Blood Response to Mercury Exposure in Athletic Horse From Messina,Italy

Mercury (Hg) exists in various chemical forms, and it is different to health effects. The most toxic effects occur in the central nervous system during fetal development with irreversible alterations of the nerve cells of the cerebral cortex and, it is essential to monitor the tissue residues of Hg to protect the animal’s health. The present investigation was carried out during May 2019 in 20 horses located in equine sport center near the area of Milazzo, Messina, that is a part of Sicilian territory heavily polluted by many toxic substances. The purpose of this study was to determine the concentration of Hg in blood, serum, food, and water administered to horses and from the hematological profile as a biomarker of blood in relation to the bioaccumulation of Hg. The hematologic parameters (red blood cell, white blood cell, hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, and platelets) were processed with an automated hematology analyzer, and Hg concentrations were determined by DMA-80. To carry out the variation in the Hg levels in serum and blood, the data were subjected to paired t-test analysis; post-hoc comparisons were performed using Tukey’s test. The differences were considered statistically significant when P < .05. Paired t-test showed that in blood samples, Hg concentrations were significantly higher than the serum, and blood samples were positively correlated with serum (r = 0.99; P < .0001). The Hg contents determined in blood, serum, hay, and water samples were below the respective benchmarks, and therefore, we can exclude any toxicological risk for athletic horse.     

Effect of dietary Moringa stem meal level on growth performance,slaughter performance and serum biochemical parameters in geese

Moringa stem meal (MSM) with a high level of crude fibre (CF) might be developed and utilized in herbivorous geese as an unconventional feedstuff. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the MSM level in the diet on the growth performance, slaughter performance, breast meat quality and serum biochemical parameters in geese from 22 to 70 days of age. A one-factor completely randomized design was adopted in our study. A total of one thousand eight 21-day-old geese were randomly divided into six groups, with six replicates per group and 28 birds per replicate. The geese were fed diets containing MSM levels of 0, 20, 40, 60, 80 or 100 g/kg during day 22–70. The dietary MSM level had no effect (p > .05) on the final body weight (BW), average daily gain (ADG) or average daily feed intake (ADFI). The feed/gain ratio (F/G) increased linearly (p < .001) as the dietary MSM level increased. No differences (p > .05) were observed in the slaughter performance, meat quality and the relative organ weight (except for thymus) of the geese (p > .05). The relative weight of the thymus in the geese fed diets with supplementation of MSM was higher than that in the non-supplemented MSM control group (p < .05). In addition, 100 g MSM/kg of diet decreased the serum glucose (GLU) level (p < .05) and increased the alanine transaminase (ALT) enzyme activity (p = .03). Dietary MSM levels of no more than 60 g/kg had no effects on the growth performance and slaughter performance, whereas diets with 100 g MSM/kg increased the F/G and serum ALT enzyme activity, as well as decreasing the serum GLU level. Therefore, MSM provided at a reasonable level could be developed as an unconventional feedstuff for geese at the finisher period.     

夏季层叠式笼养肉鸡舍环境参数变化及其相关性分析

为研究夏季大型立体笼养肉鸡舍养殖环境参数变化规律,确立大型肉鸡舍的最佳环境管理模式,选取山西省晋中地区单栋饲养量为41 280只的密闭式肉鸡舍一栋,进行温度、湿度、CO2浓度、O2含量、风速等环境参数的分点多次检测与统计分析。结果显示:不同笼列位置,温度前端和末端与其它位置差异显著(P<0.05),位置L2、L21和L40差异不显著,温差在0.8℃左右;各位置湿度差异不显著(P>0.05),CO2浓度前端、L2和末端与L21、L40差异显著(P<0.05),O2含量末端与其它位置差异显著(P<0.05),风速差异显著(P<0.05)。不同笼层,温度、湿度和O2含量差异不显著(P>0.05);CO2浓度上层和下层差异显著(P<0.05),随着笼层增高浓度逐渐降低;风速上层显著高于中层和下层(P<0.05),随着笼层增高呈递增趋势。研究表明:炎热夏季该模式鸡舍内随着风速加大(减少),可以增加(降低)舍温和舍内氧气含量,降低(升高)CO2浓度和相对湿度,舍内环境参数适宜肉鸡生长。     

