Analysis of some factors affecting fertility levels in a high‐producing dairy herd in south‐western Japan

The present study aimed to know whether all cows have been showing declining fertility or only a proportion of cows are attributed to the declining fertility, and to describe factors affecting the level of fertility. A total of 131 cows calved from February 2005 to December 2007 in a dairy herd were examined. Fourteen cows were excluded from the study because of early culling. Of the remaining 117 cows, 47 (40%) conceived within 115 days postpartum after 1–3 artificial insemination (AI) (normal fertility cows), 42 (36%) conceived after 115 days postpartum following 1–3 AI or were culled after 1–2 (sub‐fertility cows/culled), and 28 (24%) were inseminated more than three times without detectable genital tract abnormalities (repeat breeders). Calving to conception interval in the normal fertility group was 72 + 3 days, while in the sub‐fertility/culled and repeat breeding groups the intervals were 170 + 8 and 259 + 16 days, respectively. Endometritis was the risk factor for sub‐fertility/culled (odds ratio (OR) = 3.76). Prolonged luteal phase (OR = 4.08), delayed first ovulation (OR = 6.02), and delayed corpus luteum formation after AI (OR = 8.55) were the risk factors for repeat breeding. In conclusion, 60% cows showed reduced fertility in a herd, while the other 40% had normal fertility. Uterine infection and some ovarian disorders contributed to reduced fertility.     

锌对肉用种公鸡生长发育期性成熟的影响

本文研究了不同锌水平饲粮对种公鸡性成熟期体重和睾丸生长发育的影响.结果表明:饲粮中不同锌添加量显著或极显著影响15～25周龄种公鸡的体重(P＜0.05)、睾丸重(P＜0.01)、睾丸体积(P＜0.01)、睾丸指数(P＜0.01)、曲精细管管径(P＜0.01)、生殖上皮厚度(P＜0.05)和间质细胞核径(P＜0.05),而对鸡髯大小无显著影响;随饲粮锌添加量增加,体重、睾丸重、睾丸体积、睾丸指数和间质细胞核径呈显著的二次曲线变化;体重与睾丸重和睾丸体积呈极显著正相关,而鸡髯大小与睾丸重和睾丸体积呈显著正相关.综合考虑各项参数,生长发育期AA肉用种公鸡在饲喂玉米-豆粕型饲粮时(含锌25.6 mg/kg)锌的适宜添加量为75～85 mg/kg.     

Effect of dietary manipulation and vaccination of turkey breeder hens on immunoglobulin levels of yolk,yolk sac and neonate poults

Two hundred turkey breeder hens and 24 viable toms of 30–35 weeks age of small white variety were distributed into two treatment groups having four replicates of 25 hens and three toms in each treatment. First four replicates were offered a turkey breeder diet (Diet A) (Nutrient requirements of poultry, 1994, National Academic Press, Washington, DC) and the rest four replicates were maintained on a higher plane of nutrition (Diet B) for 8‐week duration. After 6 weeks of experimental feeding, two replicates from each treatment groups were vaccinated with ND (R₂B) vaccine. Yolk sac of embryo from birds fed Diet B had a significantly higher (p < .05) IgG, IgM level and HI titre (log 2) than those fed Diet A. HI titre values of embryonic yolk sac from the vaccinated birds fed Diet B were significantly higher (p < .05) than that of the control groups. In addition, HI titre values were significantly higher (p < .05) in the day‐old poults of the birds fed Diet B than that of those fed Diet A. There was significantly (p < .01) positive correlation between serum IgG and IgM of the breeder birds and day‐old chicks. Similarly, there was significantly (p < .05) positive correlation between yolk IgG and IgM after 1‐month experimental feeding and yolk sac IgG and IgM. Positive correlation (p < .05) also existed between yolk sac IgM and day‐old chick serum IgM. Furthermore, the HI titres of breeder birds' serum at 14 days post‐vaccination were positively correlated with their egg yolk after 10 and 15 days post‐vaccination, yolk sac and day‐old chicks. Thus, the study envisaged that a higher immunity in neonate poults from turkey breeders maintained on a higher plane of nutrition may be elicited as there was maternal transfer of antibodies from the serum of breeder birds to their offsprings through their yolk sac.     

