Effect of Heat‐treatment on Accuracy of Infrared Spectroscopy and Digital and Optical Brix Refractometers for Measuring Immunoglobulin G Concentration in Bovine Colostrum

Background

Heat‐treatment of colostrum is a method developed to reduce calf exposure to pathogens. Infrared (IR) spectroscopy and Brix refractometers can be used for measuring colostral IgG concentration and assessing colostrum quality.

Objectives

To determine the impact of heat‐treatment on accuracy of IR spectroscopy and Brix refractometers for measuring colostral IgG concentration and assessing colostrum quality before and after heat‐treatment.

Animals

A total of 60 Holstein dairy cows on 8 commercial dairy farms.

Methods

A cross‐sectional study was designed to determine the effect of heat‐treatment at 60°C and 63°C each for 30 and 60 minutes duration on colostral IgG concentration measured by the reference radial immunodiffusion (RID) assay, IR spectroscopy, and digital and optical refractometers.

Results

Colostrum IgG concentration significantly decreased after heat‐treatment at 63°C for 30 or 60 minutes as measured by RID, but the IgG values remained unchanged when measured by IR spectroscopy and refractometers. The lowest correlation coefficient found between IR spectroscopy (r = 0.70) and RID results was in colostrum heat‐treated at 63°C for 60 minutes. For digital (r = 0.48) and optical (r = 0.50) refractometers, the lowest correlation coefficient was at 63°C for 30 minutes when compared to RID. The accuracy of the IR spectroscopy, digital and optical Brix refractometers was decreased from 91.7 to 80%, 81.7 to 45%, and 80 to 45%, respectively, when colostrum heat‐treated at 63°C for 60 minutes.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Radial immunodiffusion, IR spectroscopy, and Brix refractometers exhibit utility for measuring IgG concentration when colostrum heat‐treated at 60°C but does not detect decrease IgG concentrations when heat‐treated at 63°C.     

The evolution and application of enzymes in the animal feed industry: the role of data interpretation

ABSTRACT

1. Enzymes have been used commercially for nearly 40 years and save significant costs through sparing of expensive nutrients but the mechanism by which this is achieved is still debated.

2. The research focused on non-starch polysaccharidase (NSPase) enzymes is used as an example of where greater progress could have been made if the details of the work had been described more fully and the analysis of the data generated had been broader in scope and more critical.

3. Lack of standardisation of the details presented in the materials and methods has been identified as a significant barrier to meaningful retrospective analysis and thus limits advances in the understanding of the mode of action of these enzymes.

4. The identity of the enzyme employed and its activity is often lacking, and more importantly the purity is rarely disclosed. Contaminant activities which are neither listed nor assayed could play a significant role in the responses observed.

5. The dose optimum of most enzymes is often considerably higher than that employed in most studies. Thus studies claiming synergy between two ‘activities’ should ensure that the response is not related to each enzyme simply augmenting the dose of just one activity in the finished feed. This is a common problem, and coupled with the lack of factorial experiments to justify the presence of each enzyme in a multi-enzyme product, it is not surprising that there is still debate as to whether single or multi-enzymes are best suited poultry rations.

6. The three proposed mechanisms for NSPases (viscosity, cell wall and prebiotic) are discussed, and along with their strengths and weaknesses it is suggested that a re-evaluation of each is needed. Viscosity may have to be re-evaluated as being a function not only of the cereal being fed, but of the age of the animal as well. The cell wall theory as described is poorly modelled in vitro and hence the validity of these data is questioned. The prebiotic theory may need significant modification as it appears that the quantities of oligomers produced are insufficient to generate the additional volatile fatty acids (VFA)’s reported. It is likely that all three mechanisms play a role in the responses observed, but the prebiotic mechanism probably plays by far the most important part in low viscosity diets.

7. Future research would be improved if it considered all potential mechanisms when designing a trial. Significant failings are apparent as a result of adherence to tenets in explanation of the results. Most importantly, it should be emphasised that a hypothesis is there to be tested, not defended.     

