“以畜控草”与新疆草畜平衡管理的探讨

长期以来,社会各界及业内都把"以草定畜"视为对天然草地放牧管理与生态保护和建设的终极目标,"以草定畜"似乎已被广泛认同,但是,在草原牧区实现"以草定畜"依然任重道远。在新疆天山北坡,同地带、同一类型的山地草甸草地,在夏季与冬季两种不同放牧利用制度下,植被成分差异显著,在冬季放牧利用制度下,山地草甸草地植被成分中,阔叶杂类草及小灌木明显增多,牧草再生性减弱;而在夏季放牧利用制度下,植被成分中小杂类草与禾本科牧草明显增多,牧草再生性增强;在降水量较丰富的中山带,禁牧封育2～3年后,植被成分中饲用价值低、家畜不宜采食的粗大杂类草明显增多。"以畜控草"应该成为更加积极的草地管理态度和方式。在目前天然草地放牧量难以较大幅度减控的情况下,通过"以畜控草",可以既保持草地植被健康状况又有利于草原畜牧业的发展,这对于实施牧民定居与冷季舍饲的新疆草原牧区,具有极为重要的现实意义。     

徐州某规模猪场防疫措施的建立与实施——“五流”生物安全防控

非洲猪瘟在我国流行已有两年多的时间,尽管很多科研团队都在致力于非洲猪瘟疫苗的研发,但尚未有治疗措施和有效的疫苗来控制该病。因此现阶段“生物安全”是控制非洲猪瘟最为有效,也是唯一的方法。文章总结出目前规模化猪场常见的感染风险有“人员流动、物品流动、车辆流动、水源流动、猪群流动”(即“五流”),并提出严格控制“五流”的生物安全防控措施(即“五流”生物安全防控),以减少外界病原与猪只的接触,稀释病原浓度,降低病原载量,最大程度地降低规模化养猪场感染疾病的风险。为当前规模化猪场建立有效的生物安全措施提供参考。     

性控奶山羊精液X和Y精子分离比例检测方法的建立

旨在建立可以定量计算奶山羊精液中X、Y精子数量的双重TaqMan荧光定量PCR方法,用以检测经过分离的奶山羊精液X和Y精子的数量和比例,为性控技术的开发和生产应用提供技术支撑.本研究选择X、Y染色体中特异基因F9及ZFY片段设计引物,建立标准曲线,优化荧光定量PCR反应体系和条件.通过对阳性标准品梯度稀释以及对60支已...     

欧美牛病毒性腹泻防控措施及对我国的启示

牛病毒性腹泻是牛的重要疫病,导致产奶量下降、肉产量降低、繁殖障碍、生长迟缓、继发其他病原几率增加甚至死亡等,给养牛业造成较大的经济损失。欧美国家在牛病毒性腹泻防控方面形成了一套行之有效的方法,有效地控制并逐步根除了BVD。借鉴欧美牛病毒性腹泻防控策略可对我国该病的防制提供一定的指导。     

Effect of feeding different levels of wheat roti on nutrient utilization and blood metabolite profile in semi‐captive Asian elephants (Elephas maximus)

This experiment was conducted to study the effect of different levels of wheat roti (WR) on nutrient utilization and blood metabolites in Asian elephants fed roughages ad libitum. Nine (3 M, 6 F) Asian elephants (14–52 years of age, 1909–3968 kg BW) were used in an experiment based on replicated Latin square design. Animals in each group (n = 3) were assigned to one of the three dietary treatments in a manner that animals in all the three groups were exposed to all the three treatments in three different periods. Each feeding trial comprised 30 days (25 days of adaptation and 5 days collection period). The amount of WR fed to the elephants was 0.18, 0.12 and 0.06% of BW in groups I, II and III, respectively. They were allowed to forage in the nearby forests for 6 h/day and to bathe for 2 h/day. The animals had ad libitum access to cut Rohini (Mallotus philippensis) trees in their night shelter. Intake and apparent digestibility of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), gross energy (GE), Ca, P, Fe, Cu and Zn were measured. Feed consumption was not significantly different among the groups. Significant (p < 0.01) decrease in digestibility of DM and GE and blood glucose concentration was observed with decreased level of WR in the diet. Feeding of WR at 0.06% of BW supplied adequate amount of DE, CP, Ca, P, Fe, Cu and Zn to meet requirement for adult maintenance. Feeding of WR in excess of 0.06% of BW supplied DE in excess of requirement, increased blood glucose concentration which may cause obesity and other associated health problems. It was concluded that the amount of WR should be restricted to 0.06% of BW in the diet of captive Asian elephants.     

