The effect of genotype,choice feeding,and season on organically reared broilers fed diets devoid of synthetic methionine

In response to the impending ban on synthetic methionine in organic poultry diets, researchers have focused on finding alternative strategies to supply this amino acid. The objectives of this study were to assess performance and carcass characteristics of broilers fed diets devoid of synthetic methionine by using 1) a slow-growing and a fast-growing genotype, 2) choice-feeding management (supplying grain and a complementary premix in 2 separate feeders), and 3) pasture access and seasonal variation. Inclusion of fish meal and high percentages of soybean meal enabled the specific genotype methionine requirement to be met. All diets were certified organic. The experiment was conducted during the grower and finisher phases in 4 different seasons: late fall, spring, summer, and early fall. Pasture access was assessed either by housing broilers on the West Virginia University Organic farm and giving them outdoor access, or by housing broilers on the West Virginia University Animal Sciences farm and giving them no outdoor access. Fast-growing genotypes were superior in performance and carcass characteristics compared with slow-growing genotypes, and choice-feeding management did not improve performance or carcass characteristics. Pasture access tended to have no effect on slow-growing broilers and decreased the performance of fast-growing broilers. Performance was decreased in late fall, likely because of cold ambient temperatures.     

Effects of dietary additives (potassium diformate/organic acids) as well as influences of grinding intensity (coarse/fine) of diets for weaned piglets experimentally infected with Salmonella Derby or Escherichia coli

The aim of this study was to examine whether and to what extent the addition of potassium diformate (pdf) or free organic acids (fpa) to the diet and the grinding intensity might affect the course of infection and the passage of orally applied Salmonella and Escherichia coli in pigs. Experiments were carried out using 80 reared piglets allotted to four groups. Pigs were fed pelleted diets ad libitum (except during a 15 h feed‐withholding‐period before infection). The control diet contained finely ground cereals (2 mm screen). To two test diets (also finely ground) 1.2% pdf, 0.9% organic acids (75% formic and 25% propionic acid, fpa) respectively were added. The fourth diet (without acids) was based on coarsely ground cereals (6‐mm screen). After experimental infection alternately with S. Derby or E. coli, the course of infection was examined (rectal swab technique). Pigs were sacrificed 4–5 h after a further oral application of ～10⁹–10¹⁰ CFU S. Derby or E. coli to determine the counts of Salmonella or E. coli in chyme (classical culture methods). Adding pdf or fpa to the diet led to reduced Salmonella shedding and resulted in significantly lower counts of Salmonella and E. coli in the stomach content indicating an improved efficacy of the stomach barrier. In the distal parts of the digestive tract, the effect was less obvious concerning counts of E. coli, whereas counts of Salmonella were reduced markedly as well. The diet based on coarsely ground cereals failed to demonstrate positive effects concerning infection and passage of orally applied bacteria as well, but this diet was also pelleted and showed unintentionally, comparable amounts of fine particles. Results obtained in this study allow the recommendation of using pdf or organic acids as additives when dietary measures against Salmonella or E. coli in pigs are required.     

苗期施用钠复合肥增强梭梭抗逆性的初步研究

利用盆栽育苗的方法,施用钠复合肥后培育梭梭植株,使其正常生长70 d后干旱20 d进行沙地移栽试验,3个月后生长期结束测定其形态指标、生物量以及Na⁺和K⁺含量,初步探讨了钠复合肥在培育强抗旱梭梭植株方面所起的作用。与对照(不施任何肥料)和施用(NH₄)₂HPO₄(与钠复合肥含等量的N、P)的处理相比,施用钠复合肥的梭梭株高分别增加了26%和12%;分枝数增加了22%和14%;主茎直径分别增加了48%和23%、主根直径分别增加了37%和24%;冠幅分别增加了57%和28%;根冠比均增加了18%;鲜重分别增加了130%和74%、干重分别增加了154%和74%;地上部的Na⁺含量分别增加了45%和38%,根中的Na⁺含量分别增加了15%和12%;地上部中的K⁺含量差异不显著,根中K⁺含量分别降低了28%和31%。以上结果表明,钠复合肥的施用能有效地促进梭梭的生长并提高其抗旱能力。     

