A spline polynomial model to describe serum IGF-I concentration from birth to slaughter in calves: effects of weaning age,pre-weaning concentrate feeding and breed

The statistical analysis of hormones sampled throughout the production cycle is complicated because factors such as age and weight at the measuring date interfere. Spline curves constructed from pieces of low-degree, random-effects polynomials could be used for a more accurate analysis of data. Concentration of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), weight gain, and concentrate intake of Parda de Montaña (PM) (n = 27) and Pirenaica calves (n = 14) were modeled with a spline model according to age at weaning, pre-weaning concentrate feeding, and breed. At birth, calves were randomly assigned to early weaning (EW) at 90 d or traditional weaning (TW) at 150 d. During lactation, half of PM calves received concentrates (S), whereas the remainder received no concentrates (NS). After weaning, calves received concentrates on an ad libitum basis until they reached a weight of 450 kg. The spline model had better likelihood than a polynomial of 6 degrees or a split-plot model. Serum IGF-1 concentration was greatly affected by age at weaning and pre-weaning concentrate feeding, but not by breed. In NS calves, IGF-1 concentration was greater in EW than in TW calves from 120 to 300 d, irrespective of breed. During lactation, S calves had greater IGF-1 concentration than NS calves. After weaning, EWNS calves reached the IGF-1 concentration of EWS calves after 4 mo on concentrates, whereas TWNS calves attained IGF-1 concentration of TWS calves after only 2 mo, because of their increased concentrate intake relative to TWS calves. Concentration of IGF-1 was positively correlated with the immediate weight gains and intake, but it was not a good predictor of performance in the long term.     

一种新型二维条码电子耳标在商品猪数字化养殖中的应用

详细阐述了自动识别技术的各种形式。结合当前商品猪养殖的具体情况,本着经济、耐用、实用和对畜产品个体妨碍最小的原则,采用当前比较常用的Grid Matrix码,制作了一种新型二维条码的电子耳标作为畜产品的标签身份号码,为商品猪数字化养殖可溯源管理系统的实现奠定了基础。     

Efficacy of statistical process control procedures to identify deviations in continuously measured physiological and behavioral variables in beef heifers resulting from an experimentally combined viral–bacterial challenge

The objective of this experiment was to determine if statistical process control (SPC) procedures coupled with remote continuous data collection could accurately differentiate between animals experimentally inoculated with a viral–bacterial (VB) challenge or phosphate buffer solution (PBS). Crossbred heifers (N = 38; BW = 230 ± 16.4 kg) were randomly assigned to treatments by initial weight, average daily gain (ADG), bovine herpes virus 1, and Mannheimia haemolytica serum titers. Feeding behavior, dry matter intake (DMI), animal activity, and rumen temperature were continuously monitored remotely prior to and following VB challenge. VB-challenged heifers exhibited decreased (P < 0.01) ADG and DMI, as well as increased (P < 0.01) neutrophils and rumen temperature consistent with a bovine respiratory disease (BRD) infection. However, none of the heifers displayed overt clinical signs of disease. Shewhart and cumulative summation (CUSUM) charts were evaluated, with sensitivity and specificity computed on the VB-challenged heifers (n = 19) and PBS-challenged heifers (n = 19), respectively, and the accuracy was determined as the average of sensitivity and specificity. To address the diurnal nature of rumen temperature responses, summary statistics (mean, minimum, and maximum) were computed for daily quartiles (6-h intervals), and these quartile temperature models were evaluated separately. In the Shewhart analysis, DMI was the most accurate (95%) at deciphering between PBS- and VB-challenged heifers, followed by rumen temperature (94%) collected in the 2nd and 3rd quartiles. Rest was most the accurate accelerometer-based traits (89%), and meal duration (87%) and bunk visit (BV) frequency (82%) were the most accurate feeding behavior traits. Rumen temperature collected in the 3rd quartile signaled the earliest (2.5 d) of all the variables monitored with the Shewhart, followed by BV frequency (2.8 d), meal duration (2.8 d), DMI (3.0 d), and rest (4.0 d). Rumen temperature and DMI remained the most accurate variables in the CUSUM at 80% and 79%, respectively. Meal duration (58%), BV frequency (71%), and rest (74%) were less accurate when monitored with the CUSUM analysis. Furthermore, signal day was greater for DMI, rumen temperature, and meal duration (4.4, 5.0, and 3.7 d, respectively) in the CUSUM compared to Shewhart analysis. These results indicate that Shewhart and CUSUM charts can effectively identify deviations in feeding behavior, activity, and rumen temperature patterns for the purpose of detecting sub-clinical BRD in beef cattle.     

