Comparison of the microbial communities of alpacas and sheep fed diets with three different ratios of corn stalk to concentrate

The objective of this study was to investigate the characteristics of ruminal microbial communities of alpacas (Lama pacos) and sheep (Ovis aries) fed three diets with varying ratios of roughage (corn stalk) to concentrate, 3:7 (LS), 5:5 (MS) and 7:3 (HS). Six alpacas (one-year-old and weighing 29.5 ± 7.1 kg) and six sheep (one-year-old and weighing 27.9 ± 2.7 kg) were used in this study, in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square experiment. Total protozoa concentration was determined under the microscope; total fungi and methanogens were assessed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction and expressed as a percentage of total bacterial 16S rRNA gene copies; bacterial communities were investigated by targeted 16S rRNA gene (V3–V4 region) sequencing. The percentage of fungi was significantly higher in alpacas than in sheep under the LS diet, while the concentration of protozoa was significantly lower in alpacas under HS, MS and LS diets. The alpha diversity including Shannon, Chao l and ACE indices of bacterial communities was higher in alpacas than in sheep, under the LS diet. A total of 299 genera belonging to 22 phyla were observed in the forestomach of alpaca and sheep, with Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes dominating both animal species. Phyla Armatimonadetes and Fusobacteria, as well as 64 genera, were detected only in alpacas, whereas phyla Acidobacteria and Nitrospira, as well as 44 genera, were found only in sheep. The abundance of cellulolytic bacteria, including Butyrivibrio and Pseudobutyrivibrio, was higher in alpacas than in sheep under all three diets. These differences in the forestomach microbial communities partly explained why alpacas displayed a higher poor-quality roughage digestibility, and a lower methane production. Results also revealed that the adverse effects of high-concentrate diets (70%) were lesser in alpacas than in sheep.     

蜂蜜的矿物质与营养

等离子体光谱分析表明：研究的１０种蜂蜜均含有人体所需的多种矿物元素。人体血浆中Ｃｕ／Ｚｎ，Ｋ／Ｎａ，Ｃａ／Ｍｇ比与身体状况密切相关。研究表明荞麦蜜的Ｃｕ／Ｚｎ比最高，Ｋ／Ｎａ比也较高，而Ｋ／Ｎａ，Ｃａ／Ｍｇ比以枣花蜜为最高。食用蜂蜜的人将受蜂蜜中矿物元素的影响而改善这些价值，有益于健康。     

桉苗灰霉病初步研究

按苗灰霉病(Botrytis cinerea Pers.ex Fr.)是近年在云南省新发现的病害,过去未曾报道。该病多发生在按苗幼嫩的茎上部和叶片上,可造成按苗迅速死亡。早春连绵阴雨,气温较低,致使该病易造成流行,该病的流行也与管理措施密切相关。采取平衡施肥,加强苗期管理是最有效的预防措施。发病期可施用75％百菌清可湿性粉剂1:500倍;或70％敌克松可湿性粉剂与等量的50％多菌灵可湿性粉剂混用,稀释1000倍常量喷雾,每7～10天一次,连续喷2～3次,可有效地控制按苗灰霉病蔓延流行。     

Transitional Cell Carcinoma of the Urinary Bladder in a Beluga Whale (Delphinapterus leucas)

A transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder was found in a beluga whale stranded in the St. Lawrence middle estuary. Various organs of this animal were submitted to high resolution gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry analysis. High frequency of urinary bladder cancer in the human population of the same area and the presence of carcinogenic compounds in the marine environment of this animal are discussed.

Concurrent isolation of Edwardsiella tarda from various organs of this whale is also reported.

     

Blood parasites of sheep in the Netherlands. I. Anaplasma mesaeterum sp.n. (Rickettsiales, Anaplasmataceae)

Summary On two occasions an anaplasm was isolated from sheep on the Dutch island of Ameland. The organism proved to be highly pathogenic for splenectomised sheep; a non-splenectomised animal recovered spontaneously after the packed cell volume had decreased by 40%. Treatment with oxytetracycline was effective. Its pathogenicity for goats appeared to be low, and the organism was apparently not infective to splenectomised cattle. This anaplasm differs from Anaplasma ovis in that less than 30% of the organisms are marginally situated in the red cell, as against over 70% in A. ovis; cross-immunity with A. ovis was incomplete and the latter appeared to be far more pathogenic to goats than the Dutch anaplasm, for which the name Anaplasma mesaeterum sp.n. is proposed. Its ultrastructure is similar to that of A. marginale and A. ovis. The vector is either Ixodes ricinus or Haemaphysalis punctata. Its practical importance remains to be ascertained.     

Laparoscopic surgery in adult cattle.

Laparoscopy in cattle is a promising tool for clinical diagnosis and treatment. The lower cost of the materials available in addition to the possibility of an intervention on an animal that is sedated does not entail more costs than an exploratory laparotomy. The application of this tool during abdominal explorations and biopsies allows the avoidance of invasive and often useless surgical interventions and even with the diagnosis and prognosis of certain conditions. Surgical techniques currently are limited to abomasopexies; however, never-ceasing progress and improvements in human surgery are expected to affect the future of bovine surgery.With the advancements in the multimedia technology used by universities, the use of laparoscopy as a pedagogic tool definitely has a promising future. Endoscopic exploration of the thorax is possible using the same material as for laparoscopy. In addition, diagnostic and biopsy applications are useful. The use of the laparoscope in different body cavities and for different applications would make the purchase of the required materials more cost-effective.     