科尔沁沙地灌溉与施肥对退化草地生产力的影响

在科尔沁沙地典型退化草地上开展了裂区组合设计的灌溉与施肥二因素试验。结果表明,科尔沁沙地退化草地土壤储水量受降水量的影响强烈。由于受到干旱气候和灌溉量的影响,灌水仅对地表0~30 cm的土壤含水量变化有作用,对深层土壤的含水量没有作用。灌溉和施肥对沙地退化草地的植物生物量有着明显的促进作用。灌溉处理中,灌溉90 mm试验区的植被生物量为最高(128.3 g/m2),施肥处理中,每hm2施600 kg氮肥试验区的植被生物量为最高(147.3 g/m2)。灌溉90,60,30 mm和对照试验区的植被耗水量分别为379.00,349.90,313.20和293.50 mm。与其相应的水分利用率分别为0.28,0.38,0.34和0.35 kg/(mm.hm2)。综合分析认为科尔沁沙地退化草地的基本耗水量为294 mm。     

Animal genetic resource trade flows: The utilization of newly imported breeds and the gene flow of imported animals in the United States of America

Animal germplasm exchange has recently received attention as a product of the FAO's State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources effort. Some have advocated a need to explore policies and regulations on the exchange of germplasm (e.g., Hiemstra, S.J., Drucker, A., Tvedt, M., Louwaars, N., Oldenbroek, J., Awgichew, K., Kebede, S., Bhat, P., da Silva Mariante, A. 2006. Exchange, use and conservation of animal genetic resources: policies and regulatory options. Centre for Genetic Resources. Wageningen Univ., the Netherlands, pp. 1­43). However, there has been little comprehensive assessment of either the economic or genetic impact of introduced germplasm into national populations. As a result, much of the discussion of gene flows has been based on assumptions and generalizations. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the genetic impact of germplasm imported into the United States during the last 25 to 50 years. The paper considers both new breeds (Meishan pigs, Tuli cattle, and Boer goats) and new animals within existing breeds (Limousin and Jersey cattle). Of the new breeds recently imported only one had an impact on US animal agriculture. Neither the Tuli nor the Meishan has impacted the US livestock industry. It appears that these breeds were initially viewed as attractive because of single traits, but producers did not find it attractive to adopt the new breeds based on these specific traits. In the end, these breeds did not prove competitive in the US under the current set of market conditions. This result would indicate that importation of new genetic resources due to a single trait of interest is not a viable importation strategy. By contrast, the Boer goat exhibited a number of production characteristics which made it desirable to US producers and thereby allowed the breed to become well established. A second portion of the study evaluated the importation and parentage pattern of Limousin cattle as they became established in the U. S. and the gene flow of imported Jersey cattle since the 1950′s. In both cases, the study relied on pedigree analysis. Over the past fifty years, Jersey cattle have been sporadically imported from various countries, but no imported animal has had an overpowering effect on the population. It appears that by the great-grand progeny level, the genes from imported animals are diminishing rather than increasing in the population. In evaluating the predicted transmitting abilities for imported cattle relative to high and moderately ranked domestically bred cattle, there were significant differences between these groups for milk production. This would be sufficient to explain why the impact of the imported cattle diminished. The results of our analysis at both the breed and individual level underscore the speculative nature of germplasm importation — even within breeds where there is a great deal of information available about production characteristics. From this analysis, we conclude that successful importation of new breeds into the US must be based on a large number of production characteristics; importation for a single characteristic (e.g., high prolificacy) while the breed is deficient in other areas does not lead to the breed's adoption. While not fully explored in this work, it appears that initial interest and acceptance from the private sector is crucial for breed acceptance, as the Boer goat demonstrates. Within an existing breed, importation of individual animals still appears to have a relatively high degree of risk and is dependent upon the importer's ability to pick viable candidates. However, once animals are imported their progeny must effectively compete with the domestic population, or else their genetic contribution will rapidly diminish.     

