In situ provision of drinking water to grazing dairy cows improves milk production

AIMS: To determine the effect of providing water within the area grazed by dairy cows on milk yield and quality, compared to requiring cows to walk to a distant water trough, on a dairy farm in the Pampa region of Argentina during summer.

METHODS: Holstein dairy cows were allocated to two herds with similar parity, days in milk and milk production. They were grazed in one paddock that was divided in two, with a fixed water trough at one end. Cows were moved twice daily to grazing plots within the paddock. Control cows (n=66) could only access water from the fixed trough, whereas supplemented cows (n=67) also received water from a mobile trough within the grazing plot. Milk production of each cow, and water consumption of the two herds were measured daily over 62 days. Milk composition for each herd was determined weekly from Days 18 to 60 of the study, and grazing behaviour was observed between 08:00 and 16:00 hours on Days 11–15, 19–22 and 39–43.

RESULTS: Over the 62 days of the study, supplemented cows produced 1.39 (SE 0.11) L/cow/day more milk than Control cows (p=0.027). Estimated mean daily water intake was 50.4 (SE 2.1) L/cow/day for supplemented cows and 58.2 (SE 2.7) L/cow/day for Control cows (p=0.004). Percentage total solids in milk was higher for supplemented (12.5 (SE 0.06)%) than Control (12.4 (SE 0.04)%) cows (p=0.047). During the periods of behavioural observation, a higher percentage of cows in the water supplemented than the Control herd were observed in the grazing area (p=0.012).

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This preliminary study demonstrated that provision of water to dairy cows within the grazing plot was beneficial for milk production and composition, and may be associated with longer periods spent within the grazing area, during hot weather in the Pampa region of Argentina.     

Branched‐chain amino acid ratios in low‐protein diets regulate the free amino acid profile and the expression of hepatic fatty acid metabolism‐related genes in growing pigs

Liver metabolism is affected by nutrients. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of low‐protein diets (17% crude protein, CP) supplemented with branched‐chain amino acids (BCAAs), including leucine (Leu), isoleucine (Ile) and valine (Val), on hepatic amino acid profile and lipid metabolism in growing pigs. The ratio of Leu : Ile : Val in all groups was 1 : 0.51 : 0.63 (20% crude protein, CP), 1 : 1 : 1 (17% CP), 1 : 0.75 : 0.75 (17% CP), 1 : 0.51 : 0.63 (17% CP) and 1 : 0.25 : 0.25 (17% CP) respectively. Results revealed that compared to the positive control group (1 : 0.51 : 0.63, 20% CP), the low‐protein diets significantly augmented the concentrations of most essential amino acids and non‐essential amino acids (p < .05), with the greatest values observed in the 1 : 0.25 : 0.25 group. Moreover, relative to the control, the low‐protein diets with the Leu : Ile : Val ratio ranging from 1 : 0.75 : 0.75 to 1 : 0.25 : 0.25 markedly downregulated the mRNA abundance of acetyl‐CoA carboxylase (ACC), lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and fatty acid‐binding protein 4 (FABP‐4) (p < .05), and upregulated the mRNA expression of hormone‐sensitive lipase (HSL), peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐g coactivator‐1α (PGC‐1α), uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3) and liver carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (L‐CPT‐1) (p < .05). Therefore, our data suggest that protein‐restricted diets supplemented with optimal BCAA ratio, that is, 1 : 0.75 : 0.75–1 : 0.25 : 0.25, induce a shift from fatty acid synthesis to fatty acid oxidation in the liver of growing pigs. These effects may be associated with increased mitochondrial biogenesis.     

