Suppression of ovarian progesterone production in dairy cows using an implant of GnRH-agonist (deslorelin) for the purpose of evaluating progesterone metabolism

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the potential of an implant of a GnRH-agonist (deslorelin) to create a progesterone free animal suitable for studying progesterone (P4) metabolism in intact cows by measuring blood P4 and faecal P4 metabolites. METHODS: Experiment 1: Eighteen non-lactating cycling Holstein-Friesian cows, 4 to 7 years old, were allocated to one of three groups to study plasma P4 concentrations preceding an intravaginal insert. These groups comprised: i) a deslorelin group (GnRH-agonist implanted); ii) a PGF group receiving two injections of prostaglandin (PGF2alpha) 12 days apart; and, iii) an ovariectomised (OVX) group. An intravaginal device (CIDR) was inserted into the vagina of each animal and left in place for 11 days. Plasma P4 concentrations were measured during the study period. Experiment 2: Twelve non-lactating cycling Holstein-Friesian cows, 4 to 7 years old, were allocated to two groups: i) a deslorelin group (GnRH-agonist implanted); and ii) an ovariectomised group. Plasma P4 and faecal P4 metabolites (20-oxo-pregnanes, 20alpha-OH and 20beta-OH) were monitored for a period of 5 weeks. RESULTS: Experiment 1: Average plasma P4 concentration did not differ between the three groups (1.28, 1.43 and 1.55 ng/mL for deslorelin, OVX and PGF cows, respectively, P = 0.8) during the period of supplementation. Experiment 2: There was no difference in plasma P4 (mean plasma P4 < 0.02 ng/mL, P = 0.9) and faecal P4 metabolites between deslorelin and OVX cows 2 weeks after the implantation (P = 0.7). CONCLUSIONS: These data showed that a GnRH-agonist (deslorelin) implant may be used as an alternative to ovariectomy to create a progesterone free animal suitable for studying the metabolism of administered P4.     

Economic Assessment of Alternative Aquaculture Aeration Strategies

Oxygen depletion is a serious problem for the catfish industry, especially as producers attempt to increase their production intensity. Aeration, either emergency or continuous, is the most common method used to address oxygen depletion.
A risk-programming model using Target MOTAD methodology was developed to study the aquacultural producer's aeration decision-making process. Effects of stocking rate, aeration yield response and availability of labor, capital and electricity on the selection of aeration strategy were analyzed.
Continuous aeration with electric paddlewheels was most often selected as the best aeration strategy. However, as farmers become increasingly concerned with financial risk, they apply continuous aeration with pump sprayers first, then no aeration and lastly emergency aeration with tractor-powered paddlewheels. Emergency aeration was only used when: 1) electricity was not available and the producer desired a highly conservative financial strategy, and 2) the relative efficiency of continuous aeration in the field was dramatically reduced from experimental results.     

The effect of breed,sex, and oral meloxicam administration on pain biomarkers following hot-iron branding in Hereford and Angus calves

