Leukocyte counts in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid obtained from normal and Maedi–Visna‐infected sheep

Background: Bronchoalveolar lavage has proven helpful for the diagnosis of certain ovine diseases of the lungs. There is insufficient data concerning the leukocyte profile of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from MaediVisna infected sheep. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the differential leukocyte profile of BALF associated with Maedi virus infection in sheep and to determine whether cytologic examination of BALF is an effective way to diagnose Maedi or determine the severity of lung lesions. Methods: BALF and serum samples were analyzed from 400 sheep. Sediment smears of bronchoalveolar lavage were stained with Diff‐Quik and examined microscopically to obtain a 200‐cell differential cell count. Serum was tested using a commercial kit for Maedi–Visna virus antibodies. Lung samples obtained at the time of slaughter were weighed and examined histologically. Results: Maedi‐infected sheep (n=267; seropositive with lung lesions) had a significantly higher percentage of lymphocytes and lower percentage of macrophages in BALF than normal sheep (n=133; seronegative and no lung lesions). These differences were significantly more severe in animals with advanced vs moderate lung lesions. Using classification trees, a cut‐off of 13.5% lymphocytes was predictive of Maedi infection and a cut‐off of 24.5% lymphocytes was predictive of advanced lung lesions. Conclusions: Cytologic examination of BALF is useful for the clinical diagnosis of Maedi in sheep and provides important information about the severity of the lung lesions.     

The strategic use of closantel and albendazole in controlling naturally acquired gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep in the Kenya highlands

The strategic use of closantel, a narrow-spectrum salicylanilide anthelmintic against bloodsucking helminths, and of albendazole, a broad-spectrum benzimidazole anthelmintic, in the control of gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep was investigated on a farm in Nyandarua District in the highlands of Kenya. Thirty Corriedale female lambs aged between 9 and 12 months were assigned to three treatment groups of 10 lambs each. The three groups were set stocked on separate paddocks for 12 months. Lambs in group 1 (strategic treatment group) were treated with closantel and albendazole at the beginning and towards the end of the long rains (April and June, respectively) and towards the end of the short rains (December). During the intervening dry season, the lambs were treated with albendazole. Lambs in group 2 (suppressive treatment group) were kept worm free by regular deworming with albendazole at 3-weekly intervals for 12 months. The third group of lambs remained untreat ed (control group). Gastrointestinal nematode infections and pasture infectivity were well controlled in the case of the strategic treatment group. This resulted in higher weight gains, wool production, packed cell volume, and serum albumin and protein concentrations compared with the untreated control lambs. These parameters were comparable between the strategic treatment and the suppressive treatment groups of lambs. It was concluded that worm control strategies based on the epidemiology of the parasites and the sustained anthelmintic action of closantel in combination with broad-spectrum anthelmintics can provide effective control of gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep in the study area.     

利用体外法研究豆粕型日粮添加烟酸对绵羊瘤胃发酵的影响

本试验培养底物及瘤胃液供体动物日粮为玉米 -豆粕型日粮 ,实验用瘤胃液来自3只安装永久性瘤胃瘘管的绵羊 ,体外实验按不同烟酸添加剂量分为13个试验组 (0、50、150、250、350、400、450、500、600、700、800、900、1000mg/kg) ,每个试验组4个重复。在体外培养24小时后 ,测定培养液中NH3-N、瘤胃细菌N产量、原虫数量、总VFA产量及乙酸、丙酸、丁酸产量和乙酸/丙酸值 ,用以确定在该氮源日粮条件下 ,添加烟酸对瘤胃发酵的影响 ,并对烟酸适宜添加范围进行了研究。实验结果表明 ,在豆粕型日粮来源培养底物中 ,烟酸适宜添加范围为450～600mg/kg。     

热应激条件下藿朴蒲苓散对育肥羔羊生长性能、消化性能和血清生化指标的影响

针对夏季绵羊遭受严重热应激现状,研究日粮中添加中草药组方(藿朴蒲苓散)对夏季育肥羔羊生长性能、消化性能、瘤胃发酵参数及血清生化指标的影响。选择200只体重相近、年龄一致的健康育肥公羔羊,随机分为4组,分别饲喂0%(对照组)、0.5%、1.0%和1.5%藿朴蒲苓散,试验期30 d,试验期间舍内温湿指数平均达79.11。试验末检测育肥羔羊生长性能、养分表观消化率、瘤胃发酵参数和血清生化指标。结果表明：1)饲喂0.5%藿朴蒲苓散的羊日增重显著高于对照组(P < 0.01);日饮水量和日采食量在不同组间未表现出显著性差异(P>0.05)。从生理指标分析,饲喂中草药的羊直肠温度和呼吸频率与对照组比较均未表现出显著性差异(P>0.05)。2)0.5%组的干物质(DM)、中性洗涤纤维、酸性洗涤纤维、粗蛋白、钙和磷等养分表观消化率均显著高于对照组(P < 0.05),DM消化率较对照组提高7.20%(P < 0.01),而1.0%和1.5%组的消化率较对照组未表现出显著性差异(P>0.05)。3) 从血清生化指标上,3个给药组的生长激素均显著高于对照组(P < 0.05),0.5%组含量最高,较对照组提高16.90%;且0.5%组的甲状腺素含量显著高于其他组(P < 0.05)。4)从瘤胃发酵参数分析,3个给药组总挥发性脂肪酸含量、乙酸和丁酸含量均显著高于对照组(P < 0.05),分别是对照组的1.19~1.30倍、1.18~1.24倍和1.28~1.43倍。综上,本试验条件下,日粮中添加藿朴蒲苓散有助于缓解育肥羔羊的热应激,添加量以0.5%效果更佳。     

