The role of genetic engineering in livestock production

In this paper we discuss the use of genetic engineering in livestock production. We examine the main two different aspects of genetic engineering: cloning and transgenesis. After commenting what has been expected from both techniques in livestock production in the last 25 years, the practical difficulties for implementing cloning and transgenesis are examined. Apart from technical difficulties, problems derived from the detection of genetically superior animals and evaluation of the clones and the transgenic animals make these techniques less interesting than they appear to be. Most of the observed variability of the economically interesting traits is not genetic, genetic evaluation needs a large number of animals and cloning success will represent a serious loss of genetic variability and the loss of the flexibility needed for markets in constant evolution. There is a risk in transgenic animals of production of new intermediate biochemical products that may be toxic, allergenic or carcinogenic. The benefits produced by transgenic animals hitherto hardly justify this risk. The expectations that genetic engineering produced 25 years ago should be re-examined, considering the risks and the high investment required.     

桑树杂交组合抗青枯病能力鉴定及与抗病相关酶活性的研究

利用抗青枯病能力较强的桑树资源人工组配了24个杂交组合,并鉴定其抗病能力;对具有不同抗性水平的杂交组合的叶片过氧化物酶(POD)、多酚氧化物酶(PPO)和苯丙氨酸解氨酶(PAL)活性进行比较分析。抗病能力鉴定结果表明,24个桑树杂交组合对青枯病的抗性存在明显差异,其中04-19×抗10和69×98-8为2个强抗组合。酶活性测定结果表明,桑树叶片中的POD活性与桑树杂交组合抗青枯病能力有密切关系,强抗性杂交组合的POD活性明显高于感病杂交组合。可将桑树叶片中的POD酶活性作为生化遗传标记之一,并结合常规抗病鉴定方法应用于桑树抗青枯病品种的杂交亲本选择。     

Variation among stallions in sperm quality after single layer centrifugation

Although single layer centrifugation (SLC) selects robust spermatozoa from stallion semen, the effect of individual variation has not been studied in detail. The objective of this study was to determine the variation among stallions in the effects of SLC on sperm quality during cooled storage for up to 48 hr. Semen samples from seven stallions (18 ejaculates) were split, with one portion being used for SLC and the other serving as a control (CON). Sperm quality (kinematics, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, membrane integrity (MI) and chromatin integrity) were analysed at 0, 24 and 48 hr using computer-assisted sperm analysis and flow cytometry. Sperm quality was better in SLC than in CON at all timepoints, especially chromatin integrity and MI (p < .0001 for both), and some categories of ROS production (e.g. proportion of live hydrogen peroxide negative spermatozoa, p < .0001), but the degree of improvement varied among stallions and type of ROS (p < .05–p < .0001). Total and progressive motility were also better in SLC samples than in CON at 24 and 48 hr (p < .0001), although the effect on sperm kinematics varied. The interaction of treatment, time and stallion was not significant. In conclusion, sperm quality was better in SLC samples than in CON, although there was considerable individual variation among stallions. The improvement in sperm quality, particularly in chromatin integrity, was clearly beneficial, and therefore the use of this technique would be warranted for all stallion semen samples.     

德系西门塔尔牛育种体系

德系西门塔尔牛又名弗莱维赫,是欧洲著名的乳肉兼用品种。作者重点介绍了弗莱维赫牛遗传评定方法和育种组织体系。在德系西门塔尔牛育种体系中,政府只在宏观上监督育种组织和遗传评定工作。育种协会和人工授精协会遵循市场价格杠杆,通过拍卖等形式充分调动农户的育种积极性,使农户、育种协会和人工授精协会都能在育种过程中获得经济效益,从而保证育种计划的顺利实施。     

黑米发酵乳饮料的研制

以黑米和牛奶为主要原料,研制出集黑米和酸奶的保健功能于一体的新型保健饮料——黑米发酵乳饮料。采用正交试验筛选出最优组合。结果表明,黑米发酵乳饮料的最佳质量配比为：牛奶添加量55%、黑米添加量6%、蔗糖添加量4.5%。制备该黑米乳饮料的最佳发酵工艺条件为：保加利亚乳杆菌和嗜热链球菌混合菌种接种量3.5%、发酵时间5.5 h、温度4 2℃。     

