Estimation of daily and total lactation milk yield of Chios ewes from single morning or evening records

Linear models were developed and evaluated for the estimation of daily (24 h) and total lactation milk yield of dairy sheep from single morning (am) or evening (pm) milking records. A total of 22,908 individual test-day milk records of 5110 ewes of the Chios breed, raised in 46 flocks, were used. Depending on the model, different daily milk yield estimates were derived for each ewe, accounting for lactation number, stage of lactation, season of previous lambing and interval between successive milkings. Daily milk yield was also estimated from doubling the single am or pm record. Actual and estimated yields were compared using root mean square errors (RMSEs), mean absolute differences, an accuracy parameter defined as the ratio of the actual yield variance over the sum of the variances of actual yield and absolute difference, and the product moment correlation between estimated and actual yield. Results were validated on independent datasets. Linear models resulted in less biased and more accurate estimates of the daily milk yield than simply doubling the am or pm record. Root mean square errors decreased by 7-37% and the mean absolute difference was reduced by 1-4% of the average daily yield. Higher accuracy and correlation were obtained from linear model application than doubling. Total lactation milk yield was predicted based on actual daily yield and compared to predictions based on estimated daily yield from am or pm records, as well as directly on single milking records. Root mean square errors obtained when daily yield had been estimated with linear models were 26-35% lower compared to doubling the am or pm yield and 0-13% lower compared to estimating the total lactation yield directly from single milking records. Linear model application also resulted in lower mean absolute difference and higher accuracy and correlation than doubling the am or pm record. Recording the yield of a single milking (am or pm) instead of both can benefit milk recording by reducing its cost and increasing farmer participation. In this context, linear models developed in the present study can be used for the accurate estimation of daily (24 h) and total lactation milk yield from single milking records.     

利用Wood模型拟合中国荷斯坦牛乳脂率变化的效果分析

为了解中国荷斯坦牛乳脂率变化规律,本文利用Wood模型对我国南方5个大中型奶牛场2008~2010年1~3胎中国荷斯坦牛33 194条测定日乳脂率进行曲线拟合。结果表明:中国荷斯坦牛乳脂率变化曲线为典型的倒抛物线形,第一胎拟合度最高(0.9820),第三胎最低(0.9789)。二胎牛乳脂率最先达到最低点(第16周),而三胎乳脂率最后达到(第19周)。就最低乳脂率而言,二胎牛最大(3.54%),而三胎牛最小(3.45%)。综合各方面情况得出,Wood模型适用于中国荷斯坦牛乳脂率变化的曲线拟合。     

Adrenomedullin (AM) and adrenomedullin binding protein (AM-BP) in the bovine mammary gland and milk: Effects of stage of lactation and experimental intramammary E. coli infection

Adrenomedullin (AM) has been characterized as an endogenous tissue survival factor and modulator of many inflammatory processes. Because of the increased susceptibility of the mammary gland to infection during the time surrounding parturition in the cow, we investigated how milk and tissue content of AM and its binding protein (AM-BP) might be affected by the stage of lactation and the udder health status. Milk and mammary biopsy samples were obtained from Holstein cows 21 days prior to and at various times after calving to represent the dry period and early and mid-stages of lactation. Additional cows received an intramammary challenge with Escherichia coli for immunohistochemical characterization of AM and AM-BP. Milk AM concentrations were relatively constant across the stages of lactation while AM-BP increased two-fold (P<0.04) between early and mid-lactation. Milk AM (P<0.04) and AM-BP (P<0.03) increased as somatic cell counts (SCCs) increased within a given stage of lactation. Tissue content of both (AM and AM-BP) were significantly affected by stage of lactation, lowest in the dry period and progressively increasing to peak at mid-lactation as well as increasing in association with higher levels of SCCs. Following E. coli challenge, AM increased in epithelial cells surrounding mammary alveoli presenting high levels of SCCs. The data suggest that AM and AM-BP are cooperatively regulated in the mammary gland during lactation; changes in localized tissue AM and AM-BP content reflect a dynamic regulation of these tissue factors in the bovine mammary gland consistent with their protective effects within inflamed tissue.     