Transition of Historical Control Data for High Incidence Tumors in F344 Rats

Historical control data of tumor incidence were collected from the control groups (215 animals of each sex) in four recent carcinogenicity studies that were started between 2005 to 2009 (terminally sacrificed between 2007 and 2011) at BoZo Research Center Inc. (Gotemba, Shizuoka, Japan) using Fischer 344 rats (F344/DuCrlCrlj). These data were compared to the previous historical control data (from 1990 to 2004, previously reported) in the same facility. In the results, the incidence of C-cell adenoma in the thyroid tended to increase in both sexes in recent years (30.8% for males and 24.4% for females in 2005-2009) as compared with the previous data (17.4% and 20.1% for males and 11.5% and 11.8% for females in 1990–1999 and 2000–2004, respectively). In addition, the incidences of pancreatic islet cell adenoma in males and uterine adenocarcinoma tended to increase from around 2000 and remained high in recent years (incidences of islet cell adenoma in males of 10.5%, 17.1% and 20.5% in 1990–1999, 2000–2004 and 2005–2009; incidences of uterine adenocarcinoma of 3.3%, 12.0% and 13.5% in 1990–1999, 2000–2004 and 2005–2009, respectively). There was no apparent difference in the incidence of other tumors.     

Milk production increase following treatment of Dutch dairy cattle with thiabendazole

Summary

In a trial involving 542 dairy cattle on 28 farms, 276 were treated once with thiabendazole within two days of calving. The treated group showed an average increase in milk yielded over the non‐return group of 229.8 kg during the subsequent lactation.

In the treated group, total milk fat production was increased over that of the controls by 7.4 kg per cow; milk protein was increased by 6.9 kg per cow. All treatment parameter differences were highly significant at the 1% level of probability.     

An Outbreak of Respiratory Disease Complex in Sheep in Central Ethiopia

An investigation was carried out into an outbreak of respiratory disease complex (RDC) in 3641 Menz and Awassi×Menz cross sheep in Central Ethiopia between 1998 and 1999 by clinical, serological, microbiological, post-mortem and histopathological examinations. The monthly incidence of RDC varied from 2.8% to 4.0% and the prevalence was as high as 17%. The case fatality rate was 18%, despite culling of sick sheep. Over 76% of the morbidity occurred in adults, followed by 19% among weaners. Similarly, 62% of the mortality was in adults. However, 27% of the mortality occurred in lambs despite the low morbidity in the group. Significant breed and age differences were seen in the morbidity and mortality rates (p<0.05). Clinical signs, gross and microscopic lesions and serological and bacteriological examinations showed an interplay of several causes of the RDC, including pestes des petits ruminants (PPR) (72.3%, serologically confirmed), lung worms, maedi-visna, bacterial bronchopneumonia (staphylococcal and streptococcal), enzootic pneumonia and some fungal infections. Cold temperatures, which may be as low as –8.5°C at night, are major predisposing factors along with managemental stresses. Vaccination of animals with a homologous PPR vaccine appeared to decrease dramatically the occurrence of the disease, showing that PPR played an important role in the outbreak. Several of the pathogens do not appear to be individually capable of causing the respiratory disease. Appropriate strategies for the prevention of RDC are suggested.     

Epidemiology and control of Menangle virus in pigs

OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiology and eradication of Menangle virus infection in pigs. DESIGN: Field observations and interventions, structured and unstructured serological surveys, prospective and cross-sectional serological studies and laboratory investigations. PROCEDURE: Serum samples were collected from pigs at a 2600-sow intensive piggery in New South Wales that experienced an outbreak of reproductive disease in 1997. Serum samples were also collected from piggeries that received pigs from or supplied pigs to the affected piggery and from other piggeries in Australia. Serum and tissue samples were collected from pigs at piggeries experiencing reproductive disease in New South Wales. Sera and faeces were collected from grey-headed flying foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) in the region of the affected piggery. Serum samples were tested for neutralising antibodies against Menangle virus. Virus isolation was attempted from faeces. RESULTS: Following the outbreak of reproductive disease, sera from 96% of adult pigs at the affected piggery, including sows that produced affected litters, contained neutralising antibodies against Menangle virus. Neutralising antibodies were also detected in sera from 88% of finisher pigs at two piggeries receiving weaned pigs from the affected piggery. No evidence of Menangle virus infection was found in other piggeries in Australia. In cross-sectional studies at the affected piggery, colostral antibodies were undetectable in most pigs by 14 to 15 weeks of age. By slaughter age or entry to the breeding herd, 95% of pigs developed high antibody titres (> or = 128) against Menangle virus in the virus neutralisation test. Menangle virus was eradicated from the affected piggery following a program of serological testing and segregation. Neutralising antibodies against Menangle virus were also detected in P poliocephalus from two colonies in the vicinity of the affected piggery. Two piggery workers were infected with Menangle virus. There was no evidence of infection in cattle, sheep, birds, rodents, feral cats and a dog at the affected piggery. CONCLUSIONS: Serological evidence of infection with Menangle virus was detected in pigs at a piggery that had experienced reproductive disease, in pigs at two associated piggeries and in fruit bats in the region of the piggery. Two humans were infected. The mode of transmission between pigs is unknown, but spread by faecal or urinary excretion is postulated. This virus can be eradicated by the segregation of pigs into discrete age groups.