贵阳地区小麦白粉菌毒性结构及变异的研究

 的大面积种植抗性很快丧失之后,白粉病的为害日趋严重,已成为我国小麦的主要病害。     

起始肥料对一品红生长的影响

 研究了生长介质中起始肥料对一品红生长的影响和一品红不同部位矿质养分含量。结果表明： 速效肥比缓效肥更有利于一品红生长并提高品质，速效肥中供试的两种NO₃^--N与NH₄⁺-N比例对一品红生长影响不大。绿色叶片矿质养分含量，除Fe和Mn较高外，与国外推荐的养分诊断指标相一致，说明目前国外推荐的一品红养分诊断部位适合于绿色叶片。     

饲喂柠条对肉兔生产性能及胴体性状影响的研究

选用45～48日龄平均体重1050g的伊普吕(父系)幼兔64只,分成4组,进行柠条饲喂肉兔试验.对照组饲粮中谷草比例为33.4%,试验Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ组分别用10%、20%和33.4%柠条替代等比例谷草.48天试验结果为:对照组、试验Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ组日均采食量、日增重、料肉比分别为89.84g、92.95g、90.77g、79.95g,22.60g、23.30g、19.24g、17.90g,3.98:1、3.99:1、4.72:1、4.47:1.试验Ⅰ、Ⅱ组与对照组日采食量、日增重、料肉比差异不显著(P＞0.05);屠宰试验结果为:试验Ⅰ、Ⅱ与对照组在胴体重、屠宰率、净肉率、肉骨比、心脏、肺脏、肝脏、肾脏等指标方面无显著差异(P＞0.05);而试验Ⅲ组日采食量、日增重均显著较对照组差(P＜0.05).试验结果表明:生长肉兔饲粮中添加10%～20%柠条粉是可行的,且饲粮成本较低.     

Differential gene expression of Eph‐ephrin A1 and LEPR‐LEP with high or low number of embryos in pigs during implantation

The objective of this study was to ascertain whether mRNA and protein expressions of implantation‐related genes (erythropoietin‐producing hepatocellular receptor–ligand A1, Eph‐ephrin A1 and leptin receptor–leptin, LEPR‐LEP) differed between pigs with high and low number of embryos, and whether these differences in gene expression might affect embryo implantation. Experimental pig groups (n = 24) for high and low number of embryos were prepared by altering the number of eggs ovulated in pre‐pubertal gilts treated with 1.5 × (High) or 1.0 × (Low) PG600 ([400 IU PMSG + 200 IU hCG]/dose, AKZO‐NOBEL). Gilts expressing oestrus were artificially inseminated twice and maintained in breeding and gestation until the reproductive tract was collected on day 22 of pregnancy. At slaughter, the reproductive tracts from each pregnant gilt from each treatment were immediately processed to collect samples for RNA and protein analysis. Within each gilt, three conceptus points were sampled, one from each horn and then a random conceptus within the tract. At each conceptus point, endometrial attachment site, chorion–allantois and embryo were collected and immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen. Number of corpus luteum (CL) (35.4 vs. 12.6) and total embryo number (18.8 vs. 10.2) were greater in the high‐embryo compared to the low‐embryo group, respectively (p < .05). Real‐time qPCR results showed that Eph‐ephrin A1 mRNA expression was less in the high‐embryo (p < .05) compared to the low‐embryo group. In addition, Western blotting analysis indicated that Eph‐ephrin A1 and LEP protein expression at endometrial attachment site in high‐embryo was less (p < .05) compared to low‐embryo group. It was also noted that mRNA expression of Eph‐ephrin A1 and LEPR‐LEP was greater in pregnant than non‐pregnant gilts (p < .05). Moreover, mRNA expression of Eph‐ephrin A1 (p < .05) and LEPR‐LEP was greatest at endometrial attachment site among all three tissues. There was a positive correlation between expressions of Eph‐ephrin A1, LEPR‐LEP and embryo length with the correlation coefficient 0.31–0.59. For Eph‐ephrin A1, the highest correlation coefficient appeared between Eph A1 expression and normal embryo number, between ephrin A1 expression and embryo length. For LEPR‐LEP, the highest correlation coefficient appeared between LEPR‐LEP expression and ovary weight (0.79 for both, p < .05), followed by embryo length and weight. The results of this study suggest that low expression of Eph‐ephrin A1 and LEPR‐LEP is somehow related to increased embryo number during implantation and that endometrial attachment site might be the main target tissue of these gene products. Yet, the increased expression of Eph‐ephrin A1 and LEPR‐LEP appeared associated with increased embryo growth (length and weight) and ovary weight, Eph‐ephrin A1 and LEPR‐LEP might play roles in the regulation of embryo implantation in pigs.