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.     

Egg production,fertility, hatchability and immune responses of some chicken strains under high ambient temperatures

This experiment was designed to investigate and compare the egg production, fertility, hatchability and immune responses of some local developed Egyptian chicken strains under high ambient temperatures. A total of 108 (26 weeks old) laying hens of Matrouh, Silver Montazah, Mandarah and Inshas (9 hens × 3 replicates × 4 strains) were used to evaluate the impact of thermal stress (24-34ºC) during summer season (June, July and August) on egg production, fertility, hatchability and immune responses. The obtained results revealed that final body weight (FBW/g) and body weight change (BWC/g) among different chicken strains were not affected. The daily feed consumption (FC/g) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) for Silver Montazah and Inshas strains were significantly (p ≤ .05) higher than those of Matrouh and Mandarah strains. The mean egg production (EP/%) and egg mass (EM) for Silver Montazah and Inshas strains were significantly (p ≤ .05) higher than those of Matrouh and Mandarah strains. The highest percentages of hatchability of total eggs (HTE) and fertile eggs (HFE) were recorded in Inshas chickens, while the lowest value was recorded in Mandarah chickens. Also, the highest embryonic mortalities (p ≤ .05) and lowest chick weight at hatch (CWH/g) were recorded in Mandarah chickens compared with the other strains. The highest values for antibody titres against phytohemagglutinin-P (PHA-P) were recorded in Mandarah chickens, while the least values were recorded in Inshas chickens.     

Effects of dietary Bacillus coagulans and yeast hydrolysate supplementation on growth performance,immune response and intestinal barrier function in weaned piglets

The present study investigated the effects of Bacillus coagulans and yeast hydrolysate supplementation on growth performance, immune response and intestinal barrier function of weaned piglets. Twenty-four weaned piglets with an average body weight (BW) of 6.89 ± 0.15 kg were divided into four diets for 28 days. The treatments were basal diet (control), basal diet supplemented with antibiotic (20 mg/kg colistin sulphate and 40 mg/kg bacitracin zinc, AT), probiotics (400 mg/kg Bacillus coagulans ≥5 × 109 CFU/g, BC) or yeast hydrolysate (5000 mg/kg yeast hydrolysate, YH). Average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) were improved by AT and YH diets (p < 0.05), while BC diet only increased ADG (p < 0.05). The complement 3 (C3), lysozyme (LZM) and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) concentrations in serum were increased in BC diet (p < 0.05). Feeding AT and YH caused the increase of jejunal villus height (p < 0.05), and a higher ratio of villus height/crypt depth was observed in AT, BC and YH groups (p < 0.05). The mRNA expression of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) in jejunal mucosa was up-regulated by AT, BC and YH diets (p < 0.05). Dietary AT, BC or YH inclusion decreased the interleukin-1β (IL-1β) concentration and TNF-α mRNA expression (p < 0.05), and YH supplementation even down-regulated toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and CD14 expressions (p < 0.05). In summary, the dietary administration of BC or YH both improves growth performance through promoting the intestinal barrier function, indicating both of them can serve as potential alternatives to antibiotics growth promoters for the piglet production.     

复方中草药对猪生长性能、屠宰性能、肉品质和免疫功能的影响

试验旨在研究复方中草药对猪生长性能、屠宰性能、肉品质和免疫功能的影响。将60头育肥猪随机分成4组,每组15头猪。对照组、Ⅰ组、Ⅱ组、Ⅲ组分别在基础日粮中添加0、0.5%、1.0%、2.0%的复方中草药。结果显示:与对照组相比,Ⅰ组育肥猪平均日增重、血清免疫球蛋白G(IgG)含量均显著提高(P<0.05),失水率显著降低(P<0.05)。与对照组相比,Ⅱ组、Ⅲ组育肥猪末重、平均日增重、胴体重、胴体斜长、熟肉率、脾脏指数、血清免疫球蛋白A (IgA)含量、IgG含量均显著提高(P<0.05),料重比、背膘厚、剪切力、失水率均显著降低(P<0.05)。与Ⅰ组相比,Ⅱ组、Ⅲ组育肥猪胴体重、胴体斜长、血清IgG含量均显著提高(P<0.05),背膘厚均显著降低(P<0.05)。研究表明,育肥猪基础饲粮中添加1.0%和2.0%的该复方中草药制剂均能改善育肥猪的生长性能、屠宰性能、肉品质和免疫功能,临床应用中选择1.0%作为最适添加剂量。     

