Effects of music stimulus on behavior response,cortisol level,and horizontal immunity of growing pigs

An enriched environment is widely used to improve domestic animals’ welfare and promote their natural behaviors. Music can reduce abnormal behavior in humans, nonhuman primates, and rodents. However, little is known about the effects of music on pigs. This study aims to explore the effects of repeated music stimulation on the behavior, physiology, and immunity of growing pigs. A total of 72 hybrid piglets (Large White × Duroc × Minpig) were randomly divided into three groups, including music (Mozart K.448, 60 to 70 dB), noise (recorded mechanical noise, 80 to 85 dB), and control (natural background sound, <40 dB), and 6 h sound stimulation was given per day (1000 to 1600 hours) from 40 to 100 d of age. The behavioral activities of the pigs were observed during the music stimulation, and their serum cortisol, salivary cortisol, and serum immune indices were also measured. Compared with the control group, the music group and noise group increased activity but decreased lying of pigs (P < 0.05). A significant increase in tail-wagging, playing, and exploring behaviors of pigs was found in the music group (P < 0.05), and the noise significantly increased the aggressive behavior of the pigs (P < 0.05). Tail-wagging, playing, exploring, manipulating, and aggressive behaviors decreased over time. Short-term (8 d) music stimulus had a lower cortisol level than that of the noise and control groups (P < 0.05), whereas long-term (60 d) music stimulus increased immunoglobulin G (IgG), interleukin-2 (IL-2), and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) levels (P < 0.05) and decreased interleukin-4 (IL-4) level (P < 0.05). Long-term noise stimulus significantly reduced the level of IgG (P < 0.05) but did not affect the level of IL-2, IL-4, and IFN-γ levels (P > 0.05). In conclusion, short-term music stimulus (8 d) reduced the stress response, whereas long-term music stimulus (60 d) enhanced the immune responses. In addition, the noise increased the aggressive behavior, and long-term noise reduced the immunity of the growing pigs.     

Phenological and physiological evaluation of first and second cropping periods of sorghum and maize crops

Environmental conditions influence phenology and physiological processes of plants. It is common for maize and sorghum to be sown at two different periods: the first cropping (spring/summer) and the second cropping (autumn/winter). The phenological cycle of these crops varies greatly according to the planting season, and it is necessary to characterize the growth and development to facilitate the selection of the species best adapted to the environment. The aim of this study was to characterize phenological phases and physiological parameters in sorghum and maize plants as a function of environmental conditions from the first cropping and second cropping periods. Two parallel experiments were conducted with both crops. The phenological characterization was based on growth analyses (plant height, leaf area and photoassimilate partitioning) and gas exchange evaluations (net assimilation rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration and water-use efficiency). It was found that the vegetative stage (VS) for sorghum and maize plants was 7 and 21 days, respectively, longer when cultivated during the second cropping. In the first cropping, the plants were taller than in the second cropping, regardless of the crop. The stomatal conductance of sorghum plants fluctuated in the second cropping during the development period, while maize plants showed decreasing linear behaviour. Water-use efficiency in sorghum plants was higher during the second cropping compared with the first cropping. In maize plants, in the second cropping, the water-use efficiency showed a slight variation in relation to the first cropping. It was concluded that the environmental conditions as degree-days, temperature, photoperiod and pluvial precipitation influence the phenology and physiology of both crops during the first and the second cropping periods, specifically cycle duration, plant height, leaf area, net assimilation rate, stomatal conductance and water-use efficiency, indicating that both crops respond differentially to environmental changes during the growing season.     

环境温度和饲粮营养浓度对生长期母兔代谢能利用率的影响

选用6只9周龄新西兰母兔,评定环境温度和饲粮营养浓度对生长期母兔代谢能利用率的影响。试验在密闭式的小动物呼吸测热柜中进行。分别对处于环境温度为20±2℃和30±2℃,采食两种不同营养浓度的试兔进行测试。饲粮营养水平实测值,分别为12.22kJ ME/g和13.49kJ ME/g;粗蛋白质(CP)分别为17.3％和21.6％;中性洗涤纤维(NDF)分别为23.7％和16.5％。结果表明:环境温度影响试兔的能量平衡,它与采食量间存在着显著的相关。20±2℃时,相关系数r=0.798;30±2℃时,相关系数r=0.875。在本试验设计范围内,饲粮营养浓度并不影响代谢能食入量(ME_I),热增耗(HP)和能量平衡(EB)。当环境温度为20±2℃和30±2℃时,表观代谢能转化率(NE/ME)分别为51％和71％;每天每兔每千克代谢体重代谢能维持需要分别为396 kJ和361 kJ。试验结果认为:环境温度影响营养物质消化率(P相似文献   

