidative damage in laying hens

Polyphenols in Eucalyptus leaves (PE) were value resources due to various pharmacological activities, but data on the effect on laying hens are very scare. This study was conducted to determine the effect of PE on the laying performance, egg traits, meat quality, antioxidant status and liver tissues of laying hens. One hundred and twenty 256‐day‐old Yueqinhuang laying hens were randomly assigned to four treatment groups (different levels of PE at 0, 0.5, 0.8 and 1.2 g/kg diet) for 63 days with 15 replicates per group. Addition of 0.8 g/kg PE not only improved the egg trait by increasing the eggshell thickness and decreasing MDA production and cholesterol content in the egg yolk, but also significantly enhanced meat quality of hens, as suggested by the increase pH_45 min (p < .01) and a* value, and decrease drip loss rate (p < .01). Meanwhile, under acute ethanol‐induced oxidative damage condition, supplementation of 0.8 g/kg PE enhanced the serum antioxidant status by increasing enzymatic activities (GSH‐PX, T‐SOD, T‐AOC), inhibited oxidative damage and provided protective effect to liver tissue. In conclusion, addition of 0.8 g/kg PE not only improved the egg traits and meat quality without obvious adverse effects, but also increased the serum antioxidant status of the hens and protected their liver tissue from ethanol‐induced oxidative damage. This study indicated that PE could be utilized as an effective feed additive for laying hens to improve health performance and egg traits.     

Effects of concentrate‐to‐forage ratios and 2‐methylbutyrate supplementation on ruminal fermentation,bacteria abundance and urinary excretion of purine derivatives in Chinese Simmental steers

This study evaluated the effects of dietary concentrate levels and 2‐methylbutyrate (2MB ) supplementation on performance, ruminal fermentation, bacteria abundance, microbial enzyme activity and urinary excretion of purine derivatives (PD ) in steers. Eight ruminally cannulated Simmental steers (12 months of age; 389 ± 3.7 kg of body weight) were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Moderate‐concentrate (400 g/kg diet [MC ]) or high‐concentrate (600 g/kg diet [HC ]) diets were fed with or without 2MB (0 g/day [2MB ?] or 15.0 g/day [2MB +]). Dry matter intake and average daily gain increased, but feed conversion ratio decreased with the HC diet or 2MB supplementation. Ruminal pH decreased, but total volatile fatty acid increased with the HC diet or 2MB supplementation. Molar proportion of acetate and acetate‐to‐propionate ratio decreased with the HC diet, but increased with 2MB supplementation. Propionate molar proportion and ruminal NH ₃‐N content increased with the HC diet, but decreased with 2MB supplementation. Neutral detergent fibre degradability decreased with the HC diet, but increased with 2MB supplementation. Crude protein degradability increased with the HC diet or 2MB supplementation. Abundance of Ruminococcus albus , Ruminococcus flavefaciens , Fibrobacter succinogenes and Bufyrivibrio fibrisolvens as well as activities of carboxymethyl cellulase, cellobiase, xylanase and pectinase decreased with the HC diet, but increased with 2MB supplementation. However, abundance of Prevotella ruminicola and Ruminobacter amylophilus as well as activities of α‐amylase and protease increased with the HC diet or 2MB supplementation. Total PD excretion also increased with the HC diet or 2MB supplementation. The results suggested that growth performance, ruminal fermentation, CP degradability and total PD excretion increased with increasing dietary concentrate level from 40% to 60% or 2MB supplementation. The observed diet × 2MB interaction indicated that supplementation of 2MB was more efficacious for improving growth performance, ruminal fermentation and total PD excretion with promoted ruminal bacteria abundance and enzyme activity in the MC diet than in the HC diet.     

Amino acid profiles of rumen undegradable protein: a comparison between forages including cereal straws and alfalfa and their respective total mixed rations

Optimizing the amino acid (AA) profile of rumen undegradable protein (RUP) can positively affect the amount of milk protein. This study was conducted to improve knowledge regarding the AA profile of rumen undegradable protein from corn stover, rice straw and alfalfa hay as well as the total mixed ratio diets (TMR) based on one of them as forage source [forage‐to‐concentrate ratio of 45:55 (30% of corn stover (CS), 30% of rice straw (RS), 23% of alfalfa hay (AH) and dry matter basis)]. The other ingredients in the three TMR diets were similar. The RUP of all the forages and diets was estimated by incubation for 16 hr in the rumen of three ruminally cannulated lactating cows. All residues were corrected for microbial colonization, which was necessary in determining the AA composition of RUP from feed samples using in situ method. Compared with their original AA composition, the AA pattern of forages and forage‐based diets changed drastically after rumen exposure. In addition, the extent of ruminal degradation of analysed AA was not constant among the forages. The greatest individual AA degradability of alfalfa hay and corn stover was Pro, but was His of rice straw. A remarkable difference was observed between microbial attachment corrected and uncorrected AA profiles of RUP, except for alfalfa hay and His in the three forages and TMR diets. The ruminal AA degradability of cereal straws was altered compared with alfalfa hay but not for the TMR diets. In summary, the AA composition of forages and TMR‐based diets changed significantly after ruminal exposure, indicating that the original AA profiles of the feed cannot represent its AA composition of RUP. The AA profile of RUP and ruminal AA degradability for corn stover and rice straw contributed to missing information in the field.     

