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.     

Innovative layer genetics to handle global challenges in egg production

1. In commercial layer breeding, extensive gene pools are tested and selected for market requirements which must be anticipated at least 5 years ahead. Field results confirm a continuous positive genetic trend in egg output and better feed efficiency which can be converted into land savings.

2. Animal welfare and cage-free housing dominate future needs of the market. Nesting behaviour and minimal tendency to develop feather-pecking or cannibalism without beak treatment are key trait complexes. Stronger shells for longer production cycles without moulting have to be combined with better bones.

3. No single big gene effect can be expected to control the multifactorial problem of feather-pecking. Adjusting the shape of the beak, with a heritability of .10–.25, can contribute to reducing the risk of severe cannibalism.

4. For better skeletal integrity, the assessment of bone quality in pedigree birds housed in enriched cages is done by keel bone palpation or ultrasound measurement of the humerus. Both traits show similar heritabilities in the range of .15–.30 and can be included in a balanced selection approach for performance, quality and welfare traits.

5. The combination of performance testing and genome-wide DNA marker analysis is a promising tool to generate more progress for a balanced performance and behaviour profile.     

The effect of dietary supplementation with Aurantiochytrium limacinum on lactating dairy cows in terms of animal health,productivity and milk composition

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation with the docosahexaenoic acid (DHA )‐rich microalgae, Aurantiochytrium limacinum (AURA ), on a variety of health and productivity parameters in lactating cows. Twenty‐four cows were blocked by parity and number of days in milk and then randomly assigned to a control (CON ; n  = 12) group with no algal supplementation, or a treatment group (AURA ; n  = 12) provided with 100 g AURA  cow^?1 day^?1 or 16 g DHA  cow^?1 day^?1. A variety of health and productivity measurements were taken, and results indicated that supplementation had no negative effects on animal health in terms of somatic cell count, haematological and biochemical blood parameters, while body condition was marginally improved by algal supplementation. No differences were found for the various production parameters measured; however, a tendency towards increased milk production was observed for the AURA group during the final stage of the study (+4.5 kg cow^?1 day^?1, day 78–84). The fatty acid profile of milk was improved by supplementation, with significantly lower saturated fatty acids, significantly higher omega‐3 fatty acids and an improved omega‐3/omega‐6 ratio observed when compared to the control group. The amount of DHA in the milk of cows provided 105 g AURA  head^?1 day^?1 was 4.7 mg/100 g milk with a peak transfer efficiency from feed to milk at day 49 of 8.3%. These results indicate that supplementation with 105 g AURA  head^?1 day^?1 resulted in the successful enrichment of milk with DHA without negatively impacting the health or productivity of the animals.     

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.     

四甲基戊二酸对夏玉米光合生产特征的调控效应

为研究四甲基戊二酸(TGA)对夏玉米光合特征和产量的调控效应, 2018、2019年在中国农业科学院新乡试验基地开展大田试验,以中单909 (ZD909)和京农科728 (JNK728)为试验材料,设置5个TGA施用梯度(0、75、150、225和300 g hm^–2)。结果表明,适宜剂量的TGA处理可提高玉米产量、延缓玉米生育期内功能叶的衰老速率,增强灌浆期的净光合速率,试验条件下TGA的最佳施用量为150 g hm^–2。在TGA最佳施用量下, ZD909和JNK728的产量相比对照2年平均分别增加8.7%和11.7%。2个品种玉米生育期内叶绿素含量、可溶性蛋白含量和光合势相比对照平均分别增加14.3%和19.7%、18.7%和22.7%、10.9%和16.9%;而叶片衰老速率相比对照平均降低了55.9%和56.5%;灌浆期的净光合速率相比对照平均分别增加44.0%和58.4%。相关性分析表明,玉米产量与生育期内叶片衰老速率呈显著负相关,而与灌浆期净光合速率呈显著正相关。综上, TGA处理能够提高叶片叶绿素和可溶性蛋白含量,延缓玉米叶片衰老...     

