Finding best exotic breed proportion in crossbred lactating sheep kept under farmers’ conditions in Ethiopia determined by use of nested Legendre polynomials with limited data

ABSTRACT

The present study was conducted to estimate milk production performance and fit lactation curves for groups of ewes of Local and of Awassi crosses, with a variable blood level, reared under farmer’s environment. The Weigh-Suckle-Weigh method plus hand milking was used to estimate milk yield for ewes. A total of 466 observations from 115 ewes were used. Estimated least-squares adjusted means for the milk production over 120 days were 0.56?kg day^?1 (Local), 0.67 (<30% Awassi), 0.86 (30–50% Awassi), and 0.96 (>50% Awassi). Groups with 30–50% Awassi and >50% Awassi ewes produced significantly (p?<?0.05) more milk than Local ewes. Significant differences were observed between <30% Awassi and >50% Awassi crossbred groups. The best crosses (>50% Awassi) produced over 70% more milk than the local ewes which demonstrates the potential that exists in increasing milk production through the initiated crossbreeding programme with sheep in Ethiopia.     

烯丙孕素口服液调控母猪同期发情的研究进展

烯丙孕素口服液在国外已被广泛用于母猪同期发情,给药期间可抑制母猪发情,停止给药后重新释放天然激素,母猪会重返发情,以达到同步发情。详细阐述了烯丙孕素口服液的作用机制、药代动力学、临床应用、残留以及毒性,以期为其研究与开发提供一定的参考。烯丙孕素口服液在治疗性成熟母猪同期发情上有较好的应用前景。     

Methyl donors dietary supplementation to gestating sows diet improves the growth rate of offspring and is associating with changes in expression and DNA methylation of insulin‐like growth factor‐1 gene

The study aimed to investigate the effects of maternal dietary methyl donors on the performance of sows and their offspring, and the associated hepatic insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1) expression of the offspring. A total of 24 multiparous sows were randomly fed the control (CON) or the CON diet supplemented with methyl donors (MD) at 3 g/kg betaine, 15 mg/kg folic acid, 400 mg/kg choline and 150 μg/kg VB₁₂, from mating until delivery. After farrowing, sows were fed a common lactation diet through a 28‐days lactation period and six litters per treatment were selected to be fed until at approximately 110 kg BW. Maternal MD supplementation resulted in greater birthweight (p < 0.05) and increased the piglet weights (p < 0.01) and litter weights (p < 0.05) at the age of day 28, compared with that in CON group. The offspring pigs in the MD group had greater ADG (p < 0.05) and tended to lower F:G ratio (p = 0.07) compared with that of CON group from day 28 to 180 of age. The offspring pigs from MD group had greater serum IGF‐1 concentrations and expressions of hepatic IGF‐1 gene and muscular IGF‐1 receptor (IGF‐1r) protein at birth (p < 0.05), and greater hepatic IGF‐1 protein (p = 0.03) and muscular IGF‐1r gene expressions (p < 0.05) at slaughter, than that from the CON group. Moreover, the methylation at the promoter of IGF‐1 gene in the liver of newborn piglets and finishing pigs was greater in the MD group than that of the CON group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, maternal MD supplementation throughout gestation could enhance the birthweight and postnatal growth rate of offspring, associated with an increased expression of the IGF‐1 gene and IGF‐1r, as well as the altered DNA methylation of IGF‐1 gene promotor.     

Bacterial community analysis of purulent material from liver abscesses of crossbred cattle and Holstein steers fed finishing diets with or without tylosin

