Dietary crude protein concentration does not affect the leucine requirement of growing dogs

The objective of the present study was to examine the interaction between graded levels of leucine and dietary crude protein. Dose–response curves were generated using four 3 × 3 Latin squares (two dogs/square). Each square represented one of two concentrations of crude protein (140 or 280 g/kg diet) and one of two combinations of three concentrations of leucine (5.0, 7.0 and 9.0 g/kg diet or 9.0, 11 and 13 g/kg diet). An additional experiment was performed by feeding crude protein at 210 g/kg diet with either 7.0 or 11 g leucine/kg diet. Weight gain, food intake, nitrogen retention, plasma albumin and plasma amino acids were measured. The requirement was determined to be the minimum leucine concentration required to maximize weight gain and nitrogen retention. For 8–14-week-old male Beagle dogs, 140 g crude protein/kg diet in a diet containing 18 kJ metabolizable energy/g does not appear to support maximal growth. The leucine requirement was not affected by doubling the dietary crude protein level from 140 to 280 g/kg diet. From these results, the leucine requirement of 8–14-week-old Beagle dogs appears to be 11 g leucine/kg diet independent of the level of dietary crude protein, whereas dogs over 14 weeks require only 7 g leucine/kg diet for maximal nitrogen retention.     

Blood thiamine levels in normal cattle and sheep at pasture

Analysis of whole blood samples from 174 cattle and, 174 sheep from 3 geographical regions of New Zealand over a 10 month period showed a mean (range) thiamine level of 122 nmol/l (71-237 nmol/l) for cattle and 118 nmol/l (67-227 nmol/l) for sheep. Regional and seasonal differences were noted with levels tending to rise over the summer period. A reference range of 75-185 nmol/l is proposed for both cattle and sheep to cover these variations. Levels below 50 nmol/l are considered indicative of deficiency.     

Malignant catarrhal fever in a swamp buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) calf in New Zealand

Malignant catarrhal fever was diagnosed in a newly imported swamp buffalo calf. This disease is prevalent in deer and cattle in New Zealand and causes sporadic losses in these species. The disease is recognised as a problem in buffaloes overseas and this paper records the first case in a swamp buffalo in New Zealand.     

Actinobacillosis in an alpaca (Lama pacos)

The death of a 6-week-old alpaca being treated for acute polyarthritis is described. Post-mortem and histological findings included fibrinous mural endocarditis, lung abscessation, acute passive congestion of the liver, embolic suppurative nephritis and chronic nonsuppurative polyarthritis. Actinobacillus suis was isolated from the heart lesion and in pharyngeal swabs from four of six clinically normal alpacas in the same flock.     

Factors affecting the variability in cracked and dirty eggs and egg production profitability on an integrated poultry operation

1. A number of factors causing variability in the percentages of cracked, and dirty eggs and weekly standard margin (WSM) of returns from eggs over production costs were examined on an integrated commercial poultry plant in Scotland.

2. As the bird aged, the percentage of cracked eggs increased (P <0.01) and the percentage of grade A eggs and WSM decreased (P <0.01). Cracks in dirty eggs (10.1%) were more than double those in all eggs laid (4.9%).

3. Seasonal effects on percentage cracked eggs and percentage grade A eggs were one‐third the magnitude of those due to age but were significant (P <0.05).

4. Variability in percentage cracked eggs, dirty eggs and WSM accounted for by the factors measured, were 72, 64 and 92% respectively.

5. The variability in WSM was significantly affected by percentage lay, food consumption and age but not by percentage cracked eggs, originally dirty and grade A eggs.

6. Flock management and climate inside the laying house each increased the amount of variability accounted for in the percentage cracked eggs and dirty eggs by at least 10%.     

次生幼龄林封山育林后乔木层物种结构变化研究

1999年在浙江省仙居县俞坑村的封山育林区设置20 m×20 m的固定样地2块,对连续5年的调查数据进行统计分析,以其对次生幼林乔木物种结构变化进行研究.分析结果,乔木层物种丰富度指数增加了7～11,乔木物种增加了2～5科,3～8属.自然恢复为以壳斗科、杉科、山茶科、樟科、胡桃科、安息香科等物种为建群种或共建种的次生常绿阔叶林、针阔混交林.     

干草防腐剂在不同规格苜蓿干草捆中的应用效果研究

为了研究干草防腐剂的防霉效果,本文在调制苜蓿小方捆时添加巴斯夫防腐剂BLP,并在苜蓿大方捆中比较使用了自行研发的防腐剂LZP和防腐剂BLP。结果表明：在苜蓿小方捆中,25%水分打捆时,添加防腐剂BLP显著抑制了苜蓿草捆中霉菌的生长,但对营养品质没有显著影响;30%水分打捆时,防腐剂BLP显著降低了苜蓿干草中性洗涤纤维(NDF)和酸性洗涤纤维(ADF)的含量,当添加量为6 L·t^-1时,防腐剂BLP的防霉效果较为显著且增加了粗蛋白(CP)的含量。在苜蓿大方捆中,16%～19%水分打捆添加防腐剂BLP和LZP均能很好抑制霉菌的生长;而22%～25%水分打捆时时,两种防腐剂的对霉菌的抑制效果较差。上述结果表明调制苜蓿干草小方捆时添加6 L·t^-1防腐剂BLP能有效抑制霉菌的生长;自行研发的防腐剂LZP与BLP的防霉效果类似,具有一定的应用前景,但仍需进一步证明。     

绿鳍马面鲀雌雄性腺转录组比较分析

为探明绿鳍马面鲀(Thamnaconus septentrionalis)性腺发育相关基因表达特征,优化亲本生殖调控技术,本研究对绿鳍马面鲀雌雄亲体的精巢和卵巢进行了转录组测序分析,经de novo拼装,最终获得119 219个单基因(unigene),N50长度为1 255 bp。在NR、NT、KO、SwissProt、PFAM、GO及KOG数据库分别注释到24 009、35 057、18 453、26 971、30 294、11 420和21 613个unigene。绿鳍马面鲀精巢和卵巢转录组中存在18 954个差异表达基因(DEG),相对于精巢,在卵巢中上调表达的基因有11 265个,下调表达的有7 689个。选取bmp2、sox3、figla、hsd17b1、cyp19a、cyp17、foxl2、star和amh 9个DEGs进行实时荧光定量PCR (qRT-PCR)验证,结果显示,qRT-PCR结果与RNA-Seq分析相一致。GO和KEGG富集结果分析发现,amh、cyp17和star可能在绿鳍马面鲀雄性精子发生过程中起关键作用;bmp2、foxl2、cyp19a、figla和hsd17b1在雌性卵子发生和卵巢类固醇生成过程中发挥重要作用。本研究通过比较绿鳍马面鲀精巢和卵巢的转录组表达差异,初步阐明了精巢和卵巢的基因表达特征,为进一步研究绿鳍马面鲀的性腺发育机制奠定了基础。