Effect of sweet potato vines on performance parameters and some carcass characteristics of rabbits

Conventional feedstuffs in Brazil are expensive, which has led to the search for less conventional cheaper and locally available feedstuffs. Thus, this study was carried out to determine the dietary effect of dry sweet potato vines (SPV) on the performance and some carcass characteristics of rabbits. A total of twenty‐seven weaned White New Zealand rabbits (14 male and 13 female) 35 days old with an average initial weight of 755 g were allocated into three treatments. Nine rabbits were assigned to each treatment in a completely randomized design. Three diets were formulated to similar protein and energy levels: 0SPV – diet without inclusion of dry sweet potato vines; 10SPV – diet with 10% alfalfa hay replaced by dry sweet potato vines; and 15SPV – diet with 15% of alfalfa hay replaced by dry sweet potato vines. The experiment lasted for 49 days during which data for feed intake and body weight were recorded. The daily feed intake ranged from 73.17 to 78.02 g; daily weight gain from 22.32 to 23.17 g; feed conversion ratio (FCR) from 3.16 to 3.49 and final live weight ranged from 1839.44 to 1880.55 g. None of the evaluated performance parameters as well as carcass weight, heart weight and percentages of fat and protein in meat were significantly affected by any of the tested dietary treatments. However, the liver weight was statistically lower in animals fed the diets containing 10% of SPV, mainly due to lower glucose content. Glycogen within the tissue, did not differ significantly among treatments. It was therefore concluded that up to 15% of SPV can successfully be included in the diet of rabbits as a cheaper replacement for alfalfa hay without adversely affecting performance.     

Based serum metabolomics analysis reveals simultaneous interconnecting changes during chicken embryonic development

Metabolic disorder is a major health problem and is associated with a number of metabolic diseases. Due to native hyperglycaemia and resistance to exogenous insulin, chickens as a model had used in the studies of adipose tissue biology, metabolism and obesity. But no detailed information is available about the comprehensive changes of serum metabolites at different stages of chicken embryonic development. This study employed LC/MS‐QTOF to determine the changes of major functional metabolites at incubation day 14 (E14d), 19 (E19d) and hatching day 1 (H1d), and the associated pathways of differential metabolites during chicken embryonic development were analysed using Metabolite Set Enrichment Analysis method. Results showed that 39 metabolites were significantly changed from E14d to E19d and 68 metabolites were significantly altered from E19d to H1d in chicken embryos. Protein synthesis was promoted by increasing the concentrations of L‐glutamine and threonine, and gonadal development was promoted through increasing oestrone content from E14d to E19d in chicken embryos, which indicated that serum glutamine, threonine and oestrone contents may be considered as the candidate indicators for assessment of early embryonic development. 2‐oxoglutaric acid mainly contributed to enhancing the citric cycle, and it plays an important role in improving the growth of chicken embryos at the late development; the decreasing of L‐glutamine, L‐isoleucine and L‐leucine contents from E19d to H1d in chicken embryonic development implied their possible functions as the feed additive during early posthatch period of broiler chickens to satisfy the growth. These results provided insights into understand the roles of serum metabolites at different developmental stages of chicken embryos, it also provides available information for chicken as a model to study metabolic disease or human obesity.     

Gas and short‐chain fatty acid production from feeds commonly fed to red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) and incubated with rumen inoculum from red deer and sheep

Efficient red deer supplementary feeding depends on estimations of the nutritive value of offered feeds, frequently estimated with the use of equations derived from domestic ruminants. The aim of this study was to compare the 24‐hour in vitro true dry matter degradability (ivTD₂₄), in vitro gas production (GP) kinetic parameters, GP in 24 hr of incubation (GAS₂₄) and short‐chain fatty acid (SCFA) and microbial biomass (MBS) produced after 24‐hour incubation of feeds in inoculum prepared from sheep and red deer rumen fluid. Eleven feeds, frequently consumed by red deer in Slovenia, which occur either naturally (two fresh grasses, chestnut fruits and common and sessile oak acorns) or are fed as winter supplemental feeds (two grass hays, two grass silages, apple pomace, fresh sugar beetroot), were investigated. The in vitro GP kinetic parameters, GAS₂₄ and ivTD₂₄, did not differ between animal species. Amounts of SCFAs were greater (p < 0.05) when feeds were incubated in sheep inoculum, while molar proportions of acetic and propionic acids did not differ. Molar proportions of butyric acid produced during incubation of high fibre feeds did not differ between animal species, but were higher (p < 0.05) when feeds high in starch or sugar were incubated in red deer inoculum. Greater production of SCFA by sheep rumen microbes suggests better coverage of host animal with energy precursors, while greater production of MBS by red deer rumen microbes suggests better coverage of host animal with protein. Results also suggest that rumens of sheep and red deer are inhabited by different microbial communities, which did not affect the extent of in vitro GP and degradation of feeds used in the present experiment. However, the possibility exists that the divergent nutrient use could be a consequence of different priming by different feeds of the donor animal diets.     