Hot-iron branding uses thermal injury to permanently identify cattle causing painful tissue damage. The primary objective was to examine the physiological and behavioral effects of oral meloxicam (MEL), compared to a control, administered at the time of hot-iron branding in Angus and Hereford steers and heifers. The secondary objectives were to investigate breed and sex effects on pain biomarkers. A total of 70 yearlings, consisting of 35 heifers and 35 steers (Angus, Hereford, or Angus × Hereford), were enrolled in the study. Animals were blocked by sex, randomized across weight, and assigned to receive MEL (1 mg/kg) or a placebo (CON). Biomarkers were assessed for 48 h after branding and included infrared thermography (IRT), mechanical nociceptive threshold (MNT), accelerometry and a visual analog scale (VAS), and serum cortisol and prostaglandin E₂ metabolites (PGEM). Wound healing was assessed for 12 wk. Hair samples to quantify cortisol levels were taken prior to and 30 d post-branding. Responses were analyzed using repeated measures with calf nested in treatment as a random effect, and treatment, time, treatment by time interaction, breed, and sex as fixed effects. There was a treatment by time interaction for PGEM (P < 0.01) with MEL having lower values than CON at 6, 24, and 48 h (MEL: 18.34 ± 3.52, 19.61 ± 3.48, and 22.24 ± 3.48 pg/mL, respectively; CON: 32.57 ± 3.58, 37.00 ± 3.52, and 33.07 ± 3.48 pg/mL; P < 0.01). MEL showed less of a difference in maximum IRT values between the branded (2.27 ± 0.29 °C) and control site (3.15 ± 0.29 °C; P < 0.01). MEL took fewer lying bouts at 0–12 h (4.91 bouts ± 0.56) compared with CON (6.87 bouts ± 0.55; P < 0.01). Compared with Hereford calves, Angus calves exhibited greater serum but lower hair cortisol, greater PGEM, more lying bouts, and less healed wound scores at 3, 4, and 5 wk. Compared with heifers, steers exhibited lower PGEM, lower branding site and ocular IRT, higher MNT, and lower plasma meloxicam levels. Steers spent more time lying, took more lying bouts and had greater VAS pain, and more healed wound scores at 5 wk than heifers. Meloxicam administration at branding reduced branding and control site temperature differences and reduced lying bouts for the first 12 h. Breed and sex effects were observed across many biomarkers. Changes from baseline values for IRT, MNT, lying time, step count, VAS pain, and wound scoring all support that branding cattle is painful.     

Growth, Yield, Dressout, and Net Returns of Bighead Carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis Stocked at Three Densities in Fertilized Earthen Ponds

Abstract.— Bighead carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis have been raised in the United States for two decades and sold through the livehaul market, but their profitability in monoculture has not been evaluated. Three studies were conducted in 0.10-ha earthen ponds to evaluate the effect of bighead carp stocking density on growth, yield, dressout yield. and net returns. Initially, bighead carp (average weight of 0.36 kg) were stocked at rates of 500, 320, or 130 fish/ha with three replicates of each treatment. Stocking rates for 2-yr-old fish (average weight of 2.45 kg) were reduced to 320, 220, or 130 fish/ha in the second year. Net yields of bighead carp stocked at 500 fish/ha (963 kg/ha) were significantly higher ( P < 0.05) than net yields at the 320 fishha density (771 kg/ha), and these were significantly greater ( P < 0.05) than net yields at 130 fish/ha (369 kg/ha) in the first growing season. Net yields in the second growing season were not significantly different ( P > 0.05) among densities. There were no significant differences ( P > 0.05) among treatments in yearly growth which ranged from 11–17 g/d in the first and from 6–13 g/d in the second growing season. Dressout percentages for whole-dressed, steak, shank fillet, and shank fillets with white meat only did not differ with stocking density ( P > 0.05). Enterprise and partial budget analysis indicated that monoculture of bighead carp in fertilized ponds is profitable only in the short run at average livehaul market prices, because revenues exceeded variable but not fixed costs. The negative net returns, when all costs were accounted for, indicated that it is not profitable to construct ponds solely for monoculture of bighead carp.     