Comparison of Metabolic Energy Content of Organic Cereal Grains for Chickens and Turkeys

Although there is an extensive database on the nutrient content of conventionally produced feedstuffs, there is very little published research on the nutrient content of feedstuffs that are organically grown. Industrial and organic crop production differ in both crop and soil management. There are data to suggest that these differences may result in differences in the nutrient content of organic grown feedstuffs. The purpose of this study was to determine the ME content of organically grown amaranth, buckwheat, white corn, yellow corn, and wheat samples obtained from the University of Minnesota's organic research farm. Both chickens and turkeys were used in the assays to compare the ME content for these 2 species. The TME_n content, on an as-fed basis, of amaranth, buckwheat, yellow corn, white corn, and wheat for chickens were found to be 3,146, 3,072, 3,603, 3,324, and 3,592 kcal/kg, respectively. The TME_n content of the same samples, on an as-fed basis, determined with turkeys were found to be 2,748, 2,227, 2,810, 2,757, and 2,959 kcal/kg, respectively. True ME content of the organically grown feed ingredients was found to be greater when chickens were used in the bioassay as compared with turkeys and differed significantly from published values for the same cereals grown using conventional means.     

干旱胁迫和施氮对结缕草种群特征和生理特性的影响

分析了氮、水分与上海结缕草(Zoysia japonica cv. Shanghai)生长之间的相互关系,为上海结缕草草坪科学施肥和灌溉提供依据。试验选择干旱胁迫和施氮2个因素,各设置3个水平,结果表明:轻度干旱胁迫+中氮组合处理的草坪品质非常好,草坪密度和地上生物量高于或接近无干旱胁迫+中氮组合处理,且显著好于轻度干旱胁迫的其他处理和重度干旱胁迫的全部处理(P0.05);高氮处理的结缕草株高在同一干旱水平中均明显高于其他处理(P0.05)。在相同干旱胁迫下,施氮后第19天,结缕草叶片的相对电导率、游离脯氨酸含量和可溶性糖含量均随施氮量的增加而呈现升高的趋势;与此相反,施氮后第41天时,则呈现出随施氮量的增加而降低的趋势;随着干旱胁迫程度的增加,叶片丙二醛含量呈现增加的趋势。研究结果表明,适度的干旱胁迫和适量的氮肥有助于维持上海结缕草较好的坪用品质。     

鲁西南地区青山羊种质资源调查与分析

济宁青山羊是中国著名的裘用地方山羊品种,作者分析了青山羊的选育历史、体型外貌、生产性能等种质特性,同时对青山羊种质资源的保护和利用提出了建议。     

氮肥施用量对嵌合体‘金旗'玉簪叶色的影响

以嵌合体花叶玉簪代表品种‘金旗'为试验材料,研究了4个水平的氮肥处理(盆栽土尿素用量0,1,2,3g/kg)对其不同叶色部位叶色值、叶绿素含量、全氮含量、氮代谢关键酶活性以及叶绿体超微结构的影响.研究结果表明,氮肥主要影响‘金旗'玉簪叶片黄色部位的叶色变化,0和1 g/kg氮肥处理能够维持其花叶性状,叶绿素、全氮含量以...     

施氮量对一年生黑麦草生长特性的影响

研究了不同施氮水平(0、100、200和300 kg/hm2,分别表示为N0、N100、N200和N300)对扬州地区一年生黑麦草产量、分蘖数、株高等生长特性及经济效益的影响.结果表明:施氮量为100,200和300kg/hm2时,黑麦草鲜草总产量分别比不施氮增产75%,146%和134%.当施氮量达到200 kg/h...