Melatonin reduces apoptotic cells,SOD2 and HSPB1 and improves the in vitro production and quality of bovine blastocysts

Effects of adding different concentrations of melatonin (10^?7, 10^?9 and 10^?11 M) to maturation (Experiment 1; Control, IVM  + 10^?7, IVM  + 10^?9, IVM  + 10^?11) and culture media (Experiment 2; Control, IVC  + 10^?7, IVC  + 10^?9, IVC  + 10^?11) were evaluated on in vitro bovine embryonic development. The optimal concentration of melatonin (10^?9 M) from Experiments 1–2 was tested in both maturation and/or culture media of Experiment 3 (Control, IVM  + 10^?9, IVC  + 10^?9, IVM /IVC  + 10^?9). In Experiment 1, maturated oocytes from Control and IVM  + 10^?9 treatments showed increased glutathione content, mitochondrial membrane potential and percentage of Grade I blastocysts (40.6% and 43%, respectively). In Experiment 2, an increase in the percentage of Grade I blastocysts was detected in IVC  + 10^?7 (43.5%; 56.7%) and IVC  + 10^?9 (47.4%; 57.4%). Moreover, a lower number and percentage of apoptotic cells in blastocysts were observed in the IVC  + 10^?9 group compared to Control (3.8 ± 0.6; 3.6% versus 6.1 ± 0.6; 5.3%). In Experiment 3, the IVC  + 10^?9 treatment increased percentage of Grade I blastocysts with a lower number of apoptotic cells compared to IVM /IVC  + 10^?9 group (52.6%; 3.0 ± 0.5 versus 46.0%; 5.4 ± 1.0). The IVC  + 10^?9 treatment also had a higher mRNA expression of antioxidant gene (SOD 2) compared to the Control, as well as the heat shock protein (HSPB 1) compared to the IVM  + 10^?9. Reactive oxygen species production was greater in the IVM /IVC  + 10^?9 treatment group. In conclusion, the 10^?9 M concentration of melatonin and the in vitro production phase in which it is used directly affected embryonic development and quality.     

日本米虾胚胎发育及离体孵化

本研究采用自制离体孵化装置,对日本米虾(Caridina japonica)不同发育期胚胎进行离体孵化研究,结果显示,水温为25.5℃时,日本米虾受精卵孵化大约需要25 d,发育积温为637.5℃。胚胎发育历经受精卵、卵裂期、囊胚期、原肠胚期、前无节幼体期、后无幼体期、前溞状幼体期和膜内溞状幼体期8个时期。各期离体胚胎均能孵化出幼体,膜内溞状幼体期离体胚胎孵化率最高,为(80.7±2.4)%,非离体孵化的对照组为(79.1±4.9)%,二者差异不显著;卵裂期离体胚胎孵化率最低,为(28.2±2.6)%,与对照组差异显著。各组离体胚胎所孵化出的Ⅰ期(ZⅠ)和Ⅱ期溞状幼体(ZⅡ)的变态率无显著差异。温度对日本米虾前溞状幼体期胚胎离体孵化影响显著,在15.0℃~32.5℃范围内,随水温升高孵化时间逐渐缩短,15.0℃时,前溞状幼体离体孵化时间为(436.8±124.8) h,32.5℃时缩短至(228.0±88.8) h,但温度高于29.0℃时,孵化出的幼体变态率开始下降。本研究可为日本米虾繁殖生物学及甲壳动物胚胎离体孵化技术研究提供参考。     

