Carrier rate of the c.235G>C mutation in the bovine isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase (IARS) gene of Japanese Black cows at Kagoshima prefecture, Japan,and analysis of the metabolic profiling and reproductive performance of heterozygous cows

Bovine isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase (IARS) disorder, a major cause of weak calf syndrome, is caused by a homozygous missense (c.235G>C) mutation in the bovine IARS gene of Japanese Black (JB) cattle, which was identified in 2013. However, the extent to which the carrier rate has changed at Kagoshima prefecture, Japan, and whether the carrier status is associated with any clinical or reproductive problems, have yet to be ascertained. In this study, using a real-time polymerase chain reaction-based genotyping assay, we determined the carrier rate in a regional JB cow population at Kagoshima prefecture. Comparative analyses were performed on the metabolic profile test (MPT) results and reproductive performance data obtained for heterozygous carrier and homozygous wild-type cows. In 2009 and 2018, DNA samples were collected from 130 and 462 clinically healthy JB cows, respectively, in Kagoshima prefecture. MPT results and reproductive performance data were evaluated for 62 cows, comprising four heterozygous carriers and 58 wild-type cows. Genotyping revealed that the carrier rate was 6.9% in 2009 and 1.5% in 2018, the difference of which was statistically significant (P<0.005). There were no statistically significant differences between the carrier and wild-type cows with respect to either MPT results or reproductive performance, indicating that the carrier cows have necessary IARS activity to maintain minimal health and reproductive potential.     

Black soldier fly and yellow mealworm live larvae for broiler chickens: Effects on bird performance and health status

The commercial broiler chicken strains are the result of successful selection programmes. Most of the problems related to welfare arise from the high growth rate and body weight. The use of environmental enrichments in intensive farming could have a positive effect on birds by increasing animal welfare. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of Hermetia illucens (HI) and Tenebrio molitor (TM) live larvae in the diets of broiler chickens on growth performance, carcass yield and health status. A total of 180 four-day-old male broiler chickens (Ross 308) were randomly allotted to 18 pens. Each pen was assigned to one of the three dietary treatments (6 replicates/treatment, 10 birds/replicate) as follows: (i) control diet (C): commercial feed (two feeding phases: starter [4–11 days] and grower [12–38 days]), (ii) HI: C + 5% of the expected daily feed intake (DFI) HI live larvae (calculated on dry matter [DM]) and (iii) TM: C + 5% of DFI TM live larvae (DM). At 39 days of age, birds were slaughtered. Growth performance parameters were overall not affected by dietary treatments, except for the grower phase feed conversion ratio (FCR) and the overall FCR being better in the TM broilers than the others (p < 0.01). No differences were observed for slaughtering performance and haematological and serum parameters, except for the spleen relative weight being higher (p < 0.01) in the birds administered with larvae when compared to the C group. Gut morphometric indexes and histopathological alterations were not influenced by insect larvae administration. In conclusion, the administration in limited quantities of HI and TM live larvae as environmental enrichment has no negative effects on broiler chicken growth performance and health status. A behavioural study could confirm that live insect larvae represent a novel natural environmental enrichment in broiler farming.     

Effects of dietary Bacillus coagulans and yeast hydrolysate supplementation on growth performance,immune response and intestinal barrier function in weaned piglets

The present study investigated the effects of Bacillus coagulans and yeast hydrolysate supplementation on growth performance, immune response and intestinal barrier function of weaned piglets. Twenty-four weaned piglets with an average body weight (BW) of 6.89 ± 0.15 kg were divided into four diets for 28 days. The treatments were basal diet (control), basal diet supplemented with antibiotic (20 mg/kg colistin sulphate and 40 mg/kg bacitracin zinc, AT), probiotics (400 mg/kg Bacillus coagulans ≥5 × 109 CFU/g, BC) or yeast hydrolysate (5000 mg/kg yeast hydrolysate, YH). Average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) were improved by AT and YH diets (p < 0.05), while BC diet only increased ADG (p < 0.05). The complement 3 (C3), lysozyme (LZM) and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) concentrations in serum were increased in BC diet (p < 0.05). Feeding AT and YH caused the increase of jejunal villus height (p < 0.05), and a higher ratio of villus height/crypt depth was observed in AT, BC and YH groups (p < 0.05). The mRNA expression of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) in jejunal mucosa was up-regulated by AT, BC and YH diets (p < 0.05). Dietary AT, BC or YH inclusion decreased the interleukin-1β (IL-1β) concentration and TNF-α mRNA expression (p < 0.05), and YH supplementation even down-regulated toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and CD14 expressions (p < 0.05). In summary, the dietary administration of BC or YH both improves growth performance through promoting the intestinal barrier function, indicating both of them can serve as potential alternatives to antibiotics growth promoters for the piglet production.     

