Investigations into genotypic variations of peanut carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are known to be important precursors in the development of roasted peanut quality. However, little is known about their genotypic variation. A better understanding of the role of carbohydrates in roasted peanut quality requires first an understanding of the genotypic variation in the soluble carbohydrate components. Ion exchange chromatography was used to isolate 20 different carbohydrate components in 52 genotypes grown in replicated trials at two locations. Inositol, glucose, fructose, sucrose, raffinose, and stachyose were quantitated, and 12 unknown peaks were evaluated on the basis of the peak height of the unknown relative to the cellobiose internal standard peak height. Peaks tentatively identified as verbascose and ajugose could not be properly integrated because of tailing. Of the 18 carbohydrates that were estimated, 9 exhibited significant variation between test environments, 5 among market types, 14 among genotypes within market types, and 11 exhibited some significant form of genotype x environment interaction. Genotypes accounted for 38-78% of the total variation for the known components, suggesting that broad-sense heritability for these components is high. The observed high genotypic variation in carbohydrate components is similar to the high genotypic variation observed for the sweetness attribute in roasted peanuts, which raises the question regarding possible interrelationships. The establishment of such interrelationships could be most beneficial to peanut breeding programs to ensure the maintenance of flavor quality in future peanut varieties.     

Sensory attribute variation in low-temperature-stored roasted peanut paste

Length of sample storage can become significant in sensory studies due to panel fatigue limitations and samples needed for a reasonable expectation of finding significant differences. In roasted peanut sensory studies samples are stored between -10 and -23 degrees C to prevent or retard changes. Studies of up to 13 months' duration have examined stability and slow-rate sensory changes. Sweet taste was relatively stable, whereas bitter and tongue burn attributes increased slightly. Stale taste increased, suggesting lipid oxidation was taking place even at -23 degrees C. Painty attribute did not increase until stale was >3. An increase in fruity attribute was unexpected. With increases in fruity and stale attributes a decrease in roasted peanut was expected. However, storage at -23 degrees C seems to stabilize the roasted peanut lability when compared to storage at -10 degrees C. Fruity and stale interactions with roasted peanut and lability of roasted peanut were shown to be three separate and identifiable effects on roasted peanut.     

Manipulation of Domestic Animal Embryos and Implications for Development

Assisted reproductive technologies, as applied to domestic animals, can exert both novel and wide‐ranging influences on the development, viability and welfare of offspring. Some of the changes are evident immediately or soon after the time at which a manipulative procedure is carried out, while other changes may not be evident until later in development or, perhaps, may remain undetected throughout an animal's lifetime. The present review explores some of the consequences – in terms of foetal, placental, neonatal and post‐natal effects – of exposing embryos of cattle, sheep and other species to in vitro culture per se or, during culture, to physically invasive technologies including gene injection and nuclear transfer. The innate sensitivity of oocytes and recently fertilized eggs to their in vitro environment is illustrated by an examination of the later developmental repercussions resulting from apparently innocuous choices related to in vitro culture medium formulations. In contrast, an inherent resilience and paradoxical readiness to resume development following the traumas of nuclear transfer procedures is also in evidence. The extent to which assisted reproductive technologies will succeed, where relevant, in the domestic animal sector will be influenced by our appreciation of embryo requirements, for both short‐ and long‐term developmental fitness, during their earliest developmental stages. Evidence of species‐specific needs is testimony to the challenges ahead. Ultimately, our ability and inclination to resolve the limitations associated with current procedures will probably be greatly enhanced if predictive indicators (genetic, epigenetic or functional markers) of later developmental fitness can be identified.     

Estimating the level of disease risk and biosecurity on commercial poultry farms in New Zealand

ABSTRACT

Aims: To collect baseline data on the contact risk pathways and biosecurity practices of commercial poultry farms in New Zealand, investigate the relationship between the farm-level disease contact risks and biosecurity practices, and identify important poultry health concerns of producers.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey of all registered New Zealand commercial poultry operations was conducted in 2016 collecting information on farm demographics, biosecurity practices, and contact risk pathways. Survey responses were used to generate an unweighted subjective disease risk score based on eight risk criteria and a subjective biosecurity score based on the frequency with which producers reported implementing seven biosecurity measures. Producer opinions towards poultry health issues were also determined.

Results: Responses to the survey response were obtained from 120/414 (29.0%) producers, including 57/157 (36.3%) broiler, 33/169 (19.5%) layer, 24/55 (44%) breeder, and 6/32 (19%) other poultry production types. Median disease risk scores differed between production types (p?<?0.001) and were lowest for breeder enterprises. The greatest risk for layer and broiler enterprises was from the potential movement of employees between sheds, and for breeder enterprises was the on- and off-farm movement of goods and services. Median biosecurity scores also differed between production types (p?<?0.001), and were highest for breeder and broiler enterprises. Across all sectors there was no statistical correlation between biosecurity scores and disease risk scores. Producers showed a high level of concern over effectively managing biosecurity measures.

Conclusions: The uptake of biosecurity measures in the commercial poultry farms surveyed was highly variable, with some having very low scores despite significant potential disease contact risks. This may be related to the low prevalence or absence of many important infectious poultry diseases in New Zealand leading farmers to believe there is a limited need to maintain good biosecurity as well as farmer uncertainty around the efficacy of different biosecurity measures. Further research is needed to understand barriers towards biosecurity adoption including evaluating the cost-effectiveness of biosecurity interventions.     

Role of Fatty Acids in Energy Provision During Oocyte Maturation and Early Embryo Development

While much is known about the metabolism of exogenous nutrients such as glucose, lactate, pyruvate, amino acids by oocytes and pre-implantation mammalian embryos, the role of endogenous stores, particularly lipid, has been largely overlooked. The presence of lipid within oocytes and early embryos has been long known, and comparisons between species indicate that the amounts and types of lipid present vary considerably. Large amounts of intracellular lipid can compromise the success of cryopreservation and the removal of such lipid has been the subject of considerable effort. In this review, we present evidence that strongly suggests a metabolic role for lipid, specifically with regard to energy provision, in the late-stage oocyte and the pre-implantation embryo. We focus initially on oxygen consumption as a global indicator of metabolic activity, before reviewing different approaches that either have been designed to investigate directly, or have revealed indirectly the role of endogenous lipid in energy generation. These fall under five headings: (i) fatty acid oxidation; (ii) inhibition of triglyceride oxidation; (iii) culture in the absence of exogenous substrates; (iv) cytoplasmic organization; and (v) delipidation. On the basis of the data derived from these studies, we conclude that there is strong evidence for the utilization of endogenous lipid as an energy substrate by oocytes and early embryos.