小尾寒羊泌乳期蛋白质需要量及其代谢规律的研究

选用6只小尾寒羊泌乳母羊，通过饲养试验、消化代谢试验、比较屠宰试验等手段，研究其蛋白质需要量。结果表明，小尾寒羊泌乳母羊代谢粪氮（MFN）和内源尿氮（EUN）的排出量分别为0．1312和0．13459／kg·W0.75·d。小尾寒羊泌乳期维持可消化粗蛋白需要量为1．51W0.75g／d，每产1kg奶需可消化粗蛋白829。小尾寒羊泌乳母羊的可消化粗蛋色总需要量（RDCP，g／d），可按下式求得：RDCP＝1．51W0.75＋82MP式中：W0.75——代谢体重，kg；MP——为产奶量，kg。     

Retrospective analysis of trends and production factors associated with sow mortality on swine-breeding farms in USA

Of the 825 pig farms in USA that mailed in their electronic file containing production records, 604 farms were used to observe breeding-female mortality risk and related factors (herd size, lactation length, parity and season). Multiple regression was used to determine factors associated with annual mortality risk. Analyses of variance were used for comparisons of mortality risks among parity and season groups. Average annual mortality risks during the 1997 period was 5.68%. Average breeding-female inventories and average lactation length on USA farms were 733 and 18.3 days, respectively. Higher annual breeding-female mortality risk was associated with larger herd size, greater parity at farrowing and shorter lactation length (P<0.02). For example, as herd size increases by 500 females, mortality risk increases by 0.44%. Older parity was associated with higher mortality risks. Summer season was also associated with higher mortality risk. Using five-years’ records on 270 farms, annual mortality risk in 1997 was higher than those of 1993 and 1994, while average breeding-female inventory increased and lactation length decreased. It is recommended that producers, especially in large herds, pay more attention to breeding females.     

Effects of chilled drinking water on the performance of lactating sows and their litters during high ambient temperatures under farm conditions

Heat stress has detrimental effects on lactating sows and their litters, including decreased feed intake and milk production in sows and decreased weight gain in their offspring. It also increases respiration rate, rectal temperature, and weaning to estrus interval in sows. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of chilled water (CW) on the performance of lactating sows and their litters exposed to high ambient temperatures for 21 days. Ninety multiparous sows (Yorkshire × Landrace; parity range: 2 to 5) and their litters (Yorkshire × Landrace × Duroc) were divided into 3 blocks (30 each). Sows and their litters within each block were randomly assigned to one of the three treatment groups (n = 10 each). Each group was provided with drinking water at 10, 15, or 22 °C (control) under farm conditions where ambient temperature above 25 °C was consistent during the experimental period. Sows on CW (both 10 and 15 °C) consumed more feed and water than did control (P < 0.01) and higher estimated milk production compared with control (P < 0.01), but had lower rectal temperature and respiration rate compared with control (P < 0.01). Mean weaning weight (P < 0.01) and average daily gain (P < 0.01) of litters in CW groups were higher than those in control group. There were no differences in the measured variables, with the exception of the respiration rates, between the two CW treatment groups. These results suggest that CW may improve the performance of sows and their litters exposed to high ambient temperatures and the 15 °C water, from an energy viewpoint, may be more effective.     

Intermittent suckling improves post-weaning feed uptake but does not change functional gut characteristics of piglets

Suckling pigs were separated from their dam for 24 h on day 21 (1 × 24 h fasting, n = 10) or day 21 and 24 (2 × 24 h fasting, n = 10). Pigs in the control group (n = 10) were not fasted before weaning. All pigs were weaned on day 28 postpartum. Feed intake during the first 4 days post-weaning was higher (P < 0.05) for pigs exposed to 1 × 24 h fasting compared with controls. Water consumption was not affected by fasting prior to weaning. The difference in post-weaning feed uptake was not reflected in any clinical traits, intestinal morphology, or activity of digestive enzymes (maltase, dipeptidylpeptidase IV, aminopeptidases A and N; P > 0.15). In conclusion, a short period of fasting prior to weaning can increase post-weaning feed uptake, although this had no clinical impact under the present experimental conditions.     