Liver abscesses in feedlot cattle are polymicrobial infections. Culture-based studies have identified Fusobacterium necrophorum as the primary causative agent, but a number of other bacterial species are frequently isolated. The incidence of liver abscesses is highly variable and is affected by a number of factors, including cattle type. Holstein steers raised for beef production have a higher incidence than crossbred feedlot cattle. Tylosin is the commonly used antimicrobial feed additive to reduce the incidence of liver abscesses. The objective of this study was to utilize 16S ribosomal RNA amplicon sequence analyses to analyze the bacterial community composition of purulent material of liver abscesses of crossbred cattle (n = 24) and Holstein steers (n = 24), each fed finishing diet with or without tylosin. DNA was extracted and the V3 and V4 regions of the 16S rRNA gene were amplified, sequenced, and analyzed. The minimum, mean, and maximum sequence reads per sample were 996, 177,070, and 877,770, respectively, across all the liver abscess samples. Sequence analyses identified 5 phyla, 14 families, 98 genera, and 102 amplicon sequence variants (ASV) in the 4 treatment groups. The dominant phyla identified were Fusobacteria (52% of total reads) and Proteobacteria (33%). Of the top 25 genera identified, 17 genera were Gram negative and 8 were Gram positive. The top 3 genera, which accounted for 75% of the total reads, in the order of abundance, were Fusobacterium, Pseudomonas, and Bacteroides. The relative abundance, expressed as percent of total reads, of phyla, family, and genera did not differ (P > 0.05) between the 4 treatment groups. Generic richness and evenness, determined by Shannon–Weiner and Simpson’s diversity indices, respectively, did not differ between the groups. The UniFrac distance matrices data revealed no clustering of the ASV indicating variance between the samples within each treatment group. Co-occurrence network analysis at the genus level indicated a strong association of Fusobacterium with 15 other genera, and not all of them have been previously isolated from liver abscesses. In conclusion, the culture-independent method identified the bacterial composition of liver abscesses as predominantly Gram negative and Fusobacterium as the dominant genus, followed by Pseudomonas. The bacterial community composition did not differ between crossbred and Holstein steers fed finishing diets with or without tylosin.     

复合双歧杆菌制剂对肉羊生长性能、养分表观消化率及血液生化指标的影响

为研究复合双歧杆菌制剂对肉羊生长性能、养分表观消化率及血液生化指标的影响,试验选择健康、体重相近的杜寒杂交肉羊60只随机分成4组,每组15个重复,每个重复1只,1组为对照组饲喂基础日粮,试验2、3、4组分别在基础日粮中添加2.5%、5.0%、10%的复合双歧杆菌制剂,预试验7 d,试验期56 d。结果表明:(1)试验3、4组的平均日增重较1组比分别提高13.5%、9.3%(P<0.05),料重比较1组比分别降低10.3%、9.4%(P<0.05),试验2、3、4组的干物质采食量均高于1组(P>0.05);(2)试验2、3、4组的干物质、钙、磷、酸性洗涤纤维表观消化率均高于1组(P>0.05),试验3、4组的粗蛋白质、中性洗涤纤维消化率较1组比分别提高17.2%、15.3%、12.5%、9.1%(P<0.05);(3)试验3、4组血清中的总蛋白(TP)含量较1组比分别提高16.0%、12.9%(P<0.05),试验2、3、4组血清中的白蛋白(ALB)含量均高于1组(P>0.05),试验2、3、4组血清中谷丙转氨酶(GPT)、谷草转氨酶(GOT)含量均低于1组(P>0.05),试验3、4组血清中尿素氮(BUN)含量较1组比分别降低15.4%、13.8%(P<0.05)。综上,不同水平的复合双歧杆菌制剂可以提高肉羊生长性能、养分表观消化率,且对血液生化指标无明显影响,以5.0%添加为适宜。     

非洲猪瘟病毒核酸定性检测方法比对

为提升兽医实验室非洲猪瘟病毒核酸检测能力和质量控制水平,积累检测经验,以更好地开展非洲猪瘟检测,2020年7月,参加了北京市农业农村局组织的“非洲猪瘟实验室检测能力比对”项目。本次比对同时选用《非洲猪瘟检疫技术规范》(SNT 1559—2010标准)中的普通PCR方法、荧光定量PCR方法以及商品化试剂盒,对5份验证样品开展非洲猪瘟病毒核酸检测和结果比对。比对发现,3种检测方法结果一致,样品检测结果与预期一致,结果满意。此次比对确认了实验室现有检测方法能够满足非洲猪瘟病毒核酸的日常检测需求,同时提升了实验室人员的检测能力,积累了检测经验,可为非洲猪瘟防控提供有力的技术支撑。     

Free-range system and supplementation of 25-hydroxicholecalciferol increases the performance and serum vitamin levels in mixed-parity sows

