Rearing conditions affected responses of weaned pigs to organic acids showing a positive effect on digestibility,microflora and immunity

Three experiments were conducted to assess the response of weaned pigs to organic acid SF3, which contains 34% calcium formate, 16% calcium lactate, 7% citric acid and 13% medium chain fatty acids. Dietary treatments had no effect on growth performance of piglets (21‐day weaning) fed the commercial prestart diet for 1 week before receiving the experimental diets supplemented with SF3 at 0, 3 or 5 g/kg diet (Exp. 1), whereas diarrhea frequency averaged across a week was decreased by SF3 supplementation (5 g/kg diet) in piglets fed the experimental diets immediately after weaning (Exp. 2). In Exp. 3, piglets (28‐day weaning) were fed the control (containing pure colistin sulfate and enramycin, respectively, at 20 mg/kg diet) for 1 week and then were fed the control or SF3‐supplemented (5 g/kg diet) diet for 2 weeks. The SF3‐fed piglets had greater apparent ileal digestibility of calcium and dry matter, while also demonstrating greater overall gross energy, up‐regulated jejunal expression of sodium‐glucose cotransporter‐1 and transforming growth factor‐β, down‐regulated jejunal expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α, higher ileal Lactobacillus, with lower total bacteria content, lower plasma TNF‐α but higher IgG levels than the control‐fed piglets. Collectively, SF3 consumption improved diarrhea resistance of weaned pigs by improving nutrient digestibility, piglet immunity and intestinal bacteria profile. © 2016 Japanese Society of Animal Science     

Herd characteristics influence farmers’ preferences for trait improvements in Danish Red and Danish Jersey cows

The aim of this study was to characterize preferences of farmers for breeding goal traits with Danish Red (DR) or Danish Jersey (DJ) cows. A breed-specific survey was established to characterize farmers’ preferences for improvements in 10 traits, by means of pairwise rankings using the online software 1000Minds. These pairwise rankings were based on equal economic worth of trait improvements. The DR survey was filled in by 87 farmers and the DJ survey by 76 farmers. Both DR and DJ farmers gave the highest preference to improvements in mastitis, and the lowest to calving difficulty. By means of a cluster analysis, three distinct clusters of farmers were identified per breed. Comparisons of herd characteristics between clusters suggest that farmers choose to improve traits that are problematic in their herds. This study shows that heterogeneity exists in farmers’ preferences for trait improvements and that herd characteristics influence these preferences in DR and DJ.     

Behaviour in one fast-growing and one slower-growing broiler (Gallus gallus domesticus) hybrid fed a high- or low-protein diet during a 10-week rearing period

This study compared behavioural time budgets, presence of comfort behaviours and social behaviours in two different broiler genotypes (the fast-growing Ross 308 (R) and the slower-growing Rowan Ranger (RR)) fed organic diets with high (17.0% crude protein (CP)) or low (14.5% CP) protein content during a 10-week rearing period. 429-day-old chicks (218 R and 211 RR, respectively) were included in the study and behaviour was recorded at 2, 6 and 9 weeks of age. The results showed no effect of diet treatments but that R broilers were less active and sat, ate and drank more frequently than RR broilers, which stood and perched more frequently. However, both hybrids showed decreasing activity and foraging behaviour with increasing age, while time spent eating and sleeping was approximately similar over the entire rearing period.     

葫芦砧木低温处理鉴定方法研究

对2个具有低温抗性差异的葫芦砧木A12、A05及西瓜TRM进行低温处理,试验结果表明,葫芦幼苗(0.43~0.71)的低温抗性显著高于西瓜(1.0),4℃条件下A12的耐低温性高于A05,6℃条件下相反;3叶期2个砧木间冷害指数差异显著,且叶绿素含量变化均达极显著,叶绿素含量变化程度与冷害指数具有显著正相关(R2=0.65),因此,叶绿素含量可以作为耐低温葫芦砧木材料选择的一个标准,且3叶1心期6℃为相对较好的低温处理条件。     

覆盖方式对旱地小麦花后旗叶抗氧化生理及粒重形成的影响

于2017—2018年和2018—2019年,在西北中部旱作雨养农业区以冬小麦‘康庄974’为试验材料,设秸秆带状覆盖(SM)、地膜覆盖(PM)和无覆盖对照(CK)共3个栽培处理,分析不同覆盖方式对小麦灌浆期土壤水分和温度及抗氧化能力的影响,探讨花后干物质积累量和粒重形成的关系。结果表明,随生育期推进,花后旗叶相对含水量(RWC)逐渐降低,丙二醛(MDA)含量逐渐升高,且PM较SM降、升幅度明显。与CK相比,覆盖显著提高花后旗叶抗氧化酶活性,增加渗透调节物质含量;开花时间越长,SM抗氧化酶活性升高的幅度越大,而PM主要提高花后7 d旗叶抗氧化能力。SM和PM的粒重分别较CK增加14.3%和19.1%(P<0.05)。相关分析表明,土壤水分(SW)是影响旗叶生理活性的关键因子,提高SW,有利于增加RWC(r=0.84^**),从而提高旗叶抗氧化能力,其中RWC和抗坏血酸酶(ASA)活性呈极显著正相关关系(r=0.82^**);ASA活性和脯氨酸(Pro)含量呈极显著正相关关系(r=0.94^**),和MDA含量呈极显著负相...     