Dairy sheep production research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison,USA-a review

Commercial milking of sheep is a new agricultural industry in the United States starting approximately 30 yr ago. The industry is still small, but it is growing. The majority of the sheep milk is used in the production of specialty cheeses. The United States is the major importer of sheep milk cheeses with 50 to 60% of annual world exports coming to the United States during the past 20 yr. Therefore, there is considerable growth potential for the industry in the United States. The only dairy sheep research flock in North America is located at the Spooner Agricultural Research Station of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The research program started in 1993 and has been multifaceted; dealing with several areas important to commercial dairy sheep farmers. The East Friesian and Lacaune dairy breeds were compared and introduced to the industry through the research program. Both dairy breeds produced significantly more milk than traditional meat-wool breeds found in the U.S., but the two breeds differed in their production traits. East Friesian-cross ewes produced more lambs and slightly more milk than Lacaune-cross ewes whereas Lacaune-cross ewes produced milk with a higher percentage of fat and protein than East Friesian-cross ewes. Lactation physiology studies have shown that ewes with active corpora lutea have increased milk yields, oxytocin release during milking is required to obtain normal fat percentages in the milk, large udder cisterns of dairy ewes can allow for increased milking intervals, and short daylengths during late pregnancy results in increased milk yield. In the nutrition area, legume-grass pastures and forages with a higher percentage of legume will result in increased milk production. Grazing ewes respond to additional supplementation with increased milk yield, but it is important to match the supplement to the quality of the grazing. Ewes on high quality legume-grass pastures that are high in rumen degradable protein respond with increased milk production to supplements high in energy and/or     

小尾寒羊泌乳期母羊能量需要量及代谢规律研究

选择有代表性的小尾寒羊泌乳母羊6只，分成哺育单羔和双羔两组，每组3只，分泌乳前期（1～30天），泌乳中期（31～60天）和泌乳后期（61～90天）3个阶段进行饲养试验、消化代谢试验、呼吸测热试验及屠宰试验等研究。两组试羊均按NRC（1978）推荐的绵羊泌乳期哺育双羔母羊能量需要量供给代谢能和其它养分。结果表明，在本研究条件下，小尾寒羊泌乳母羊（包括哺育单、双羔者）在整个泌乳期内的平均日干物质（DM）、有机物质（OM）、代谢能（ME）和泌乳量分别为1689g，1571g，19．893MJ和653g。DM、OM和总能（GE）表观消化率分别为70.71％，72．58％和70．34％，代谢率（MEI／DEI）为84．89％。甲烷能占GEI的9．18％。每日畜体产热量（HP）为625．5KJ／kgW0.75。研究还表明：小尾寒羊泌乳母羊的每日维持代谢能和净能需要量分别为582．6和460KJ／kgW0.75，每户1kg原乳需要10802KJ的代谢能。维持效率为0．790泌乳效率为0．479，HI占GEI的18．10％。分析结果证明，试羊的泌乳量、采食量、畜体产热量和能量转化效率在单、双羔之间均无显著差异（P＞0．05）。小尾寒羊泌乳母羊的代谢能总需要量（MER）可用下式估计：羊羔：MER＝576．9W0.75＋10810M；双羔：MER＝588．2W0.75＋10794M；平均：MER＝582．6W0.75＋1     

支链氨基酸对泌乳母猪的营养研究进展

支链氨基酸 (BCAA)是畜禽的必需氨基酸 ,有着重要的营养生理作用 ,对泌乳母猪尤其显著。本文着重阐述BCAA　　对泌乳母猪生产性能方面的影响 ,泌乳母猪对BCAA的需要量及缬氨酸需要量研究模式。