Impact of heat stress,nutritional restriction and combined stresses (heat and nutritional) on growth and reproductive performance of Malpura rams under semi‐arid tropical environment

A study was conducted to assess the combined effect of heat stress and nutritional restriction on growth and reproductive performances in Malpura rams. Twenty‐eight adult Malpura rams (average body weight (BW) 66.0 kg) were used in this study. The rams were divided into four groups: CON (n = 7; control), HES (n = 7; heat stress), NUS (n = 7; nutritional stress) and COS (n = 7; combined stress). The study was conducted for a period of 2 months. CON and HES rams had ad libitum access to their feed while NUS and COS rams were under restricted feed (30% intake of CON rams) to induce nutritional stress. The HES and COS rams were kept in climatic chamber at 42 °C and 55% relative humidity for 6 h a day between 10 : 00 h and 16 : 00 h to induce heat stress. Body weight increased significantly (p < 0.05) in CON as compared to NUS and COS. When compared within groups, scrotal width morning, scrotal width afternoon, scrotal circumference morning and scrotal circumference afternoon were significantly (p < 0.05) larger in CON while smaller in COS rams. The higher testicular length was recorded both during morning (p < 0.05) and afternoon (p < 0.01) in COS rams while the lowest in NUS rams. The highest plasma testosterone concentration was recorded in CON and lowest in COS rams. Semen volume and mass motility also differed significantly (p < 0.05) between the groups. The highest semen volume and mass motility was recorded in CON and NUS while lowest in both HES and COS rams. It can be concluded from this study that when two stressors occur simultaneously, they may have severe impact on reproductive performance of rams.     

The post-ovulatory rise in progesterone is lower and the persistence of oestrous behaviour longer during the first compared with the second cycle of the breeding season in mares

Mares are seasonally polyoestrous breeders. Therefore, the first ovulation of the season, following winter anoestrus, is the only cycle in which mares ovulate without the presence of an old CL from the previous cycle. The objective of this study was to compare the length of oestrous behaviour, and plasma progesterone concentrations during the early post-ovulatory period between mares after the first and second ovulation of the breeding season. Overall, 38 mares and 167 oestrous periods were used in the study. From those, 11 mares were used during the first and subsequent oestrous period to measure and compare the post-ovulatory rise in progesterone concentration, whereas all the mares were used to compare the length of the post-ovulatory oestrous behaviour between the first and subsequent cycles of the breeding season. The persistence of the post-ovulatory oestrus was longer (p < .001) following the first ovulation of the year (median of 52 h) compared with the subsequent ovulations (median of 36 h for second and later ovulations groups; n = 38 mares). The progesterone concentration at any of the four 8 h-intervals analysed (28, 36, 76 and 84 h post-ovulation) was lower (p < .01) following the first versus the second ovulation of the year. By 36 h post-ovulation the progesterone concentration of mares at the second ovulation of the year had passed the threshold of 2 ng/ml (2.1 ± 0.33 ng/ml), whereas in the first cycle it was 1.2 ± 0.13 ng/ml. In conclusion, mares had lower progesterone concentrations in their peripheral circulation and longer persistence of oestrous behaviour following the first ovulation of the year compared with the second and subsequent ovulatory periods of the breeding season.     

转Bt基因棉对棉铃虫抗性的时空动态

在室内研究了转Ｂｔ基因棉对棉铃虫抗性的时空动态及对棉铃虫幼虫取食行为的影响,结果表明,整个棉花生长期,棉花不同器官随着时间的变化其抗性有较大的差异,如７月以后,棉叶对棉铃虫幼虫的抗性明显下降,由６月下旬的１００％下降到８月初的６２．５％,然后抗性又逐渐回升,但仍为下降的趋势;从空间抗性来看,营养器官的抗性高于繁殖器官,接虫２４ｈ后,棉铃虫幼虫在转基因棉繁殖器官上分布数量较多;转基因棉对棉铃虫幼虫取食行为有较大的影响,和常规棉相比,在转基因棉上取食时间减少５７．６％,吐丝下垂、爬行和静息的时间分别延长３９６．１％、２２．４％和４．０％。     

Feeding responses of juvenile shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone) fed at different frequencies under laboratory conditions

In shrimp farms, food partitioning during the course of the day is contradictory, ethology studies may help in determining the proper frequency. Litopenaeus vannamei juveniles were placed in 30 L aquariums (41 m⁻²), exposed to a 12:12 h light–dark cycle. Feeding was provided at 10% of biomass three, four and seven times per day, with observations made in 15 min h⁻¹ windows, initiated after the ration was offered. Latency to access the feeding tray and to start eating was recorded using instantaneous focal sampling and digestive tract filling (DTF) by the continuous focal method. Weight gain was recorded at the end of the experiment. We performed seven repetitions, with 28 individuals observed for 33 days for each treatment (490 h of observation). The three-times offering induced less latency for accessing the tray and for ingesting the feed as well as a higher DTF when compared with the other frequencies. Animals fed three and four times had similar weight gains, and were greater than those fed seven times. Our results indicate that a more spaced food offering stimulates the search for and ingestion of feed. As compared with other frequencies, the three-times-per-day option assumes lower labour costs and a more efficient use of the feed.     

