Anatomical variation of arterial supply to the rabbit spleen

The rabbit, which is widely used as an experimental animal and is also popular as a companion animal, has a flat and elongated spleen with the longitudinal hilus running along its visceral surface. The spleen receives via the hilus an arterial supply that is essential for splenic nutrition and normal functioning. However, the distribution and variation of the arteries to the spleen have not been studied in detail. This study investigated anatomical variations of splenic arterial supply in 33 New Zealand White rabbits with a colored latex injection into arteries. We also examined whether the length of the spleen correlated with the number of the splenic branches of the splenic artery. The splenic artery always arose as the first independent branch of the celiac artery and ran along the splenic hilus to usually provide 6 (range, 3 to 10) splenic branches to the spleen. There was a moderate correlation (R=0.6) between the number of splenic branches and the longitudinal length of the spleen. The splenic branches often arose as a trunk or trunks in common with short gastric arteries. The number of common trunk(s) was usually 1 (range, 0 to 4). The data showed that the pattern and number of arterial branches to the spleen varied according to the individual animal, suggesting that such variations should be considered when performing experimental and veterinary surgical treatments in rabbits.     

2013年国外家兔遗传育种研究进展

我国是养兔大国，但家兔遗传育种基础研究薄弱。文章对2013年国外家兔遗传育种最新研究进展进行综述，以期为国内家兔育种者提供参考。     

平托花生草粉替代不同比例精料喂兔效果研究

为研究平托花生草粉替代不同比例精料饲喂新西兰大白兔生长效果,用平托花生草粉分别替代10%、15%、20%精料与对照（CK）共4个处理组。经45 d喂养试验,结果表明在日增重、屠体品质方面与全精料饲喂的对照组差异不显著,其中平托花生草粉替代10%精料的处理Ⅰ肉兔生长速度最快,日增重达22.56 g/d,料肉比为2.51∶1;在兔肉氨基酸含量方面,利用平托花生草粉分别替代10%、20%和30%的精料处理的兔肉氨基酸总量分别为68.91%、70.97%、68.51%,与全部精料饲喂的对照相比,替代20%精料的处理在氨基酸总量和人体必需氨基酸含量方面都得到了不同程度的提高;在经济效益方面,替代10%的精料,提高经济效益7.49%。说明可以利用平托花生草粉替代部分精料,达到同样的饲养效果,并节约饲粮,其中以平托花生草粉替代10%的处理饲养效果最好。     

健康家兔肠道中乳酸菌的分离鉴定

本试验选用MRS、MRS+10%家兔硬粪浸出液和MRS+10%泡菜汁3种选择培养基,对健康家兔肠道的乳酸菌群分别进行需氧和厌氧培养,根据可培养细菌菌落特征、染色特性、显微镜形态观测,共分离出7株乳酸菌株,其中需氧菌2株,厌氧菌5株。结合生化试验初步鉴定,需氧菌株分别为乳酸乳球菌和短乳杆菌,厌氧菌株分别为嗜酸乳杆菌,嗜粪乳杆菌,肠乳杆菌,乳酸乳杆菌和弯曲乳杆菌。本实验为弄清健康家兔肠道的有益菌群,以便下一步制作更易于在畜禽的肠道中定植存活的复合动物微生态制剂做准备。     

Intracranial arteries of New Zealand rabbits; identification,three-dimensional modelling,and morphometry by computed tomography angiography

The aim of the study was to determine identification, three-dimensional modelling, and morphometry of intracranial arteries in New Zealand Rabbit by using computed tomography angiography. A total of 20 adult New Zealand Rabbits from both sexes were used in the study. General anaesthesia procedure was followed before computed tomography angiography imaging. Rabbits were placed in a prone position for imaging. Computed tomography angiography imaging was performed by injecting contrast agent into vena auricularis marginalis of rabbits. Morphometric measurements of the specified points were taken by MIMICS program using the computed tomography angiography images acquired. Three-dimensional intracranial artery model was prepared from the two-dimensional images on the same program. Measurements were statistically compared in terms of sex and side. It was observed in the study that arteria basilaris was generated by bilateral arteria vertebralis at the basal level of medulla oblongata. In the study, a statistically significant difference was determined only in diameter values of arteria cerebri caudalis dextra et sinistra in both female and male rabbits. On the other hand, no statistically significant difference was determined with respect to the side. Consequently, we think that the data of the present study will contribute to further studies on cerebrovascular pathology, clinicians or researchers.     