Improvements in sow productivity have raised questions regarding dietary vitamin D recommendations. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of the housing system with access to sunlight exposure and supplementation of 25-hydroxicholecalciferol on performance and serum levels of 25(OH)D₃ in sows during gestation and lactation. Sows were distributed in an experimental design with two housing systems: gestation crates or gestation free-range system with external area for sunlight exposure; and two diets: 0 or 50 μg of 25-hydroxicholecalciferol kg⁻¹. The use of 25-hydroxicholecalciferol tended (P = 0.052) to improve total born and influenced (P = 0.046) on number of born alive. Litter weight at birth was also increased (P = 0.01) by 25-hydroxicholecalciferol supplementation; 25-hydroxicholecalciferol supplementation and housing system (free-range with sunlight exposure) tended to increase weaning weight (P = 0.07) and litter daily gain (P = 0.051) during lactation. Exposure to sunlight and 25-hydroxicholecalciferol supplementation increased 25(OH)D₃ serum levels when compared with control treatment during gestation (136.95 vs. 113.92 ng mL⁻¹; P = 0.035) and lactation (120.29 vs. 88.93 ng mL⁻¹; P = 0.026). In conclusion, the association of 25-hydroxicholecalciferol supplementation with exposure to sunlight during gestation improved significantly 25(OH)D₃ serum levels and consequently performance traits in gestation and lactation.     

超额储备后备母猪的运作模式——非洲猪瘟背景下集团化养猪企业的盈利之道

集团猪场代表行业最高技术、管理及现代化水平,迅速发展。特别是2018年非洲猪瘟疫情在我国暴发后,在高风险、高回报的行业背景下,集团化养猪企业凭借资金、人才、技术、硬件设施等优势,采取超额储备种猪的运作模式,进而迅速扩张。超额储备的本质是利用资金充足、场区数量、生物安全等优势,通过统一使用长白或大白公猪配种,育肥场用作种猪场等方式超额储备后备母猪。个别场区清场后可以迅速引种补栏,多余后备母猪、妊娠母猪正常出售回收资金。这种模式可有效降低风险、保证足够盈利,同时在非洲猪瘟疫情的背景下有效整合农业资源、利用商业资金反哺养猪业,指引养猪行业走向。     

Mycoplasma pneumonia of swine (MPS) resistance and immune characteristics of pig lines generated by crossing an MPS pulmonary lesion selected Landrace line and a highly immune capacity selected Large White line

To understand the influence of crossbreeding on Mycoplasma pneumonia of swine (MPS) resistance and immune characteristics, two crossbred lines were characterized. One crossbred line, LaWa, was generated by crossing the MPS pulmonary lesion selected Landrace line (La) and the highly immune‐selected Large White line (Wa). The second crossbred line, LaWb, was generated by crossing the La line and the nonselected Large White line (Wb). The crossbred LbWb line (nonselected Landrace line × nonselected Large White line) and the La line were used as controls. The LaWa and LaWb lines had an intermediate level of MPS lung lesions between La and LbWb lines, although the difference was not statistically significant. After stimulation with sheep red blood cells (SRBCs), the LaWb and LaWa lines showed immune characteristics similar to that of the La line; the number of monocytes in peripheral blood increased, while B cells, T cells, secretion of SRBC‐specific immunoglobulin G, and interleukin (IL)‐13 decreased. Additionally, the number of natural killer (NK) cells and the expression of IL‐4 and IL‐17 were significantly higher in the LaWb and LaWa lines, respectively. These data suggested that crossbreeding of La and Wa lines resulted in the inheritance of some of the selected immune responses.     

A review of factors influencing litter size in Irish sows

Many factors influence litter size. These include genetics, gilt management, lactation length, parity distribution, disease, stress and boar fertility. In the past 20 years, litter size in Irish sows has increased by only one pig. Born alive figures now average at 11.2 pigs per litter. In this regard, Ireland is falling behind our European competitors who have made significant advances over this time. Denmark, for example, has an average figure of 12.7 pigs born alive per litter and France an average of 12.5. The single area that could be improved immediately is sow feeding. It is important that sows are fed correctly throughout pregnancy. If over-fed during pregnancy, sows will have depressed appetite during lactation. If underfed in pregnancy, sows will be too thin at farrowing. The correct way to feed a pregnant sow is to match her feed allocation to her requirement for maintenance, body growth and growth of her developing foetuses. During lactation, sows should be given as much feed as they can eat to prevent excessive loss of body condition. Liquid-feed curves should be such that lactating sows are provided with a minimum mean daily feed supply of 6.2 kg. A small proportion of sows will eat more and this could be given as supplementary dry feed. Where dry feeding is practised in the farrowing house, it is difficult to hand-feed sows to match their appetite. Ideally ad libitum wet/dry feeders should be used. From weaning to service, sows should once again be fed ad libitum. If liquid feeding, this means giving at least 60 MJ DE (digestible energy) per day during this period. If dry feeding, at least 4 kg of lactation diet should be fed daily. The effort spent perfecting sow feeding management on units should yield high dividends in the form of increased pigs born alive per litter.