小型饲料搅拌机和平模颗粒机组合使用制备颗粒饲料的工艺研究

[目的] 研究JB-300型精饲料搅拌机和300型平模颗粒机组合使用制备牛羊精补料颗粒饲料的最佳工艺参数。[方法] 测定不同搅拌时间、装载系数对饲料混合均匀度的影响;确定搅拌混合工艺参数的基础上,测定不同玉米粉碎粒度、水分含量对颗粒饲料成型率的影响。以模孔直径、玉米粉碎粒度和水分含量为测定因素,以成型率和硬度的综合加权评分值为指标,确定制备颗粒饲料的最优组合参数。[结果] 搅拌时间为10 min、20 min的变异系数均显著（P<0.05）低于搅拌5 min和15 min。装载系数为80%时,变异系数显著（P<0.05）低于装载系数为70%和60%。玉米粉碎粒度为2 mm和4 mm时,颗粒饲料成型率显著（P<0.05）高于玉米粉碎粒度为6 mm和8 mm。水分含量为10%和13%时,颗粒饲料成型率显著（P<0.05）高于水分含量为16%和19%。影响正交试验综合加权平均分值的模孔直径、玉米粉碎粒度、水分含量的极差分别为18.76、1.64和3.47。[结论] JB—300型精饲料搅拌机混合饲料最佳参数：装载系数为80%、搅拌时间为10 min;300型平模颗粒机制作精补料颗粒饲料最佳参数：模孔直径为4 mm（压缩比为6）、玉米粉碎粒度为4 mm、水分含量为13%。     

高羊茅种质光合及叶绿素荧光参数对高温胁迫的响应

以21个高羊茅(Festuca arundinacea)种质为试材,在室内模拟35℃和45℃高温胁迫,测定了各高羊茅种质光合和叶绿素荧光参数,探讨高羊茅对高温胁迫的光合适应机制,并利用隶属函数法综合评价种质间耐热性强弱。研究结果表明,高温胁迫对光合参数和叶绿素荧光参数的影响非常显著(P< 0.05)。随着高温胁迫强度的增加,各高羊茅种质的净光合速率(P_n)、蒸腾速率(T_r)、最大光化学效率(F_v/F_m)、实际光量子产量(Yield)和光化学猝灭系数(qP)等参数均呈下降趋势;而叶片非光化学荧光猝灭系数(NPQ)则呈现先升高后降低的变化趋势。利用隶属函数法综合3个温度梯度下21个高羊茅种质的综合耐热D值,可以推测出各种质耐热性顺序为:Ⅲ-17> Ⅲ-3> Ⅱ-11> Ⅰ-17> Ⅰ-7> Ⅰ-4> Ⅳ-3> Ⅳ-2> 水城> Ⅱ-13> Ⅱ-10> Ⅰ-12> Ⅳ-1> Ⅳ-5> Ⅱ-3> 黔草1号> Ⅲ-8> Ⅲ-11> Ⅳ-4> Ⅰ-20> Ⅱ-15。     

Genetic and genomic analyses for predicted methane‐related traits in Japanese Black steers

The objectives of this study were to estimate genetic parameters and to perform a genome‐wide association study (GWAS) for predicted methane‐related traits in Japanese Black steers. The methane production and yield traits were predicted using on‐farm measurable traits, such as dry matter intake and average daily gain. A total of 4,578 Japanese Black steers, which were progenies of 362 sires genotyped with imputed 551,995 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), had phenotypes of predicted methane‐related traits during the total fattening period (52 weeks). For the estimation of genetic parameters, the estimated heritabilities were moderate (ranged from 0.57 to 0.60). In addition, the estimated genetic correlations of methane production traits with most of carcass traits and feed‐efficiency traits were unfavorable, but those of methane yield traits were favorable or low. For the GWAS, no genome‐wide significant SNP was detected, but a total of four quantitative trait locus (QTL) regions that explained more than 5.0% of genetic variance were localized on the genome, and some candidate genes associated with growth and feed‐efficiency traits were located on the regions. Our results suggest that the predicted methane‐related traits are heritable and some QTL regions for the traits are localized on the genome in Japanese Black steers.     