Humble Opinion of Roof Gardens

1 GENERALRoof gardens can be extensively interpreted as ageneral designation, which means building variousrecreational garden on roofs, gazebos and terracesof both ancient and modern buildings, structures, andbridges (flyovers) (Jin Weiping, 1996). Cities aredensely populated and land is costly, so shortage ofland is one of the restrictive factors in green urbandevelopment. According to statistics, the green spaceis 2~3 m2 per capita in Chinese cities. As a result, todevelop roof gardens h…     

Artificial Insemination with Frozen Semen in Ewes at Different Times of the Breeding Season

Totally 13575 ewes of two different breeds, Dala and Spel, were inseminated with semen, frozen in straws and thawed at 70°C for 8 sec. An insemination dose of 0.2 ml containing approx. 150 × 10⁶ spermatozoa with at least 45 to 50% progressive motility was imerted 5 to 12 mm into the cervix. The insemination was performed once between 12 and 30 h after the onset of heat. The NR rate of the Dala ewes increased significantly during the season. The NR rate of the ewes inseminated before 15. November was 44.3%, from 15. to 20. November 52.2%. from 20. to 25. November 55.3% and from 25. November and later 61.4%. The corresponding values for the ewes of the Spel breed were 57.3, 58.7, 61.5 and 71.0% respectively, and only the difference between the two last values was statistically significant. The difference between the fertility of the two breeds was significant within each of the periods .     

不同生长年限王草的营养价值研究

本文对生长第1、2、3年的王草在100cm高度时刈割的营养成分及其体外干物质、有机物降解率进行分析研究。结果表明:不同生长年限王草第1年的粗蛋白质显著高于第2、3年(P<0.05),而中性洗涤纤维(NDF)、酸性洗涤纤维(ADF)显著低于第3年(P<0.05)。干物质、有机物的降解率第1年最高,第3年的最低,但差异不大。     

营养补偿初期苏尼特母羊对NDF、ADF消化能力的研究

将45只处于妊娠后期(90～150d)的苏尼特母羊随机分成4组,以不同的营养水平(代谢能:0.20、0.33、0.44、0.86MJ/kgW0.75·d)分组饲养,分娩后进行补偿生长试验,研究妊娠后期不同营养限制程度的母羊在补偿初期(分娩后0～6周)对中性洗涤纤维(NDF)、酸性洗涤纤维(ADF)消化率的影响。结果表明:在补偿初期,各组母羊对ADF、NDF的消化率随着营养限制程度的增强而下降。     

不同月龄生长公牛日粮营养物质消化规律的研究

本试验选用3头6月龄左右断奶中国荷斯坦公牛,在试验全程喂以相对稳定的日粮,从2003年11月1日开始,到2004年6月20日结束,用以测定中国荷斯坦生长公牛在不同生长期对饲粮中各营养成分的代谢情况。试验结果表明:日粮中的DM、OM、NDF、ADF、淀粉和粗蛋白质的表观消化率随着生长犊牛的月龄的增加而增加(P<0.05);并且9月龄以后,DM、OM、NDF、ADF和粗蛋白质的表观消化率增长不明显(P>0.05),淀粉的表观消化率则在11月龄以后增长不明显(P>0.05)。氮的净吸收率随着生长犊牛的月龄的增加而下降(P<0.05),且在9月龄以后下降不明显(P>0.05)。     

Effect of bilateral cecal ligation on use of dietary energy in growing chickens

In order to determine the role of the cecum on energy use in growing chickens, metabolizability of the dietary energy and energy expenditure were examined in the week following bilateral ligation and washing out of the cecum. Apparent metabolizable energy (AME) values were 14.30 and 13.69 kJ/g air‐dry matter for sham‐operated and cecally ligated chickens, respectively. These values were found to be significantly different (P < 0.05). Although AME intake and fasting heat production were decreased by cecal ligation, the distribution of AME (measured as fasting and feeding heat production, as well as heat increment and energy retention, as a proportion of AME intake) was not affected. These results suggest that the cecum helps chickens extract AME from corn‐soybean type diets with little, if any, effect on AME use, based on the present study of growing chickens in the week following cecal ligation.     

现代集约化肉羊业主要关键技术研究与应用

专门化肉用种羊选定、引进后，通过适应性研究，在较大规模养羊业生产实践中。对现代集约化肉羊业的主要关键技术进行研究、完善和创新，组装集成并应用于生产。技术研究应用结果既为市场提供了大批专门化肉用种羊和优质安全的杂种肉羊，取得了高水平的研究成果及显著的经济效益和社会效益．又为我国目前正在迅速发展的集约化肉羊业提供了可靠的技术支持和理想的生产模式：从适宜的专门化肉羊品种到运用高效母羊快速扩繁技术．建立和完善有效的肉羊杂交利用体系，普遍应用种羊鲜、冻精生产大批肉用杂种羔羊，种植高产优质饲草及其科学加工调制和利用．建立严格兽医防疫制度．实行放牧 补饲或全舍饲的精细管理和集约化育肥，至生产优质、安全、标准肉羊，获得显著的经济效益和社会效益。