西安市44个草坪草品种引种试验研究

为选择适合西安市城市绿化草坪草种,于2001—2003年在西安市进行了草坪草引种试验研究,其中包括黑麦草、羊茅、翦股颖、早熟禾属在内的44个品种。通过建立草坪草评价体系,观察了草坪草颜色、盖度、密度、均一性等4项指标,并筛选出适应性较好,品质相对优良的早熟禾,高羊茅等草坪草品种,以供西安市绿化建植草坪参考。     

三聚氰胺的毒理学研究进展

三聚氰胺(MA)化学性质稳定,在体内代谢不活泼,能以原体或同系物形式从尿液排出体外,在F344大鼠血浆中的半衰期为2.7h,在肾脏的清除率为2.5mL/min;MA对小鼠的半数致死量(LD50)为4550mg/(kg.bw),在国际化学物质急性毒性分级中属低毒性物质,接近微毒;MA对家兔、豚鼠和人眼无刺激作用;与三聚氰酸同时存在时毒性增加,毒性作用的靶器官为膀胱和肾脏;MA致癌性研究文献较少,结果也不一致,国际癌症研究中心认为MA对动物有致癌的可能性,但没有证据表明对人类有致癌作用。目前的研究认为,MA对环境和人的潜在危险性较小。对国内外关于三聚氰胺毒性的研究概况进行了总结,并综述了MA的污染及代谢、毒性和检测方法。     

草地生态系统健康研究述评

阐述了草地生态系统健康的研究进展、存在问题和发展趋势,重点介绍了评价的指标体系和方法,包括结构功能指标体系法、综合指标体系及10多种方法的特点和适用情况.同时对于指标的筛选、权重的确定、标准的划分等难重点问题给出了建议.提出了用多种方法来评价同一研究对象来进行比较和矫正的观点,并强调形成集自然、经济、社会、人类健康为一...     

甘肃高山细毛羊妊娠母羊营养需要量估测

借助其他品种绵羊营养需要的一些研究方法,结合甘肃高山细毛羊四季牧草干物质采食量、营养物质摄入量、采食牧草营养成分、牧草营养物质消化率以及生产相关数据,采用析因法估测甘肃高山细毛羊能量和蛋白质需要量:成年母羊维持代谢能需要量为6.58 MJ/d(每kg代谢体重维持代谢能需要为0.417 MJ/W^0.75),维持蛋白质需要量107.62 g/d;妊娠前期代谢能需要量为12.54 MJ/d,粗蛋白质需要量125.19 g/d;妊娠后期代谢能需要量为12.86 MJ/d,粗蛋白质需要量为146 g/d;通过对比研究表明,甘肃高山细毛羊成年母羊钙需要量约为8.22~9.61 g/d,磷需要量为4.98~5.87 g/d,食盐需要量为9~16 g/d。     

20份紫花苜蓿在上海崇明地区的综合适应性研究

对20份紫花苜蓿(Medicago sativa)品种(系)在上海崇明地区的综合适应性进行评价比较,测定并分析了生育周期和株高、生长速度、草产量4项田间生长特性,并研究了裹包青贮苜蓿产品的粗蛋白、ADF、NDF等营养指标。结果表明:20份供试材料在上海崇明的生育期为185~191d;不同供试材料的田间生长特性存在差异(P0.05),株高表现为第二茬第三茬第一茬第四茬第五茬,生长速度表现为第二茬第三茬第五茬第四茬第一茬,草产量表现为第一茬第二茬第四茬第三茬第五茬;品种Super7的株高和生长速度在5次刈割时都明显高于其他试验材料,其累计株高为325.23cm,累计生长速度为每天6.36cm,丰宝累计草产量最高为61100.37kg·hm-2;20份供试材料随着刈割时间的变化,不同品种间的粗蛋白、ADF和NDF存在显著性差异(P0.05),猎人河平均蛋白含量最高达到18.82%,赛迪的RFV高达139.58%。综合评价结果显示,WL903、游客和Super7在上海地区的适应性和饲用价值较优,有推广的潜力。