口感化及颗粒化开食料对早期断奶羔羊生长和胃肠道发育的影响

分析探讨口感化及颗粒化开食料对早期断奶羔羊生长和胃肠道发育的影响。选取新生健康的双羔湖羊公羔42只,随机分为两组,分别饲喂颗粒化和口感化开食料,试验期42 d。两组羔羊21日龄之前的采食量、体重和绝对生长的变化趋势相似。21日龄以后,口感化开食料组羔羊的采食量、体重、绝对生长和相对生长均明显高于颗粒化开食料组,42日龄体重、后两周的采食量及15～21日龄的相对生长率在两组间有显著差异(P < 0.05)。口感化开食料还显著提高(P < 0.05)了羔羊42日龄时的育肥指数、体长指数、胸围指数、管围指数和断奶前的瘤胃质量和瘤胃/胴体。以上结果表明,与颗粒化开食料相比,口感化开食料更有利于羔羊早期断奶前后的瘤胃发育、采食量提高、体重和体尺的发育,但对其他胃室及肠道发育没有影响。     

0~4周龄云岭红肉鸡赖氨酸适宜需要量的研究

试验通过分析饲粮不同赖氨酸水平对云岭红肉鸡生长性能、氮沉积率及血液生化指标的影响,确定云岭红肉鸡饲粮赖氨酸的适宜需要量。采用单因素试验设计,将180只健康状况良好、体重相近的1日龄云岭红肉鸡随机分为5个处理组,每组3个重复,每个重复12只鸡。5组试验鸡饲喂的饲粮赖氨酸水平分别为0.85%、0.95%、1.05%、1.15%、1.25%。结果表明:赖氨酸水平对试验鸡的期末体重、全期增重、平均日增重及料重比有显著影响(P<0.05),当赖氨酸水平为1.15%时期末体重最大739.21 g,全期增重最大701.66 g,平均日增重最大24.19 g,料重比最低1.68。不同赖氨酸水平对丝氨酸、甘氨酸和组氨酸的表观代谢率影响显著(P<0.05)。对血清总氨基酸和血清尿素氮影响显著(P<0.05)。研究表明,0~4周龄云岭红肉鸡适宜赖氨酸水平最适量为1.15%。     

复合中草药添加剂对断奶仔猪生长性能的影响

试验旨在研究不同剂量复合中草药添加剂对断奶仔猪生长性能的影响。选取84头(28±1)日龄、体重(8±0.5) kg的"杜×长×大"三元杂交断奶母仔猪,随机分成4组,每组3个重复,每个重复7头猪。试验1组饲喂基础日粮为对照组,试验2、3、4组分别添加2.0、2.5、3.0 g/kg的复合中草药添加剂。结果表明,试验3、4组仔猪平均日增重、平均日采食量显著高于试验1组(P<0.05);试验2、3、4组仔猪料重比、腹泻率显著低于试验1组(P<0.05)。试验3、4组仔猪的血清总蛋白、白蛋白含量显著高于试验1组(P<0.05);试验3、4仔猪血清尿素氮含量、谷丙转氨酶活性显著低于试验1组(P<0.05),试验4组仔猪血清碱性磷酸酶、过氧化氢酶活性显著高于试验1组(P<0.05)。试验4组仔猪血清免疫球蛋白G (IgG)、免疫球蛋白A (IgA)、补体C3、补体C4含量显著高于试验1组(P<0.05)。研究表明,日粮添加3.0 g/kg的复合中草药添加剂能有效提高断奶仔猪生长性能、调节代谢水平、增强免疫功能。     

兴安盟地区旱作条件下11个苜蓿品种生产性能和饲用价值比较

为筛选兴安盟地区旱作条件下适宜引进栽培的优良苜蓿品种,在兴安盟乌兰浩特市呼和马场种植11个苜蓿(Medicago sativa)品种,通过连续2年观测参试品种的越冬率、株高、产量、茎叶比及营养成分等指标,对旱作条件下11个苜蓿品种的生产性能和饲用价值进行灰色关联分析。结果表明:图牧2号、敖汉苜蓿和呼伦贝尔杂花苜蓿两年的平均越冬率较高;SK3010、呼伦贝尔杂花苜蓿和敖汉苜蓿在株高、生长速度和干草产量方面表现较好;图牧2号的茎叶比均最大,其次是呼伦贝尔杂花苜蓿、SK3010和敖汉苜蓿;WL168HQ、斯普雷德和呼伦贝尔杂花苜蓿两年的粗蛋白质含量均高于18%;巨能2和斯贝德的粗纤维含量较高;WL168HQ、呼伦贝尔杂花苜蓿、WL343HQ、SK3010和WL319HQ的粗灰分含量均高于10%。对11个苜蓿品种的越冬率、产量特性和饲用品质进行灰色关联分析表明,呼伦贝尔杂花苜蓿的综合表现最优,适合在该地区种植推广。     

