Role of genetically engineered animals in future food production

Genetically engineered (GE) animals are likely to have an important role in the future in meeting the food demand of a burgeoning global population. There have already been many notable achievements using this technology in livestock, poultry and aquatic species. In particular, the use of RNA interference (RNAi) to produce virus‐resistant animals is a rapidly‐developing area of research. However, despite the promise of this technology, very few GE animals have been commercialised. This review aims to provide information so that veterinarians and animal health scientists are better able to participate in the debate on GE animals.     

Genetic correlations for foal and studbook traits with racing traits and implications for selection strategies in the Finnhorse and Standardbred trotter

Genetic correlations for body measurements and conformation and functional traits in foals and studbook horses with racing traits were estimated in the Finnhorse and Standardbred. Genetic response and accuracy were estimated using records of animal, half‐sibs and parents in selection scenarios for racing traits, for foal and racing traits, for studbook and racing traits, and using records of animal, half‐sibs and parents for foal traits and racing traits of parents. Racing time and earnings were the breeding objective. Low‐to‐moderate genetic correlations for body measurements and racing traits indicated that selection favours bigger horses at all ages. Being mainly favourable for the breeding objective, genetic correlations for conformation and functional traits with racing traits were highest for the foal traits of type, trot and overall grade and for the studbook traits of character and movements. Genetic correlations for foal and studbook conformation with racing traits were low in the Finnhorse and moderate to high in the Standardbred. In foals, the highest genetic correlations were for trot with racing time (?0.54) and with earnings (0.52) in the Finnhorse, and for overall grade with racing time (?0.54) and with earnings (0.54) in the Standardbred. In studbook horses, genetic correlations were high for character with racing time and earnings in the Finnhorse (?0.68, 0.61) and in the Standardbred (?0.63, 0.70), and for movements with racing time and earnings in the Finnhorse (?0.70, 0.69) and in the Standardbred (?0.90, 0.88). To increase accuracy of conformation and functional traits, foal traits would be more useful in the index with racing traits, as being less preselected than studbook traits. The foal traits (type, trot, overall grade) having moderate heritability and genetic correlations with racing traits would be useful in multi‐trait index before a racing career, where the greatest gain is because of a shorter generation interval. It would be feasible to implement for AI stallions.     

Comparison of production systems for efficient use of indigenous pig breeds in developing countries

Conserving pig genetic resources and improving their productivity is important to increase returns over investment in developing countries. The purebred, first‐cross, rotational cross and backcross matings representing production systems based on pig breeds indigenous to the country and exotic pig breeds were investigated. The number of pigs in the nucleus and commercial herds necessary to produce a defined quantity of pork was considered. The amount of heterosis between the indigenous and exotic breeds, superiority in meat production, and degree of inferiority in reproductive performance of the exotic breed compared with that of the indigenous breed were investigated. The number of breeding pigs in the whole system was in the following order: pure breeding (PB) > first‐cross (F1) > rotational cross (RC) > backcross (BC) systems. The number of breeding pigs in the nucleus herds of the RC and BC systems was smaller than that in the nucleus herds of the PB and F1 systems. The degree of inferiority in reproductive performance of the exotic breed compared with that of the indigenous breed affected the efficiency of the production system.     

Prevalence and risk factors in serous arthritis in the carpal joint of Norwegian coldblooded trotters

Of 508 four-year-old coldblooded trotters examined for carpitis, 135 (27%) had the condition. Thirty horses had unilateral carpitis on the left frontlimb, 52 on the right frontlimb and 53 had bilateral carpitis. Of these horses, 105 were stallions, 135 were geldings and 269 were mares. The prevalence of carpitis in these three groups was 25%, 25% and 28%, respectively.Information was obtained on the training regimes in four periods of the life of 378 horses. The odds ratios for the training variables were of the same order in all four periods. In logistic regression analyses on the training variables for the first period for the variable percentage of carpitis within each progeny group (sire index), the odds ratio corresponding to a 10% increase in sire index was 1.7 (1.4, 2.1) (95% confidence interval of the odds ratio). The odds ratios for leaving the horses out in a paddock, walking in a jogcart and fast training, or not in each case, were 0.4 (0.2, 0.9), 2.5 (1.2, 5.3) and 2.0 (0.9, 4.4), respectively. This implies a decreased risk of developing carpitis for horses left out in a paddock as a two-year-old, and a 2.5 and 2.0 times increased risk of carpitis occuring in horses exposed to walking in a jogcart and fast training, respectively.Information on the feeding regimes during the first, second and third year collected by a questionnaire revealed no association with carpitis beyond that which could be ascribed to chance. The rations offered were within normal ranges except for calcium, which was below recommended levels.     

肉鸡血清肌钙蛋白T与腹水综合征的关系研究

本试验建立了肉鸡血清中心源性肌钙蛋白T(Tn-T)的ELISA测定方法,用于对肉鸡腹水综合征的早期非损伤性诊断指标.结果表明,患腹水综合征肉鸡的血清Tn-T平均测定值为0.242±0.0703 ng/ml,而正常鸡的平均值为0.1 79±0.0467 ng/ml;以血清肌钙蛋白T测定值大于等于0.2 ng/ml作为判定肉鸡腹水综合征的标准,判别准确性达到78%.检测血液中肌钙蛋白T是诊断幼龄鸡早期心脏病的重要方法,可作为一种非损伤性方法用于针对肉鸡腹水综合征的育种方案中.     

