Meta‐analysis of the energy and protein requirements of hair sheep raised in the tropical region of Brazil

The objective of this study was to estimate, through mathematical models, energy and protein requirements for maintenance and gain of hair sheep raised in the tropical region of Brazil. To determine the equation parameters, a meta‐analysis of seven independent experiments of nutrient requirements was performed, comprising a total of 243 experimental units (animals), which were conducted under tropical conditions, using hair sheep in growing and finishing phases and endowed of the following quantitative data for each animal: body weight (BW ), empty body weight (EBW ), average daily gain (ADG ), empty body gain (EBG ), heat production (HP ), metabolizable energy intake (MEI ), retained energy (RE ), metabolizable protein intake (MPI ) and body protein content. The regression equations generated were as follows: for Net Energy for maintenance, (NE _m): ; for Net Energy for gain, (NE _g): ; for Metabolizable Protein for maintenance,(MP _m): MPI _(g/day) = 24.8470 (±7.3646) + 560.28 (±99.6582) × EBG _(kg/day); for Net Protein for gain, (NP _g): . The NE _m requirement was 0.246 MJ EBW^?0.75 day^?1. The metabolizable energy for maintenance requirement was 0.391 MJ EBW^?0.75 day^?1. Considering an ADG of 100 g, the NE _g requirement ranged from 0.496 to 1.701 MJ/day for animals with BW ranging from 10 to 40 kg respectively. The efficiencies of use of the metabolizable energy for maintenance and gain were 0.63 and 0.36 respectively. The MP _m requirement was 3.097 g EBW^?0.75 day^?1. Considering an ADG of 100 g, the NP _g requirement ranged from 12.4 to 10.5 g/day for animals with BW ranging from 10 to 40 kg respectively. The total metabolizable energy and protein requirements were lower than those reported by the NRC and AFRC systems. Thus, our results support the hypothesis that nutrient requirements of hair sheep raised in tropical regions differ from wool sheep raised in temperate regions. Therefore, the use of the equations designed in this study is recommended.     

Based serum metabolomics analysis reveals simultaneous interconnecting changes during chicken embryonic development

Metabolic disorder is a major health problem and is associated with a number of metabolic diseases. Due to native hyperglycaemia and resistance to exogenous insulin, chickens as a model had used in the studies of adipose tissue biology, metabolism and obesity. But no detailed information is available about the comprehensive changes of serum metabolites at different stages of chicken embryonic development. This study employed LC/MS‐QTOF to determine the changes of major functional metabolites at incubation day 14 (E14d), 19 (E19d) and hatching day 1 (H1d), and the associated pathways of differential metabolites during chicken embryonic development were analysed using Metabolite Set Enrichment Analysis method. Results showed that 39 metabolites were significantly changed from E14d to E19d and 68 metabolites were significantly altered from E19d to H1d in chicken embryos. Protein synthesis was promoted by increasing the concentrations of L‐glutamine and threonine, and gonadal development was promoted through increasing oestrone content from E14d to E19d in chicken embryos, which indicated that serum glutamine, threonine and oestrone contents may be considered as the candidate indicators for assessment of early embryonic development. 2‐oxoglutaric acid mainly contributed to enhancing the citric cycle, and it plays an important role in improving the growth of chicken embryos at the late development; the decreasing of L‐glutamine, L‐isoleucine and L‐leucine contents from E19d to H1d in chicken embryonic development implied their possible functions as the feed additive during early posthatch period of broiler chickens to satisfy the growth. These results provided insights into understand the roles of serum metabolites at different developmental stages of chicken embryos, it also provides available information for chicken as a model to study metabolic disease or human obesity.     

Effect of water restriction on milk yield and quality in Lacaune breed ewes

The effect of water restriction on body weight, body condition score, milk yield, and milk composition and rheological characteristics in intensively reared Lacaune ewes was evaluated. After 7 days of adaptation, the trial lasted 28 days. Thirty lactating ewes (48 ± 5 months of age; mean value ± standard deviation) at the beginning of third lactation month were divided into three groups (n = 10), corresponding to the following water restriction treatment: a group control received no drinking water restriction (W100), and two groups received water to the extent of 80% and 60% of W100 daily consumption (W80 and W60 group respectively). The effects of water restriction were assessed at the beginning of experiment (D0), at D14 and D28. The W60 group resulted in a significant decrease in body weight, body condition score, milk yield and feed consumption of hay due to the experimental treatment; whereas a marked increase in both W60 and W80 groups of milk lactose, urea, sodium, sodium chloride content and titratable acidity was observed. Rheological parameters of milk, rennet coagulation time and curd‐firming time were positively affected by water restriction treatments, with a decrease in both experimental groups of the time required for the formation of a stable and firm curd. Results highlight the importance of water consumption in dairy sheep. The scarce availability of water, significantly affecting ewes milk production, is worthy of particular attention in arid area where water stress‐resistant breeds should be considered. This study underlines that milk yield, being closely linked to the availability of water of the breeding habitat due to its high water content (about 81%), could be reached in area where water is not a limiting factor without reducing the genetic expression of the animals. Less severe water restrictions, such as 20% of daily voluntary water intake, produce no detrimental effect on milk yield.     