冻藏水产品蛋白质变化与控制措施研究进展

冷冻贮藏是水产品的保藏方法之一,相比于其他保藏手段,冻藏的低温条件能对水产品的品质起到较好的保护,因而成为目前最常使用的一种保藏方法。但由于温度的变化以及低温下水产品自身组织结构的破坏,冻藏过程中不可避免地伴随着水产品品质的一系列变化,如脂质氧化、蛋白质冷冻变性、质构变化等。本文综述了冷冻贮藏对水产品肌原纤维蛋白特性的影响,包括蛋白质冷冻变性的影响因素、冻藏条件下肌原纤维蛋白理化性质的变化、蛋白质冷冻变性的机理,并总结了一些控制蛋白质冷冻变性的方法和措施,旨在为水产品中冻藏技术的应用以及低温对肌原纤维蛋白特性影响的研究提供参考。     

饲料中脂肪水平对海湾扇贝性腺发育、脂肪酸组成和组织结构的影响

为了探讨配合饲料及其脂肪含量对海湾扇贝性腺发育、脂肪酸组成和组织结构的影响,在基础饲料中通过梯度添加鱼油（质量分数为0%、3%、6%和9%）配置4种脂肪质量分数为7%、10%、14%和17%的等氮饲料（质量分数为47%粗蛋白）,分别记为F7、F10、F14和F17,并以小新月菱形藻（Nitzschia closterium f. minutissima）作为对照组,试验在室内1 000 L的水槽中进行,每种饲料随机投喂3组扇贝[初始体质量为（40.79±1.70） g],每个重复30只,试验周期30 d。结果显示：饲料中脂肪含量未显著影响扇贝死亡率（P>0.05）,对照组死亡率显著低于各个饲料处理组（P<0.05）。性腺指数（gonadosomatic index,GSI）随着饲料脂肪含量增加呈先上升后下降的趋势,在F14组GSI达到最高,与对照组差异不显著（P>0.05）,显著高于初始时期（P<0.05）。性腺中雌性部分含水量F10组最高,显著高于F17组（P<0.05）;雄性部分各处理组间差异不显著（P>0.05）。性腺中雌性部分粗脂肪含量显著高于雄性部分（P<0.05）。性腺中脂肪酸的含量PUFA>MUFA>SFA,饲料中脂肪含量显著影响性腺中SFA、MUFA、n-3PUFA、DHA和EPA的含量（P<0.05）,当饲料中脂肪含量为14%或17%时达到最高值。性腺组织切片可见,各个处理组卵母细胞和精原细胞充满整个滤泡腔,滤泡密集,滤泡之间无空隙。由此可得出,配合饲料替代部分单胞藻饲喂海湾扇贝,可使其性腺发育至育苗要求,饲料中脂肪质量分数为14%时可以代替部分单胞藻饲喂海湾扇贝促进性腺发育。     

苎麻茎皮环状RNA表达谱分析

苎麻[Boehmerianivea(L.)Gaud.]是我国特色的天然纤维作物,其纤维具有拉伸力强、纤维束长等特点。解析苎麻纤维发育调控机制,对实现纤维产量和品质性状遗传改良具有重要意义。本研究基于高通量测序技术开展了苎麻茎顶部和中部的茎皮组织环状RNA (circRNA)分析,在2个组织中共鉴定到5268个苎麻circRNA。比较circRNA的表达水平发现,78个circRNA在2个组织中呈现差异表达。因苎麻茎中部韧皮纤维处于生长发育期,而茎顶部韧皮纤维尚未起始生长,推测这78个circRNA是纤维不同发育时期差异表达基因,它们可能参与了苎麻的纤维发育调控。研究结果将为解析circRNA调控苎麻纤维生长发育机制奠定基础。