77份裸燕麦品种籽粒相关性状分析北大核心CSCD

对77份裸燕麦品种籽粒品质等相关性状进行测定,运用聚类分析方法对测定指标进行分类比较,并采用灰色关联度进行综合评价,以期筛选出籽粒性状在青海表现良好的裸燕麦品种。主要研究结果如下:1)供试燕麦品种千粒重变异系数最高为49.29%,籽粒粗脂肪和粗蛋白含量变异系数相对较低,分别为12.23%和9.83%;千粒重与籽粒长度、宽度和直径呈极显著正相关;籽粒含水率与粗蛋白、淀粉含量呈极显著负相关,籽粒粗蛋白含量与粗脂肪含量呈极显著负相关;2)灰色关联分析表明77份裸燕麦品种籽粒性状综合评价较高的3个品种分别为5号(0.679)、73号(0.676)和26号(0.649);3)供试燕麦性状聚类分析表明,77份裸燕麦品种可被分成6个类群,其中类群Ⅵ中综合评价前10的品种占70%,包括综合评价较高的3个品种(5号、73号和26号),可考虑作为优异燕麦品种的选择区域。     

Including an additional systematic environmental effect within a generation in an evaluation model improves accuracy of prediction of breeding values in a closed herd of pigs

The present study evaluated the advantage of mixed‐model techniques over a selection index under different magnitudes of an additional systematic environmental effect (ASEE) in terms of accuracy of prediction and expected genetic gain. The data attempted to simulate a closed herd in a pig breeding program. The base population (G₀) consisted of 10 males and 50 females. Six generations (G₀ to G₅) were selected by using a selection index of three traits without overlapping. Additional systematic environmental constants with four levels in a generation were assigned from a uniform distribution at different ranges. Breeding values of animals in the last generation (G₅) were estimated on the basis of an index of individual phenotype (SI‐U), SI‐U adjusted for ASEE using a least‐squares mean (SI‐A), best linear unbiased prediction using an animal model excluding ASEE (AM‐E), and an animal model including ASEE (AM‐I). Accuracy of prediction and expected genetic gain were larger by the animal model than by the selection index, even if heritability of the traits selected was high and ASEE was set to zero. When ASEE was zero, the accuracy of prediction and expected genetic gain given by SI‐U and AM‐I were similar to those given by SI‐A and AM‐E, respectively. However, the differences in accuracy and expected gain between SI‐U and AI‐A and between AM‐I and AM‐E increased as the range of ASEE increased. It was concluded that selection based on an animal model was more effective than index selection, even if the herd environment was uniform and traits with high heritability were selected, and that it should be always included in an evaluation model, however slight any systematic environmental effect may be in a closed herd.     

微卫星DNA与延边黄牛肉用生长性状关系

选择与肉牛主要生产性状紧密连锁的 5个微卫星位点 ,以肉牛线性体型评分方法作为衡量肉牛生长发育的指标 ,运用最小二乘法拟合线性模型 ,分析了延边黄牛肉用生产性状与微卫星标记的关系 ,并分析了微卫星 ETH10和IDVGA4 6位点的不同基因型与肉用生产性状的关系。结果表明 ,微卫星 EHT10位点的等位基因 2 0 9对外貌线性评定中的背线性状、肌肉度线性评定中的肩部性状有正面影响 ,等位基因 2 13对外貌线性评定中的系部、肌肉度线性评定中的尻形状和细致度线性评定中的骨骼及皮肤性状有正面影响 ,而等位基因 2 15对外貌线性评定中的背线性状、肌肉度线性评定中的尻形状有负面影响 ;微卫星 IDVGA4 6位点的等位基因 2 4 9对背线、前肢和后肢等外貌线性评定性状 ,肌肉度线性评定的腰宽以及细致度线性评定的骨骼和皮肤性状有正面影响 ,等位基因 2 0 3对外貌评定性状的头部、背线 ,肌肉度评定性状腰宽以及细致度评定性状骨骼和皮肤有负面影响 ,等位基因 2 4 5对腰宽性状也起到负面影响     

甘谷县生态环境建设综合治理项目效益评价

根据甘谷县生态环境建设综合治理项目区生态系统各组成要素的特点，运用效益指标体系，对该项目的生态、经济和社会效益进行了综合评价。结果表明：经过综合治理，项目区水土流失治理率达31．16％，林草覆盖度由14．81％提高到17．06％，年拦水212．73万m^3，拦泥105．04万m^3，保护植被1904．01hm^3，增加灌溉面积448．00hm^2，使土地利用率提高了37．40％，粮食产量提高了6．73％，人均收入由982．00元提高到1183．36元，年产值达3.60万元／hm^2，投入产出比达1：1．14，利润率为48．49％，生态、经济和社会效益显著。