超高效液相色谱法测定饲料中斑蝥黄和β-阿朴-8’-胡萝卜素酸乙酯含量方法的研究

为有效快速测定饲料中斑蝥黄和β-阿朴-8’-胡萝卜素酸乙酯含量,饲料经甲醇、正己烷和乙酸乙酯混合液萃取后,在氮气保护下浓缩,用甲基叔丁基醚-乙腈溶液复溶,注入超高效液相色谱仪中进行测定。结果表明:斑蝥黄浓度为1.25~10.0μg/mL,β-阿朴-8’-胡萝卜素酸乙酯为2.50~20.0μg/mL线性关系良好;斑蝥黄和β-阿朴-8’-胡萝卜素酸乙酯的检测限为0.06 mg/kg,定量限为0.20 mg/kg。斑蝥黄5个添加水平的平均回收率为72.8%~82.8%,相对标准偏差(RSD)为0.41%~1.06%;β-阿朴-8’-胡萝卜素酸乙酯5个添加水平的平均回收率为72.0%~82.8%,RSD为0.46%~1.41%。说明该方法简便、快速、灵敏度高、准确度好,适用于测定饲料中斑蝥黄和β-阿朴-8’-胡萝卜素酸乙酯含量。     

益生菌发酵红薯渣对肉牛生长性能、养分表观消化率的影响

为研究益生菌发酵红薯渣对肉牛生长性能、养分表观消化率的影响,采用单因素随机设计试验,选择体重相近、健康的育肥肉牛40头随机分成4组,每组10个重复,每个重复1头,试验1组饲喂基础日粮,试验2、3、4组分别用10%、15%、20%益生菌发酵红薯渣替代饲粮中的玉米,预试验10 d,试验期60 d。结果表明:(1)试验3、4组的平均日增重较1组比分别提高16.9、14.1%(P<0.05),试验2、3、4组的平均采食量均高于1组(P>0.05);试验3、4组的料重比较1组比分别降低14.9%、12.4%(P<0.05);(2)试验2、3、4组干物质、蛋白质、钙、磷的表观消化率均高于1组(P 0.05);试验3、4组的中性洗涤纤维、酸性洗涤纤维表观消化率较1组比分别提高12.7%、11.0%、18.9%、16.4%(P<0.05)。综上,益生菌发酵红薯渣替代饲料中15%玉米,可以提高肉牛的生长性能和养分表观消化率。     

子午岭黑山羊与辽宁绒山羊产肉性能、肉品质、肌肉营养成分和脂肪酸含量比较

1990年,甘肃省庆阳市开始引入辽宁绒山羊对子午岭黑山羊进行杂交改良,但目前尚不清楚2个品种在脂肪酸含量、肌肉营养成分等方面的差异,影响了杂交改良效果。试验旨在分析两个绒山羊品种的产肉性能、肉品质、肌肉营养成分和脂肪酸含量差异,为绒山羊的杂交改良提供理论依据。本研究选取相同饲养管理条件下、9月龄的子午岭黑山羊和辽宁绒山羊公羊各5只,测定其屠宰性能以及背最长肌、前腿肌和后腿肌处的肉品质、脂肪酸含量和肌肉营养成分。结果表明：子午岭黑山羊的胴体重、屠宰率、净肉重、净肉率、眼肌面积、GR值、剪切力和滴水损失低于辽宁绒山羊（P<0.05）,但其肌肉的平均亮度值、色度值、pH₁和pH₂₄高于辽宁绒山羊（P<0.01）。营养成分测定结果表明,子午岭黑山羊肌肉的水分和粗灰分含量高于辽宁绒山羊（P<0.05）,但肌内脂肪和粗蛋白含量低于辽宁绒山羊。在2个山羊品种的肌肉中均检测到11 种饱和脂肪酸（SFA,以棕榈酸和硬脂酸为主）、10种多不饱和脂肪酸（PUFA,以亚油酸和顺-11,14-二十碳二烯酸为主）和6种单不饱和脂肪酸（MUFA,以油酸为主）,子午岭黑山羊肉中的SFA、PUFA、n-3 PUFA、n-6 PUFA含量和PUFA/SFA值均高于辽宁绒山羊（P<0.01）,但MUFA含量低于辽宁绒山羊（P<0.01）。结果表明,辽宁绒山羊有更高的产肉力,但子午岭黑山羊肌肉品质和营养成分更佳,脂肪酸组成和含量更符合人类健康膳食标准。