基于转录组测序开发糜子SSR标记

【目的】以6份不同地理来源的糜子资源为试验材料,基于前期转录组测序获得的1 000对SSR引物,选出200对进行多态性检测,以期构建一批可以准确评估糜子种质遗传差异的分子标记。【方法】用Primer Premier5.0软件设计引物,改良CTAB法提取DNA,PCR扩增DNA和聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳筛选引物多态性;用PowerMarker3.25和PopGen 1.32计算遗传多样性参数。【结果】200对引物中97对呈单态性,80对呈多态性。单碱基序列重复引物有20对,10对具多态性,其重复基元是A(50%)和T(50%)。二碱基序列重复引物有36对,15对具多态性,其碱基重复类型有7种(AG最多,TC、GC和GA次之,CA、TA和AC最少)。三碱基序列重复引物有144对,55对具多态性,其碱基重复类型有24种(GGC、GCG和GCC最多,GAA、GCT和CGC等次之,ACC、AGG、CAG、CGT、AAG、AAC、TCG、CGA、ATT、CAA和CCA最少)。就引物分辨率(Rp)值而言,1—3碱基序列重复引物分别为0.67—4.67(平均2.07)、1.33—4.33(平均2.73)和0...     

过瘤胃氨基酸对泌乳早期奶牛生产性能、乳成分和血液生化指标的影响

为研究日粮添加过瘤胃氨基酸对泌乳早期奶牛生产性能、乳成分、血液生化指标和经济效益的影响,选择96头体况良好、健康的泌乳早期荷斯坦牛,泌乳天数为(65±15)天.采用单因素随机区组试验设计,按照年龄、胎次和产奶量相近的原则,将96头奶牛随机分为对照组和试验组,每组48头.对照组为基础日粮,试验组在对照组日粮的基础上添加过...     

母猪批次化生产研发进展

批次化生产是欧美等畜牧业发达国家开发的一种工厂化养猪模式,近年来我国也在逐渐推广应用,它显著提升了猪场生产效率与生物安全,尤其对当前我国非洲猪瘟防控和生猪产能恢复具有重要意义.文章简述了母猪批次化生产的研发历史,并综述了其技术优势、关键技术以及我国目前研发、应用情况,以期提高我国母猪批次化生产水平,促进养猪业转型升级.     

噬菌体制剂对母猪生产性能、免疫指标及粪便微生物的影响

试验旨在研究噬菌体对母猪生产性能、免疫指标和粪便微生物数量的影响。试验选取96头健康长大二元母猪,随机分为4组,每组24头猪。空白对照组母猪饲喂基础日粮,试验组1、试验组2和试验组3分别在基础日粮中加入100、300、500 g/t的沙门氏菌噬菌体、大肠杆菌噬菌体和产气荚膜梭菌噬菌体组成的复合制剂,试验周期为35 d。结果显示:试验组2和试验组3相比空白对照组的窝产活仔数、断奶活仔数、平均奶均重和平均日增重均显著提高(P<0.05)。试验组1相比空白对照组的断奶活仔数、平均奶均重和平均日增重均显著提高(P<0.05)。在分娩当日,相比空白对照组,试验组3的免疫球蛋白A (IgA)含量显著提高(P<0.05)。试验组2和试验组3的免疫球蛋白M (IgM)和免疫球蛋白G (IgG)含量显著提高(P<0.05)。在断奶当日,相比空白对照组,3种剂量组的IgA、IgM和IgG含量均显著提高(P<0.05)。试验组2和试验组3的乳酸菌含量显著增加(P<0.05)。3种剂量组的大肠杆菌和沙门氏菌数量均显著降低(P<0.05)。试验表明,添加复合噬菌体制剂能提高母猪生产性能,提高机体免疫力,改善肠道微生态环境,日粮中添加300 g/t复合噬菌体制剂比较合适。