复合中草药添加剂对断奶仔猪生长性能的影响

试验旨在研究不同剂量复合中草药添加剂对断奶仔猪生长性能的影响。选取84头(28±1)日龄、体重(8±0.5) kg的"杜×长×大"三元杂交断奶母仔猪,随机分成4组,每组3个重复,每个重复7头猪。试验1组饲喂基础日粮为对照组,试验2、3、4组分别添加2.0、2.5、3.0 g/kg的复合中草药添加剂。结果表明,试验3、4组仔猪平均日增重、平均日采食量显著高于试验1组(P<0.05);试验2、3、4组仔猪料重比、腹泻率显著低于试验1组(P<0.05)。试验3、4组仔猪的血清总蛋白、白蛋白含量显著高于试验1组(P<0.05);试验3、4仔猪血清尿素氮含量、谷丙转氨酶活性显著低于试验1组(P<0.05),试验4组仔猪血清碱性磷酸酶、过氧化氢酶活性显著高于试验1组(P<0.05)。试验4组仔猪血清免疫球蛋白G (IgG)、免疫球蛋白A (IgA)、补体C3、补体C4含量显著高于试验1组(P<0.05)。研究表明,日粮添加3.0 g/kg的复合中草药添加剂能有效提高断奶仔猪生长性能、调节代谢水平、增强免疫功能。     

Validation of a multiplex PCR assay to detect Babesia spp. and Anaplasma marginale in cattle in Uruguay in the absence of a gold standard test

Detection of bovine Babesia spp. and Anaplasma marginale is based on the reading of Giemsa-stained blood or organ smears, which can have low sensitivity. Our aim was to improve the detection of bovine Babesia spp. and A. marginale by validating a multiplex PCR (mPCR). We used 466 samples of blood and/or organs of animals with signs and presumptive autopsy findings of babesiosis or anaplasmosis. The primers in our mPCR amplified the rap-1a gene region of Babesia bovis and B. bigemina, and the msp-5 region of A. marginale. We used a Bayesian model with a non-informative priori distribution for the prevalence estimate and informative priori distribution for estimation of sensitivity and specificity. The sensitivity and specificity for smear detection of Babesia spp. were 68.6% and 99.1%, and for A. marginale 85.6% and 98.8%, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity for mPCR detection for Babesia spp. were 94.2% and 97.1%, and for A. marginale 95.2% and 92.7%, respectively. Our mPCR had good accuracy in detecting Babesia spp. and A. marginale, and would be a reliable test for veterinarians to choose the correct treatment for each agent.     