多浪绵羊骨骼肌卫星细胞的分离培养、鉴定及成肌诱导分化

为了在体外细胞水平模拟多浪绵羊肌肉生长发育过程,本研究以多浪绵羊为试验动物,采用胶原酶和胰酶两步酶消化法分离多浪绵羊骨骼肌卫星细胞（satellite cells,SCs）,并利用差速贴壁的方法纯化分离得到的SCs。利用免疫荧光技术检测SCs标记基因Desmin、Pax7和MyoD1的表达情况,鉴定分离得到的SCs。采用血清撤离的方法诱导SCs向成肌方向分化。通过显微镜观察和成肌分化标记基因肌球蛋白重链（myosin heavy chain,MHC）的免疫荧光,检测肌管的形成情况。通过对SCs标记基因Desmin、Pax7和MyoD1的免疫荧光鉴定,确认本研究成功分离得到多浪绵羊SCs。采用血清撤离的方法诱导SCs成肌分化,显微镜观察和MHC免疫荧光可以明显观察和检测到肌管的形成。本研究对多浪绵羊SCs成功地进行了分离和鉴定,并建立了体外培养条件下多浪绵羊SCs的成肌诱导分化。     

中国美利奴羊OLA-DQB1基因exon2遗传多态性与布鲁氏菌病易感性的关联分析

本试验采用PCR-SSCP方法对148只布鲁氏菌阴性和60只布鲁氏菌阳性中国美利奴羊白细胞表面抗原DQB1(OLA-DQB1)基因exon 2单核苷酸多态性(SNPs)进行了检测,之后挑选不同等位基因进行PCR产物测序,旨在确定该基因的多态性位点,并对每个SNP位点的等位基因频率、基因型频率进行统计分析,从而分析其多态性与布鲁氏菌病易感性的相关性.测序结果表明,在270 bp的序列内共检测到43个SNPs,其中G196A位点的等位基因频率在病例组和对照组中的分布存在极显著差异(P< 0.01),其基因型频率存在显著差异(P< 0.05);C211T位点的等位基因频率在病例组和对照组中存在显著差异(P< 0.05).由此表明,OLA-DQB1基因exon 2多态性与中国美利奴羊布鲁氏菌病易感性呈显著相关.     

绵羊冷冻精液研究进展

随着肉羊产业化、工厂化的发展,冷冻精液人工授精技术亟待应用于生产中.绵羊精液冷冻保存技术虽然得到了快速发展,但目前仍处在试验研究或小范围的应用阶段.因此,绵羊精液冷冻技术还需要深入、系统的研究.文章从绵羊精液冷冻保存稀释液中的添加剂、冷冻速率、冷冻-解冻对绵羊冷冻精液品质的影响,精液输精对受胎率的影响等方面进行了综述,为精液冷冻保存研究提供一定参考.     

绵羊WNT5A基因克隆及其组织表达分析

WNT5A(Wnt family member 5A)参与了多种细胞的增殖、凋亡和分化等生物学过程,在乳腺形态发生、毛囊发育等方面发挥了重要作用.该试验利用RT-PCR获得绵羊WNT5A基因的CDS区,分析WNT5A蛋白的结构特征并利用RT-qPCR检测WNT5A基因在9个组织中的表达情况.绵羊WNT5A基因的CDS区...     

岷县黑裘皮羊肾组织成纤维细胞系的建立及其生物学特性研究

采集岷县黑裘皮羊肾组织,用胰蛋白酶热消化法制备原代细胞,通过差速消化和差速贴壁法进行继代培养和细胞纯化,并对复苏细胞的形态、活力、生长曲线、荧光蛋白质粒转染表达、核型以及乳酸脱氢酶同工酶等生物学特性进行了分析。结果显示:原代和传代细胞生长形态均好,群体倍增时间为28.3 h;染色体2 n=54,二倍体占主体(84%)乳酸脱氢酶同工酶电泳图谱有明显特征,未见LDH4、LDH5谱带,与其它羊有明显区别;外源性荧光蛋白转染质粒在该细胞中能进行复制和表达;细菌、真菌、病毒、支原体检测呈阴性。表明该研究已成功建立岷县黑裘皮羊肾组织成纤维细胞系,为在细胞水平上保存岷县黑裘皮羊种质资源以及进行相关研究提供了理想的生物材料。     

肉羊杂交组合杂交效果分析

利用引进的无角陶赛特羊、特克赛尔羊和波德代羊与本地藏羊进行杂交试验。结果表明：F1表现出了良好的杂交效果,各杂交组合F1不同发育阶段主要生长和生产性能指标均显著或极显著高于本地藏羊（P〈0.05,P〈0.01）;各杂交组中陶藏F1各项指标均高于其他两杂交组,但各组之间差异不显著（P〉0.05）。