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.     

Identification of Suspected Stem/progenitor Cells in Bovine Mammary Epithelial Cells Culture System

To develop the potential function of dairy cow mammary stem cells (DCMECs) in regulation of lactation,we identify putative DCMECs which were BrdU label retaining epithelial cells,at the same time,analysis the location of two new mammary stem cells molecular marks FNDC3B and PROCR to verify the feasibility of them to indicate DCMECs.The mRNA levels of prolactin,growth hormone,insulin-like growth factor-1 and their receptors were detected along with cell passage by Real-time quantitative PCR.The results showed that the proportion of BrdU label-retaining epithelial cells was nearly 0.4% after 25 d continuous culture (passaged 4 times) and few cells were positive for FNDC3B or PROCR.Moreover,we observed the BrdU labelled epithelial cells by asymmetric division.The mRNA levels of prolactin,growth hormone,insulin-like growth factor-Ⅰ and their receptors in primary and passage cells were extremely significant difference(P<0.01).DCMECs would rapidly lose some physiological characteristics and the ability of milk synthesis when not under the condition of induction of lactation differentiation,but a certain percentage of mammary stem/progenitor cells will be retained,whose potential effects on the regulation of lactation and mammary acinar remodeling were worthy of attention.     

不同温度下圆叶决明降解过程红壤可溶性氮及氮水解酶动态变化研究

为了探明圆叶决明（Chamaecrista rotundifolia）降解过程果园红壤供氮水平的变化规律，本研究采用模拟培养试验，研究15℃和25℃培养果园红壤硝态氮、铵态氮、可溶性总氮、可溶性有机氮含量的变化及脲酶、蛋白酶、天冬酰胺酶活性的变化。结果表明，圆叶决明降解过程果园红壤4种可溶性氮含量均显著提高，且在培养140 d达到最大值，25℃培养的效果更佳。其中，可溶性总氮、可溶性有机氮和硝态氮含量随时间的动态变化可用三次曲线方程来拟合。圆叶决明降解过程还能显著提高脲酶、蛋白酶和天冬酰胺酶的活性，其中蛋白酶活性和脲酶活性的变化可用指数方程和三次曲线方程来拟合。本研究认为圆叶决明降解过程可提高果园红壤可溶性氮含量，因此可通过翻压圆叶决明提高土壤的供氮水平。     

VEGF在绵羊生殖管道中的表达规律

以不同发情周期雌性绵羊子宫、输卵管为研究对象,采用免疫组织化学技术,针对血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）在绵羊子宫、输卵管的表达、定位和变化规律进行了检测,同时应用相关图像分析软件对抗原染色强度进行了定量分析。结果表明：输卵管在发情0～15d,VEGF表达量在第9天达到峰值后经历波动逐渐下降过程,输卵管内膜上皮细胞是VEGF抗原的主要靶细胞;而子宫角在发情0～15d,VEGF表达量在第5天达到峰值后经历波动逐渐下降过程,子宫内膜固有层及腺体周围细胞为VEGF抗原的主要靶细胞。该研究结果为绵羊生产中进一步提高受胎率和妊娠率及频密产羔等技术的应用提供了科学依据。     

Effect of L-lysine Added in Diluent on the Fresh Semen Quality of Dorper Sheep

In order to explore the effect of different L-lysine levels added in semen dilution on the fresh Dorper sheep quality stored at liquid state,3 health Dorper ram were used to collect semen which were equal-packaged and added to solution containing different levels (0,0.1,0.2,0.3,0.4 and 0.5 g) L-lysine in 120 mL diluent and at 0,6,24,30,48,54,72 and 78 h,the sperm motility,membrane integrity and acrosome integrity were detected.The results showed that the sperm motility in groups added 0,0.1 and 0.2 g L-lysine were higher than other groups,and that in 0.4 and 0.5 g L-lysine groups decreased faster than other groups;The sperm motility in 0.5 g L-lysine group reduced to 0 at 30 h,and it reduced to 0 at 48 h in the group added 0.4 g L-lysine;The effective survival time and survival index in the group added 0.1 g L-lysine was higher than other groups (P< 0.05);The membrane integrity of 0.1 g group was the highest,that had no significant difference with control group from 0 to 54 h (P >0.05),while after 72 h the two groups had significant differences (P< 0.05).The membrane integrity in 0.4 and 0.5 g groups were the worst,and that was significant different with other groups (P< 0.05);The acrosome integrity of 0.1 g group was the highest which had no significant difference with control group (P >0.05),0.4 and 0.5 g groups were the worst,the difference between them was not significant (P >0.05),while was extremely significant difference with other groups except for 0 and 6 h (P< 0.01).The results suggested that dilution added a high concentration of L-lysine could inhibit sperm quality,when the count of L-lysine was more than 0.2 g,sperm quality was significantly decreased,adding 0.1 g L-lysine could improve Dorper sheep fresh sperm quality stored at liquid state.