球孢白僵菌-玉米共生体对亚洲玉米螟取食行为的影响

为明确球孢白僵菌-玉米共生体对亚洲玉米螟幼虫取食行为及取食选择性的影响,本文通过室内控制试验,采用培养皿叶盘法,研究了共生体对亚洲玉米螟初孵幼虫和3龄幼虫的选择、非选择性取食的影响。结果表明,在48 h非选择性试验中,亚洲玉米螟初孵幼虫在球孢白僵菌-玉米共生体叶片组织（处理组）上的取食率显著低于未接种球孢白僵菌玉米叶片（对照组）,第48 h时在共生体和对照玉米上的幼虫取食率分别为35.7%和62.5%,差异极显著;3龄幼虫在共生体茎秆组织上的取食率与对照组玉米差异不显著。在48 h选择性试验中,初孵幼虫在共生体玉米叶片组织上的取食率显著低于对照组,共生体玉米叶片组织上的幼虫取食率随时间的增加呈下降趋势,第48 h时在共生体和对照玉米上的幼虫取食率分别为6.3%和20.6%,差异极显著;3龄幼虫在共生体和对照组玉米茎秆组织上的幼虫取食率随时间的增加呈上升趋势,其中对照组幼虫取食率显著高于处理组,第48 h时在处理组和对照组玉米上的幼虫取食率分别为33.1%和45.6%,差异极显著。本研究初步表明,球孢白僵菌-玉米共生体对亚洲玉米螟幼虫的取食行为有显著的抑制和忌避作用。     

圆叶决明草粉替代不同比例精料喂兔效果研究

利用豆科牧草圆叶决明Chamaecrista routundifolia CPI34721草粉分别以10%,15%,20%不同比例替代精料进行肉兔喂养试验.试验结果表明:与对照相比较,在兔只平均日增重、饲料利用率方面,各处理与对照差异不显著.替代10%和15%精料处理可显著提高兔肉品质,替代20%精料的处理在经济效益方面最佳,可提高经济效益5.15%.     

鱼类早期发育阶段摄食行为研究现状

对鱼类早期阶段的摄食行为研究进行了综述。重点阐述了胃含物分析法、饥饿对摄食的影响、摄食器官的形态发育特征与摄食行为的关系、食物选择及其生理生态因子对摄食的作用。初步探讨了仔稚鱼饥饿后的捕食量和捕食速度的变化,并结合食物保障,分析了食物选择性指数I在鱼类摄食行为研究中的应用。     

Divergent, genetically based feeding behaviour of two sympatric Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus (L.), morphs

Abstract –  Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus (L.), is one of the several northern fishes that show resource polymorphisms in postglacial lakes. Two reproductively isolated morphs of Arctic charr coexist in distinct ecological niches in the subarctic lake Fjellfrøsvatn, North Norway. Offspring of the two morphs (termed littoral charr and profundal charr) were reared separately but under identical conditions. Their feeding behaviour was compared experimentally using different kinds of live prey. The fishes had no experience with natural prey before the experiments. The littoral morph were more effective in eating live plankton ( Daphnia ) and littoral benthos ( Gammarus ), and had a higher attack rate against pleuston (surface prey, Gerris ) compared with the profundal morph. The two morphs behaved in accordance with expectations from their in situ niche utilisation towards the three prey types. This indicates a case of incipient ecological speciation where divergence in resource utilisation in contrasting niches has evolved adaptations in feeding behaviour by natural selection.     

Can supplemental food increase winter survival of a threatened cottontail rabbit?

Populations of New England cottontails (Sylvilagus transitionalis) have declined substantially in recent decades in response to habitat loss and fragmentation. Among some remnant populations, cottontails occupy small patches of thicket habitat where they experience high mortality rates as a consequence of limited food during winter. This limitation causes rabbits to forage away from cover where they are exposed to predators. Although conservation efforts are emerging to reverse the decline of New England cottontails, most are directed toward improving long-term viability by increasing the abundance of suitable habitats. Such efforts do little to improve the short-term survival of remaining cottontails. To address this immediate need, we evaluated the use of supplemental food as an approach to improve overwinter survival rates. We speculated that by positioning feeders in close proximity to escape cover, rabbits would be less vulnerable to predators. We evaluated this approach using eastern cottontails (Sylvilagus floridanus) as a research surrogate because this species is readily available and has similar habitat requirements to New England cottontails. Transmitter-equipped eastern cottontails were randomly assigned to either a fed or unfed group. Remotely-triggered cameras were also used to gauge use of feeders by cottontails and visits by other species. Winter survival rates were substantially greater for fed rabbits (70%) than for unfed rabbits (32%). Cameras revealed that rabbits were the most frequent consumer and that there was only limited carnivore activity near feeders. We conclude that supplemental feeding may improve survival of remaining New England cottontails as efforts to increase habitat availability continue to develop.     

鱼用促摄食物质研究方法

近些年,鱼粉的价格持续走高,使寻找优质高效的廉价替代蛋白源成为必然趋势。替代蛋白的使用又引起配方饲料诱食性和适口性下降的问题。因此,自20世纪70年代起,国内外学者进行了大     

不同光照周期下鲇幼鱼的日摄食节律

水温(23±1)℃,研究了鲇幼鱼自然光照、持续光照(自然光或日光灯作光源)和持续黑暗条件下的日摄食节律.试验结果表明,3种光照周期下,鲇幼鱼昼夜均有连续摄食特性,期间具有明显的摄食高峰(夜间)和低谷(白天),鲇幼鱼有明显的日摄食节律;持续黑暗与自然光照周期下的鲇幼鱼日摄食节律基本一致,持续光照与自然光照周期下的鲇幼鱼日摄食节律有所差异.研究证明,鲇幼鱼在3种光照周期下均属于典型的夜晚摄食类型;光照周期的改变对鲇幼鱼的日摄食率无显著影响(P>0.05).