Improving the reproductive,immunity and health status of rabbit does using honey bee venom

The aim of the present study was to investigate the long-term effect of using bee venom (BV) on the reproductive performance, immune, and health status of rabbit does and its effect on their litters. Sixty mature does, from Spanish V-line rabbit stock, were randomly assigned to four homogeneous groups with 15 does each. The 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd groups were injected twice weekly under the neck skin with 0.1 ml solution contains 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 mg BV/rabbit respectively. The 4^th group served as a control group. From the results, litter size at birth, litter weight and survival rate at weaning age as well as milk yield were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased in BV groups than in the control group. Serum estradiol 17-β (E2) was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher (15%) in the rabbit does treated with BV compared to the control group. The treated does with BV at any study doses showed a gradual and significant (p ≤ 0.05) decrease (12%) in serum progesterone levels (P4) compared to the control. They also showed a significant (p≤0.05) increase in conception (17%) and fertility rates (10%) compared to the control does. Treatment of rabbit does with BV caused a gradual and significant (p ≤ 0.05) reduction in both aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (16%) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (37%) liver enzyme activities. Additionally, results have shown that BV resulted in a gradual and significant (p ≤ 0.05) increase in total antioxidant capacity (TAC), antioxidative enzymes such as glutathione S-transferase (GST) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), serum IgG, IgM and IgA levels with significant (p ≤ 0.05) decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in BV groups compared to the control group. Results suggest that BV can be used in rabbit farming as an effective and safe alternative to artificial chemical drugs (sexual-stimulants) to improve certain reproductive traits, immune response and health.     

不同来源纤维饲粮对福建黄兔表观消化率、十二指肠组织形态及盲肠纤维消化酶活性的影响

本试验旨在研究不同来源纤维饲粮对福建黄兔表观消化率、十二指肠组织形态及盲肠纤维消化酶活性的影响。试验选用200只健康、体重接近的断奶福建黄兔,随机分为4组,每组5个重复,每个重复10只。4组分别饲喂由添加比例为25%的苜蓿草粉、甜菜渣、燕麦草、大麦糠为纤维饲料原料配制而成的饲粮。试验期为60 d,于试验第54天以全收粪法进行消化试验,屠宰后测定十二指肠绒毛高度、隐窝深度及二者比值,盲肠纤维素酶、半纤维素酶和果胶酶活性。结果表明：①苜蓿草粉与甜菜渣组的中性洗涤纤维（NDF）、酸性洗涤纤维（ADF）、不溶性纤维（IDF）、可溶性纤维（SDF）的消化率均极显著高于大麦糠与燕麦草组（P<0.01）。其中,甜菜渣组不溶性纤维、可溶性纤维的消化率最高,与苜蓿草粉组差异显著（P<0.05）。②苜蓿草粉与甜菜渣组的绒毛高度极显著高于大麦糠组（P<0.01）,但显著低于燕麦草组（P<0.05）,隐窝深度显著低于大麦糠和燕麦草组（P<0.05）,其中甜菜渣组隐窝深度最低。甜菜渣组的绒毛高度/隐窝深度（V/C）最高,极显著高于其他组（P<0.01）。③苜蓿草粉与甜菜渣组盲肠3种纤维消化酶活性均极显著高于大麦糠和燕麦草组（P<0.01）,其中甜菜渣组的3种酶活均极显著高于苜蓿草粉组（P<0.01）。综上所述,对比4种纤维饲粮,在饲粮配方中添加25%的甜菜渣能提高肉兔的表观消化率与盲肠纤维消化酶活性,并能改善十二指肠组织形态。     

Fractionation of the reference inoculum of epizootic rabbit enteropathy in discontinuous sucrose gradient identifies aetiological agents in high density fractions

Epizootic rabbit enteropathy (ERE) is a major cause of economic loss in intensive rabbit production. Since its first recognition in 1997, much work has been done to determine the pathogenic mechanisms of the disease and to identify the aetiological agent(s). Unfortunately, the quest for aetiology has only met with limited success despite the ability to reproduce the syndrome by inoculation of intestinal contents from field cases. These intestinal inocula contain a huge number of microorganisms which could all be involved in the aetiology of ERE. To decrease the number of putative agents, the French reference inoculum TEC3 was fractionated on a discontinuous sucrose gradient so that seven fractions (supernatant, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50% and pellet) were obtained. Specific-pathogen-free rabbits were inoculated with three out of these seven fractions (supernatant, 30%, and pellet). The objectives were: (1) to characterise the seven fractions by bacteriological examination; (2) to verify whether the aetiological agent was present in the fractions by inoculation of rabbits; (3) to assign the aetiological agent of ERE to a morphological group of pathogens; (4) to identify a fraction which could replace the reference inoculum TEC3 in applications such as cell cultures or egg inoculation. The results strongly suggest that ERE is a bacterial disease and does not have a viral or parasitic aetiology.     

转兔角蛋白基因改良棉纤维品质研究

通过花粉管通道转基因技术,将E6启动子驱动的兔角蛋白基因导入高产棉花品种苏棉16号。所用转基因表达载体还含有选择标记基因NPTⅡ(卡那霉素抗性基因)及Gus报告基因。对转化体后代的检测结果表明,T1代有2.1%呈现Gus阳性,在Gus阳性株中84.6%具有卡那霉素抗性。用依据E6启动子序列和兔角蛋白基因序列设计的两对引物,对经过上述筛选的植株进行PCR检测,多次重复,最终确定3株结果稳定的转兔角蛋白基因棉株。从品质分析结果看,这3个株系成熟棉纤维的品质部分得到改良,尤其比强度有较大幅度提高,与转基因受体相比平均提高6.3cN·tex 1。