Efficiency of inorganic fungicides against the formation of Erysiphe necator chasmothecia in vineyards

BACKGROUND

A reduction in chasmothecia, an important inoculum of grape powdery mildew (Erysiphe necator Schwein.), is essential for disease control in vineyards; the use of fungicides during the formation of chasmothecia on vine leaves, late in the growing season, may accomplish this. Inorganic fungicides, such as sulphur, copper, and potassium bicarbonate, are very useful for this purpose because of their multisite mode of action. The aim of this study was to evaluate chasmothecia reduction using different fungicide applications late in the growing season in commercially managed vineyards and in an exact application trial.

RESULTS

Chasmothecia on vine leaves were reduced in commercial vineyards by four copper (P = 0.01) and five potassium bicarbonate (P = 0.026) applications. The positive effect of potassium bicarbonate was also confirmed in the application trial, where two applications showed lower chasmothecia numbers than the control (P = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

The application of inorganic fungicides reduced the amount of chasmothecia as the primary inoculum source. Potassium bicarbonate and copper are of further interest for disease control as these fungicides can be used by organic and conventional wine growers. The application of these fungicides should be carried out as late as possible before harvest to reduce chasmothecia formation and, consequently, the potential for powdery mildew infestation in the subsequent season. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

水氮调控对苜蓿与无芒雀麦混播草地生长和辐射利用的影响

针对我国内陆干旱区人工草地生产管理粗放及气候资源利用不充分等问题,探究合理的牧草种植与水氮供应模式,以充分挖掘区域牧草的生产潜力。采用3 a生(2018年播种)紫花苜蓿(简称‘苜蓿’)和无芒雀麦,分析种植模式(苜蓿与无芒雀麦混播,D1;无芒雀麦单播,D2)、施氮量(低氮量N1:60 kg·hm^-2;高氮量N2:120 kg·hm^-2)和灌水量(以灌水下限占田间持水量θ_f的百分比计,分枝期均充分灌水(75%～85%θ_f),现蕾和初花期轻度亏水W1:65%～75%θ_f、中度亏水W2:55%～65%θ_f、重度亏水W3:45%～55%θ_f,灌水上限均为85%θ_f)对牧草叶面积指数(LAI)、干物质累积量、累积截获光合有效辐射量(CIPAR)、辐射利用效率(RUE)、产量(Y)、耗水量(ET_a)、水分利用效率(WUE)和氮肥偏生产力(PFP_N)的影响。结果表明：(1)牧草LAI和...     

多梯度氮磷添加对高寒草甸植物群落生物量与氮磷含量的影响

为研究不同梯度氮、磷单独及混合添加对高寒草甸植物群落生物量、植物养分含量及化学计量比的影响,本实验分析了青海省门源县典型高寒草甸植物群落地上总生物量,功能群水平地上生物量,植物全氮、全磷含量及氮磷比对多梯度氮、磷添加的响应情况。结果表明：氮、磷添加均对群落地上生物量影响极显著(P<0.001);氮添加对禾草类和豆科生物量影响极显著(P<0.001);磷添加对禾草类和莎草类生物量影响极显著(P<0.001);氮磷交互作用对豆科和莎草类生物量影响显著(P<0.05)。群落水平上,氮添加显著提高了植物全氮含量,对植物氮磷比(N∶P)有正效应,磷添加显著提高了植物全磷含量,对植物N∶P有负效应,植物全磷对N∶P的负效应大于全氮对N∶P的正效应。本研究表明氮、磷添加可能会使高寒草甸植物群落组成和植物养分含量发生改变,植物群落逐渐向禾草类发展;此外,高寒草甸植物生长趋向于受氮磷共同限制。     

生物多样性与地形及土壤因素对坡面产流产沙的耦合影响

生物多样性关系到生态系统的功能,而坡度和土壤因素是影响坡面产流产沙的重要因子。本研究基于黄土丘陵区生物多样性,并引入坡度、降雨前土壤含水量和土壤容重,探究其与坡面产流产沙总量的耦合关系。通过野外人工降雨试验,记录草本、灌木和乔木群落下的产流时间和产流产沙总量,并开展土壤植被调查。结果表明,与草本和乔木群落相比,灌木群落在延长产流开始时间和降低产沙总量上表现更优;植被群落功能离散度指数(FDiv)对产沙总量影响最大,Simpson指数(D)对产流总量影响最大,坡度仍然是不可忽视的第二重要影响因素;产流总量与坡度、土壤容重、D和功能丰富度指数(FRic)的回归关系优于产流总量分别与其的回归关系;产沙总量与坡度和FDiv指数的回归关系优于产沙总量分别与其的回归关系。植被保护与坡度改善将是该区水土保持规划工作的重点。