Antipredator behaviour of naïve Arctic charr young in the presence of predator odours and conspecific alarm cues

Abstract –  We investigated how Arctic charr young respond behaviourally to olfactory cues from skin-damaged conspecifics, charr-fed pikeperch, and the combination of food-deprived pikeperch and skin-damaged conspecific cues in a two-channel Y-maze fluviarium test arena. Significant antipredator responses were found to skin-damaged conspecifics in three behavioural traits, to charr-fed pikeperch in two traits and to the combination of pikeperch and skin-damaged conspecific cues in all six behaviours investigated. The combination of predator and conspecific cues significantly increased spatial avoidance and cautiousness to approach the source of scent compared with odours from charr-fed predators. The results suggest that damage-released alarm cues exist in charr, and they strengthen the antipredator responses in conspecifics. As the charr used different behaviours and levels of response in the presence of different cues, they seem to have sophisticated skills to distinguish between different odour combinations and be able to adjust their behaviour according to the current predation risk level.     

Evaluation of codends with sorting grids, exit windows, and diamond meshes: Size selection and fish behaviour

This paper presents the results of an experiment aimed at improving the size selection of cod (Gadus morhua) and haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) in the Nordic bottom trawl fishery. Three systems simulating commercial conditions were tested: a 135 mm diamond-mesh codend fitted with a 55 mm sorting grid (Sort-V); a 135 mm diamond-mesh codend fitted with two lateral exit windows; and a codend built entirely of 155 mm diamond mesh. The selectivity curves showed similar selection ranges (SR) for the three systems. For cod, the mean SRs were around 8 cm, while for haddock, they were around 6 cm. All the estimated l₅₀ values were far above the minimum landing sizes (MLS). For cod, the mean l₅₀s were 56.1, 53.9, and 60.7 cm for the sorting grid, exit windows, and diamond-mesh configurations, respectively, while for haddock, they were 50.2, 50.6, and 49.9 cm, respectively. Underwater observations revealed that most of the fish escaped from the grid and exit-window codends as soon as they reached the vicinity of the sorting device. In contrast, fish remained inside the diamond-mesh codend for a longer time, and consequently were more exposed to physical damage before escape. In addition, many fish escaped from this codend during haul back and these fish were not likely to survive due to the rapid changes in pressure. Thus, the selectivity results obtained with this type of codend should be interpreted carefully.     

消费者生鲜水果线上购买迁徙行为及其影响因素

为探索消费者生鲜水果线上购买迁徙行为的影响因素和机制路径,本研究基于PPM理论,构建结构方程模型分析了消费者生鲜水果线上购买迁徙行为及其影响因素,并运用多群组分析不同消费者行为影响因素的差异性。结果表明：1）价格、信息、服务不满意构成正向影响消费者生鲜水果线上购买迁徙行为的推力因素;感知有用性、搜索、消费体验感构成正向影响迁徙行为的拉力因素;程序转移成本构成负向影响迁徙行为的锚定因素。2）锚定因素负向调节推力因素对迁徙行为的作用效果。3）性别、年龄、学历水平三个人口统计特征在不同假设路径中的影响较为显著。其中女性、30岁及以下、学历水平大专以上的群体更愿意在线上渠道购买生鲜水果。结论丰富了生鲜水果领域消费者迁徙行为的研究成果,并为生鲜电商可持续发展提供了启示。     

乡村振兴与空间规划体系改革双重背景下对村庄规划的思考

本研究立足历史与问题导向,研究创新符合新时代要求的村庄规划内容,归纳梳理了新中国成立以来村庄规划的发展历程,结合新时代的多重要求,通过对村庄规划的科学认知,阐述了实用性村庄规划编制的内容与方法,分析了村庄规划存在的问题和优势,提出了村庄规划发展的保障措施。首先,村庄规划从传统的单一导向规划转向分类指引规划;其次,村庄规划工作重点从居民点规划转变为全域空间管控;最后,从单一规划向多规合一的思维转变且村庄规划还要预留弹性空间。乡村规划师要深刻认识村庄规划的实用性内涵,以村民为主体,统筹城乡各种资源,分析研判村庄的优劣势,进行全要素规划,编制实用性村庄规划。     

Performance,milk fatty acid composition and behaviour of high-yielding Holstein dairy cows given a limited grazing period

The effects of a limited grazing period on the performance, behaviour and milk composition of high-yielding dairy cows were examined. A total of 56 Holstein cows yielding 44.7 ± 0.42 kg/day were allocated to one of four treatments in one of two, 4-week periods. Treatments were as follows: control (C)—cows housed and offered TMR ad libitum; early grazing (EG)—cows grazed for 6 hr after morning milking then housed; delayed grazing (DG)—cows returned to housing for 1 hr after morning milking followed by grazing for 6 hr, then housed; restricted TMR (RT)—cows grazed for 6 hr after morning milking, then housed and fed TMR at 75% of ad libitum. Intake of TMR was highest in cows receiving C, intermediate in EG and DG, and lowest in RT at 26.9, 23.6, 24.7 and 20.3 kg DM/day respectively. Pasture intake was similar in cows receiving EG or DG, but was higher in RT at 2.4, 2.0 and 3.5 kg DM/day respectively. Milk yield was similar between cows receiving C, EG or DG, but lowest in RT at 45.7, 44.2, 44.9 and 41.7 kg/cow, respectively, while milk fat content of C18:3 n-3 was increased by grazing. Cows in C spent more than 55 min/day longer lying and had three additional lying bouts/day, while lying bouts were shorter than for cows receiving EG, RT or DG. It is concluded that high-yielding cows can be grazed for 6 hr/day with little impact on performance, provided TMR is available ad libitum when housed.