益生菌对锦鲤幼鱼生长性能及血液、肝脏和肠道组织中相关免疫基因表达的影响

为研究饲料中添加益生菌对锦鲤幼鱼生长性能和相关免疫基因表达的影响,以初始体重为248.13±4.71 g的锦鲤幼鱼为研究对象,在小型循环水养殖池进行60 d的养殖试验。对照组投喂无益生菌添加的普通商品饲料,试验组投喂在普通饲料中添加枯草芽孢杆菌(Bacillus subtilis)、丁酸梭菌(Clostridium butyricum)和粪肠球菌(Enterococcus faecalis)、枯草芽孢杆菌/丁酸梭菌/粪肠球菌(1∶1∶5)配制成的4组试验饲料,试验饲料的益生菌最终浓度为109 CFU/mL。结果表明,单一菌种或复合菌种的益生菌对锦鲤幼鱼的生长均有显著的促进作用(P<0.05),且对各组血液中酚氧化酶原(phenoloxidase activating system,proPO)、溶菌酶(lysozyme,LZM)和肝脏中抗菌肽(hepcidin)的相对表达量均显著上调(P<0.05),对各组肠道中GST相对表达量有所升高。与对照组相比,复合益生菌效果最好,增重率最高为38.13%,特定生长率提高25.58%,血液中proPO和LZM相对表达量分别升高3倍和2倍之多(P<0.05),肠道中谷胱甘肽S-转移酶(glutathione S-transferase,GST)相对表达量升高了32.45%(P<0.05),肝脏中Hepc相对表达量升高了76.82%(P<0.05)。试验结果提示,在饲料中添加单一/复合益生菌,均可有效提高锦鲤幼鱼的生长性能,以复合益生菌使用效果更好,且proPO、LZM、GST和Hepc免疫基因相对表达量在不同程度上均高于对照组,可见枯草芽孢杆菌、丁酸梭菌和粪肠球菌可以作为益生菌应用于锦鲤养殖。     

奶牛常见繁殖疾病诊断与治疗

中国乳制品消费水平位于全球前三,奶牛养殖业在国内具有很大的发展潜力。随着奶牛养殖业的发展和扩大,繁殖疾病成为影响奶牛场经济效益的因素之一。繁殖疾病的发生和很多因素有关,包括营养、卫生等方面,体内激素不平衡也会诱发繁殖疾病的发生。本文对引起奶牛繁殖疾病的主要发病原因、临床症状、病理变化、临床诊断及治疗方法进行归纳总结,以期为繁殖疾病的诊断治疗提供理论基础。     

羊源D型多杀性巴氏杆菌感染小鼠脾脏转录组分析

试验旨在探索羊源D型多杀性巴氏杆菌入侵宿主脾脏组织中引发的免疫应答途径。首先利用羊源D型多杀性巴氏杆菌(HN01菌株)感染小鼠,建立羊源D型多杀性巴氏杆菌感染的动物模型;之后利用转录组测序技术获得感染小鼠与正常小鼠的脾脏转录组数据,并使用COG、KOG、eggNOG、GO、KEGG数据库对测序结果中的差异表达基因(differentially expressed genes,DEGs)进行功能注释与分析,同时对于显著富集到关键免疫通路的差异表达基因使用STRING软件和KEGG mapper进行蛋白互作分析,筛选出核心通路中起关键作用的基因;最后选取关键的10个基因进行实时荧光定量RT-PCR验证。转录组分析结果显示,与正常组相比,感染组中筛选出3 380个差异表达基因(P<0.01,log₂|FoldChange|≥0.5),其中1 691个基因上调,1 689个下调。基因功能富集分析结果表明,感染组脾脏中的差异表达基因主要发挥信号转导的功能,其主要参与的生物途径包括细胞因子与细胞因子受体互作通路、趋化因子信号通路、HIF-1信号通路、TNF信号通路。蛋白互作分析筛选出约28个核心差异表达基因,结合实时荧光定量RT-PCR验证后,其中9个基因的表达结果与测序一致,分别是C3、Cd4、Cxcl13、Lck、Gnai1、Grap2、IL-6、Cxcr6及Serping1基因。本研究初步证明了脾脏在抵抗多杀性巴氏杆菌入侵中参与了一系列免疫应答反应,为进一步研究羊源D型多杀性巴氏杆菌与宿主之间相互作用的分子机制奠定理论基础。     

畜牧养殖中动物疾病病因及防控

畜牧养殖是山东省无棣县车王镇的重点产业,近年发展速度较快,显著促进了地区居民的增收致富。在畜牧养殖过程中,动物疾病防控是关键管理环节。为提升动物疾病防控成效,需深入分析动物疾病的出现原因,采取针对性的解决对策,最大程度控制动物疾病的发生与影响。