催乳素对内蒙古绒山羊毛囊体外培养影响的研究

【目的】 研究催乳素（PRL）对内蒙古绒山羊初级毛囊和次级毛囊体外生长及形态变化的影响。【方法】 机械法结合切割法分离内蒙古绒山羊的初级毛囊和次级毛囊,在初级毛囊培养液中分别添加0、5、10、50、100 ng/mL催乳素进行体外培养,每组24根,共培养5 d,每天在显微镜下观察其形态并拍照,统计其生长长度、生长速度和存活率,筛选出最适催乳素处理浓度。然后将初级毛囊与次级毛囊分别分为初级毛囊对照组（PF-K）、初级毛囊试验组（PF-PRL）、次级毛囊对照组（SF-K）、次级毛囊试验组（SF-PRL）,每组24根,对照组用基础培养液培养,试验组在基础培养液中添加最适浓度的催乳素,培养5 d,每天观察毛囊的形态并拍照,同时测量各组毛囊的生长长度。【结果】 10 ng/mL催乳素组毛囊的平均日生长长度均极显著高于其他浓度组（P<0.01）,最终生长长度和存活率均最高,因此,后续试验选择10 ng/mL催乳素处理毛囊。试验组和对照组初/次级毛囊的毛干与根鞘部位同时伸长,随着培养时间的增加均出现不同程度的弯曲。PF-PRL、SF-PRL组毛囊在2~5 d的总长度分别极显著高于PF-K、SF-K组（P<0.01）。PF-K组除第1天与第0天差异不显著外,1~5 d毛囊的总长度依次显著增加（P<0.05）;PF-PRL组0~5 d毛囊的总长度依次显著增加（P<0.05）。SF-K组毛囊第5天的总长度显著高于0~4 d （P<0.05）;SF-PRL组第4、5天毛囊的总长度均显著高于0~3 d （P<0.05）,第3天毛囊的总长度显著高于0~2 d （P<0.05）。PF-PRL、SF-PRL组毛囊在2~5 d的平均日生长长度分别极显著高于PF-K、SF-K组（P<0.01）。【结论】 10 ng/mL催乳素是体外促进毛囊生长的最适浓度,10 ng/mL催乳素对体外培养的内蒙古绒山羊的初级毛囊和次级毛囊均有极显著的促生长作用。     

Mutations in a human ROBO gene disrupt hindbrain axon pathway crossing and morphogenesis

The mechanisms controlling axon guidance are of fundamental importance in understanding brain development. Growing corticospinal and somatosensory axons cross the midline in the medulla to reach their targets and thus form the basis of contralateral motor control and sensory input. The motor and sensory projections appeared uncrossed in patients with horizontal gaze palsy with progressive scoliosis (HGPPS). In patients affected with HGPPS, we identified mutations in the ROBO3 gene, which shares homology with roundabout genes important in axon guidance in developing Drosophila, zebrafish, and mouse. Like its murine homolog Rig1/Robo3, but unlike other Robo proteins, ROBO3 is required for hindbrain axon midline crossing.     

Influence of mare uterine tubal fluids on the metabolism of stallion sperm.

Three experiments were conducted on the metabolism of stallion sperm. In experiment 1, whole and washed sperm were incubated under aerobic and anaerobic enviroments and analyzed before and after controlled incubation for motility, pH, lactic acid, glucose, fructose, and O2 comsumption. In experiment 2, whole and washed sperm were incubated aerobically and anaerobically with and without uterine tubal fluids. Experiment 3 was the same as experiment 2, except added substrates of glucose and lactic acid were studied. The same examinations were made in experiments 2 and 3 as for experiment 1. Motility decreased significantly during incubation for all treatments, with the greatest decrease occurring for whole semen where only trace amounts of substrate (fructose) were present. Exogenous glucose plus uterine tubal fluid maintained sperm motility better than did added lactate. However, sperm respiration rates were highest when exogenous lactate was the only substrate in the incubation medium. The mean pH values for gel-free stallion semen at the start of controlled aerobic and anaerobic incubation were 7.08 and 7.34. Lactic acid accummulation for 1 hour increased from 0.05 mg to 0.09 mg/10(9) sperm when uterine tubal fluid was added to the incubation medium. Washed spermatozoa incubated in 0.03 M glucose plus uterine tubal fluid utilized less glucose than did sperm incubated in the glucose medium. These results, along with the increased oxygen utilization (ZO2) values produced by adding uterine tubal fluid to the incubation mediums, might indicate utilization of a uterine tubal substrate. Added uterine tubal fluid resulted in increased ZO2 values (expressed in mul of O2 utilized by 10(8) sperm in 1 hour at 37 C) for whole semen from 10.45 to 12.63. Washed spermatozoa also respired at a significantly greater rate than whole sperm. Respiration rates were greater for sperm incubated with 0.01 M lactic acid than for any other substrate or experiment.