高浓度葡萄糖对猪卵母细胞体外成熟和早期胚胎发育的影响

试验旨在探究高浓度葡萄糖对猪卵母细胞体外成熟及早期胚胎发育能力的影响。取体外分离处于生发泡期的猪卵丘卵母细胞复合体(COCs),分为3个处理组。分别用含葡萄糖浓度为5.6 mmol/L(C组)、10 mmol/L(G-1组)、15 mmol/L(G-2组)的培养液,进行体外成熟(IVM)处理,42 h后观察,并统计卵丘细胞扩散情况和第一极体排出率;对体外成熟42 h后的卵母细胞孤雌激活,统计2-细胞、4-细胞和第7天囊胚发育。结果发现,G-1组和G-2组卵丘细胞扩散度显著低于C组(P<0.05);G-1组和G-2组的MII期卵母细胞死亡率和存活率与C组相比无显著差异(P>0.05),但G-1组极体率显著降低(P<0.05),G-2组极体率极显著低于C组(P<0.01)。孤雌激活后,与C组相比,G-1组和G-2组的2-细胞分裂率显著降低(P<0.05),4-细胞分裂率以及囊胚发育率均极显著降低(P<0.01),但G-1、G-2组囊胚细胞数量与C组相比无显著性差异(P>0.05)。进一步线粒体染色发现,G-1组和G-2组的线粒体与C组相比分布不均。...     

猪皮肤组织块冷冻保存方法的研究

以二甲基亚砜、甘油和乙二醇为冷冻保护剂,以3种浓度(10%、20%、30%)在2种降温条件下探讨适合猪耳皮肤组织冷冻保存的最适条件和方法以及复苏后对皮肤组织生长能力的影响.结果表明: 快速冷冻条件下各处理均无组织块生长.慢速冷冻条件下复苏后组织块的存活率均为100%, 各冷冻保护液3种浓度的平均生长率分别为14.29%、56.52%和8.70%, 差异显著.20%甘油保护液下采用慢速冷冻方法复苏后组织块的生长率达82.35%, 极显著高于其他组和对照组.新鲜和冻存后的细胞培养均采用组织块培养法, EDTA-牛血浆贴覆, 97.78%的新鲜样本组织块能较好生长,且扩展能力强.     

外源蔗糖对离体条件下换锦花小鳞茎发生的影响

从形态学、组织细胞学、生理生化水平、分子水平等多层面探究外源蔗糖浓度对换锦花(Lycori sprengeri)离体小鳞茎发生的影响。结果表明,MS培养基中外源蔗糖缺失时,离体换锦花鳞茎无法产生小鳞茎,蔗糖浓度为30或60 g·L^-1时小鳞茎正常发生,但对小鳞茎发生数量影响不大。鳞片内的蔗糖及可溶性糖含量在腋芽形成前不断积累,且鳞片基部淀粉粒的积累为此处小鳞茎的发生提供物质基础。蔗糖促进了茉莉酸甲酯(MeJA)在植物体内的积累,抑制了LsWIP1、LsERS2和LsEIN2基因表达量的异常上升,表明蔗糖可能作为信号分子启动了相关损伤保护机制,并促进了小鳞茎的发生。     

田间烤烟叶片缺钾症状与钾积累及土壤供钾水平关系

基于田间正常施肥烟株生长中期中、上部叶通常出现缺钾症状的现象,以烤烟品种K326为材料在砂质壤土上进行了田间试验,定期观察无钾(即K0,仅按常规施用氮磷肥,K₂O用量为0 kg·hm^–2)、常规施肥但中后期出现缺钾症状(即CF,按常规施用氮磷钾肥,K₂O用量为364 kg·hm^–2但中后期仍有缺钾症状)、常规施肥且正常生长(即CK,按常规施用氮磷钾肥,K₂O用量为364 kg·hm^–2但中后期无缺钾症状)3处理烟株移栽后生长情况(特别是叶片缺钾症状的出现情况),并及时采集和测定了相应烟株的干物质、钾含量及根区土壤速效钾含量,以阐明正常施肥烤烟中、上部叶出现缺钾症状的可能原因。结果表明:(1)CF和K0烟株在移栽后33 d前叶片均未出现缺钾症状;但根区土壤速效钾含量移栽后42 d低于99.86 mg·kg^–1时,K0烟株第8～第15叶陆续表现缺钾;CF烟株根区土壤速效钾含量移栽后57 d低于131.1mg·kg^–1...     

江苏南部丘陵地区紫花苜蓿引种及高产栽培技术研究

针对江苏南部丘陵地区的气候生态特征,开展了引进紫花苜蓿品种的适应性和相关栽培技术研究。结果表明：加拿大品种得龙,美国品种WL320、WL323、金皇后的产量和适应性都显著优于其他品种;丘陵岗坡地种植苜蓿,采用基施纯氮60．0kg／hm^2、硼砂7．5kg／hm^2、钼酸铵300．0g／hm^2、石灰4500．0～6000．0kg／hm^2,5％苜豆壮1200ml／hm^2＋苗期用除草剂5％精禾草克900ml／hm^2或秋播种植伴生作物可获得高产。