笼内产蛋窝布置方式对蛋种鸡行为生理及死淘率的影响

现行蛋种鸡本交笼虽具备较大活动空间并能满足鸡只自然交配行为,但其饲养环境依然相对贫瘠,缺乏环境富集装置,存在啄羽啄肛等行为问题。该文探究了蛋种鸡本交笼中3种不同类型产蛋窝的使用效果及其对啄羽啄肛行为及生理应激反应的影响。结果表明,3种产蛋窝Nest1(长?宽?高)(90 cm?40 cm?60 cm)、Nest2(45 cm?40 cm?60 cm)、Nest3(70cm?52cm?60cm)在32周龄时窝内蛋比例分别为80.5%?7.8%、67.4%?8.1%、87.3%?7.6%,Nest1与Nest3窝内蛋比例、探窝次数及趴卧次数显著高于Nest2(P0.05),Nest1、Nest2、Nest3产蛋鸡只探窝时间无显著差异,设置产蛋窝后鸡只发出的攻击性啄、严重啄羽、轻度啄羽频次显著低于对照组(P0.05)。3种产蛋窝血浆皮质酮浓度无显著差异,但显著低于对照组(P0.05),对照组及Nest2总死淘率显著高于Nest1与Nest3(P0.05),对照组因啄死淘率显著高于Nest1、Nest2、Nest3(P0.05)。产蛋窝的设置可以满足鸡的行为需求,降低啄羽啄肛行为的发生、生理应激及因啄死淘发生风险。     

母鸡限饲对子代脂肪沉积、相关酶活性及其基因表达的影响

 【目的】本试验旨在研究母鸡采食量限饲对子代脂肪沉积、脂肪酸合成酶(fatty acid synthetase,FAS)活性及其基因表达的影响,探讨母体营养效应及子代后天的补偿作用。【方法】选择东北农业大学繁育的高、低脂系肉种母鸡各384羽,分别分为两个处理组。产蛋期,处理一饲喂正常日粮,处理二日采食量是处理一的75%。产蛋高峰期收集种蛋进行孵化。子代自由采食常规水平日粮。【结果】母鸡采食量限饲显著提高子代28日龄腿肌脂肪含量(P＜0.05),56日龄时差异不显著(P＞0.05);子代肝脏脂肪含量品系间存在差异,高脂系显著高于低脂系(P＜0.05);品系与采食水平的互作对子代肝脏脂肪含量和28日龄胸肌脂肪含量影响显著(P＜0.05);子代腹脂率品系间差异极显著(P＜0.01)。56日龄时,子代肝脏FAS酶活性品系间差异显著(P＜0.05),品系与饲喂水平的互作对肝脏FAS酶活性影响显著(P＜0.05)。子代肝脏FAS mRNA表达丰度1日龄时品系间差异显著(P＜0.05);28日龄时,品系与饲喂水平的互作对肝脏FAS mRNA的表达影响显著(P＜0.05);母鸡采食量限饲显著提高了28日龄子代肝脏FAS mRNA的表达丰度(P＜0.05);56日龄时差异不显著(P＞0.05)。【结论】母鸡采食量限饲影响子代脂肪的沉积,且品系间表现出不同的趋势;56日龄时,肉仔鸡肝脏FAS酶活性品系间差异显著(P＜0.05),且品系与饲喂水平的交互作用影响显著(P＜0.05);肉仔鸡肝脏FAS mRNA的表达丰度受母体效应的影响,并且在其后生长过程中表现出补偿作用。     

Influences of breeder age and fasting after hatching on the performance of broilers

In this trial, we assessed the effects of 2 different ages of breeders and of 2 periods of fasting posthatching on the performance of broilers up to 42 d of age. Male broilers from breeders of different ages (30 and 60 wk) were subjected to an experimental design with 4 treatments: 1) T1, chicks not subjected to fasting, from 30-wk-old breeders; 2) T2, chicks not subjected to fasting, from 60-wk-old breeders; 3) T3, chicks subjected to a 12-h fast, from 30-wk-old breeders; and 4) T4, chicks subjected to a 12-h fast, from 60-wk-old breeders. At the end of the trial, feed intake was greater for the chicks from older breeders. Fasting had a negative influence on feed intake in the period from 0 to 10 d of age. The birds from older breeders had a greater BW gain from 21 to 35 d of age when they were not subjected to a fasting period, but when birds were subjected to a fasting period, no differences between broiler breeder ages were observed on BW gain. Fasting did not exert a significant effect on the BW of the birds. Feed conversion was not influenced by the age of the breeders or by fasting.