“中苜一号”紫花苜蓿耐盐遗传特性初步研究

以“中苜号”紫花苜蓿耐盐新品种为材料,应用ＮＣⅡ杂交试验方案,研究其耐盐遗传参数,旨在为今后苜蓿耐盐育种提供理论依据。结果表明,在直 迫下,苜蓿的干重、株高和分枝数诸性状的加性产应大于显性效应,狭义跗力较大,分别为０．４２５、０．３８７和０．４８４,具有通过选择进一步提高耐盐性的遗传潜力。     

数码照相技术用于评价草坪颜色的参数研究

田间条件下,比较了拍摄高度、角度、光强和分辨率对所获得的图像颜色参数的影响,分析了图像颜色参数与草坪草地上部全氮含量的相关性,结果表明:数字图像颜色参数中灰度(H)和绿红光比值(G/R)与草坪地上部植株全氮含量相关性最好,达极显著水平;自然光照条件下,拍摄高度、角度、光强和分辨率对所获得的图像颜色参数H和G/R均没有影响.     

α-酮戊二酸和大蒜素对生长猪生长发育及养分表观消化率的影响

本试验旨在研究α-酮戊二酸(AKG)和大蒜素对生长猪生长性能、养分表观消化率、血清生化指标以及肠道形态结构的影响。选用40头初始平均体重为(30.64±1.35)kg的健康三元(杜×长×大)杂交生长猪,按体重相近、性别比例相同原则随机分为5组,每组8个重复,每个重复1头猪。5组试验猪分别饲喂无抗基础饲粮(对照组)、无抗基础饲粮+25 mg/kg抗生素(Ⅰ组)、无抗基础饲粮+1%AKG(Ⅱ组)、无抗基础饲粮+0.5%大蒜素(Ⅲ组)、无抗基础饲粮+1%AKG+0.5%大蒜素(Ⅳ组)。预试期7d,正试期21d。结果表明:1)与对照组相比,Ⅰ组和Ⅳ组生长猪的平均日增重分别提高了10.80%和9.91%,但差异不显著(P0.05)。2)与对照组相比,Ⅱ组钙的表观消化率显著提高(P0.05),Ⅳ组粗蛋白质、钙和磷的表观消化率显著提高(P0.05),且Ⅳ组较Ⅰ组显著提高了磷的表观消化率(P0.05)。3)与对照组相比,Ⅱ组血清免疫球蛋白G(IgG)含量显著提高(P0.05);Ⅲ组血清甘油三酯(TG)含量显著降低(P0.05);Ⅳ组血清总胆固醇(TCHO)和TG含量显著降低(P0.05),血清碱性磷酸酶(AKP)、谷草转氨酶(AST)和谷丙转氨酶(ALT)活性及血清免疫球蛋白A(IgA)、IgG含量显著提高(P0.05)。与Ⅰ组相比,Ⅳ组血清TCHO和TG含量有降低趋势(P0.05),血清AST和ALT活性显著提高(P0.05)。4)与对照组相比,Ⅳ组回肠绒毛高度及空肠和回肠的绒毛高度/隐窝深度值显著提高(P0.05)。5)与对照组相比,Ⅳ组回肠中杯状细胞和淋巴细胞数目显著增加(P0.05)。综上,无抗饲粮中联合添加1%AKG和0.5%大蒜素可通过改善肠道形态结构,提高对粗蛋白质、钙和磷等养分的消化吸收能力,促进肠道健康,进而改善生长猪的生长性能。