贵州省黔西县旱耕地质量状况评价

为了给测土配方施肥提供基础数据,对黔西县项目区的旱耕地的土壤质量进行了初步评价。黔西县旱耕地质地主要以壤土为主,土壤pH 5.5~8.5,比较适宜作物生长。旱耕地营养状况:土壤肥力水平中等,总体上普遍缺氮,中度缺磷,钾较丰富,钙、镁、硫、铁含量极丰富;锰含量比较丰富,但分布不均,变异较大;铜10%调查点缺乏,锌20%左右调查点缺乏,硼80%以上调查点缺乏。     

三峡水利工程对能源植物资源的影响及可持续利用对策探索

根据三峡库区特有的地理及气候特点,分析了三峡水利工程对能源植物带来的影响,初步提出了三峡库区能源植物可持续利用的对策措施,为库区发展生物能源提供决策依据。     

不同施氮量及栽培密度对烟叶质量的影响

设置了不同施氮量及栽培密度对烟叶质量的影响试验.结果表明:在一定范围内,随施氮量增加,烟株长势越好;随种植密度的增加,烟叶产值、产量越高.以施纯N6kg/667m2,移栽密度为110cm×56cm处理的初烤烟叶产值、产量、外观质量等效果最佳.     

不同光质LED光照对草菇菌丝生长速度、菌丝分支与生物量的影响

通过探索LED光源在草菇栽培上的精准化应用,为工厂化草菇栽培提供理论依据.以草菇V23为材料,设置LED光质6个处理:对照白光(CK)、红/蓝=1:1、红/蓝=1:2、红/蓝=2:1、单红光、单蓝光,研究不同光质对草菇菌丝生长的影响.结果发现,红光与蓝光的比为1:1菌丝长势表现为较强,对其他指标影响不明显.不同LED光...     

氨基酸菌肥施用量对茶树生长及土壤肥力的影响

为探究不同氨基酸菌肥施用量对茶树生长和土壤肥力含量的影响,以鸿雁12号茶树为研究对象,采用田间微区试验的方法,设置了不施用氨基酸菌肥作对照组(CK)和氨基酸菌肥施用量分别为75 kg·hm^-2(T1)、150 kg·hm^-2(T2)、225 kg·hm^-2(T3)和300 kg·hm^-2(T4)的处理,研究不同氨基酸菌肥施用量对茶树生长、茶叶品质及土壤肥力的影响。结果表明：氨基酸菌肥施用后能显著增加茶叶芽头密度及茶叶产量,提高茶叶中氨基酸含量和土壤中碱解氮含量。试验6个月后与CK相比,T4组的芽头密度显著增加了63.4%,茶叶产量显著增加了71.5%;T1～T4处理茶叶中氨基酸含量分别增加了9.73%、6.41%、7.57%和13.2%,土壤中碱解氮含量分别增加了25.0%、36.0%、46.0%和37.6%。综上,氨基酸菌肥的施用能提高茶叶产量及品质,改善茶园土壤环境质量,为茶园生产的合理施肥及优质高效生产提供数据参考。     

湖南小溪国家级自然保护区生态旅游资源的SWOT分析

对湖南小溪国家级自然保护区进行了生态旅游资源的SWOT分析,其优势是:良好的原始次森林和高品位的自然资源、森林浴的理想场所、优秀独特的人文资源、丰富的植物基因库存.但是可进入性差、知名度低、接待设施及能力较差.周边存在张家界国家森林公园和栖凤湖风景区的竞争威胁.分析了发展机会.     

云南哀牢山自然保护区南华片区项目建设必要性分析

对哀牢山国家级自然保护区南华片区的生物多样性、经营现状和经营管理进行评价,对项目建设必要性分析结果:项目建设有利于该保护区的整体效应;有利于对珍稀植物物种和生态系统的保护;有利于对候鸟迁徙通道的保护;有利于社会经济的可持续发展;是加强科研和宣教工作的需要。最后阐述了项目建设的主要内容。     

社会林业发展与林权制度安排

从人的价值及行为形成机制出发,分析认为影响林业发展的核心因素是产权安排,目前我国林权制度存在所有权主体虚置、林地产权的各项权能边界不清、林地权属四至界限不清等问题.发展社会林业,必须界定出明晰的林业权能边界,强化林地使用权,保障四大权能.